45 acp lead boolits

[oldbear1950]

I loaded up some cast boolits, round nose flat top. Had no pressure signs, no pierced primers, no bulged cases, but four cartridges messed up case rims, failed to feed, some worked ok, some hung up on feed ramp. when I reloaded and kept the mag less than 7 worked fine, this is for a 1911 45 acp, two guns both 1911s both same problem. No factory crimp die, oh, and when I used fractory ammo was no problem in either gun. Is it possible a factory crimp die would solve my problem? used multiple mags same problem.

[Baltimoreed]

How are they failing to feed? I use 180-200 gr round nose flap point in my 1911s with no issues. A photo of the ftf would help figure it out.

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Is it possible that a FCD would solve your problem? Well, can't hurt to use one. I use the Lee FCDs, carbide or regular depending on if they're available, for every caliber I reload. But that will basically solve two issues; the crimp, and if a carbide FCD the case size. Sounds to me though that your mangled rims aren't helping and I'd toss those. ACP brass isn't that hard to find, and you want ever cartridge you reload to be as near perfect as possible. Another issue seems to be that if you load 7 rounds in the mags you have reliability issues. So some things to look at are (1) is it time to change your recoil springs? (2) do you need new mag springs and/or are the mags dirty inside? Finally, (3) could your pistols benefit by having the barrel feed ramps polished? The problem likely lies among these items or perhaps is a combination of issues. You can order new recoil and magazine springs from Wolff Gunsprings, and they're not very expensive.

DG

[oldbear1950]

I have cleaned and replaced all my springs and followers with new shooting star springs and followers since I last used them. They all work fine with factory ammo. Is just my reloads. Now this is the first time I loaded for a semi auto, all previous ammo was loaded for revolvers and I do realize they are two different animals, especially when the magazines thrown in.
OAL when measured with my dial caliper is the same as factory loads. MY factory loads are jacketed and reloads are lead. that is why I was wondering about using a FCD. the crimp in these reloads was applied with a lee seating/crimp die on a lee pro 1000 press.

[44MAG#1]

Taper crimp more heavily. I have found with heavy taper crimp I have less problems.
This is what I have found. You will be given opinions by those who have few firearms and shoots very little to those that have more firearms than the US Army, shoots more than the whole US Military put together and those who own very little equipment to those that own thousands of dollars worth of equipment. Some of each type can be right and wrong.

[Misery-Whip]

Double check your OAL. Maybe try the plunk test. When I was using the Lee 452-200-rf OAL too long or short gave me issues...just .020 too short for a spanish 1911 would cause the first 1911 to eject LOADED rounds instead of feeding into the chamber, along with jamming nose down.

Once I set length with the punk they would run great. But had to mark them for the 1911 they were loaded for... Have since moved onto a 230gr round nose design. Any box, any 1911. YMMV.

[doghawg]

A couple of questions....Which bullet is it? OAL? What diameter bullet and what is your load?

[BadgerShooter]

A good taper crimp is important and get a chamber gage. I quick gage every round that comes out of the Dillon. It's astounding sometimes what doesn't pass. I use the failed cases for jam clearing practice. Once the bin fills up, I drop the ammo into the gage and tip it into the ammo can. It goes pretty quick. Your reliability will go way up. I've put nearly a half million rounds through 1911's, mostly cast bullets so I have a pretty good handle on what works. Having a jam in a match a couple of times makes it well worth the little extra effort.

[Winger Ed.]

If you can feel an 'edge' on the case mouth where the flare didn't get completely pressed back out-
sometimes that will case a fail to feed as the case mouth sort of grabs instead of sliding on into the chamber.

It can happen on a case that is on the short side of the case length spec.
I use a slightly more aggressive taper crimp to cure the effect.

[BD]

A round nosed flat point design should be loaded shorter than factory ball. OAL should be about the same as a factory HP. A good exercise for understanding how a 1911 feeds is to load up 8 dummy rounds, (no primer or powder), take the recoil spring out of the pistol and slowly cycle the cartridges through one at a time. You will be able to easily feel where the drag, or hiccup, is in the sequence so you can address it. Also you'll discover that how the first round feeds is significantly different than how the last one feeds. While you have the barrel out try the "plunk" test as well. Many cast boolit designs have a step where the front drive band ends and the ogive begins. This can hang up on the start of the lands if the barrel hasn't been throated, which may require you seat them shorter until you get it throated.

[RobS]

A round nosed flat point design should be loaded shorter than factory ball. OAL should be about the same as a factory HP. A good exercise for understanding how a 1911 feeds is to load up 8 dummy rounds, (no primer or powder), take the recoil spring out of the pistol and slowly cycle the cartridges through one at a time. You will be able to easily feel where the drag, or hiccup, is in the sequence so you can address it. Also you'll discover that how the first round feeds is significantly different than how the last one feeds. While you have the barrel out try the "plunk" test as well. Many cast boolit designs have a step where the front drive band ends and the ogive begins. This can hang up on the start of the lands if the barrel hasn't been throated, which may require you seat them shorter until you get it throated.

