Ruger SR1911 No Cast Bullets

[jeeper]

Been shooting more years than I care to admit and reloading for the past fifteen but I've run into a problem that I've never had before. Just got a new Ruger SR1911 and besides the front sight breaking off twice my 230gn lead round nose will not go into battery. Been casting these for years and all ways worked fine in the other six 45s I have. Now not all of the rounds will not work about 50/50. When clearing a round that has not gone to battery there's aring around the bullet where it stuck before it could chamber had some pull the bullet out of the case trying to eject it. Now a little back ground on the reloading before I get all the blame but it could be me. All the bullets are cast from WW all are sized to .045 all are checked with a Wilson case gage and loaded on a Dillon 550. I sure would like some help from all you reloaders that are smarter than me. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP

[novalty]

Your length is too long. What's the OAL? Sounds like you need to do a plunk test, as your rounds are hitting the rifling, causing the ring, and failure to go into battery.

[mpmarty]

sized to 45 WHAT? 450, 451,452,453,454,459???

[fredj338]

OAL, it is ALWAYS gun & bullet specific. My XDTAC has a short min spec chamber. If I load to the longest OAL that fits my 1911s, it is too long for my XDTAC. Bullets & OAL, rarely plug & play. FWIW, a case gage is almost a useless test. There is no rifling in a generic case gage, so it only tells you if the case is sized & crimped properly or if the bullet/case config is too large to fit. OAL, you have to check that in EACH CHAMBER OF EACH GUN, there is no short cut here.

[geargnasher]

If it shoots factory ball ammo ok, buy a .45 auto throating reamer from Brownell's and fix it like your other six so you can shoot the same ammo in all of them. Better yet, throat ALL of them to exactly the same depth/profile and build the ideal ammo for all of them.

Gear

[wv109323]

Shorten the OAL on a dummy round until it fits into the chamber with the base of the case just below the hood on the barrel. Of course the barrel needs to be out of the pistol. Ka-Plunk
Dummy round shold fall out of chamber when barrel is turned up side down.

[jeeper]

Yes they shoot factory rounds ok sorry about the sizing sanfu I do size them to .452 I have all so change the OAL I usally run the OAL at 1.250 I have gone down to 1.230 which leads to another thing Hodgdon says 1.200 all the other specs. calls for around 1.250

[osteodoc08]

I had to run mine down to OAL of 1.215 to plunk in my Sig. Shorten your OAL or ream as gear suggested.

[tomme boy]

Most 45's are coming with a throat made for jacketed. Do as Gear says. It works.

[Love Life]

If that OAL spooks you, never load the Lee RN bullet... As has been said, seat deeper or do as Geargnasher says.

[gray wolf]

What good is the book OAL if they don't run in your pistol ? Your beat case gauge is your own barrel.
Take the barrel out and seat a dummy out long, remove a tad of the case mouth flare so it will go into the barrel, continue to adjust the seating dept till the round seats with the back of the case .003 shy of the barrel hood, DONE.
If your sticking rounds so bad causing the head to separate itself from the case when extracting your just loading them to long, Ain't nothing wrong with the pistol, you just have a short and maybe to sharp of a lead.
Welcome to the forum and hope you stick around.

GW

[Finster101]

Check the crimp. My guess is you need more taper crimp.

[novalty]

Crimp may also be playing a role in the issue, but if the bullets are getting a ring around the nose it is from too long an OAL.

[dragon813gt]

Check the crimp. My guess is you need more taper crimp.

Same here. This was my issue. No matter how deep I seated the bullet it still wouldn't chamber properly. Crimped to .472 and all the problems went away.

[Love Life]

I crimp at .470.

[gray wolf]

Solve one problem at a time, establish the correct OAL first, ring around the bullet is just wrong.
Then get the correct crimp, .470 should be in the ball park.

