Couple of questions

[snipecg21]

Today I made up a couple of dummy rounds to check. I'm using the Lee 452-230-TC. To get the dummy to chamber I ended up sweating it to an over all length of 1.245. Is it normal to have to seat this boolit deeper like this? Also when feeding from the magazine I can see a slight mark from the feed ramp. I cant really feel any distortion more like a polished spot is this normal or should I harden my alloy ( 50/50 rotometals lyman #2/ pure) or am I being overly cautious ? Thanks for the help gentlemen

[Bazoo]

I load mine to 1.170 COAL. Any longer and they start getting into the rifling in my Springfield milspec. A rub mark from the feed ramp is normal as long as it ain't badly distorted or flat. The alloy you have is similar to wheel weights with tin added, which works well for me.

Overly cautious? No sir, not with the making of ammunition. Especially with a pistol round like 45 acp where seating depth makes a lot of difference in pressure.

Here is a thread I had on this bullet and has a pic of the Lyman data if you don't have it.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?356684-Data-Request-for

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?387311-45-ACP-amp-Lee-TL452-230-TC-powder-charge-discrepancies

[jimb16]

Small rub spots from a feed ramp are perfectly normal. I'm assuming you are loading .45 ACP. How deep you set the bullet is really controlled by the mag and what length will function/feed smoothly from the mag. I wouldn't bother with a harder alloy. What you are using should be fine. You don't need to set the bullet that deep, if your mag will feed a bullet set out a little longer. Just make sure you aren't trying to jam it into the rifling.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

what caliber?
if semi-auto pistol, I seat a boolit to reliably pass the plunk test as well as cycle through the mag.
If you calculate that case capacity is reduced, you may want to lower starting load and then work up, as you may see high pressure signs sooner than book max loads indicate.

[snipecg21]

Thanks for the replies folks, I guess to long as a steam engineer where you didn't deviate from specs without approval. That is why I made the dummy rounds was to test the feeding from the magazine. Any longer than the 1.245 measurement and they were chambering but wouldn't extract without considerable effort. Muzzleloaders are easy, this is a new area for me. I can read what lee says in the manual vs what I read on the web and still worry when it comes to things like this. I will be starting with minimum loads and then working up loads to hopefully loads equaling standard velocity. Again thanks to all

[Wayne Smith]

We really need to know the gun, the caliber, and the gun maker. Lots of possible issues.

[fredj338]

Every bullet & every barrel will have a different OAL, regardless of what ever data you have showing an OAL. Yes TC bullets will often have to seat deeper than RN, there is a shoulder that hits the rifling. Even in RN, a fat ogive will contact rifling in a short throated barrel.

[fcvan]

What Fred said. I got my 1991 Plain Jane Springfield 1911, parkerized even, in 1987. Lee 452-228-1R, dies set to factory ball specs by taking a ball cartridge to set the dies. Didn't have any means of actually measuring back then. Right out of the box fun. Tried the Lee 200 copy of the H&G 68 (not actually close) and had to tinker to get reliable feed/cycle but took advice from reloading manuals and articles. Thank God for the interwebs and this site.

Along the way, I think I have more molds for 45 than any other caliber, but only shoot three. The Lee 452-228, Lee 450-200-1R, and a Lee 450-200-1R HP, the latter 2 being for percussion revolvers. Sure, the 450s are tapered but as cast are almost 452, and PC'd they are definitely sized 452. BTW, using soda can, plain base gas checks (Thanks PatMarlins) makes the lighter boolits zing from my 1911, 45 Colt Vaquero OM, and 20 Colt Carbine.

RN boolits are easier to adjust for. I have yet to try the Lee 452-255-RF in the 1911 but will in the hopefully near future.

[lar45]

Your bullets were probably engaging the rifling too much when seated longer, and sticking in the rifling when you tried to extract them.
I have an AMT 45 longslide that is very picky about the bullet size and depth, it mostly likes .451" boolits, the same boolit sized to .452" gives me problems.
On the other hand I have a Star PD that will feed and fire everything that is put in it.

So as long as you don't have to alter the seating depth too much, I wouldn't worry about it too much.
Use a Chronograph and check the velocity with what the load was supposed to produce. If your velocity is much higher than the published load, then your pressure is probably higher also from seating it deeper. If so, reduce the powder charge slightly to get the desired velocity...

[Cherokee]

Lar 45 - we have similar taste in 45's, but my AMT will feed most anything like my PD. TC's have to be short seated to avoid the rifling.