Nailed it. Good reply here

[243winxb]

Try Shorter OAL.
Taper crimp. Start with just removing the case mouth flare/bell. Check to see if rounds plunk. Fall in and out of chamber.

The Lee seat die first tapers, then roll crimps. Do not over crimp or roll.

[725]

All good advice above.

[DougGuy]

I agree with a dedicated taper crimp die, and most importantly, pull the barrel and use it as a go/no go gauge and make sure every round will plunk and spin easily. Some people seat deeper to avoid interference with a short throat or no throat barrel, but be advised you normally have to adjust charge weights to avoid an over pressure event. Others have the barrel throated so they can seat out longer, as the longer rounds generally feed MUCH better in a 1911 than shorter.

Also, say for instance you are using a relatively soft alloy, which works great btw, and you taper crimp. Start with the plunk test, using a dummy round, if it plunks and spins, then move on to the push test where you push the nose of the boolit against a firm surface and push the case head with your thumb, you want NO movement here at this test. If you get any setback, increase the amount of taper crimp but be aware that this can cause the boolit ahead of the case mouth to grow in size since the die is squeezing the boolit inside the case, that alloy has to go somewhere, so try the plunk test again after you adjust the die.

[Alstep]

For years and many thousands of rounds, I've been using Accurate's copy of the H&G 68, cast 50/50 WW/Pb. Sized .452. Lube is 50/50 Alox/Bees Wax. 4.0 Grains Bullseye. Seat and taper crimp in separate operations. Taper crimp to .470 or a little less. OAL 1.125
This combination shoots reliably & accurately in all my Colts, Kimber, & GI. I use Wilson ETM magazines. Can't remember the last time I had a malfunction. Good magazines are essential.

If your ammo doesn't plunk test in your barrel, you may want to consider sending it to DougGuy for throating. Rest assured that he will do a first class job.

[oldbear1950]

I would like to thank you all for your info. I remember a couple years ago, my deceased brother had a springfield armory 9 mm 1911 could not get it to work with his cast bullets. He had been casting his own for about 30 years, with no problems. He tried everything he could think of , new magazines, changed the springs and followers in the mags, even talked springfield armory into exchanging his barrel, as this was a new gun. He finally bought 3 or 4 different new molds, and finally found one that worked. Took him about 4 months, but he finally did get it to work. but he was just about totally fustrated, and swore he was about to send the gun back and get his money back. He had a lot more experience with reloading and cast bullets than I have,

[DougGuy]

but he was just about totally fustrated, and swore he was about to send the gun back and get his money back.

Typical for Springfield. They have very little if any freebore (throat) and the freebore it does have is barely big enough for a .451" jacketed hardball round to plunk. Forget seating a .452" out beyond the case mouth at all. Have the barrel throated with enough .452+" freebore and it runs like a scalded ape with anything that will cycle through the magazine.

Although your brother's gun was 9mm, same story with the barrels. They want them to feed factory j words and that's ALL so their mentality is no need for a throat. I often see them with rifling that runs right down to the headspace ledge at the chamber mouth. Casters and handloaders don't get ANY Grace.

[Harter66]

Mechanics wrench in the works here .

I'll side with the OAL and dia . In addition to those points and descriptions .
The nose dia at specific points of it's length are too large . What happens is that the that portion of the bullet hits first at the feed ramp too soon that then exaggerates it hitting the chamber wall too soon . You end up with a case scrape and rim hang on the magazine . Seating deeper "makes" the touch points smaller but does fix the over size dia it just moves it someplace else .

There are lots of 200 gr options . For practical use and easy Lee makes a version of the H&G #68 . The only 45 ACP auto I had would feed anything that would fit in the mag , I tried some pretty odd things in it relative to the cartridge .
Unfortunately the market is short on 200-230 RNFP that resemble a 1911 Ball with a flat point , the RCBS 230CM is about as close as it gets , I don't have that one but I would if it were more SWC and less RNish .

[Char-Gar]

Easy problem to solve.

1. Use a taper crimp die and set it with a factory round.
2. Drop every loaded round in a Wilson cartridge gage.
3. Have you barrel throated.

[Kosh75287]

I think .44 MAG#1 hit it right on the nose. Turn the seating die down by 1/4 turn, and turn the seating PLUG UP by 1/4 turn, to preserve overall length. Check a reloaded round made with these changes in the chamber of your pistol. If it does not "plunk" in freely to depth such that the cartridge base is flush or close to the barrel hood, and drop freely when turned upside down, repeat said changes and try again.
If THIS doesn't fix it, something else is going on.