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Thread: Making 45acp shotshells (My Way)

  1. #121
    Boolit Master


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    rcav8r:
    You must seat the card wad, (opw) (over powder wad) directly down on the powder charge. There will be room for very little shot if you don't.
    The same as you would as if you were loading shotgun shells.
    Jack

  2. #122
    Boolit Bub
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    Having read through this thread a couple of times, looking at the PDF of the articles and prints, etc, this was something I wanted to do. The easy way out would be to spend $50 on a .40 die set. Luckily for me, they aren't in stock. This would have been the easiest method.
    So I put some thought into making my own. I'm a moldmaker, so machining isn't a problem. However, we didn't have any metric drill bits, at least not the sizes needed. Nor did I want to use boring bars for what I'd consider a casual project. I did a lot of thinking and staring at a drill and tap chart, and case dimension sheets for .45 ACP and .40 S&W.

    I decided to try this:
    I took a length of 7/8 cold rolled, threaded it for 7/8-14 for its entire length (finished length was 2.25", btw). I drilled through with a 27/64 drill, then ran a 7/16 reamer through for a good finish. This would be the only portion that needs a decent finish because it forms the neck and "capsule". Then I drilled a 31/64 drill .750 deep (flute depth, not including tip). This end would go around the case.
    For the other end, I drilled and tapped for 1/2-20 threads, 1" deep.

    I also made a "decrimper/wad seater" punch, but didn't think it through. I made the shank of the punch .410 diameter, 1" long, and the threaded 1/2-20 portion 1" long. I should have made the threaded portion longer, it's too short. Should also make it out of hex stock, or weld a nut to it next time (or mill flats on sides).

    So anyway, This morning, I gave my new die a try. Started with some 7mm-08 range pickups (BTW, all the brass I tried, I annealed, probably too much...these are just for test anyway, and also used my homebrew lanolin case lube).

    First case crumpled, not sure why, unless I bent the main body out of round with the pliers while annealing or something. The subsequent 5 cases worked just fine! Then I dug out some greek 30-06 brass in my reject can-These were definitely out of round, cause I crimped them with a pliers so they wouldn't be reused, but might have been usable if cut down. The one I tried crumpled because of the out of round. I put the other case aside for later, when I can cut it down.

    Then I tried a couple of .243 cases, these worked just fine, and I have a small supply of .243 brass (and no .243 rifle), so I'd be set for awhile.

    I also tried a couple of .308 milsurp cases, South African I think...and no problem!

    L to R 7mm-08, .243, and .308 (or 7.62 for the purists)
    Click image for larger version. 

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    You can see the vertical marks on the case necks where they sized down. Polishing this would help. They seat just fine in my XD45 and Taurus MP145 barrels.

    I'm going to make a couple of changes to current die. First, I'm going to shorten the base end. Right now, the shell holder is just touching the die bottom. I need to take a little more off. It's possible chamber might be more that .750 dp, but I will take a little more off the bottom. 2nd, I'm going to mill some flats on the sides of the top for a wrench. The threads on the die are a little fat it seems (didn't have a ring to check threads when I made it), so need to get a 3/4 wrench to fit. Using hex stock here too would have helped, but we didn't have any of the right size on hand.
    And of course, I will chase the 7/8-14 threads a little tighter so they won't be so tight in the press.

    Other to do:

    Make a new decrimper/wad seating punch.

    I will use my .45ACP round nose die for crimping.

    I intend to use a 7/16 punch to cut out wads from cardboard.

    The brass were sized in a Lee single stage reloading press. So you can see, it doesn't take a lot of pressure to form these cases.

    This is about all I can do this weekend, got family stuff to do.

  3. #123
    Boolit Buddy
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    Now that's just NEAT stuff right there!

  4. #124
    Boolit Master


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    rcav8r: I totally agree. That is an awesome project and from the looks of the cases it appears you did a very good job. My curiosity wants you to post some pictures of your project dies when the time is right. I'd like to see your work!
    Mark 5:34 And He said to her (Jesus speaking), "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction."

  5. #125
    Boolit Bub
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    Just a quick update, before I left on the family vacation, I ran a 7.62 case through the die w/o annealing, just lube. No problems at all, just a little more resistance. In the future though, I'd do the annealing, simply because there will be some movement that's going to be there when the shell is fired, and the crimping/decrimping.

    ETA: I'll get some more pics posted, hopefully later this week when I do the finishing touches on the die.
    Last edited by rcav8r; 09-08-2013 at 03:18 PM.

  6. #126
    Boolit Bub
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    Updated dies

    Here's some pics of the updated die. In the first one, the die was shortened to 2.15" overall, the threads cut tighter, and flats milled at the top for a 3/4" wrench. You can also see the decrimper/wad seater I made. Also a nut, which I'm not sure will be necessary, but I was setup for the hex stock, so I made one, just in case.



    Here's a shot of the separate die and seater.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    And a shot of the die set up in my little old lee press, at working height.



    The hex stock was a oddball size at .680" at the flats. I think it got pulled out of a machine or something. In the 1st pic, the seater is bottomed out on the internal threads. I don't know if that'll be deep enough, but I can always cut back more threads on the seater for more depth.

    My next step is to cut down the cases and trim to length-that may involve machining a custom pilot for my forstner trimmer. I have no idea what the inside diameter of the case mouth will be at this time, or even if the decrimper will be the right diameter. But that's OK, that was the easiest part to make, other than the nut.

