Roll crimp or not

[Kid Shileen]

I have a 625 45acp. I have a good supply of both ammo and moon clips. Regarding 45 auto rim it’s been a while since I’ve loaded that cartridge and don’t recall applying a roll crimp.
An “expert” on another forum claims a roll crimp is necessary.
Since the 45 acp and auto rim are essentially the same cartridge why would a roll crimp be useful let alone necessary unless it is being loaded hot and the roll crimp will keep the bullet in place under recoil. What am I missing?

 

[kamloops67]

If the bullet has a cannelure , I would roll crimp ,otherwise I’d use a taper crimp

 

[Nevada Ed]

The taper is the way to go when ammo is used in a pistol.

A roll crimp will not hurt things if used in a revolver.........
since "Headspace" is done a different way.

 

[glenwolde]

I only apply roll crimps on bullets with a crimp groove to accomodate one. Otherwise a roll crimp will either damage the bullet or be ineffective.

No crimp is fine if bullet pull is sufficient to hold it in place. If I get any "creep" I apply a taper crimp.

For bullets with no crimp groove, load some and just remove the flare. Measure their length. Load six and fire five. Remove and measure the length of the last round. If it didn't get significantly longer you're good. If it moves too much apply a taper crimp.

If a bullet has a crimp groove, I always roll crimp it.

 

[Kid Shileen]

I always use a taper crimp on 45acp

 

[rockquarry]

Try it both ways, Shoot groups from a benchrest at 25 yards. Shooting closer won't tell you anything. I've seen slightly better accuracy with a taper crimp. I only use cast bullets, but the same guideline should apply for jacketed bullets.

I use Auto Rim brass, but ACP brass can also be taper crimped or roll crimped (if you have a crimp groove).

 

[robertrwalsh]

I don't feel inclined to mess with my dies if I don't have to. I use the same set of dies for both, with a taper crimp. I have three .45 acp revolvers and they all like the taper crimp just fine.

 

[Imissedagain]

We taper crimp all 45ACPs in 1911s and our Blackhawk convertible.
Never had a bullet get loose with stout loads.
The Blackhawk was my bullet puller for loads that were too hot for the Colts.
Any excuse to buy another gun can be justified.

 

[rockquarry]

Some years back, I bought a Star loading press from the '60s that was set up in .45 ACP. The seating/ crimp die was a roll crimp, once popular for the cartridge. I don't recall experiencing a problem with the roll crimped ammo in any of my pistols. However, I preferred taper crimped ammo because it was generally slightly more accurate.

A well-known competitor and 1911 gunsmith from years ago, Alton Dinan, wrote up a .45 ACP accuracy article in the AMERICAN RIFLEMAN (mid-'60s, I think) and compared a number of machine-rested loads tested at 50 yards. Many were roll-crimped loads. At least one of these used the popular H&G #68 design; it has no crimp groove. If you know what you're doing and are willing to experiment with the degree of crimp, you can roll crimp a cast bullet that has no crimp groove without distorting the bullet or degrading accuracy.

I'm not offering any of that as advice, but some, maybe many, "makes sense" ideas that have been preached as dogma over decades don't stand up well to objective scrutiny.

 

[reddog81]

I’ve shot thousands through 45 ACP revolvers and never found it necessary. I usually use .452 or .453 bullets and have never had a bullet come out and cause a problem.

If using smaller diameter bullets and the bullets started coming loose I could see that a roll crimp might help. But you’d probably be better off figuring what wrong with your reloading process that is allowing bullets to creep forward in a 45 ACP.

 

[Kid Shileen]

Never had any bullet creep using a taper crimp in 45acp. I suspect my critic was a keyboard commando.

 

[mikld]

Since neck tension holds semi-auto bullets in place, I don't "crimp" any semi-auto cartridge, just deflare. I have a 9mm revolver and so far, maybe 500 rounds fired so far with 450 being handloads, with no crimp, no problems. But I still check for bullets walking from recoil. If I were reloading 9mm just for the revolver I would roll or profile crimp into the crimp groove or cannelure, but I have 4, 9mm pistols too...

However, I have seen the Charter Arms 45 ACP revolver and I'm getting that itch again. I got a lot of primers, powder and quite a few cases (Both large and smal primed) three molds and a half ton of lead. Hmmm...

 

[bruce381]

tapper crimp auto loads a roll crimp requires all cases be trimed same length a hassle.

 

[H Richard]

To get the benefit of the 45 auto rim loading, a hotter load and roll crimp into a Crimp Groove can be used. It isn't necessary if you are loading the same load as in a 45 auto.

 

[alwslate]

I roll crimp all loads fired in revolvers. Most cast bullets have a crimp groove and a roll crimp holds the bullet under recoil
and improves ignition by providing a little more bullet pull. In the AR with short SWCs with no groove a little roll crimp can be applied over the leading edge of the bullet shank because the AR head spaces on the rim.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

If your load is a good one with a taper crimp, you will have the possibility of changing the performance by changing the crimp. In other words: "If it works, DON"T FIX IT!"

Since you have 45 auto guns too, all 45 ACP ammo should work in all guns of that chambering. (Just a silly little rule in my family)

Ivan

 

[Univibe]

tapper crimp auto loads a roll crimp requires all cases be trimed same length a hassle.

I'd agree, if you are making match grade ammo for competing at a high level.

But for ordinary accurate range fodder, I don't trim pistol ammo.

One thing I strongly recommend is to get a fourth die and thereby separate the seating and crimping operations. You have two seat/crimp dies. Set up one for seating, and the other for crimping. I've always done that with both pistol and revolver loads. Works.

 

[Kid Shileen]

Thanks for the replies

 

[CH4]

I have two 625s and have never used a roll crimp

 

[H Richard]

Keep in mind if you roll crimp over the leading edge of the bullet shank the powder may need to be adjusted as the bullet is seating much deeper in the case and could cause over pressure. Measure your two different Overall Lengths and see how much it actually is. It might surprise you.