jacket lengths for 45 pistol bullets

[kc3ak]

I am in the planning stages (again). I am considering ordering a set of dies to make pistol bullets for the 45 (both 45 Colt as well as the 45 ACP). My question is, what length jacket would be the best to make a 200 to 230 grain bullet? The bullet should be either a round nose flat point or TC with a broad flat (I have a tube feed 45 Colt rifle and plan to use them in it and don't want a primer going off in the tube mag). Blackmon has .650, .675 and .700 jackets listed ( and all for the same price). In anyone's opinion, what would be the best length? Thanks for any suggestions.

[uncle dino]

Kc. Buy the longest then pinch trim to desired length. Then you can vary length of jacket for any size bullet you want. And / or length of jacket for any given size, from fmj to half jacket. D

[newcastter]

Not exactly as easy as you make it seem.

Kc. Buy the longest then pinch trim to desired length. Then you can vary length of jacket for any size bullet you want. And / or length of jacket for any given size, from fmj to half jacket. D

[uncle dino]

Kc, newcastter is quite right. I may have over simplified a bit. First pic is of 3 jackets all starting at .700 one trimmed to 675, the next .660. Above jackets is a pinch trim die. There are many things that affect jacket length for a desired weight. Metplat, ogive, hollow point, open tip, and amount of lead you want exposed. Second pick is of same 3 jackets swaged with a 215 gr core. They ended up weighing 238, 240, 243. With different amounts of lead exposed. You need to take these things into account when you decide on a jacket length. Basically is gonna take some experimenting. To get the result you want. Hope this helps. D

[Pipefitter]

40S&W cases can be trimmed to any length you want with a cut off saw, and are probably going to be cheaper and easier to find.

[kc3ak]

I'm stretching the budget just for the die set, so a pinch trim die is, shall we say, out of the question? And the pinch trim dies that I had a number of years ago were set up for one particular length. If you wanted to change the length, another die and punch were necessary, and that sure could drive up the cost. I'm not going to be making open point or hollow point bullets, just lead tip ones and then they must have a broad flat tip because of the tube feed in my rifle. Can't have a pointy bullet resting against a primer there.

[lup]

Kc. Buy the longest then pinch trim to desired length. Then you can vary length of jacket for any size bullet you want. And / or length of jacket for any given size, from fmj to half jacket. D

Who has a pinch trimmer that doesn't cost more than a good die set? Are plans available to easily trim down jackets?

[mckenziedrums]

RCE has draw/trim sets listed as $168... seems like it's not crazy expensive. I've not used one though.

[ncbearman]

I use .580 to make these. Both the HP and the FN are 230gr

[tiger762]

I've used a counterbore and drill press and needle-nosed vise grip pliers. Have used vertical mill with bottom cutting endmill, vise and a strip of aluminum with holes drilled to hold a bunch of them standing up.

Just order a pinch-n-trim die and be happy