  7. #127
    Boolit Master


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    rcav8r that is some neat work. Looks like you did an excellent job. I am working on some 16 ga brass loads now for turkey season. Then comes deer season that I need to do some load work up on. Hopefully I can get back on the 45 shotshell loads after all that. Thanks for posting and your photos are excellent too btw.
    Mark 5:34 And He said to her (Jesus speaking), "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction."

  8. #128
    Boolit Buddy BossHoss's Avatar
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    I was told some of you on this project may need 45 WIN MAG brass. I have a sale thread going in Swap and Sell , 45 WIN Mag brass $17 dollars a hundred.

    If interested the thread is here....http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...45-Winmag-40SW

    Thanks.

  9. #129
    Boolit Master dbosman's Avatar
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    For those with a trim die and a hacksaw you can make the hacksaw safe by filing one side smooth.

  10. #130
    Boolit Master


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    BossHoss: you posted-"I was told some of you on this project may need 45 WIN MAG brass. I have a sale thread going in Swap and Sell , 45 WIN Mag brass $17 dollars a hundred."
    I just want to say that I did do a few cases using 45 Win mag cases such as you have. In my case they came out a little long and needed some trimming, but other than that they worked well for me. When I return to this project after deer season, if you still have some I may give you a shout. Thanks for posting.

    dbosman: Thanks for the tip on the trim saw blade. definitely need to do this next time.

    rcav8r: those are some good looking dies you made. How do you seal the shot card in? Something I may experiment with is what I have been doing with my brass shotshells in my 16 ga. I use the product known as waterglass to glue the o/s card in. I see no reason why it won't work with this. Undoubtedly will have to use a small roll crimp to enhance cartridge feeding, but using the waterglass will seal the card in much better. I don't crimp the brass 16s in any way and it works great for me. My set up accounted for two long beards this turkey season.
    Mark 5:34 And He said to her (Jesus speaking), "Daughter, your faith has made you well. Go in peace and be healed of your affliction."

  11. #131
    Boolit Bub
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    ST: I haven't moved forward on this project yet, working on other things. Still need to cut down the cases and trim to length (haven't decided length yet), then final trim on the trimmer. Might have to make a custom pilot for that? we'll see!
    I plan to simply crimp the shot card with the .45ACP round nose seating die. If that doesn't work for me, I'm thinking about making a simple die that has a shallow 7/16" hole drilled in in, and a much narrower through hole (1/4"?). I'm thinking the 118 degree point of the drill bit might be enough to crimp it.
    As an alternative, possibly finish drilling it with a 7/16" round nose mill if I can find one here at work. That way I can put as much crimp into it as I want, not that it should need much.

  12. #132
    Boolit Buddy
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    I have created a web page with as much info as I can find about reloading the 45 ACP shotshell

    http://www.avr-developers.com/45shotshell/

  13. #133
    Boolit Master

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    Thank you Boltaction308

    I was playing with this idea back in the 80`s I bought the rcbs dies and a thousand military 7.62 once fired , I shot maybe 2 hundred and put the project away till now , I think I might try having some fun on the loading bench! thanks

  14. #134
    In Remembrance
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    Figure I would update my findings and let all of those interested what my findings were.

    I trimmed the cases down to 1.200 this time which is .060 shorter than what I used to trim them to. I changed the powder from Bullseye to Win. 231 and still used the 6gr charge weight.

    I did the over powder wad the same which is real tiring when doing 100 of them.

    This time I used some #12 shot I didn't know I had and wished I didn't. I got a charge weight of 135gr of shot in the case and topped it with a 35cal .010 thick aluminum gas check and crimped. After I got done loading the shot in the cases I went and checked what kind of price that #12 shot goes for. HOLY COW!!!......I think I'll stick with #8 in the future.

    I had access to another 1911 other than my own. This time they ejected and fed just perfect in both the 1911's I used. I was using a cardboard box to check patterns with and they all did fairly well at 15'. I stood back to 25' and checked the pattern again and it really opened up. So it seems I got it working just fine for me but I would have to think a bit if I would ever want to try any shot over 15' with them, seems anything over that and patterns open up considerably.
    Click to see what I'm doing and have available, this takes you to the VS (Vendor Sponsor) section of the site. Currently..25Rem,30Rem, 32Rem, 35Rem, 257Roberts, 358Win, 338Fed, 357 Herrett, 30 Herrett, 401 Winchester, 300Sav, 221 Fireball, 260Rem, 222Rem, 250 Savage, 8mm Mauser (AKA 8x57), 25-20WCF

    Annealing Services

    http://castboolits.gunloads.com/foru...php?117-Grumpa






  15. #135
    Boolit Master


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    Grumpa, try mixing some of the #8 and #12 together. I made some .357 shot loads using the CCI capsules for a friend a while back and purchased a small quantity of mixed shot from a forum member, it packed very tight in the capsules and patterned nicely as well.

    James

  16. #136
    Boolit Mold
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    .357Maximum cases works for .357Magnum.
    _______
    Danie


    Live while you’re alive!

  17. #137
    Boolit Buddy


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    Has anyone tried doing wax slugs with this. If so any pointers? When I get all set up to try these if no one has tried the wax slugs I will post my findings on them.
    Last edited by carbine86; 01-14-2014 at 10:18 PM. Reason: Darm fat fingers on a touch screen.
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  18. #138
    Boolit Master


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    Good idea. Keep us posted on your results please.

  19. #139
    Boolit Mold
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    i wonder if you changed your recoil spring if you could get it to cycle...

  20. #140
    Cool writeups... Gonna have to try this a bit later...
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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check