45ACP problems.

[armyrat1970]

Purchased the Lee 452-228-1R mold a few months back to begin casting for my Norinco 1911A1. Cast a couple of hundred boolits, which drops a 228gr boolit, and tried to load some Monday night. I took 4 cases and resized and decapped them. Planning on using AA#5 and according to my Lee and Accurate manuals the MinOal is 1.230 for the 230gr.lrn. I tested a few at different depths in the sized and unprimed cases the first one as cast set at 1.250. Got chamber and land marks on the boolit and it pushed back into the case. Seated another to 1.230 and got the same results. I sized a couple with my Lee Sizer die and they came out right at .452. Seated one to 1.250 and got the same results. Seated one to 1.230 and got the same results. I think it's safe to say my Norinco bore is a little small. Question is, should I get another sizer and size them down to .451 or get another mold with a little different boolit style? My Norinco has had problems with truncated cone type boolits but feeds hardball reliably and I think I should stick with that type of boolit. The 452-228-1R is only a 1 ogive radius. Was looking at the TL452-230-2R mold which seems a little smaller where the ogive meets the shank of the boolit and can maybe allow me to seat it that deep or maybe even a little further out. It is a 2 ogive radius. Any thoughts would help.
With the mold I now have, even after sizing to .452, I would have to seat way to deep and get a compressed charge as some of the boolits I tried were pushed back to and overall 1.222 or less. I am not sure if sizing down by only .001 would make that much difference?

[Netherwolf]

I couldn't get that bullet to run in my Colt Officer's ACP until I got down in the 1.20 OAL range. I finally settled on 1.195 OAL.

I'd been pulling my hair out seating to OAL specs listed in my various manuals. Then I stumbled on a thread on some forum where the guy was questioning something he'd read about that particular bullet having an OAL seating depth of 1.191. Considering the chamber/rifling marks (like yourself) I'd been getting it made sence. I too was concerned about compressed powder/elevated chamber pressure so I reseated a dozen or so & ran them. No more fail to feeds nor did I notice any evidence of elevated chamber pressure. I've run a couple hundred since then with no feed, fire or discernable pressure issues. Your results may be different so if you want to go this route do so at your own peril.

Netherwolf

[peter nap]

I don't try to measure to set the seating depth in my 1911's.

I make a test dummy with the case a slip fit for the bullet, chamber it, take it out and then measure it. I set my seating die 1/4 turn further in than the test bullet, and make the finished rounds based on that. Seems to work!

[armyrat1970]

I couldn't get that bullet to run in my Colt Officer's ACP until I got down in the 1.20 OAL range. I finally settled on 1.195 OAL.

I'd been pulling my hair out seating to OAL specs listed in my various manuals. Then I stumbled on a thread on some forum where the guy was questioning something he'd read about that particular bullet having an OAL seating depth of 1.191. Considering the chamber/rifling marks (like yourself) I'd been getting it made sence. I too was concerned about compressed powder/elevated chamber pressure so I reseated a dozen or so & ran them. No more fail to feeds nor did I notice any evidence of elevated chamber pressure. I've run a couple hundred since then with no feed, fire or discernable pressure issues. Your results may be different so if you want to go this route do so at your own peril.

Netherwolf

Netherwolf thanks for the info. I feel if I use this boolit and have to seat it a little deeper I may be able to just back off the charge a little with no problems and not get into a compressed charge issue. I was thinking somewhere around 1.220 would put me about right as long as I don't see any chamber or rifling marks. Might seat a little deeper, with a lower charge to start and work from there. I think I will start with 1.220, as long as I don't see any marks, and drop my charge by 1/2gr. Since I'm using 230gr. data for a 228gr. boolit, even though seating a little deeper, I should be okay. If I still see land marks seating at 1.220 I will seat to 1.215 or until I no longer see any marks, and drop the charge a couple of 10ths more.
When I get home from work tonight I will try to seat a few sized boolits at those depths in unprimed cases and see how it goes when chambered. I would like to get as far out as possible with this boolit and feel it will work fine in my Norinco.

[armyrat1970]

I don't try to measure to set the seating depth in my 1911's.

I make a test dummy with the case a slip fit for the bullet, chamber it, take it out and then measure it. I set my seating die 1/4 turn further in than the test bullet, and make the finished rounds based on that. Seems to work!

