45 acp from 40 brass (.451 diameter)

[Daywalker]

Ok, I got all my stuff back from a good friend with a shop and a lathe. He turned me a very nice big handle for my rock chucker and helped out on making my dies better. Today, we played around with the settings and whipped up some very nice 45 Acp bullets for my 1911. He took 8 home to test out so I am waiting for his report on how these did for him. These are weighing out at 216-19 grains. I used a mini chop saw from harbor freight that my friend modified to cut the 40 cases down. I was afraid that the cases were too long and would seat too deeply into the 45 case. The way we have done these, I have a bit of a lead nose hollow point. These things should be great for plinking!! Won't hear any complaints from me!! Here are some pics, hope they work out well....















Here is the links to my 3 part video if you all are interested in viewing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qaQka-oratk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUs-7dd5g28

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQ3Xe9NqIKs

[uncleskippy]

Great job and great videos

Thanks

Skip

[Daywalker]

Thanks for the kind words Skip. Can't wait to try these out myself. And soon I will get to play around with the .429 dies. As soon as weather and time permits, I will get some range video of these as well as the first round going down the barrel of my Grendel for the first time..

These have me excited. Thanks again BT sniper for bringing these to everyone's attention....

[ANeat]

They sure look nice, Ill check out the vids later.....


Im impressed that the 40 brass has that much stretch to it.... good job.


Im also impressed that you have a recliner next to your reloading bench, really nice....

[Daywalker]

heheh, the recliner serves 2 purposes, makes my guests comfy, and umm *cough* when I need a bit of a rest away from the fam lol.. My man cave really suits me fine. I have the press mounted on my desk actually. My reloading presses are off to the side on my reloading bench. I have a vid of my new room on my channel as well. It isn't as interesting as swagging tho hehehe.. I too was surprised a the stretch to it as well. The extra long handle does wonders...

[d_striker]

Nice looking bullets.

Have you tried to make any w/o cutting the cases?

[Daywalker]

I have. They look to be too long. Maybe for a 45 lc it would be fine? For the 45 acp brass, looks like it would be sitting on the powder making it a compressed load. Which I guess i could cut back the powder charge on it. I am still playing around with it. Right now, these were pretty cool and currently working on testing them out. Thanks for the kind word on these being nice looking. I have been reloading for a year now, casting for a few months, and actual swaging for a few days. I am working with some seasoned loaders on the 45 brass length and all...

[Daywalker]

I wanted to share a few more pictures with you all. These all are coming out right at .451. These bullets here in the pic weighs between 217.0-217.8 grains. There are a couple that are around 216.8 grains. A friend of mine shot 8 to see how they would shoot and from what I have seen, these are wonderful!!! No more buying .451 (45acp) bullets for me

[BD]

Where did the dies come from to do this?
BD

[.357]

I'm really intrested in the chop saw set up, did you make that jig to cut the .40 jackets with?

[Daywalker]

BD, the dies are from www.CH4D.com, if you check with BT Sniper, he is getting the die bodies and making upgraded internals for them and offer the dies for sale. This particular set up will require both dies, the core seat die and the swage die in order to get it all the way to .451 in diameter. Not chopping the brass, will give you a much heavier bullet for a colt if you do not mind the .451 diameter.

.357, The jig was made by a friend of mine to cut the 40 jackets. The chop saw came from Harbor freight. It is like 27 bucks and takes 2" blades. He took an aluminum block and bored it to fit the 40 case with a bolt in the back to adjust for the depth. He drilled all the way through the bolt for the insertion of a wire to eject the case from. Other than that, I have not a clue lol. I am not as mechanically inclined as he is..

[BD]

What I'm really after is a .452 300 grain FP. Is that a possibility?
BD

[Daywalker]

CH does not offer a die set in .452 diameter. They will custom make you one for around 215.19 a set. Mine is the .451 which they keep in stock. I can make these and have made one weigh 305 grain by keeping the 40 brass in tact with no trimming and put a good size core in it then swaged it. You could give them a call see what they tell ya...

