Reloading .45 ACP

[Forrest r]

You have a couple things going on:

Take a bullet and press down and roll it back and forth on a piece of newspaper. You want the ink to get on the body of the bullet. You're looking for where the body of the bullet ends/stops and the octave of the nose of the bullet starts. Rolling the bullet will leave a line at the bullet body/octave intersection. Verify this with a mic or calipers. I've showed this picture before, if you look closely at the bullet on the left you can see a line in that bullet where the bullet's body ends and the bullet's octave begins.

When you find that line on your bullet seat make a dummy round. You want that line to be 20/1000th's above the rim of the case. This is what 20/1000th's of the shoulder looks like above the 45acp case using a h&g #68swc.

A 230gr rn bullet & a h&g #68, both bullets cut in 1/2 and held together to compare profiles.

Always go off of where the bullet's body ends when seating a bullet. Doesn't matter if it's a rn/swc/tc/rn.

If you look at your loads you can see the bullets profile in your case/see the bullets base/starting to get wasp's waist. That's from the factory expander that is designed for the shorter/smaller in diameter jacketed bullets. In the picture above with the expander in the case you can see that the lyman m-die extends a long way into the case. THis is a good thing for cast/lead/coated/plated bullets. A lee factory expander (note ring mark left on expander ball made by cases being expanded) next to a lyman m-die.

As you can see the m-die is not only as long as the lee factory expander, it goes into the 45acp cases twice as far. If you look at the h&g #68 bullets pictured above you will see no bullet base/bulge/wasp waist with that .452" bullet.

You can not set your crimp until you seat the bullet higher so that the crimp in in the .451"/.452" bullet's body.

 

[Wee Hooker]

A bit off topic, but if you are new at reloading .45 Auto, watch out for different primer sizes.
.45 Auto cases are now fairly common with small & large primers - just be aware of it to save yourself some grief along the way.

If I were just starting today, I'd try to buy only small primer ammo and or brass. It would make stocking up on primers that much easier and negate ever touching the primer feed on my press again. One size fits all!
Given I've been at this 30+ years and have a good 10 gal of 45 brass already, small primered 45 cases are just an annoyance now.

 

[stansdds]

I currently load 9MM, 38, and .380. I got a pretty good lottery number from the CMP 1911 program and I expect to be called within s month. So I have to reload .45 ACP.

So I bought 500 lead 230 grain round nose bullets from Missouri Bullets. I've used them in my .38 and no issues. SOme guys told me after I got them that the lead bullet might be an issue in feeding into a government 1911. Can't return them now so we'll see. I'll buy plated from now on.

So I loaded up a dummy round. COAL is exactly 1.200" as Hodgson lists. Here are some pics/ Do they look alright? Is the crimp not tight enough? I can't do a plunk test yet since I don't have the gun.

To me it looks like the bullet is seated too deeply. If I recall correctly, and I'm currently at work, so I can't check my loads or data, the OAL with most cast lead 230 grain round nose bullets is around 1.250-1.260" OAL. With cast lead bullets in 45 ACP I always like to see a little of the bullet's shoulder protruding just past the edge of the case mouth.


I have never had feeding issues in my 1911's with cast lead 200 grain LSWC or 230 grain RN bullets.

 

[SMSgt]

All my .45 reloads measure .471-.472 at the case mouth after crimping on 230-grain MBC LRNs and function fine, but that is in a Glock 30.

 

[WR Moore]

I echo the comments about the seating depth of the bullet. A bullet crimped on the ogive isn't locked in place and it may push back during feeding depending on neck tension.

If you look very carefully at the picture of the expander plugs above, the part of the Lyman gauge that actually touches the case is the same as the Lee. The M die also has a step that can provide an extra flare to the case mouth if desired. OTOH, the Dillon expander does go about twice as deep, they try to compensate by making the diameter smaller.

While the plunk test gives you a clue about fit in your particular pistol, an actual case gauge (~$20) makes sure your loads are SAAMI spec. While I loaded without them for decades, I've learned you can figure out problems a whole lot faster if you've got gauges.

 

[GRT3031]

I'd recommend getting a Hornady taper crimp die

 

[Collo Rosso]

Sorry but this is another misunderstanding of oal. A factory fmj oal is only valid if you use a bullet that is the same shape. The lyman 230gr rn replicates most 230gr ball or rnfmj. Otherwise factory ball means little to oal with just any LRN.
Check out Summers bullets for ball config LRN & they are coated for less smoke & sludge.

I noticed in Summers comments on his coated 230gr. 45acp bullet is different then most. It looks to have a steeper taper than most. MCB coated are more rounded ball ogive and could probably be seated deeper, minding pressure of course.

 

[nachogrande]

DO IT LONG ENOUGH AND...