[tomme boy]

Read this. This is how they need to be set up. Most barrels are being short throated now.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?232061-1911-Throating

[geargnasher]

Just a refresher because it looks like some of you didn't read the OP: He has SIX OTHER .45s that all shoot the same load no problem, his ammo checks with a case gauge, so the way I read it the RUGER is the problem. If it shoots J-word factory ammo ok, there's no problem with the gun as far as Ruger is concerned, so he is left with the following options to either 1). Adjust seating depth and/or sizing diameter to the Ruger (which may cause problems with his longest-throated/sloppiest chamber in the other guns) 2.) Load and segregate special ammo for the new stepchild or 3.) Fix the damn Ruger and be done with it without risking screwing up a formula that is working for him six out of six guns (a feat in itself most of the time to do that).

As a bonus, if properly and carefully done, the throating reamer can be used in all the guns and the seating depth optimized for all of them perfectly. Just don't forget to consider the magazine length for ALL guns when so doing.

Gear

[MtGun44]

OAL is defined by your gun's chamber/throat. If you are sticking boolits,
the OAL is too long. So, as the ammunition manufacturer -- FIX IT. ;-)

Bill

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I've read reviews of the SR1911 and there seems to be spotty issues with tight chambers and the angle of the chamfer.

Gear has the correct answer...If you aren't comfortable with that...a call to Ruger about returning the gun, if you want to risk what they may do to it. If that's the route you go, be sure to include samples of dummy rounds with your boolits...and even then, Ruger may or may not do what you need to have done.

[novalty]

Just a refresher because it looks like some of you didn't read the OP: He has SIX OTHER .45s that all shoot the same load no problem, his ammo checks with a case gauge, so the way I read it the RUGER is the problem. If it shoots J-word factory ammo ok, there's no problem with the gun as far as Ruger is concerned, so he is left with the following options to either 1). Adjust seating depth and/or sizing diameter to the Ruger (which may cause problems with his longest-throated/sloppiest chamber in the other guns) 2.) Load and segregate special ammo for the new stepchild or 3.) Fix the damn Ruger and be done with it without risking screwing up a formula that is working for him six out of six guns (a feat in itself most of the time to do that).

As a bonus, if properly and carefully done, the throating reamer can be used in all the guns and the seating depth optimized for all of them perfectly. Just don't forget to consider the magazine length for ALL guns when so doing.

Gear

Or buy another seating die and label Ruger.

[C.F.Plinker]

Since the problem seems to be a mismatch between this barrel and the ammunition you load that works in six other 45s, see if Ruger will exchange your barrel for one that is chambered at the long end of their tolerances.

[fredj338]

Crimp may also be playing a role in the issue, but if the bullets are getting a ring around the nose it is from too long an OAL.
Not likely a crimp issue if they fit a case gage. It's most likely the OAL is just too long for that bbl. Too many reloaders let this get all complicated & it's just not. Use your bbl, drop a dummy round in @ the SAAMI max, seat deeper until it plunks in & out. Then check in the mag all the way down. If you have to set all your ammo for that OAL, so be it. I have 8 diff 45acp pistols. I set the ammo up to run in them all, one OAL for each bullet type.

[geargnasher]

Am I the ONLY one that read the OP?

Gear

[btroj]

No, not the only one. I just have nothing to add to what you suggested.

He has other pistols for the same cartridge. His ammo works well in all the pistols but one. Altering the outlying handgun so it feeds the same ammo as the others just makes sense.

Why have two bins of ammo when a simple modification would allow you to have just one?

[gwpercle]

The Lee 230 gr. round nose bullet is not profiled like a standard 230 gr. hardball bullet, at least the one I had wasn't, I had to seat it a tad deeper to get reliable feeding . It wasn't too long before I bought a 200 gr. SWC double cavity mould and stopped using the Lee 230 RN single cavity altogether . This worked out much better. Less lead, less recoil and nice clean holes.
Gary

[62chevy]

Am I the ONLY one that read the OP?

Gear


I read it and understand what you are saying but I also know the reamer you are talking about is $100 and would only be a one time use even if he used it on all his 45s. Personally I would never spend that kind of money for a one time use tool, might take it to a gun smith and have it done. Being cash strapped the shorter OAL sounds better to me. You gave the OP a darn good suggestion but the shorter boolit is a good one too. Hope he comes back and tells use what he decided to do

[novalty]

I read his original post, and if it was me I would be left with the options of calling Ruger to see if they will fix. Most likely they will not modify the barrell for reason of reloaded ammo doesn't work, as I am sure their manual is like all other manufacturers and tells you not to use reloaded ammo in the gun. Other option is to pay a qualified gunsmith to do it as I would not be qualified to perform such a task. Last option would be to twist that seating die stem in a few threads and see if the shorter depth will fit in the gun.