Hi Peter. That's what I did but the MINOAL for the listed powder I was going to use didn't work out. The boolit would have to be seated much deeper and was just a little concerned about a compressed charge. Hopefully I can get it worked out by just seating a little deeper and dropping the charge a little.
Thanks.

[fredj338]

I seat the same bullet to 1.230" & it runs in my short throated XD & all of my 1911s. Seating shorter is not asn issue as long as you adjust your charge. Med. burners, like AA#5, are more forgiving of deep seating. You won't see much of a vel./pressure change until you get 0.04" deeper. Any decen gunsmith can ope the throat 0.05".

[mike in co]

I seat the same bullet to 1.230" & it runs in my short throated XD & all of my 1911s. Seating shorter is not asn issue as long as you adjust your charge. Med. burners, like AA#5, are more forgiving of deep seating. You won't see much of a vel./pressure change until you get 0.04" deeper. Any decen gunsmith can ope the throat 0.05".

if you can run this boolit at 1.230..YOUR GUN IS NOT SHORT THROATED.

i have the same mould, posted the same issue, and must seat to the same 1.2 listed by others.

my cz97b does fine with the boolit at 1.225.

the listed numbers in books are for reference with the given load typically in a test bbl. YOU must always adjust for your gun, checking oal, chambering and then adjust the load.

mike in co

[918v]

I think your expander plug is too big. You do not have adequate case tension on the bullet.

[Echo]

I believe the listed OAL is a maximum. Dr. Gun will tell you. And maybe your dies are expanding the case more than necessary, leaving too little neck tension to grasp the boolit. I don't use Rem .45 brass for that reason. My dies, and the thin Rem brass, means a loose boolit.

A little rifling engraving is not a bad thing - stops endplay. Setting the boolit back can be a bad thing, but unlikely with the pressure levels of .45ACP.

[UweJ]

armyrat1970
hello
Check at handloads.com,most of the oal yoou see there will be in the 1.190 and 1.200s,maybe you can find something there just as a guide ?
Hope it helps.
Uwe

[snaggdit]

I just checked my cheat sheet and I use 1.190 for my 45's. I don't use 230gr boolits, though. My largest are 200gr, both RF and SWC.

[StarMetal]

You don't need any stinking guide. You seat the bullet to fit your barrel and adjust the load if needed. This has been preached with the 45 acp over and over. I never look a OAL on anything I reload.

Joe

[918v]

I seat my RN to between 1.250" and 1.270" OAL. This way about a third of the front driving band is sticking out of the case. I don't like jumping bullets into the throat, plus the closer you are to 1.270" with RN, the more reliable the ammo.

[SierraWhiskeyMC]

Lyman #45 reloading handbook (1970) gives a max OAL of 1.275".
I happened to have an old (1963) box of M1911 ball ammo loaded by Remington sitting here. Three rounds measured an average of 1.2653"; two being 1.265" and one 1.266"

Now you'd done gone and got my curiosity up. Years ago, my Granddad made a mold that replicates a mil ball .45 ACP round (only with a lube groove), but I only recently retrieved it from my Dad's things. I just haven't had time to fiddle with it yet.

[243winxb]

until I got down in the 1.20 OAL range. I finally settled on 1.195 OAL.Here is a thread on the same bullet, same problem. Sizing to .451" might help with 1.200" or slightly shorter. http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=464247

[Tom W.]

At first I had trouble with the bullets chambering in my Colt Government model. I seated them to 1.208 and they fit and fired just fine with a good load of 5.7 grains of Bullseye.

[mike in co]

I think your expander plug is too big. You do not have adequate case tension on the bullet.



duh.................its too long...not about case tension...go reread his question.




mike in co

[fredj338]

if you can run this boolit at 1.230..YOUR GUN IS NOT SHORT THROATED.

i have the same mould, posted the same issue, and must seat to the same 1.2 listed by others.

my cz97b does fine with the boolit at 1.225.

the listed numbers in books are for reference with the given load typically in a test bbl. YOU must always adjust for your gun, checking oal, chambering and then adjust the load.

mike in co
My XD will not take a LTC any longer than 1.210", my 1911s will go 1.230". I can load LRN in all my 1911s to 1.255". So for me, the XD is short throated. You are right, each indiv. gun has to be dealt with. OAL does matter. Seating 0.04" deeper starts pushing pressures up. Go to 0.08" deeper & they start running pretty hot, even in the low prssure 45acp.

