Get a sizing die, or...

[chris in va]

I'm using the Lee 228-452-1r mold and it generally drops at 452, so I nixed getting a sizing die. Every now and then though I chamber one of these suckers in my Sig and it doesn't go fully into battery because the ogive is so gradual.

Right now I'm seating it at 1.23oal, can I go shorter to prevent this or would a sizing die remedy the issue?

[gray wolf]

The 452-228 1 R is a hard ball round nose type of bullet if memory is correct.
1.230 sounds a little short to me. I shoot the Lyman round nose at an OAL of 1.270
Granted they may be a little different but I think you are a little short and going shorter may spike pressure. Let see what others have to say Eh.


Every now and then though I chamber one of these suckers in my Sig and it doesn't go fully into battery because the ogive is so gradual. Right now I'm seating it at 1.23oal, can I go shorter to prevent this or would a sizing die remedy the issue?

I think neither one will solve your problem. I say that because you seem to have the problem every now and then. I would look more to your crimp being a little off on some rounds.
Take your barrel out of your pistol and use it for a case gage. When you drop a loaded round into the barrel it should fall in under it's own weight ( almost ) and be even with the back of the barrel hood. It is OK for the fat part of the bullet at the beginning of the ogive to just kiss the rifling. But make sure it is not to long for the MAG. 1.275 is max.
Naturally if you get an odd ball bullet that is over .455 it could give a feeding problem.
But it just don't sound like it's your problem.
Lets see what the boy's have to add.

Sam

[geargnasher]

You probably need to get a sizer. Sometimes you get a fat boolit or two in the mix when the blocks don't close fully. Only takes .001" to make them not want to chamber.

I load that one a 1.225" myself, keeps half a dozen 1911s happy.

GW, the problem with this boolit is the ogive is more pointy on the tip where it could stand to be fatter, and has a gradual ogive which means it's fatter near the case mouth than it should be and often needs to be seated more deeply. The Lee TL -452-230 has an absolutely perfect ogive design, but is only available in a BB Tumble lube boolit. I have not yet had satisfactory results from it unless put through a conventional lube/sizer.

Gear

[chris in va]

As you know I also had issues with the TL boolit...too bad because it fed better.

If I load the 228 more than 1.23, it won't fit in the mags and I even had a jam in one of them today...it measured 1.24.

I'll try loading at 1.21, lower the charge to minimum and check for function. This is really starting to be a repeat of my 9mm saga!

Lee REALLY needs to redesign this mold. I don't get why they made it so fat right off the case rim.

[geargnasher]

Check your math: You mean 1.230" or 1.223"?

If you shoot a Kimber that 228 boolit catches the slide lock about every third shot. VERY annoying. Seat them to 1.220", and make sure you're getting all the bellmouth out with the "crimp" die.

Gear

[RobS]

I remember loading the Lee 452-228-1R shorter than other RN bullets. Actually it is a stubby bullet vs other ball types. The Lee 1R is .6310" in length vs the Lyman 452374 (classic ball type bullet) which measures in at .6880". You will be fine shortening the COAL of your reload and you already said that you were going to work-up your loads so no problem.

For reference, the Lee 452-230-TC bullet has a length not too much shorter than the 1R being .6150".

[geargnasher]

I never could get the TC boolit, eithr TL or Conventional groove, to shoot very accurately. Functioned great and easy to cast, but just couldn't get happy with the groups. 5-6" consistent "patterns" at 25 yards, switch to 452374hp and shoot 2", 228-1R gets reliably in between.

Gear

[RobS]

I just looked at my load data for the 452-228-1R and I loaded with a COAL of 1.200-1.210 as the ogive being wider (1R) was hitting the bore at anything longer in length. According to notes I had lots of problems with chambering with a 1.250" COAL, some with the 1.230" and none with 1.210". I remember seeing marks from the barrel around the bullet's ogive when at 1.250 and 1.230. Sounds similar to your situation and my notes also state this bullet was fairly accurate in my Springfield XD.

[geargnasher]

Now you're doing it! Is that 1.200" and 1.210" and 1.230" or 1.220-1.221"?

Gear

[RobS]

OK Gear:

I went ahead and added the zero in the throusandths decimal place.

[mike in co]

I just looked at my load data for the 452-228-1R and I loaded with a COAL of 1.200-1.210 as the ogive being wider (1R) was hitting the bore at anything longer in length. According to notes I had lots of problems with chambering with a 1.250" COAL, some with the 1.230" and none with 1.210". I remember seeing marks from the barrel around the bullet's ogive when at 1.250 and 1.230. Sounds similar to your situation and my notes also state this bullet was fairly accurate in my Springfield XD.

just what he said...

some throats are so short in some 45's that one cannot use this bullet at a typical 45acp oal...which is why i got rid of mine(mold..that is). i have 2 45's and there was no way i was gonna load different for them and i was not gonna load a stupidly short oal because of the short throat.
the 230 bb tl fit my guns better and i went with it....
all guns are different.....

mike in co

[casterofboolits]

The Lee 452-228 1R was the boolit I used when I started IPSC in 1980. Several thousand of these were sent down range before I switched to a 200 grn SWC. I set the COL to feed in my series 70 Gold cup and was a bit shorter than hardball COL. I always sized the boolit to .452.

Once the COL was determined, feeding problems were eliminated.

One of the loading tips that I have followed with the 45 AP is to taper crimp in a seperate operation.

[chris in va]

I remember seeing marks from the barrel around the bullet's ogive when at 1.250 and 1.230.

Yup, that's what I was getting the other day. I went ahead and loaded at 1.21oal and used the barrel as a chamber gauge. Had a couple out of 200 that were a little fat, but otherwise they all dropped into the chamber flush with the tab on the barrel (sorry, don't know the terminology).

Casting and reloading is quite the science, isn't it?:?

[geargnasher]

Chris, "barrel hood" is what I've always called it, but there might be a more correct term.

I still think there might be a better boolit out there for you. I load the Lyman Devastator hollow point to 1.250" in my .45's with no issues, but it has a more correct ogive radius. Keep in mind that it it weren't an HP, it would be about 1.270" COAL. Nose profile makes a huge difference.

Gear

[RobS]

There is science involved followed with tinkering, and of course the common sense so as to not do something that could cause a KABOOM.