Jackets from 45 acp cases

[elk hunter]

Quite a while back I posted pictures of a friend shooting his Ruger #1 in 470 for the first time. We shot several rounds loaded with home made jacketed bullets, but due to the cold and having too much fun, didn't shoot any on paper. We finially went back out today and put some on paper. The shooting was from the bench at 50 yards with open sights:mrgreen:

The bullets were home made jacketed. To make the bullet, my friend started with a fired 45 acp case that he annealed. He then seated and crimped a 384 grain cast, soft lead, hollow base .459 diameter bullet inside the 45 acp case, using a 45 acp seating die. The hollow base allows the base of the cast bullet to conform to the 45 acp case. The bullets were then lubed and sized in a .474 diameter push through die. The final diameter is .4745. Weight runs 477 grains.

These were loaded ahead of 57 grains of 4895. Velocity is estimated at 1900.
This is a very mild/pleasant load from the bench.

This is a four shot group from 50 yards. Shown with the home made bullet is a 500 grain X bullet and a 470 case.

[Echo]

Hmmm... 477 grs @ 1900 MV doesn't really sound like 'mild/pleasant'. Sounds more like BOOM!

But great looking bullets. How do you treat the primer pocket? Leave the dead primer in?

[elk hunter]

Hmmm... 477 grs @ 1900 MV doesn't really sound like 'mild/pleasant'. Sounds more like BOOM!

But great looking bullets. How do you treat the primer pocket? Leave the dead primer in?

Compared to a 500 grain at 2150 fps these are mild and pleasant. As for the primer he leaves them in as we feel that helps prevent the possibility of pushing the core out and leaving the jacket stuck in the bore, not that it is likely, but you wouldn't want it to happen.

[luober]

to: elk hunter
who made the dies that you are using to make these bullets? thanks

[elk hunter]

to: elk hunter
who made the dies that you are using to make these bullets? thanks

I make most of the dies we use for bullet making, but in this case the only dies used, was a standard 45 acp seating die to seat and crimp the core in and a standard (Lyman ? my friend didn't specify) .474 diameter push through lube/sizing die, that was mounted in a home made holder so he could use his reloading press to size to final diameter. Normally we bump a bullet up in core seating and nose forming to make sure the core stays tight, but with only .0005 spring back the core tightness is apparently not a problem in this bullet, as shown by the group. That's the beauty of this particular bullet, nothing expensive to buy or time consuming to make.

[BT Sniper]

I haven't checked the sight in a few days but WOW that's what I'm talking about. Nice work! Pretty cool to see you did not need a core seat die or swage die just a final sizing die. Nice work and awesome group.

If I ever get the time to make a trip down your way I'll stop by. Call first of course.

BT