[Cherokee]

Barrel needs some throating, or you can seat deeper. I suggest seating deeper and working up to a good load.

[918v]

duh.................its too long...not about case tension...go reread his question.




mike in co

What a pleasant fellow you are!

If his rounds were too long and his case tension adequate, the bullets would not have been pushed back deeper into the case.

[Echo]

Sufficient neck tension and a good taper crimp will completely prevent boolits being pushed back into the case - so I'm with you, 918V...

[shotman]

918 wellcome to mike

[armyrat1970]

What a pleasant fellow you are!

If his rounds were too long and his case tension adequate, the bullets would not have been pushed back deeper into the case.

If my OAL was to long, as it is, and the case neck tension was adequate the boolits may or may not have been pushed back into the case. The case neck tension is more than adaquate. The problem is the boolit is seated to far out, according to the MINOAL I have from both Lee and Accurate manuals for AA#5. The amount of scaring I am getting on the boolit from the chamber, and forgot to mention throat just said lands, is extreme. I did not apply a crimp and did not want to. I wanted the boolit to push back into the case if I was seating it to far out and jamming it against the lands to find out how far out or how deep I had to seat it. When I tried to seat at 1.250 there was almost a perfect scarred ring around the boolit where the ogive and shaft come together. When seating at 1.230 there were just land marks but the boolit still pushed back into the case. I don't want to force anything into my chamber, throat or lands. I would settle for seating the boolit just against the lands with maybe .001 or .002 of space between.
I don't think you or echo fully understood the question of my post. If I am seating way to long in OAL I want my boolits pushed back into the case to let me know. This is why I first tried with sized, decapped and uncharged cases. Dummy round so to speak. With as dropped and sized boolits also.

[armyrat1970]

I believe the listed OAL is a maximum. Dr. Gun will tell you. And maybe your dies are expanding the case more than necessary, leaving too little neck tension to grasp the boolit. I don't use Rem .45 brass for that reason. My dies, and the thin Rem brass, means a loose boolit.

A little rifling engraving is not a bad thing - stops endplay. Setting the boolit back can be a bad thing, but unlikely with the pressure levels of .45ACP.

Echo, the listed OAL of 1.230 is listed as MIN for the 230gr. lead boolit in both my Lee and Accurate manuals for AA#5, or AA#7 etc. I am using the Lee 228gr. LRN boolit with the same data and it jams into the lands stiffly. Just a tad I wouldn't mind but if I have heavy marks I'm gonna' seat the boolit a little further back as long as I can adjust my loads for the boolit.
I'm going to try a few more at a few different OALs and get back.

[243winxb]

Got chamber and land marks on the boolit and it pushed back into the case. After you have your reloads set to the correct OAL, then work on the bullet set back IF it still happens. Make sure the expander is .450" Check to see that the bullet is not being sized smaller in the loaded round by to much taper crimping or FCD. Pull a few loaded bullet to check. Is the sizing die doing its job correctly?

[918v]

If my OAL was to long, as it is, and the case neck tension was adequate the boolits may or may not have been pushed back into the case. The case neck tension is more than adaquate.

If it was, then the gun would not go into battery.

I agree that your OAL may be too long or your bullet is too big. Some 1911's have .452" throats and will not accept .452" bullets, requiring them to be sized to .451" (AKA my Wilson Combat) but bullet setback is never a good thing and crimp has nothing to do with it. Case tension is what holds the bullet in place, not crimp.

[O.S.O.K.]

I once had a Norinco 1911. Wish I'd kept it - it was a great, no frills 1911.

I have very little to add to the loading conversation here other than to add +1 to seating them a bit further and I do recommend a slight taper crimp. Not that the crimp has anything to do with the issue - just that it's advisable to help keep your boolits in place during cycling.