My first post was just to diagnose the issue. He can do what he wants to the gun or ammo.

[geargnasher]

That Ruger is likely to have another issue also, even if seating depth is reduced: Lead shaving and leading due to the sharp, small throat entrance. I'm just guessing here based on the info given, but if this throat is similar to some others I've seen, it can be a problem. Easy for me to spend someone else's money :grin:

Gear

[Crosbyman]

I shoot a lot of a 185 gr button nose SWC (H&G 130) with no problems.

[MtGun44]

Crimp at .470 can be a problem. Try .465 or so after seating deeper.

You stated that you "sized to .045", I am going to guess that you mean .450. If
so, this is too small to work well in the overwhelming majority of .45 ACP
pistols. You should be sizing to .452. Needing to seat deeper for short
throated pistols is not unusual, just seat the boolit deeper by increments until
it no longer hits the throat. If you don't like this LOA, then you will need
to switch to a SWC which may fit the throat better than the RN (shorter full diam
section) or ream the rifling. IMO, using H&G 68s would be a likely solution
to your problem, too.

I had used 1.260 LOA for H&G 68 for many years until I purchased my first pistol
with a very tight, short throated match barrel. I had to switch to 1.250 as my std
LOA just to suit this one pistol.

Bill

[freebullet]

Stick a boolit in the barrel centered up nice & wedge it with a tooth pick. Stick a dowel in the bore and make a mark on tye dowel at the end of the barrel. Remove bullet reinsert dowell to the breach face make another mark at the end of the barrel. Now measure between the tops of the 2 marks on the Dowell. That's about how long your first dummy rounds should be to test manually feed cycling. In general I get best results with 1r boolits 20thousands shorter than the measurement on the dowell, and upto 10 thousandth longer on 2r boolits. Once you know what oal that gun wants and feeds manually you can find load data to work up with.

Gears option would be the best choice. 7 guns one load, but if you need to save the money you'll need to find yours guns preferred oal and work up a load. You may need to reduce your start charge if the gun will only feed very short rounds. Best of luck.

[GaryN]

I also have a Sr1911. I have only had the front sight break off once. I am new to 45acp. I size at .452. I crimp at .467. If I get up around .470 it doesn't like it. Oal length doesn't mean a lot in the specs. because each boolit design is different on how far the full diameter of the boolit sticks out of the case. I use a Mihec 45-200. I set the oal at 1.170. It runs 1.180 most of the time but I reduced it to make it run smoother. I have had no leading at all. But I use 50/50 lube in the lube groove. So far it hasn't shot any good groups. Whoever rifled it did a cruddy job. It looks like chatter in the rifling. I have been using a bore lapping kit I have to smooth it out. I am not there yet but it is helping. I have another problem you haven't mentioned. Sometimes I have a fail to feed. It pops up the next round and starts it into the barrel but also grabs the one below that and jams it into the front of the mag. It makes no sense to me. But I'm not done with it yet. You really need to pull off the barrel and make sure your reloads will plunk into the barrel and drop back out. That's the only way to be sure your reloads fit. Or do as gear said, fix the gun to fit the reloads.

[geargnasher]

The Mihec 45-200 is a far cry from the best "copy" of the H & G #68 for several reasons, nose profile being one of the more important ones. Check the feed lips on your magazines also to see if they've spread. I wonder if all this front sight breakage is due to weak recoil springs or just poor-quality die-castings?

A throating reamer is less expensive than having an aftermarket barrel fitted, but I wonder if a good trade for a different pistol to someone who doesn't shoot cast boolits might be less expensive yet.

Gear

[freebullet]

Gear wrote " but I wonder if a good trade for a different pistol to someone who doesn't shoot cast boolits might be less expensive yet."

