45ACP= .451" or .452" ?

[TNFrank]

I've generally used the rule of thumb of .001" over whatever the jacketed bullet was for a given caliber to size my cast boolits BUT recently while doing research for a 45acp load I read something that said something about bullet dia. .451" because of case bulge and that got me to thinking. Should I size my cast boolits for my 45 to .452" like I think I should or would .451" be better. Figured I should ask ya'll to see what your take is on this and what ya'll are using before I spring for a Lee sizing die and get the wrong size. Ammo will be used in an ATI 1911a1 Commander size semi-auto if that's any help. Thanks.

[birdadly]

I'm pretty sure the gents are going to say you should slug your barrel and then size .001-.002" larger than that. That's the only way to be certain, but .452" seems quite common if you can't slug it.

My 45 needs .452", but that's what works for my pistol, maybe not yours. -Brad

[ShooterAZ]

.451 would be for j-word diameter, .452 for cast boolit diameter.

[makicjf]

new to casting and very new to 45 acp in a 1911 platform, but I shoot straight ww air cooled sized .452. ran about 800 rounds through the officer size rock island and have not found any lead yet. I've not had any issue with case bulge; but i do sue the lee taper crimp. i crimp down to .469 on the lee 230 tc. this may iron out any wrinkles.
In my blackhawk, I can chamber .454 colt loads, but get some lead in the barrel (255 swc at 1024 fps air cooled ww). the same load sized to .452 and no lead 'A-tall"
jason

[Cherokee]

45 ACP lead is usually .452 although some people do use larger. Your barrel will tell you if the bullet is undersize by accumulating lead. Or, you could slug it and go .001 over that. I have used 451 and 452 in several 1911's and the 452 works best. I would start with 452.

[TNFrank]

.452" is what I thought, it just kind of puzzled me when they started talking about case bulge with larger then .451" bullets. .452" is the sizing die that I'll order then. Thanks guys. [smilie=s:

[stubshaft]

Before you order it, I would try to load some .452" boolits and see if the fit the chamber. I have an old Wilson Match barrel that will not chamber any boolits loaded with boolits over .451".

[ku4hx]

Before you order it, I would try to load some .452" boolits and see if the fit the chamber. I have an old Wilson Match barrel that will not chamber any boolits loaded with boolits over .451".

+1 Same for my Ruger KP-90. .451" is max I can use.

[felix]

Yes, and do that by firing a clip's worth. Any jams, suspect diameter first, then clip spring. ... felix

[TNFrank]

Before you order it, I would try to load some .452" boolits and see if the fit the chamber. I have an old Wilson Match barrel that will not chamber any boolits loaded with boolits over .451".

But won't I have to order the mold and boolit sizer in order to make the .452" boolits first? Don't see how I can load em' before I cast and size em'. [smilie=l:

[stubshaft]

You can try the "bullet exchange" and see if someone can send you a couple of boolits just to try.

[looseprojectile]

I had trouble making decent looking rounds for my 45. They were hour glass shaped.
I have several 45 dies such as carbide 45 Colt and three 45 auto sets.
I have setteled on using the 45 Colt sizer and expander when loading 45 auto.
Makes them look like factory loads. Fit like factory loads. Sorry to say you will probably have to do some selecting of dies and expander to suit you.
Lee dies might be the best choice as they are probably made more for cast boolits.
I have been sizing to .452" and my loads fit in my Para Ord P14 and my sons Taurus PT 1911 perfectly. Not so in some other guns tried at the range when shooting pins.
I make my boolits out of very soft alloy and lube with my homemade lube and zero leading in both guns.
The two of us shoot 75 to 150 every Wednesday.
I hope you just get lucky and everything works out well.

Life is good

[Wolfer]

I have a Ballester- Molina and I only have 452 sizing die, my mold is the lee 452-228-1R.
The only way I can get it to chamber is to set the boolit deep. Sometimes when the ctg comes out of the mag it misses the barrel and stands up just like a stovepipe only it's still loaded. Going to order me a 451 die soon.

PM me your address and I'll send you a handful of 452s to try.

[Jailer]

Depends on the gun. My 21 with KKM barrel likes .451 and my Kimber likes .452.

Makes it a pain to have 2 different sized 45 rounds to load but you gotta give em what they want.

[Dave C.]

The bulge in the case means nothing IF the round drops in to the chamber.
I have shot unsized .455 with out a problem.

Dave C.

[sig2009]

Before you order it, I would try to load some .452" boolits and see if the fit the chamber. I have an old Wilson Match barrel that will not chamber any boolits loaded with boolits over .451".

I apply a little tighter crimp to the .452 and they chamber with no issue in all my 1911's. I followed the advice from Bob Palermo at Penn Bullets. "When set to an O.A.L. (overall length of the loaded cartridge) of 1.25 inches and a taper crimp at .469 (measured right at the case mouth) this will prove to be optimal in 99% of the .45s out there for reliable feeding."

[StratsMan]

Frank...

I'm not the most experienced caster/loader/marksman on this forum, but you gotta take some advice with a grain of salt. Not all gun/feed/extraction problems are boolit related. Magazines and barrels have a lot to do with it, even if they're brand new. I have a lot of trouble chambering with a match barrel, but no trouble at all with a standard Glock/Sig/surplus barrel. Why?? Because the chamber is tighter and the rifling is closer to the chamber on a match barrel... Maybe on other barrels, too... With reasonable throat, I can load anything I cast (even unsized) into the chamber.

Don't worry about hourglass brass... I get that with .451 j-bullets, too, because my sizing dies make the brass small enough that a .451 causes hourglass shape. The term "bulge" doesn't necessarily mean it's bad... It depends on what the term is applying to... As someone said earlier, if it chambers and shoots, you don't have a boolit problem (or a sizing problem)...

Oh, and if you want to try some boolits sized at .452, I'll be happy to send you a hundred... send me a PM

[dnotarianni]

451 for jacketed and 452 for cast. Don't forget the 45 acp is a tapered crimp case that head spaces on the brass so your taper crimp will shrink your diameter a little also
dave

[TNFrank]

I know I've used .452" in the past and never even thought about it and also never had a problem. Don't know why it just kind of hit me this time around. I won't be able to reload for 45acp until Midway USA gets the Lee dies in stock late April. Mean time I'll shot up some factory stuff and get a supply of brass built up.
I'm sure with this being a ATI gun and not a match gun the chamber won't be on the tight side at all. Like I said, don't know why this even came up but the info just hit me kind in a strange kind of way. [smilie=2:

[randyrat]

I used .451 in a Para...Order a .451 push thru die from BUCKSHOT if it doesn't work hone it out 1 k with 400 & finish with 600 for smoothness grit sand paper and a dowel.
Most need .452

[41 mag fan]

I'm sure with this being a ATI gun and not a match gun the chamber won't be on the tight side at all. Like I said, don't know why this even came up but the info just hit me kind in a strange kind of way. [smilie=2:

That's what I thought on my RIA compact i bought last Oct.
I've toyed and toyed with different loads and boolits in it. It wont go into full battery with a 1.250 LRN sized at .452, but it will with a .451 sized to 1.250.

My Kimbers will feed all day without a hiccup on .452's with an OAL out to 1.270.
But as my standard....1.250 is where I like to seat to.

[Eric H]

But won't I have to order the mold and boolit sizer in order to make the .452" boolits first? Don't see how I can load em' before I cast and size em'. [smilie=l:

If you pm me I will send you a few 452 out of my stock of badman bullets. Im still in the prosess of starting to cast my own. However I do have some nice ones I baught.