Looking forward to your range report and some pictures? [smilie=1:

[TAWILDCATT]

I use SWC 200 gr.if you do that they would not hit the lands.my gun is set for compitition.and if cartridge is to long you let the slide slam forward and it will seat.
that helps with head space.I dont load heavy as I am target shooting.3.6 of 700X.
I dont know seating depth mine fit the mag.I would venture the master shooters dont worry about seating depth.they want function and accuracy.I just checked my NRA reloading hand book 1961 addition.had Chow,Hebard,Reeves,Tooney and Clark plus others. non mentioned AOL.and most roll crimped. some taper.but all crimped.:coffee:[smilie=1:

[mike in co]

I use SWC 200 gr.if you do that they would not hit the lands.my gun is set for compitition.and if cartridge is to long you let the slide slam forward and it will seat.
that helps with head space.I dont load heavy as I am target shooting.3.6 of 700X.
I dont know seating depth mine fit the mag.I would venture the master shooters dont worry about seating depth.they want function and accuracy.I just checked my NRA reloading hand book 1961 addition.had Chow,Hebard,Reeves,Tooney and Clark plus others. non mentioned AOL.and most roll crimped. some taper.but all crimped.:coffee:[smilie=1:


yes but we are talling about a round nose not a semiwadcutter.......

you guys are running right by the issue.....he specifically asked about/talking about the lee 228 rn boolit.

its not about switching boolits, its not about neck tension, it is about how to deal with the 228 boolit in guns that will not allow seating out to what most would think as a normal oal......

i'm pretty sure i'm gonna rethroat my 1911 to match the bbl on my cz97.....i too like a bit of full dia body of the boolit just past the case neck.
mike in co

[918v]

its not about switching boolits, its not about neck tension, it is about how to deal with the 228 boolit in guns that will not allow seating out to what most would think as a normal oal......



The way to deal with that is to reduce OAL or diameter or both, but bullet setback needs to be eliminated for safety reasons.

[StarMetal]

you guys are running right by the issue.....he specifically asked about/talking about the lee 228 rn boolit.

Speak for yourself Mike, not me...I know what I'm doing when it comes to loading for the 45 acp. The only issues I have with my 45 acp's and the reloads I make for them is sometimes I don't hit what I aim at. I will agree with you that I like some of the full bearing width of the bullet ahead of the case mouth too. Without it one thing is you may easily crimp that headspacing datum point in to where nothing but the extractor or the bullet support the cartridge for firing.

Joe

[35remington]

To make you feel better, the 1 radius ogive 228-1R usually requires somewhat deeper seating to clear the rifling origin of the barrel, even in my longer throated 1911's. It is not a duplication of the ball profile and usually cannot be loaded to a comparable length.

What you've found is normal, not oddball.

1.220" is around maximum for my various 1911's, and my short throated 45 ACP's like my P97 won't accept even that length - 1.210" or even a bit less is needed to produce proper chambering, checking, of course, with the barrel out of the gun.

Be advised the deeper seating of the bullet and the fact that more of the bearing length is inside the case means velocity is higher with the same charge weight of powder than 230's that duplicate ball configuration, such as the 230-2R.

Generally, I agree with Starmetal. Pitch the "minimum OAL" advice; it's often questionable as the exact bullet is often not specified, which matters greatly (some "min. OAL" length advice is ridiculously inaccurate, even though it's in loading manuals; some suggested OAL's are lengths no automatic pistol would reliably digest). Let the gun tell you what it wants. Mine won't digest the "min OAL" length either.

Join the club. Fact of life for a nonstandard bullet configuration.

[armyrat1970]

Thanks for all of the replies and info. After further checking I think I can safely seat to 1.200 and keep the boolit right at or just off the lands without jamming it.. I will start with a Lee Dipper and weigh the charge. The Lee Dippers are known to drop light charges and I have used them for jacketed boolits before as a start charge with no problems even though I never ran them over my chrony for results. I think I'll be safe with them but will weigh the charge to make sure I am in the safe range. I don't really want to size below .452 but if I have a problem I feel I can still size to .451 (just an added expense for another sizing die set) and seat a little further out. Just don't want an overpressure situation.
Thanks guys.

[gasboffer]

I've loaded .45ACP since 1962 and never measured OAL. If they fit in the bbl and magazine, what is the problem?

[armyrat1970]

If it was, then the gun would not go into battery.

I agree that your OAL may be too long or your bullet is too big. Some 1911's have .452" throats and will not accept .452" bullets, requiring them to be sized to .451" (AKA my Wilson Combat) but bullet setback is never a good thing and crimp has nothing to do with it. Case tension is what holds the bullet in place, not crimp.

