Anybody running cast through A Ruger SR45?

[WV Mountaineer]

I just ordered me a brand spanking new Ruger SR45. I won't get the gun until Thursday. I did handle several before deciding to order one so, I know what I'm getting as far as fit and ergonomics. What I don't know is the actual intricacy of these guns. Do they tend to have large for caliber bores, chambers, a particular bullet design that might feed more dependable etc....?

I'm really excited and am just trying to get a start on getting some ideas of what type mold I need to be looking for. Going to order some Once fired brass tonight as I do not currently own a 45 acp to shoot the brass ready to reload. I'm pumped!

Anybody that has some suggestions or experience, please feel free to comment. God Bless

[prs]

Hello fellow Mountaineer!

Yes, SR45s are eating plenty of lead. BUT, both of mine required modest barrel work to avoid shaving of lead by the sharp edge where the end of the chambers met the rifling in the barrels. Apparently a common problem in many modern barrels where the maker is designing for copper clads, not just a Ruger thing. There is a member here who offers to professionally ream such barrels with precise guides to get perfection, there are those of us who have gone the DYI route with the Manson reamer. You will do better with a quality fairly soft lube, like NRA 50:50 or BAC. You can benefit from alloy that is not too hard, say 12, 14 or so. Generally .452" sizing is good, but Ruger SR1911 chambers are generous and the barrels on mine are spot on .451" Also, if a round will plunk test in Wilson test gauge, it will plunk in my Ruger SR1911s, CMDR or original size. I get most reliable function with 200 grain SWC 68 type bullets at or just over 700FPS with fast powders like BE or Red Dot or similar. Just use the old tried and true loadings.

prs

[prs]

I notice you say SR45 and not SR1911, so maybe different shoot'n arn? Same tips probably apply.

About loading for 45ACP, its all been pretty much worked out for us over the past century, just read and soak it in. Current thread on this forum right now with great tips and lots to search. I suggest you start with a Lee 6 cavity mold with their version of the venerable H&G 68 200gr SWC. It is one of the favored molds, easy to learn to use, not too expensive if you screw it up, and a great shooter. Once you get the hand of it, maybe one of the NOE or other premium molds in 68 H&G. Fairly soft alloy is great for this round, 12 or so. Fast powders as listed in the tried and true bullseye loads. Check powder level in case before seating the boolit! Case internal sizer appropriate for .452 sized lead boolit and check that the boolits are not being swaged down by pulling samples and measuring with a micrometer.

prs

[DougGuy]

Usually you get much better performance out of it when the barrel is throated so you can load .452" and seat out as long as you want. Out of the box it is hit or miss whether it will handle .452" with any of the driving band sitting out of the case or not. You won't really know for sure until you get it in hand. If it won't "plunk" a standard 200gr LSWC it probably will fight you until it gets throated.

I do offer a nice package that gets the barrel throated with generous amount (.150") of .4525" freebore with a 3° leade into the lands, a precision cut 20° crown, and the feed ramp wrapped up both sides, radiused ever so slightly and polished. All this at a VERY affordable price, a quick turnaround, and free shipping.

[WV Mountaineer]

Thanks guys!

prs, I was reading that thread when you guys responded to this one. I went ahead and ordered me a few bullets in .452 size from Penn bullets to get me started shooting this thing by the weekend hopefully. It is some soft stuff, designed just for the 45 acp, and gets me started until I get a few things decided on and delivered.

So, I'll be popping some metal and cans with it hopefully by Saturday anyways. I think I'll go with the Lee. My brother has the 6 cavity in 200 grain SWC for his 45 acp's and likes it, in his limited experience. I got the Bullseye and such already on hand. :^)

Doug, I sent you a pm. I'll let you know as soon as I get the gun and a few bullets loaded up.

Thank you both and God Bless

[Shiloh]

Usually you get much better performance out of it when the barrel is throated so you can load .452" and seat out as long as you want. Out of the box it is hit or miss whether it will handle .452" with any of the driving band sitting out of the case or not. You won't really know for sure until you get it in hand. If it won't "plunk" a standard 200gr LSWC it probably will fight you until it gets throated.

I do offer a nice package that gets the barrel throated with generous amount (.150") of .4525" freebore with a 3° leade into the lands, a precision cut 20° crown, and the feed ramp wrapped up both sides, radiused ever so slightly and polished. All this at a VERY affordable price, a quick turnaround, and free shipping.

Good info. Bookmarked.

Shiloh

[WV Mountaineer]

I have another question. What brand of crimp die are you guys using? I just can't make myself buy a 4 die Lee set that is going to size my bullets to .451 when I taper crimp them. God Bless

[DougGuy]

You probably do want to use the taper crimp die, just NOT the factory crimp die with the carbide downsizing ring in the bottom of it. Get the 3 die carbide set, then get the taper crimp separately as I don't know if it comes in a die set or not. Afaik, the 4 die set comes with the Factory Crimp die (which has the carbide ring in it).

[WV Mountaineer]

Ditto. I have fried my brain looking at so much stuff between work and such this evening. I even changed it from taper to just crimp andback to taper in that post I got so confused. :^) But after going and pulling a couple 4 die pistol sets from the safe, you are correct. :)

Fellas, I'm trying to learn this in between a very busy life. So, you'll have to work with my screw ups and ignorance a bit. Trust me, there are going to be quite a few more episodes coming.

Thanks for the replies and help.

[B.C.Jay]

Measure your barrel.
Mine is well oversize at about 453.5"+ but it's shoots fine with a .454, just not a .452

I'm in the camp that thinks Ruger's QC is a bit spotty at times.

[WV Mountaineer]

Well, I sure hope mine doesn't slug out at .4535. I took a chance and hope I don't get burned. I reckon I could powder coat them after removing the lube if it does come that large or, give them to my brother. We will see.

One thing is for sure, if it is that large, I'll be scrubbing it clean Saturday evening cause Good Lord willing, I'm going to shoot some rounds this weekend. God Bless

[prs]

The crimp on 45ACP should be a taper and not a roll. The 4 die set for 45ACP provides two dies that taper crimp. The boolit seating die and the Carbide Factory Crimp Die. Some (many?) of us shun use of the CFCD due to its post sizing ring that can swage down the diameter of our case if your case/bullet combination is a little on the fat side. Some of us take a punch and knock the that post sizing ring out of the CFCD and then we have a taper crimp die for stage 5 of our press. I purchased the taper crimp only die from Lee. The four die sets for traditional revolver type rounds come with roll crimp dies in both the seating die and CFCD. Bullseye gunpowder is GREAT, but what I was saying was bullseye type loading data, i.e. ammo used by bull's-eye competition shooters; these should be accurate, reliably functional, and of appropriate recoil for comfortable shooting.

prs

[WV Mountaineer]

Thanks guys. God Bless

[Love Life]

http://www.saami.org/pubresources/cc_drawings/Pistol/45%20Automatic.pdf

There is no mystery to loading the cartridge. Use your boolit of choice. Plunk test it. If it won't plunk to your satisfaction then send the barrel to Dougguy. The 45 acp (along with the 9mm, 40 S&W, and 10mm) is an incredibly easy cartridge to load for.