480 Ruger from 45 ACP cases

[Saltner]

I read a lot in this forum and considered that the tools are there, lead and cartridge cases too and ignorance as well, I came to the conclusion that the only thing that does not abound is money.
I have ascertained that the cloaks can be obtained from the cartridges of the 45 ACP, I have tried with the dies that I have if I could close the apex of the cartridge case, EUREKA !!!
While for the 45 ACP you can use the cloaks of the 40 and pass them step by step in the dies of 243 and 308, in my case I found the dies of 6.5x68.
Initially I tried with empty casings and then I adapted a LEE bottom plate to accommodate them and ensure that the apex of the mantle came into contact with the upper plate of the mold, therefore, once put into the casings and waited 5 seconds for it warmed up, I poured lead.
The result is satisfactory, but I would like to make lead cores and push them into the case and then close it, maybe there will be a little more effort .. but it's all to be seen.
On the left ball obtained from the weight of 365 gn, on the right 400 gn Speer bullet
262194
262195
262196
262197
This time, instead of filling the already formed cases, I filled them still to be formed and put them on the edge of the furnace for a few minutes.
Then I passed them in the dies of the 6.5x68 and subsequently resizing.
I increased the weight from 365 to 392.
262198

[Stephen Cohen]

These look like the ones I made for my 458 wm from 308 shells, after making them conicals as you have I then run them into a 45 acp bullet seating die with a round nose seating punch, they were really nice round nose after that. I should mention that before I did the round nose I left the lead level with the mouth as your second last pic shows. Regards Stephen

[clodhopper]

Good looking bullets.

[tiger762]

Excellent!

[Cosmic_Charlie]

I imagine with a 480 and that bullet you can put together a stonkin round of ammunition.

[Huvius]

Your experience is just as mine has been.
Load them up and SHOOT!!

[tominboise]

How hard is cartridge brass as compared to copper? Is there more wear using a brass case? Or not enough difference to worry about?

[ReloaderFred]

Not enough difference to worry about. I've shot hundreds of my swaged bullets from cartridge cases in .357, .41, .44 and .45, and I see no difference at all in the barrels of any of them. The cases are annealed dead soft prior to swaging, too.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[clodhopper]

How hard is cartridge brass as compared to copper? Is there more wear using a brass case? Or not enough difference to worry about?

This question comes up so often.

Brass is a little harder than copper, but compared to steel, brass is soft.

Hot copper is sticky, but the addition of zinc makes brass comparatively slick.

Most bullets are jacketed with gilding metal, which is a low zinc brass alloy. Just looks like copper.

[tominboise]

How do you crimp these? Form an crimp groove?

[ReloaderFred]

How do you crimp these? Form an crimp groove?

You use a cannelure tool to apply a crimp groove, if desired. I have two, a CH and a Corbin. The CH is pictured in the photo:

https://i1134.photobucket.com/albums/m606/ReloaderFred/BulletSwaging003-1.jpg (https://s1134.photobucket.com/user/ReloaderFred/media/BulletSwaging003-1.jpg.html)

Hope this helps.

Fred

[bigjake]

Fred, which cannelure tool do you prefer?

[ReloaderFred]

Bigjake,

I've had the CH the longest, and have used it the most, and it's permanently mounted to my bench, so I'd probably have to say I prefer the CH. I've only used the Corbin a couple times and it works fine, but I had it mounted to a piece of wood and clamped to my bench, and the angle wasn't perfect, so it probably wasn't a fair comparison.

I bought the Corbin on a whim to see if it was any better than the CH. It may be more versatile, since I believe you can get different knurling wheels for it, but for just adding cannelures, I'd have to say the CH is easier to use, at least for me.

Hope this helps.

Fred

[3leggedturtle]

Have any of you posted on youtube? I watched a couple of videos showing 45/70 bullets made from 30/06 greek brass. Todd/3leg