RotoMetals2MidSouth Shooters SupplyRepackboxLee Precision
Load DataInline FabricationTitan ReloadingReloading Everything
Wideners
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 20 of 40

Thread: 45 acp in Hi-Point carbine

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Central Jersey
    Posts
    115

    45 acp in Hi-Point carbine

    Hi, I bought a Hi-Point carbine chambered in 45 acp and would like to load cast for it. I have the Lee 452-200rf and the Lee 452-230tc molds. Both are powder coated and sized to .452. I have not fired it as of yet but I have a box of factory 230 grain ammo to test for function as soon as I can make it to the range. I need a starting point for the cast boolits and was hoping someone here has first hand experience with this carbine. I understand how to plunk test a pistol and have done it for my son's 9mm. The manuals that I have do not list either of the Lee boolits. I guess I can partially size a case so the boolit is snug then chamber the cartridge and get my OAL like that. Does this sound logical for a semi auto? I do like tis for my bolt rifles. Thanks for any guidance.
    Mark

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Posts
    115
    I have a Hi point carbine in 45acp. My go to load is 5 grains of 231 and a Lyman 453374 230 grain RN slug, powder coated. I have tried many loads and all work fine, the rifle eats pretty much anything you feed it, it just wants to eat. Do use a taper crimp and do use a chamber guage (plunk test), you'll not likely go wrong. I size to .454 after powder coating.

    Great fun little carbine. For the money, you can't beat it.

    Chris

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Central Jersey
    Posts
    115
    I have read many good reviews about these ugly little carbines and so thats why I bought it. Thanks for the info, maybe I'll powder coat a few unsized. I do have some hp-38, bullseye and unique.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master

    FLINTNFIRE's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2012
    Location
    Longview, Washington
    Posts
    1,654
    Load it like you would load for a 45acp semi auto and you will have no issues , I own 2 in 45acp , only issue I had was both had nasty looking bores from there bluing tanks , took some polishing to smooth that out , I load swc , lee 230 round nose and 200 grain round nose hollow point , alox lubed and powder coated , have not found anything it will not feed and fire , I was using Unique 5 grains for 230 grain now using IMR target a lot of fun in a carbine and a joy to shoot .

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master


    GregLaROCHE's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Southern France by way of Interior Bush Alaska
    Posts
    5,286
    To get the correct OAL you need for the cartridges, place a boolit of the type you will be shooting, in the chamber up against the lands. Next insert a wooden dowel in the barrel until it touches the boolit. Mark the dowel at the muzzle. Next remove the boolit, close the bolt and push the dowel in until it touches the bolt face. Mark the dowel again at the muzzle. Pull out the dowel and measure the the distance between the two marks on the dowel. That is your cartridge OAL. This will change if you change to a boolit with a different olgive shape. You may want to reduce this length by a few thousandths, but there are different opinions on that.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Central Jersey
    Posts
    115
    Thanks for the replies so far and am pretty confident that it will be a good cast boolit range gun. I did clean the bore with a brush and patches yesterday but have not used the borescope. Im thinking the factory jacketed ammo will take some of the rough edges off.
    I have never used the wooden dowel method for OAL in my bolt rifles but this carbine would be a good one to try it on. I'll try it later on today.
    Mark

  7. #7
    Boolit Master

    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    East Coast
    Posts
    792
    I sold mine, but from what I remember mine preferred 200 gr swc loadings. Lighter pill reach out a bit better. I cant recall the load data. Like others have said, it eats everything. I had issues with cheek weld stinging. It was odd. Good luck

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Illinois
    Posts
    277
    I took the springs out of the butt stock on my 9mm and it eliminated the cheek bite for me. I guess getting rid of the springs help it not move as much.
    quando omni flunkus moritati

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master

    mdi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    So. Orygun
    Posts
    7,239
    I really like my HP 4595, it's right up there with my Garand and 10-22 for "fun factor". Mine is very accurate and it has fed everything that fits in the magazine (the magazines I have need an OAL a little shorter than what my other 45 ACPs can use, not a function problem but sometimes the cartridges would rub the inside front of the magazine. I had a couple magazine jams, but I just shortened the OAL to 1.260" on some jacketed 230 FMJ loads and everything is now 100%). It feeds every bullet shape and size I've fed it without any problem after I seated my RMR 230 FMJ a bit shorter. My favorite cast 45 ACP bullets are the Lyman 225 RN and the Lee 452-200 SWC. I use the same loads in my HP as I use in my handguns (I figger it is a carbine designed for a hand gun cartridge, so I load it with hand gun data).
    Last edited by mdi; 09-23-2020 at 11:01 AM.
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  10. #10
    Boolit Master

    BigAlofPa.'s Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2018
    Location
    Shamokin/Coal twp Pa.
    Posts
    1,670
    I have 4 of their carbines. The 45 acp is the most accurate of them.
    One round at a time.
    Member of the NRA,GOA and FAOC. Gun clubs Zerby rod and gun club. Keystone Fish and Game Association.