[uncleskippy]

Daywalker,

I have the same saw as you do. How did you attach your jig on the saw? Did you try using the clamp it comes with?

Thanks

[BT Sniper]

That same saw will work with a standard case trimmer as well. Iturned the saw around from the base and now it is possible to cut at any length as well. I do like daywalkers set up too. Great work there day walker you are on your way!

[Daywalker]

Thanks BT. I wish I could take credit on making that jig, jixxerbill made the jig and mounted it to the saw. he drilled 2 holes in the base of the saw and tapped the bottom of the jig so that you could screw into the jig and it holds tight. Let me see if I can get some close up of everything and post them up. My camera been acting up latley.

Bt, can you kinda elaborate a little more on your saw set up? Please...

[txhunter77]

What I'm really after is a .452 300 grain FP. Is that a possibility?
BD

Using Quickload case capacity calculator i figured out that a full length 40 S&W case weighs approximately 89 grains and it's (lead) capacity is approx 220 grains pre-swage and 260grains after. Now if you were to switch to the 10mm auto case at .992" long should weigh in at 93 grains and have a capacity of 270 grains lead pre-swage and approximately 320grains after. All these numbers are assuming that the cases do not grow in length during the swaging process. Then you can add a few grains for the spent primer or filling the primer pocket with lead. Of course all these numbers are theoretical, but they should be in the ball park.

The reason I listed the 10mm is the fact that all these lead capacities are based upon the cases being .452" there entire length with no nose contour at all. I'm guestimating on somewhere between 20-40 grains being lost when you give the nose a more realistic profile. Plus I'm thinking about something in the 350-375 grain range.

[Daywalker]

Using Quickload case capacity calculator i figured out that a full length 40 S&W case weighs approximately 89 grains and it's (lead) capacity is approx 220 grains pre-swage and 260grains after. Now if you were to switch to the 10mm auto case at .992" long should weigh in at 93 grains and have a capacity of 270 grains lead pre-swage and approximately 320grains after. All these numbers are assuming that the cases do not grow in length during the swaging process. Then you can add a few grains for the spent primer or filling the primer pocket with lead. Of course all these numbers are theoretical, but they should be in the ball park.

The reason I listed the 10mm is the fact that all these lead capacities are based upon the cases being .452" there entire length with no nose contour at all. I'm guestimating on somewhere between 20-40 grains being lost when you give the nose a more realistic profile. Plus I'm thinking about something in the 350-375 grain range.

I weighed quite a few of the 40 cases that I have al mixed head stamps and I got weight readings from 63 to 70 grains. I have not gotten to one that weighs 89 grains or came close to it. These do not have a spent primer in the primer pocket. What does your quickloads read based on those numbers??

[BT Sniper]

Yep 63-74 grians is the norm I find too and boy have a weighed a lot of the 40 S&W cases. Yes a 300 grian .451 bullet should be possible with FN or HP nose. I have cetainly made 44s at that weight. It is just a matter of the capibities and limitations of the die as to how deep it is bored out. I plan to post a pic as soon as I make the improved parts to complete my 45 cal dies.

With a bit more lead exposed at the tip of the 40 S&W case and a FP nose you may be able to get close to 350 before the lead reaches the tangent of the nose and baring surface of the bullet at which point the lead would contact the barrel. Again the only limitation is the avialable room in these dies. I will have to experiment a bit and post some pics. Ofcourse I am figuring weights using wheel weight alloy, the pure lead may be 5% heavier or so and allow us to get that much closer to a max weight. We shall see.

BT

[Daywalker]

Oh I know you can make a .451 at a 300 grain weight LOL. The one I made came to 305 grain with no exposed lead and it being a hp. I will have to make another and post the pic of it next to one of these 200 grainers.

Yea Bt I hear ya on the punches and dies with the limitations!