Question Re: Seating and crimping 45 ACP

[dmclark523]

I am working right now with some Hornady 230gn HP bullets, trying to load for my Sig. I know its not a cast boolit, but this is a general question either way and hopefully someone can give me some advice.
Seating depth per Hornady manual says COL of 1.230. I applied a light crimp to the case after seating. I always like to chamber the round in my gun then remeasure the COL, just to make sure it didn't seat the round any farther down as it hits the feed ramp.
I was consistently getting a COL after chambering of 1.150-1.220. How do I resolve this?
I attempted adding a much larger crimp, I tried re-sizing and then expanding the casing less, etc. Nothing has worked for me and 1 in ever 3 rounds is ending up like this. Thank you

Edit: Working with Lee dies. All I got.

[Outer Rondacker]

Are you using a crimp as a single stage. What I mean is do you have a real factory crimp die or just the seating/crimp die? I say if you dont have the factory crimp die then you need to get one. I also have had an issue when I showed a guy how to load of his hands being oily and this same thing happening. I suggest if this is the case with you putting on some rubber gloves. Hope this helps but might not.

Factory crimp die would be in a four die set not a three. If this helps.

[dmclark523]

Yes I have a 4 die set by Lee. Crimping is in a step all by itself with the specific die.

[Larry Gibson]

Can you seat a bullet in a sized case w/o using the expander?

Larry Gibson

[billyb]

What brand of brass are you using. R P brass tends to be on the thin side. My first attempt reloading 45 auto was with Hornady 230 grain round nose in remmington brass and had the issue are talking about. Try another brand of brass and see if this helps. Take a factory round and measure the od at the top of the case and set your crimp die to give you the same od on your loaded rounds. Bill

[country gent]

Measure several bullets with a michrometer to make sure they are a full .451 dia. I have seen bullets get thru that were slightly undersized. Check your expanders dia also it should measure .448 to .449 ( .451 bullet dia - .002) Brass thickness can play a role in this if die is large and dosnt size down below expanders dia reliably. Some times a slightly large die and thinner cases are borderline on the expanders not giving proper tension. If necessary chuck the expander in a drill press chuck and lightly polish a couuple thousandths of the straight dia end with fine sand paper of 400-600 grit making sure to keep if flowing into belling taper smoothly.

[bullet maker 57]

If you are using amerc cases, that could be part of the problem. I have never had any luck with them.

[35remington]

Taper crimping does absolutely, positively zero to hold a jacketed bullet in place under the forces of feeding. You have discovered that when no amount of crimp helped. Prevention of bullet movement is entirely due to bullet/case fit. Ensure adequate bullet grip with the methods suggested above.....look at expander diameter and see if the sizing die is reducing the cases enough.

Measure your expander diameter and report what that is as well.

[gloob]

Either your bullets too small, sizer too big, or your brass is thin.