About the weapon being able to go into battery, I'm not sure that is actually true. Mine did even though the boolit was set out to far. A lot of different variances with different weapons.
I agree. I rely more on case tension with the 45 than a crimp. I crimp just enough to get the bell out of the case mouth after seating. Different for each caliber.

[243winxb]

When checking a loaded round, have a look at this http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n420/joe1944usa/OAL.jpg

[StarMetal]

I've loaded .45ACP since 1962 and never measured OAL. If they fit in the bbl and magazine, what is the problem?

....sometimes feeding. Then the OAL or magazine/gun got to be tuned.

Joe

[StarMetal]

When checking a loaded round, have a look at this http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n420/joe1944usa/OAL.jpg

Excellent depiction of my description of using your barrel for a gauge.

Joe

[kamikaze1a]

I too do not "measure" my OAL. Instead I use the forementioned drop in the chamber test as well as feeding reliability and magazine length to determine my OAL (semi-auto handguns). As mentioned, throating would resolve your problem and you could then seat longer...

One issue not considered is that if use a soft crimp and your bullet happens to contact the throat, you could leave the bullet behind if you eject that round by hand. It happened to me during a shoot and saw it happen to another shooter. Fortunately, I noticed the powder flying when I ejected the round or rather the shell and did not try to chamber the next round. The other shooter kept trying to chamber another round until the RO stopped him. I hate to imagine what would have happened if the next round's bullet was setback by the stuck bullet and went to battery...major KB!

[armyrat1970]

When checking a loaded round, have a look at this http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n420/joe1944usa/OAL.jpg

Thanks for the post 243. I'm gonna' pull my barrel and check that.

[armyrat1970]

I too do not "measure" my OAL. Instead I use the forementioned drop in the chamber test as well as feeding reliability and magazine length to determine my OAL (semi-auto handguns). As mentioned, throating would resolve your problem and you could then seat longer...

One issue not considered is that if use a soft crimp and your bullet happens to contact the throat, you could leave the bullet behind if you eject that round by hand. It happened to me during a shoot and saw it happen to another shooter. Fortunately, I noticed the powder flying when I ejected the round or rather the shell and did not try to chamber the next round. The other shooter kept trying to chamber another round until the RO stopped him. I hate to imagine what would have happened if the next round's bullet was setback by the stuck bullet and went to battery...major KB!

They eject fine and the boolit is not left behind. That's why I feel my case neck tension is okay. (Was not chambering a charged case. It was a sized, decapped case with only the boolit seated to test my seating depth). It was just seating out to far, even following the MINOAL from my manuals for the given powder, and the boolit was being pushed way back into the case. After more testing I think I came up with a good seating depth of 1.200. Will try that (and check with the chart listed by 243) with a light load and work up from there.

[wiljen]

I've got 2 bullets where if you loaded to the Max Overall length listed in the manuals, you'd never get em too feed. The Lee 200 SWC has to be loaded to 1.225 or shorter or causes jams.

The BD45 has to be loaded to 1.19 or shorter for the 1911 and is the exception to all the rules. It causes the slide stop to lock the action open if loaded longer - it will chamber longer even looks good by the diagram posted a few posts back at longer lengths than 1.19 but it will cause failures every time. I can load it to 1.27 in the P220 without a glitch.

The moral of this story is. Overall Loaded length is a function of gun design, chamber dimensions, and bullet design and each gun is going to tell you what its limits are.

[armyrat1970]

I've got 2 bullets where if you loaded to the Max Overall length listed in the manuals, you'd never get em too feed. The Lee 200 SWC has to be loaded to 1.225 or shorter or causes jams.

The BD45 has to be loaded to 1.19 or shorter for the 1911 and is the exception to all the rules. It causes the slide stop to lock the action open if loaded longer - it will chamber longer even looks good by the diagram posted a few posts back at longer lengths than 1.19 but it will cause failures every time. I can load it to 1.27 in the P220 without a glitch.

The moral of this story is. Overall Loaded length is a function of gun design, chamber dimensions, and bullet design and each gun is going to tell you what its limits are.

Exactly!

[SierraWhiskeyMC]

35remington spelled it all out, and I most certainly agree with him.