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    the exact center of CA
    Posts
    160
    In pistol caliber carbines I would not load the ammo differently than my pistol ammo. I'm mostly looking for loads that work best in both guns. If you tailor the OAL to the bore as you would a rifle round, you may find the ammo too long for the mag and too long to feed from a mag.
    But the two HP carbines I have tried shoot fine with everything I have put in them. It's had to beat them for the price!

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master Harter66's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    120 miles North of Texarkana 9 miles from OK in the green hell
    Posts
    5,347
    My experience in the one the kids ran off with having an H&G #130 , 45-200 , 452-200 , 452-255 , 454424 , was that if it fits in the magazine and was compatible with a 1917 Smith it shot very well .

    The 14 round Promags worked well in mine , others swear by Red Ball mags . Nealing knee rest hits on a 12×18 plate weren't particularly difficult with the 454424s . 45-200 reproduced 25 yd 1917 groups at 50 yd . Like other 45s from revolver to carbine it gained >< 200 fps with Unique .
    In the time of darkest defeat,our victory may be nearest. Wm. McKinley.

    I was young and stupid then I'm older now. Me 1992 .

    Richard Lee Hart 6/29/39-7/25/18


    Without trial we cannot learn and grow . It is through our stuggles that we become stronger .
    Brother I'm going to be Pythagerus , DiVinci , and Atlas all rolled into one soon .

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Central Jersey
    Posts
    115
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20200922_small.jpg 
Views:	18 
Size:	39.7 KB 
ID:	268150
    What could buckling the cases? The first one with the 452-200rf did not buckle but it looks like it crimped the mouth a little. Am I not supposed to let the bolt fly closed? Sorry if these are dumb questions but this is my first semi auto. These are all dummy rounds by the way.
    I made up one each of both boolits and seated the 200rf just past the crimp groove and ran it through the Lee FCD and it looks ok after chambering it several times. The truncated cone I seated in the middle of the top drive band and used the FCD and it to seems ok. I then tried a taper crimp and must have went to much because it stuck slightly in the barrel! I will get a photo tomorrow, I have to leave for work in a few.

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master


    swheeler's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2005
    Location
    Montana
    Posts
    5,471
    I've got one and love it, more fun than a barrel of monkeys! I also shoot both bullets you show here powder coated and loaded with Win 231 powder, 2 to 2.5 inch 9 shot groups at 50 yds.
    Charter Member #148

  15. #15
    Boolit Grand Master GhostHawk's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Fargo ND
    Posts
    7,075
    I'm like BigAl, I have 3, had 2 of the 9mm at one point but the .45acp is the best of them all.

    It will shove you around a little. But it stacks them up real nice.
    I truly believe we need to get back to basics.

    Get right with the Lord.
    Get back to the land.
    Get back to thinking like our forefathers thought.


    May the Lord bless you and keep you. May the Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you
    and give you His peace. Let all of the earth – all of His creation – worship and praise His name! Make His
    praise glorious!

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Central Jersey
    Posts
    115
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20200922_2small.jpg 
Views:	14 
Size:	45.8 KB 
ID:	268152
    These are the two I think were over crimped. Tomorrow I will just remove the mouth flare and try it again.
    Mark

  17. #17
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Central Jersey
    Posts
    115
    Swheeler, do you remember what OAL you were using with these two Lee boolits? Thanks.
    Mark

  18. #18
    Boolit Grand Master

    mdi's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    So. Orygun
    Posts
    7,239
    Quote Originally Posted by Mjdd23 View Post
    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	20200922_2small.jpg 
Views:	14 
Size:	45.8 KB 
ID:	268152
    These are the two I think were over crimped. Tomorrow I will just remove the mouth flare and try it again.
    Mark
    Yep, too much crimp...

    Hint for new semi-auto reloaders; forget crimping. Change your thinking to "deflaring". Just remove any flare in the case mouth and check with the plunk test. Also suggest deflaring and seating done in two steps. And in my opinion, forget an FCD. just a plain taper crimp die is sufficient (I have reloaded many thousands of semi-auto rounds and have never had a need for an FCD. In my guns I have had zero failures to chamber form a poorly reloaded/bulged round)...
    My Anchor is holding fast!

  19. #19
    Boolit Buddy Mjdd23's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    Central Jersey
    Posts
    115
    Ok, I loaded 20 rounds,5 each starting at 5 grains Unique and ending at 6.5 grs. Unique. I should get to the range on Friday.

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Jul 2019
    Posts
    115
    Yep, MDI's got it there. All you really want to do is remove the flair. The buckling you show was most definately done by your crimping. And do seat and de-flair in two steps, the "seater/crimper" die that comes in most 3 die sets has probably caused more hair loss than teen-aged daughters.

    Chris

Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
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