Need head with .45 acp cast 230 gr

[DGG1]

I'm reloading round nose 230 gr cast bullets, .45 acp, in a variety of cleaned cases.

The problem I'm having with my Dillon 650 is that even though I have properly sized, primed, and charged cases (they easily fit into my cartridge gauge) when I seat the bullets and apply the crimp the rounds now jam/stick in the cartridge gauge about 1/4" from the base of the shell.

The top of the case is just above the highest lube groove of the bullet

To correct this I end up pulling the deprimer out of the die and run the now reloaded round through the resizer die a second time. After this second resize they fit fine into the cartridge gauge.

I'm reloading the rounds to the an OAL of about 1.24" which is a length that works vert well in my pistol.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Gar]

Might help to know what diameter you are sizing your bullets to.

[DGG1]

Thanks for the help.

I'll have to get that exact measurement and get back. I know the neck and base measurements are different.

I'm using the standard Dillon carbine resizing die which I assume is close to SAAMI minimum. The resized case fits into the Dillon caliber gauge without any problem until the bullet is loaded and crimped. I'm guessing the measurements after resizing are .473 at the head and .476 at the base.

Would it be possible for the pressure of seating the lead bullet to actually push the brass down and widen the bottom of the case? That is what seems to be happening.

[exile]

I have never loaded .45 Auto before, so I don't know if this applies or not, but I had the same problem with my .357 Sig cases on a Lee single-stage press. The resized cases fit my barrel fine, but once the bullet was seated, the case would not go in the barrel all the way, the base of the case protruded just a little bit, like it was bulged.

I called Lee for advice, the guy said, screw in the resizing die until it touches the shell holder, then screw the resizing die in another 1/2 turn, then resize the case. This worked and I have not had a problem since. (For what it is worth, I tried the Lee factory crimp die and it did nothing).

Again, I am certainly no expert, but this approach worked for me.

exile

[Edubya]

I'm reloading round nose 230 gr cast bullets, .45 acp, in a variety of cleaned cases.

The problem I'm having with my Dillon 650 is that even though I have properly sized, primed, and charged cases (they easily fit into my cartridge gauge) when I seat the bullets and apply the crimp the rounds now jam/stick in the cartridge gauge about 1/4" from the base of the shell.

The top of the case is just above the highest lube groove of the bullet

To correct this I end up pulling the deprimer out of the die and run the now reloaded round through the resizer die a second time. After this second resize they fit fine into the cartridge gauge.

I'm reloading the rounds to the an OAL of about 1.24" which is a length that works vert well in my pistol.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Measure your fired case that came out of the gun. Mine measures 0.473" at the neck and bottom just above the ejection groove. The case wall measures 0.011". Since there are two case walls of the finished cartridge, the case takes up 0.022" of that 0.0473. That leaves 0.0451" for the boolit head. I size my boolits to 0.452" and allow the head to be compressed 0.001" during the loading operation and end up with 0.473" cartridge that drops into the barrel easily.

If your case is bulged at the bottom, you are probably shooting stout loads in an unsupported chamber. What exile said about sizing to the bottom of the case is applicable.

EW

[MtGun44]

Seating a boolit will not bulge the bottom of the brass.

Bill

[Dale53]

I use the Lee Factory Crimp Die for all of my pistol cases. I use the seating die to JUST seat, then taper crimp the loaded round with the Lee FCD. I load on a Dillon 550B and have NO problems.

I wish that the Lee FCD had been available back in the late seventies when I was shooting IPSC. I had to gauge every single round to insure reliability. The Lee FCD does this automatically.

FWIW
Dale53

[dogbert41]

If you are using the Dillon carbide dies, which are excellent by the way, the bullet seating die does not crimp. It comes with a stand alone crimp die, and it sounds like that is the one you should be bringing down more.

[1hole]

"Need head ..."

You ain't gitting it from me.

[Artful]

Dale53's corred seat the bullet and then taper crimp - I use the barrel as the gage to test.