First reloads... failure ... need help

[Plaxen]

So this my first batch of reloads i casted my own boolits sized them to .451 and loaded them with a honady AP progressive and hornady dies.

So some of the boolits are getting cought in the chamber when the pistol cycles and if i open the slide with a round in the chamber it will pull the case off the bullet and power goes everywhere no to mention the boolit is stuck in the barrel. Now i am thinking that maybe the case isnt seating around the boolit well enough.

Here are some pictures

576725767357674

Thanks,

Mark

[barrybrice]

I would suggest that you are not crimping them enough when you seat the bullet. I would use a forth die, a die just for crimping.

[geargnasher]

You don't give us much to go on, but the pics help. I see a Lee two-cavity mould in the background, and recognize the nose profile as the 228-grain with two lube grooves and a plain base. Terrible boolit for the .45 because you have to seat them WAY deep in the case due to the too-fat nose base in order to keep them from sticking in the throat like you are doing. They're simply seated out too far for your particular pistol's throat.

What you need to do next is take the barrel out of your pistol and learn how to use it as a case gauge instead of going by published overall length data. Google is your friend.

Gear

[Plaxen]

Ok ya i see what your saying right outside of the case is .451 and on a federal bullet its .444 i will do some better research on what mould to use next time.

[Plaxen]

Although i am reading reviews on my same mould and people are saying it works perfect on their 1911

[Love Life]

You have to seat it WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY deep with that boolit. It will work well, but the deep seating is the only problem. You can seat it deeper and still be safe, but you may need to adjust powder charge. I worked up a few loads with that boolit, got it to work, but it was a hassle. A much better boolit mould is the RCBS 230 RN mould.

So yes it will work perfect if you seat it deep enough to allow it to feed 100% with mixed HS brass. Like I said it is not worth the hassle when much better boolit moulds for the 45 acp are available. Also you may need to crimp a bit more. Not a gorilla crimp, but just a little under the max diameter per the reloading manual.

[Plaxen]

ok i am going to get another mould tomrrow and try it out thanks for yalls input

[seagiant]

Hi,
Sorry you are having problems! I will tell the truth and say I never liked a RN boolit in the 45ACP! If you would go to a 200gr. H&G #68 clone SWC (LEE actually makes a nice one) and then taper crimp,I KNOW you will have reliable ammo! LEE also makes a 230 gr. TC boolit!

[imashooter2]

I use that 452-228-1R boolit by the thousand in 1911's with Kimber factory, Colt National Match and Kart barrels. I seat at 1.255 inch. Works great in the 625 too.

[Love Life]

I'll have to dig out my reloading log and post my seating depth for my Kimber custom TLEII.

[high standard 40]

Geargnasher has your answer. Learn to headspace for YOUR barrel and forget the LOAL listed in the manuals. You will be good to go as long as the loaded cartridges will feed into and from the magazine. Also, with correct bullet pull, I have never seen the need for crimping the 45ACP I set my crimp die so that it merely removes the bell of the case mouth. I've been loading 45ACP since 1975 and have yet to crimp a case. I also vote for a new mold. I use the Lee 230TC with the lube groove #90289-90
Here is an image explaining how to correctly headspace your ammo. Seat the bullet till it chambers like one of the two middle examples. The case should be flush with the barrel extension, not drop bellow it or extend above it.

http://i532.photobucket.com/albums/ee324/highstandard40/45ACP-HS_zps391ea11c.jpg

[LUBEDUDE]

Hey Seagiant, that is good looking fodder you have there!

[seagiant]

Hi Lube,
That's not my pic(I know cause my cameras not that good!) but that is what I load and it has always worked for me! As long as the OAL is good and you taper crimp in a seperate operation you are good to go with that boolit!

Here is a pic of mine showing my "new" MiHec H&G #68 clone mold I was lucky enough to find!

[Methuselah3]

I keep a 45 barrel at my reloading station to check headspace when loading ammo. Any part of that 451 diameter that protrudes past the hull can wind up in the grooves in the barrel and either cause a FTF because the slide can't close or pull the bullet out as you experienced as you try to eject the defective round.The 1R bullets are the ones most prone to lodge when set long and must be seated deep enough to avoid jamming in the rifling.. I check several reloading sources for OAl recommendations and compare what they do with powder charge as the round gets shorter.The same powder load will increase pressure as you seat the bullet deeper. Best to reduce loads initially after you've picked the longest OAL that will go in the mag and still cycle properly. Taper crimp usually sizes any oversize bullets as you crimp anyway My barrels all slug at .4515 but a taper crimped bullet will mic at .451 when pulled. Many manuals list same OAL at 1.275 for both the 1R and 2R nose shapes. Doesn't mean they will work in a specific gun.

[LUBEDUDE]

Well Seagiant, regardless, I would trust your ammo in my guns anyday. Those are good look'n #68's!