Most at some point will likely experience bullet creep &/or bullet set back. Personally I like a bit more of a crimp/taper as I can get to maintain reliable function. I am a chronic over tightener also.

 

[STORMINORMAN]

I load 45 acp for a 1911, a Ruger American and a pre-Model 25... The S&W is a dream to reload for.

Once you find the correct OAL for the most picky of your magazines and chambers it'll be a done deed... For THAT bullet.

I've actually had more problems with reliable feeding SWC's than RN, RNFP, or hollowpoints: a Wilson case guage would be perfect... Try to find one?

The 6 hole lyman helps, but you still have to get your OAL via trial and error: not exactly "load development", but once you have the OAL's down for your various bullets you should be home free.

Enjoy!

 

[joeintexas]

I wouldn't worry about shooting lead in a 45. I have 4 different 1911s and lead is all I shoot, no problems. I also like Summers bullets.

 

[Engineer1911]

Proven dimensions

The Minion shall remain silent. The experts have given excellent advice.

OAL = 1.250" ± 0.005" Crimp diameter at the case mouth = 0.469" ± 0.002" . I reload cast Lee and Lyman clones of H&G #68 or Lyman cast 225 gr RN. All my reloads functions flawlessly in 14 different 45 ACP pistols with Chip McCormack or Wilson mags.


We now resume the silence.

 

[kbm6893]

Some New Pics

I broke down the dummy and re-dit it. OAL is now 1.235 and it is a medium crimp. I know I don't have the gun yet, but does the round look OK?

 

[Engineer1911]

No, your round does not meet these specs: OAL = 1.250" ± 0.005" . Crimp diameter at the case mouth = 0.469" ± 0.002" .

OAL is short, not enough crimp. Chip McCormick mag owner's sheet gives these specs. I followed them and my feeding problems stopped. Even junk (cheapo Chinese) magazines with SWC bullets work when ammo meets this spec.

 

[kbm6893]

No, your round does not meet these specs: OAL = 1.250" ± 0.005" . Crimp diameter at the case mouth = 0.469" ± 0.002" .

OAL is short, not enough crimp. Chip McCormick mag owner's sheet gives these specs. I followed them and my feeding problems stopped. Even junk (cheapo Chinese) magazines with SWC bullets work when ammo meets this spec.

OK. I'll re-seat to 1.245-1.250. The crimp diameter I will measure, but being off by a couple of thousanths of an inch is not gonna read reliably on my calipers, I think. I will increase the crimp and measure again.

I also just ordered 500 copper plated bullets from XTreme. I notices the crimp die feels sluggish when going over lead.

 

[Collo Rosso]

I will increase the crimp and measure again.

I'm to lazy to reread the whole thread but keep in mind case tension keeps the bullet in place in a semi-auto cartridge, not the crimp. The crimp should only undo the flare and return the case to straight wall. I keep a small magnifying glass handy so I can see as I set the crimp die. Semi-auto's head space on the case mouth.

 

[kbm6893]

Ok. Back to drawing board tomorrow. I’ll reset everything and set the depth to 1.250 and adjust the crimp. Thanks everybody. Stay tuned!!

 

[daniel lawecki]

Me I think the 45 ACP is the easiest to reload. and the 1911 will just about shoot any shape bullet cast or plated

 

[nachogrande]

IDK ABOUT THAT.

45 ACP'S are not too hard to load, but finding the sweet spot of OAL, seating, flaring, taper crimp for each bullet type can take some experimenting. Once figured out they work great. This goes mostly for reload ammo & guns that have been altered, which 1911 guys have been known to do. I find the Sig p220 less finicky then my Thompson 1911 was.YMMV

 

[fredj338]

I echo the comments about the seating depth of the bullet. A bullet crimped on the ogive isn't locked in place and it may push back during feeding depending on neck tension.

If you look very carefully at the picture of the expander plugs above, the part of the Lyman gauge that actually touches the case is the same as the Lee. The M die also has a step that can provide an extra flare to the case mouth if desired. OTOH, the Dillon expander does go about twice as deep, they try to compensate by making the diameter smaller.

While the plunk test gives you a clue about fit in your particular pistol, an actual case gauge (~$20) makes sure your loads are SAAMI spec. While I loaded without them for decades, I've learned you can figure out problems a whole lot faster if you've got gauges.

Couple things. A proper taoer crimp does not hold the bullet, that is done with good neck tension.
Again, a case gage only tells you the case is sized & at least some crimp. It cant tell you oal is right or if the crimp is too much. Useful tool, but not complete.

 

[fredj338]

Ok. Back to drawing board tomorrow. I’ll reset everything and set the depth to 1.250 and adjust the crimp. Thanks yeverybody. Stay tuned!!

Decrease the crimp.