OAL, for Mi hec 200 Gr. 45 ACP

[gray wolf]

I cast a bunch of bullets the other day with the new Mi Hec Brass group by 45 acp mold. The hollow point crammer style one.
I use the barrel of my pistol ( out of the weapon ) to set the OAL of the round.
I try to get the back of the case to be even with the barrel hood or just a tad
shorter.
I came up with 1.185 as the OAL, any longer and the case is above the barrel hood. Does this sound correct for this bullet?
Most of the 45 cases --as you all know are short of the end of the chamber, and fall below the barrel hood without a bullet. With the oal at 1.185 it is the lead that is contacting the end of the chamber and setting the OAL.
I have not loaded this kind of bullet before. Does this sound correct.
The dummy rounds function great with a small rub mark about 1/8" back of the nose.

Thanks men

[leas327]

I loaded some up and checked them the same way. But my rounds could be load to 1.210 OAL. They functioned through my 1911 alright and shot good enough but the tip of the bullets on the unfired rounds I ejected had dents in them. This didn't show up on the hand cycled dummy rounds.
I might load some shorter to try and eliminate that because the rounds that had been chambered unloaded and reloaded later would sometimes hang up.

[giz189]

Gray Wolf, mine came in at 1.178. Not much difference than yours. Functions good and is fair in the accuracy dept too.

[lead4me]

Must just be the pistol mine came in at 1.200 function & shoot great no marks on boolits when cycled through.

[cricco]

I have been loading them at 1.155". Maybe I'm just an oddball, but it works well in my 1911.

[Dale53]

gray wolf;
Using the barrel for a load length gauge is the CORRECT way to do it. Each and every .45 barrel can have different chamber depths. Headspacing on the bullet (when using CAST bullets) allows for this and you get consistent ignition. This helps accuracy, also.

Mine will be loaded using the same method.

Dale53

[gray wolf]

Thank you gentlemen--
Just wanted to be sure--yup, 1.185 give me +/- about 3 thou. to allow for a little seating dept variable.