Issues with 45 ACP Lead RN Load

[mikeyjones]

I've been reloading for years using mostly j-words and lead for some revolver calibers. I got some hard cast boolits for my 1911 to try out. I've having great difficulty in getting them to work properly. Right now I have the OAL at 1.27 with a slight crimp and they won't fit into my Lyman gauge.

I'm used to roll crimping into the lube groove for my revolvers but I obviously can't do that here because then the OAL is way too long. I'm going to take some measurements and report back.

Any help would be appreciated.

[NoZombies]

A taper crimp die is a better choice for the auto-loader than a roll crimp. I usually aim for .470 at the case mouth, and have had good success.

If you really want to tailor your load dimensions to the gun (assuming you're not shooting it through a bunch of different guns) then you can pull the barrel out of your 1911 and use it as the go and no go gauge when setting your crimp.

[mikeyjones]

I try not to really put any "crimp" on it, just remove the bell. It works really well with plated bullets but I'm having issues with cast.

[RobS]

pull your barrel and use it to see if they chamber. A jacketed bullet is .451 and your cast is likely at .452 so the brass will be a bit bigger in diameter where the cast bullet is seated vs a jacketed.

[mikeyjones]

They don't chamber while the plated do just fine. I just measured them with my mics and the measurement at the crimp is almost identical between the plated and non (there's a deviation between each one so on average, they're the same). The only difference is the OAL, but yet the cast ones aren't going into the barrel or the Lyman gauge.

They both measure around .471-.472

[RobS]

Sounds like your 1911 chamber is extremely tight or the front drive band is in the way. What is the difference between the outside diameter of the brass where the bullets are seated (measure in a few spots along the seated bullets and look for the largest diameter).......the outside diameter of the cast bullet load and the outside diameter of the jacketed load.

[imashooter2]

Commercial cast generally have a full diameter shoulder. Try seating such that the shoulder is just a bit longer than flush with the case mouth.

[mikeyjones]

Commercial cast generally have a full diameter shoulder. Try seating such that the shoulder is just a bit longer than flush with the case mouth.

So the whole shoulder should be in the brass? That would put my oal around 1.23. I was under the impression that's short for a lrn 45 but I just checked my Hornady manual and they list 1.21 as min oal. I'll try a few dummy rounds tomorrow.

I really need to get a separate seating/crimping die for cast since I have my other one set perfectly for my plated loads.

[imashooter2]

Not all inside as then the case will often catch and cause misfeeds. Load them with the shoulder just out of the case. I loaded commercial 230 grain Magma mold offerings at 1.250.

[NoZombies]

I generally seat and crimp in separate operations.

If .471-.472 isn't chambering, try taper crimping to about .468

I would bet that that combination will work.

[mikeyjones]

I generally seat and crimp in separate operations.

If .471-.472 isn't chambering, try taper crimping to about .468

I would bet that that combination will work.

I need to find a true taper crimp die and pickings are really slim now. I gotta dig out my old lee dies and see if that one is taper.


Right now I have .05 of the shoulder sticking out. The case sits at the very edge of the lube groove.

[RobS]

If they are the Lee 45 acp dies then they will have a taper crimp die but which one depends on the die set. The 4 die set has a factory crimp die which I'm not a fan of due to the carbide ring (similar to a carbide deprime/sizer die) as it can swage down a cast bullet and there is the 3 die set that has a seat/crimp die. If its the 3 set size/crimp die just take the guts out of it so it only crimps and you'll be set.

[Cherokee]

"Right now I have .05 of the shoulder sticking out. The case sits at the very edge of the lube groove."

Sounds about right. Will the round fully chamber in the barrel ? After you find the taper crimp die, go for .470 at the case mouth and try in the barrel.

[RobS]

Many autos will take a .050-.040" front drive band outside the case neck however there are some autos that have really short throats. A forum member here who is my friend has two newer Ruger 1911's and they have virtually no throat so not much of a full diameter front drive band can be outside of the case.

[MtGun44]

Se LOA to match the dismounted barrel, no rifling marks on the boolit. Factory
LOA means nothing.
Set taper crimp, as a separate operation, to .465 to .470.

Drop dummy rounds into the chamber, must fully seat with no more than 1 lb
fingertip pressure or seat deeper and tighten the TC. The chamber is your
gage, all else is rubbish.

Bill

[RobS]

Se LOA to match the dismounted barrel, no rifling marks on the boolit. Factory
LOA means nothing.
Set taper crimp, as a separate operation, to .465 to .470.

Drop dummy rounds into the chamber, must fully seat with no more than 1 lb
fingertip pressure or seat deeper and tighten the TC. The chamber is your
gage, all else is rubbish.

Bill



??? COAL or COL I've heard of but.........