Loose Bullet in .45 Colt

[Jaybird3]

Hi. Got to the range this week with my new to me model 1989. Shooting factory "target/range" 255gr lead round-nose. The last round of a cylinder full jumped the crimp and stopped the cylinder from turning. Checking the rest of the rounds in the box, on three rounds, I can twist the bullet in the case. Is it normal to have a weak crimp in factory .45 colt? In .45 acp & .38 sp., I reload but for the .45 Colt, I don't have any brass or dies yet. Comments? Thanks

 

[danski]

You didn't actually name the ammo brand but it's been my experience with factory lead that the loading practices are less than stellar compared to other ammo from the factory.

If you have the dies already, try running a few loaded ones through the crimping die and check to see results.

Some years ago on Remington factory, which used .454 swaged lead bullets, some loads were a bit high, some normal and some loaded a bit
lower in the cases.

 

[OKFC05]

I can twist the bullet in the case. Is it normal to have a weak crimp in factory .45 colt?

That's not normal, even with NO crimp. The brass should be sized small enough to provide most of the hold. Then the roll crimp finishes it off.

 

[n4zov]

That's not normal, even with NO crimp. The brass should be sized small enough to provide most of the hold. Then the roll crimp finishes it off.

Exactly! If there isn't enough bullet tension caused by the case being sized small enough to provide friction between case and bullet, the crimp is useless. I see this problem a lot with reloads from inexperienced reloaders.

 

[NiklasP]

A forewarning for when you start to load 45 Colt. You can get loose bullets because of a simple mismatch in diameters of bullets and expander die. At least older 45 Colt loading dies have/had expander dies for 0,454 bullets. Use 0,452 or 0,451 bullets and you are likely to find that they can be twisted in case by hand, even with tight roll crimps.

Niklas

 

[Jaybird3]

Thanks for the commets. After I obtain enough brass and new dies, my reloads will not have this problem. Thanks again.