Yup. When I have a gun in mind i like to check feed with a few dummy rounds of my standard load for that cal. in it before I buy it. Don't want one that don't fit in the herd good. I love ruger revolvers, they are like diamonds in the rough. Never liked any of their autos, not that they dont make good ones just not to my liking. I've tried a bunch.

[tomme boy]

Look up Reamer Rentals. They have a 45 cal throating reamer for 17$ rental for 3 days. Might want to call them to make sure if it is OK for the 45 acp. There are a lot of other 45 bores out there.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I also have a Sr1911. I have only had the front sight break off once. I am new to 45acp. I size at .452. I crimp at .467. If I get up around .470 it doesn't like it. Oal length doesn't mean a lot in the specs. because each boolit design is different on how far the full diameter of the boolit sticks out of the case. I use a Mihec 45-200. I set the oal at 1.170. It runs 1.180 most of the time but I reduced it to make it run smoother. I have had no leading at all. But I use 50/50 lube in the lube groove. So far it hasn't shot any good groups. Whoever rifled it did a cruddy job. It looks like chatter in the rifling. I have been using a bore lapping kit I have to smooth it out. I am not there yet but it is helping. I have another problem you haven't mentioned. Sometimes I have a fail to feed. It pops up the next round and starts it into the barrel but also grabs the one below that and jams it into the front of the mag. It makes no sense to me. But I'm not done with it yet. You really need to pull off the barrel and make sure your reloads will plunk into the barrel and drop back out. That's the only way to be sure your reloads fit. Or do as gear said, fix the gun to fit the reloads.
GaryN,
please keep us informed of your progress.

But, as I said before, "I've read reviews of the SR1911 and there seems to be spotty issues with tight chambers and the angle of the chamfer."

Now,,, as this thread has progressed, I'd really lean toward using only jacketed loads with any Ruger SR1911 or not owning one.

[nightal]

...........http://forums.1911forum.com/showpost.php?p=4860372&postcount=9

This picture may help you with your OAL I use the Plunk test on my rounds. I have 4 RIA .45 cal pistols, they all have very tight chambers, I crimp at .469"-.470" anything over that won't chamber......

[tomme boy]

...........http://forums.1911forum.com/showpost.php?p=4860372&postcount=9

This picture may help you with your OAL I use the Plunk test on my rounds. I have 4 RIA .45 cal pistols, they all have very tight chambers, I crimp at .469"-.470" anything over that won't chamber......

I run mine at 0.472" on my Citadel. Same as the RIA.

[pastor]

I have a Lee 6 cavity 228gr mold and as stated above the radius is different than factory ball ammo, i started out the same as you with oal at 1.250 but it was too long they were even hanging up inside the magazine as they fed up, I have a Rock Island and a SR1911 i ended up with an oal of 1.190 and several thousand rounds later I have had no further issues, o yea and my front sight has not broken off yet, yikes i hope it doesnt .............also I wouldnt worry about the loading manual giving 1.250 as the OAL i looked in several different books and found some different numbers, the correct OAL is what works.
Good luck I hope this helps and some of the others have given good advise too

[GaryN]

GaryN,
please keep us informed of your progress.

But, as I said before, "I've read reviews of the SR1911 and there seems to be spotty issues with tight chambers and the angle of the chamfer."

Now,,, as this thread has progressed, I'd really lean toward using only jacketed loads with any Ruger SR1911 or not owning one.

My reliability issues were caused by a couple of bad mags. They only had about 500 rounds total through the two of them. I got some Wilson Combat #500 mags. They were on sale and sounded like they would work. I shot it about 150 rounds today. The new mags. were 100% reliable. Since I am new to 45 ACP I didn't have a good mag to compare the others to. Wow what a difference. One thing I noticed with the old ones is that when I was loading them sometimes I would have three or four rounds fly out of the mag. I think the lips are wrong. The ammunition just fits better in the Wilsons. I am done lapping on the barrel. It quit improving so I quit. I can still see the chatter in the rifling a little. I am just not used to autos. I read where everyone is getting 3 1/2 inch groups at 25 yards with various guns. I have always shot revolvers and that size of group would be cruddy in them. I will either have to live with it or maybe try a different barrel.

P.S. I have never shot a jacketed bullet in this gun. I have now shot about 1000 rounds through it.