Lee Loader .45ACP Min OAL - How close do you need to be???

[stogierob]

This weekend at the range, I shot my first handloads. I loaded 117 rounds about a week ago. When I started off, I was staying very close to the Min OAL listed on the card within the kit. for 200g Lead RN, that's 1.225". I had read that the Max OAL for .45acp is 1.275". After a while, I was loading rounds closer to 1.250"

At the range, the shorter stuff loaded and fired without issue. As I moved into the longer rounds, i was having more and more round fail to go into battery. Eventually, I put the handloads away and switched over to Winchester White Box. The pistol went back to functioning properly and all of the rounds went bang.

So I'm figuring that the OAL of what I loaded is the issue and that the bullet might be engaging the grooves and preventing the case from seating properly in the chamber. I'm going to go back and reset all of those rounds to 1.225" for next weekend's trip to the range.

Am I barking up the right tree? Is this a good first place to start?

And for future loads, is Min OAL the desired target, or is this a 'my pistol likes shorter rounds' issue?

Thanks...

--- feeling like the perpetual Noob... :-)

[Comrade Mike]

Generally when you're doing a test of hand loads you want to do them all at the same OAL. How deep you seat your bullet can greatly affect pressures, especially in handgun carried he's with relatively small case capacities. A hundredth of an inch can make a huge difference pressure wise and you can get yourself in trouble.

Also with your longer rounds, did you do the plunk test? You may be seating out too far and jamming the bullet into the rifling which can also raise pressure.

Next batch, use an OAL that cycles and go through your proper powder ladder test. I think you'll have better results than with this mixed bag of OAL's

[marvelshooter]

At the range, the shorter stuff loaded and fired without issue. Is this a 'my pistol likes shorter rounds' issue?

Thanks...

--- feeling like the perpetual Noob... :-)
Sounds like it. The best way to determine the correct OAL length for your gun is to remove the barrel and seat the boolits to a depth which will allow a loaded round to drop in just past flush with the back of the hood. This number is good only for this boolit and barrel combination.

[Love Life]

If your pistol won't return to battery at 1.250 fo a 200 gr LRN then something is wrong with your pistol or reloads.

Make sure your taper crimp is correct. Next time you try this, when you finish your short rds and move to the longer rds, clean the chamber 1st.

[Dale53]

This will show you how to determine over all length for YOUR pistol:
http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj80/Dale53/1911Headspace.png (http://s269.photobucket.com/user/Dale53/media/1911Headspace.png.html)

Dale53

[stogierob]

If your pistol won't return to battery at 1.250 fo a 200 gr LRN then something is wrong with your pistol or reloads.

Make sure your taper crimp is correct. Next time you try this, when you finish your short rds and move to the longer rds, clean the chamber 1st.


Since the initial batch chambered at 1.225 and the ones at 1.250 didn't. The obvious choice is the reload is wrong. The initial question was how sensitive are reloads to the Min OAL. Using the plunk test, I'll be finding out...

What crimp? The Lee Loader instructions specifically state that no crimp is necessary for the .45 acp. In fact, they state that since the load headspaces on the case, a crimp could be harmful?

Thanks
Rob

[gwpercle]

Just follow the Lee Loader directions. The case is flared so a boolit may be seated without shaving lead, when boolit is seated the tool will straighten out the flare and this is called a taper crimp ( as opposed to a rolled crimp).
If your gun feeds Winchester white box ammo, keep one and use it to set your seating depth ( now called OAL). Whatever your pistol feeds best is the determining factor. Min. and Max OAL's are just places to start.
I have loaded a gazillion with one, follow the directions and you will be good to go.
Gary
.

[30Carbine]

OP if you are using 200 gr lead rn then you need to find a way to flare the case mouth, if you read the instruction on step 5 or 6 it says the 45 acp does not flare the case. so there might be a miss step there, then after flare you need a way to take the flare out. I used a taper punch for the flare just a little tap will do, then i just slightly tapped it into the the sizing part of the die to remove the flare just alittle bit. then do what dale53 posted above to check..

[stogierob]

OP if you are using 200 gr lead rn then you need to find a way to flare the case mouth, if you read the instruction on step 5 or 6 it says the 45 acp does not flare the case. so there might be a miss step there, then after flare you need a way to take the flare out. I used a taper punch for the flare just a little tap will do, then i just slightly tapped it into the the sizing part of the die to remove the flare just alittle bit. then do what dale53 posted above to check..

I found that chamfering the case did the job. I wasn't getting any shavings or issues getting the bullets to seat properly. I have a counter sink bit for my drill that's doing double duty at the moment, but I think the wife just bought me a Lee Case Prep Kit so I'm hoping for new tools for the next batch.

still haven't had time to adjust the current batch of bullets, and I've got a lot more brass that's just itching for being turned into bullets...

I'll report back in a few...

Thanks, All!!!

Rob