But a picture speaks a thousand words, so here 'tiz:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15787&stc=1&d=1252597147

Some kind soul had uploaded a photo of several .45 ACP boolits; I just cropped 'em a bit and added notes. The arrows just approximate where the ogive ends, and pretty well explains why you have to seat that Lee 228 boolit deeper.

I certainly wouldn't modify the throat of any of MY 1911's to accommodate the peculiarities of that mold design!

Being forced to seat the boolit so much deeper will reduce the case volume by a fair bit, which will make loads more sensitive to component variations even after safe loads have been worked up.

[armyrat1970]

35remington spelled it all out, and I most certainly agree with him.

But a picture speaks a thousand words, so here 'tiz:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=15787&stc=1&d=1252597147

Some kind soul had uploaded a photo of several .45 ACP boolits; I just cropped 'em a bit and added notes. The arrows just approximate where the ogive ends, and pretty well explains why you have to seat that Lee 228 boolit deeper.

I certainly wouldn't modify the throat of any of MY 1911's to accommodate the peculiarities of that mold design!

Being forced to seat the boolit so much deeper will reduce the case volume by a fair bit, which will make loads more sensitive to component variations even after safe loads have been worked up.

Thanks so much for the pics. As you say, they speak a thousand words. I can see how the position of the ogive makes for a deeper seating. (Ain't gonna mess with the throat just for this one boolit design) Now I just have to figure the charge but I will start light. Might load up about twenty after the Saints game this Sunday. "Who Dat"?

[GNILOP]

I'm not sure this is where I post a question but I am trying to load TRUNCATED 230 GR 45 ACP BOOLETS for my 45 and keep running into this problem of the slug seating deep in the case so the base is level with the barrel hood. The COAL seems to be coming up 1.165 and that seems a bit short! Any one loading this boolet ?:shock:

[waksupi]

I'm not sure this is where I post a question but I am trying to load TRUNCATED 230 GR 45 ACP BOOLETS for my 45 and keep running into this problem of the slug seating deep in the case so the base is level with the barrel hood. The COAL seems to be coming up 1.165 and that seems a bit short! Any one loading this boolet ?:shock:

As long as you are fitting them as you say, you should be good to go. Cast boolits don't fit all the rules for OAL.

[Hopalong]

Here's another approach to the seating depth problem--useful in all guns but particularly so in .45 ACPs. Get a dowel rod that will fit in the bore and cut off a length (flat!) so that a few inches stick out when it hits the bolt face. Mark the dowel EXACTLY at the muzzle (I use a razor blade for this). Then remove the dowel and slip one of your chosen bullets into the chamber and lightly tap it in place. Reinsert the dowel, hold it lightly against the bullet nose, and mark the dowel as before. Remove the dowel and use your dial caliper to measure the distance between the marks; this gives you the maximum OAL. This works!

[mac1911]

Im new to reloading 45 and I had some problems with crimping a bit to much and on my older more worn 1911 the case would slip pass the chamber ever so slightly when dropped into the barrel/chamber ? just a thought

[MikeS]

With a 1911 you shouldn't be crimping at all! Just set the bullet seating die to close the flair put in the case by the expander die. The 45ACP headspaces on the edge of the cartridge, if you put a heavy crimp a bullet, then it will slip past the chamber!

[fredj338]

Some guns have short throats, sizing the bullet smaller isn't going to help. The Lee bullet has a fat ogive, you just have to seat it a little deeper & back off the powder charge a bit. I shoot the same bullet & my XDTAC has a sim short throat compared to my match 1911. I seat them @ 1.230"OAL. There is no min OAL, as long as you have proper neck tension & adjust your powder charge accordingly. Every 0.040" deeper seating raises pressures in the 45acp w/ most powder. So backing down 0.1gr/0.040" deeper seating, w/ most powders in the W231 range, will give sim vel/pressures.

With a 1911 you shouldn't be crimping at all! Just set the bullet seating die to close the flair put in the case by the expander die. The 45ACP headspaces on the edge of the cartridge, if you put a heavy crimp a bullet, then it will slip past the chamber!
Not true for many guns. While the case headspaces on the case mouth, a taper crimp prevents a failure to chamber w/ tighter match bbls. Always taper crimp your semiauto ammo, regardless of caliber. It will guarantee a better fit & more reliable gun.

