Reload Data for a Lee MOLD 6 CAV 452-230TC using CFE Pistol

[Dryb2860]

Well I went to the range on Tuesday 07/13/21, and had a miss hap and catastrophic failure in my new Kimber Custom II 45 ACP. I was testing my new loads at 5.6, 5.8, and 6.0 grains of CFE Pistol and the gun blew out the magazine and the right grip panel. All bullets where cast with a LEE Mold 6 Cavity Mold 452-230-TC,sized to 452, and all rounds where powder coated. The casing had a split about 1/8 inch above the head stamp rim.

So is there anyone who has any load Data for CFE Pistol or Unique Powders?
286119

Thank for your help.

Dennis

[Tar Heel]

I would suggest a published loading manual for your requested data.

[Dryb2860]

Tar Heel Thank you for your response.

[44MAG#1]

You should been more than safe with that load. Are you sure it wasn't a "tired" case? Maybe a bullet shoved into the case? Give more information. Is the gun itself okay? What have you checked to give you an idea what happened?

[ryanmattes]

Check any remaining cartridges for bullet creep. I had a cast .45 go the other way in a Kimber, walked right out of the case. If your bullets weren't crimped firmly enough and the slug got pushed in, you could've gotten a pressure spike.

The Lyman manual doesn't list any load data for CFE Pistol.

Also, how's your hand?

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[slam45]

https://hodgdonreloading.com/reloading-data-center?rdc=true&type=53

the loads you list are good according to hodgon... I've used CFE-P in the 45ACP without any problems for sometime... I'd look at your crimp and weather or not the rounds are jamming in the rifling... i use lubed cast boolits, so not up on problems with powder coated boolits... i taper crimp 45 acp at 0.470 to 0.469 and have no bullet setback problems... do the rounds plunk in your barrel and do unfired rounds eject without difficulty?

[oley55]

Dennis,

First, I too echo the advice given to have your weapon inspected by a professional gunsmith. Seriously!!!!

As for the cause of the mishap, there are so many unknowns. Are you an experienced reloader, are you knew to reloading 45 ACP, how many of your reloads did you run before the mishap, which charge weight was the failure, was it the first of a particular load, were your test loads individually weighed, and so on.

All that said, the the previously mentioned crimping question has merit. Are your other loaded rounds firmly holding the boolit? Can you force then deeper with minimal force?

[The Dar]

All good suggestions above. What scale are you using to weigh your powder?

[RobS]

Powder charge looks to be within reason from the several manuals I’ve looked at as well as checking online at Hodgdon. What was your COAL? This bullet along with short throats on barrels these days can give you issues. When I used this design I would have to seat to the edge of the front drive band which reduced the COAL to a shorter length than most manuals however the design itself is rather short so case volume was similar to longer bullets in the same weight class.

My problem was seating too long and having the bullet scrap a bit off at the throat of the chamber. This would result in a small ring of lead at the end of the chamber which would increase pressure and also allow for a fired round that would happen ever so slight out of battery in some pistols.

Did you do some dummy rounds and chamber a round with the slide release to see if there was any powder coat or bullet nose engagement with the throat/lands of the rifling?

[Dryb2860]

I believe my crimp was good, however I will be looking at the total re-load process. My hand is fine. The Hodgdon site has a LRN starting load of 5.4 max load of 6.2 for CFE Pistol. So the cartridge case will also looked at. Thank you for your reply.
Dennis

[Dryb2860]

I did a Plunk test and I will say they did ok on the seating. I will be looking at going from 1.65 to 1.60 on the seating. I will also revisit the crimp. Thanks, Dennis

[Dryb2860]

I will be checking everything you mentioned this Saturday when the firearm is inspect by a gunsmith. This was my first time loading 45 ACP and I followed the Hodgdon site instructions. I am looking at my RCBS Beam Scale to determine I it may be off. I also have a Hornady and RCBS Electric scales I use a verifiers. Thank Dennis

[Dryb2860]

I was long at first and we corrected that problem by going as low at 1.65 and now I will be going to 1.60, I found some Powder coating scrapings on several cases.

[Sasquatch-1]

I will be checking everything you mentioned this Saturday when the firearm is inspect by a gunsmith. This was my first time loading 45 ACP and I followed the Hodgdon site instructions. I am looking at my RCBS Beam Scale to determine I it may be off. I also have a Hornady and RCBS Electric scales I use a verifiers. Thank Dennis

Whether or not the scale is the problem...get a set of check weights. I set my scale to desired charge using the weights as opposed to the scales markings.

Did you check each charge, either visually or by weight, before seating the bullet? I am not familiar with CFE powder but you could have double charged a case.

[Dusty Bannister]

A better photo, close up, of the case might be helpful. It appears that the case failed with a radial split just above the extractor groove. Did it also blow the primer out of the case? What is the manufactures name and do you know the history of the case. (range pick up, multi times fired, first reload?) How many rounds in the mag/ first shot with that mag or last or ?? What was the load that actually failed?

Looking at the Hodgdon Reloading 2017, the COL for the 45 ACP with 230 RN is tested at 1.200".
Lyman CBH, 4th ed, the COL for the 45 ACP with Lee TL230-452 is tested at 1.170". It is hard to tell how much the added powder coating build up on the base and nose of the bullet affected the chamber space when loaded to the COL you mention.

Please verify you actually are seating the cartridge to an over all length of 1.650 and not 1.065".

[guy_with_boolits]

show us a pic of your ammo

[NuJudge]

Earlier versions of the 9mm and .40 Glock pistols had a reputation for causing bulges in fired cases, which had a reputation for at least occasionally failing in a way similar to what your picture shows. I don't like Glocks, and have as little to do with them as I can. If that brass came to you with a bulge, throw away the rest of it.

[RobS]

I was long at first and we corrected that problem by going as low at 1.65 and now I will be going to 1.60, I found some Powder coating scrapings on several cases.

1.60” coal is long for this bullet. Maybe 1.160”?

[jim147]

This is my favorite bullit for .45. I load at 1.200. With 1.160 there wouldn't be anything to crimp to. Maybe that is the problem.

No problem running in my combat commander or XD.

[fredj338]

6gr of CFE want take a pistol apart. I suggest you verify your scale with check weights, Something is very wrong there. Taper crimp wont keep a bullet from setting back & over crimping can actually cause loss of neck tension. Even if it did setback, I doubt it would cause a catastrophic failure like that. Hogdon uses 1.20" COAL, pretty short with 230gr LRN
GRS. VEL.(FT/S) PRESS.
5.4 816 14,600 PSI
MAXIMUM LOADS
GRS. VEL.(FT/S) PRESS.
6.2 942 20,100 PSI

[mehavey]

...and all rounds where powder coated....and easily passed a plunk test ?

[Charliemac]

Are there any unfired rounds? If I would pull the bullets and double check the charge weight?