I'm not sure this is where I post a question but I am trying to load TRUNCATED 230 GR 45 ACP BOOLETS for my 45 and keep running into this problem of the slug seating deep in the case so the base is level with the barrel hood. The COAL seems to be coming up 1.165 and that seems a bit short! Any one loading this boolet ?
That is pretty short. I shoot a 200grLTC, sim shape tp the Lee 230. It needs to be no more than 1.225" OAL to fit all my various 45acp designs. Just adjust your pwoder charge, a chronograph helps get you where you need to go.

[MikeS]

Im new to reloading 45 and I had some problems with crimping a bit to much and on my older more worn 1911 the case would slip pass the chamber ever so slightly when dropped into the barrel/chamber ? just a thought

What kind of crimp were you using, a roll crimp, or a taper crimp? A roll crimp should never be used on a 45ACP or any semi auto cartridge. If you're crimping with the seating die, and use too much, that will give you a roll crimp, which you need to avoid. To properly crimp a 45ACP you should probably get a separate taper crimping die. If you're loading jacketed bullets you can get the Lee Factory Crimp Die, and use it to crimp your cartridges. If you're loading cast boolits, the FCD can cause problems, but there are ways around that, just do a search on FCD and you will see lots of info on them.

[mac1911]

I used the seater crimp die as it is all I have at the moment. I did over crimp the first few I loaded. Not quit so bad to turn it in like a roll crimp but enough to just sneek buy the chamber.
This particular 1911 is well used. After adjusting the die a bit better I have no issues.

[geargnasher]

I'm not sure this is where I post a question but I am trying to load TRUNCATED 230 GR 45 ACP BOOLETS for my 45 and keep running into this problem of the slug seating deep in the case so the base is level with the barrel hood. The COAL seems to be coming up 1.165 and that seems a bit short! Any one loading this boolet ?:shock:

To answer your first question, this is a fine place to post your question in my opinion, which probably isn't worth much! I do believe a recognition and thanks is in order for you digging around in a two-year-old thread first, so many of our new members don't take the time to look for things that may have been answered so many times before! :drinks:

As for your second question, I've shot quite a few of those boolits in several different 1911's and one S&W M&P, both tumble-lube and grease-groove versions of it, and in all cases I was able to adjust seating depth for each gun so that the cartridge headspaced on the boolit itself, not the extractor claw or case mouth. Due to the shape of the boolit and the blunt nose, I was able to stay within the limits of the magazine and still accomplish basically zero headspace.

With any .45 automatic, use the barrel for a case gauge, and ignore published seating depths except for the caveats about deep-seated boolits increasing pressures, be cautious of fast powders and deep boolit seating. As long as your round will chamber, have a little room to spare for fouling accumulation, and fit the magazine, you're at least at a good starting point. Don't be afraid to make a few "dummy" rounds (no powder or primer), load them in the magazine, and rack them through vigorously to check feeding.

Gear

[milprileb]

Note: once you find the OAL with that bullet and it chambers to your barrel (use barrel out of weapon as case gauge), make a few dummies up w/0 powder and prmiers and see if they load and function correctly in your magazine and then run them through the pistol working slide manually.

I used the Lyman OAL as listed. It chambered in the barrel just fine with this bullet. Got to the range and bullets jammed up in magazine if I loaded 3 or more: So don't forget to function check the magazine.

This bullet is accurate but has a fat shallow ogive unlike any RN 45acp bullets I have ever seen. I have the 4 banger Lyman 225 RN mold but its bullets tend to not be as accurate but the profile of the ogive is most nearly like the GI issue RN profile. The Lee lube groves/bands
are shallow and that concerned me compared to Lyman but it turned out to not be a issue.

The .451 sizing yielded Ho Hum accuracy. Sized .452 zoomed accuracy to l.5 inches from bench when I did my end of the shooting well.

[dnotarianni]

If you roll crimp or use too much taper crimp you will have problems as the 45 case head spaces on the front of the case. Too much taper and you will ride past the chamber. As far as a compressed charge I use Bullseye and have for years. Lately I have been using a Lee 255gr 45 colt mold that I made into a Rn @ 280gr and with 4.5 gr of Bullseye I am not compressing the charge with a 1.200 OAL. Bullet is .187 longer than what original mold dropped.
Thats my new favorite bowling pin load for my 625 Smith revolver