45 LC

[Whiterabbit]

So, actually squibs ARE a very real risk. Many powders fail to ignite without building sufficient pressure. Is clays one of them? I don't know.

That doesn't change my answer, but it changes how I would go about it.

I would still shoot them. But I would approach it cautiously like any new load. One at a time, then a cylinder full, then do the rest. Check for barrel obstructions the first few rounds. Recoil is low, so it's very possible you may squibb just enough to get the bullet into the barrel and not lock up the action, and then you go firing another round. That's the risk.

Which is to say, no risk if you go slow, check often or even every round.

And, the most important reason to use your trigger finger to break them down, you will learn something. Unburned powder? accuracy potential at low velocity? recoil characteristics down low? Lots of great experience to glean from shooting them.

As long as you don't just go loading up and blasting away, but use your head and go slow.

[elmontemike]

Went out and shot "the mistake" rounds last week and all was fine. I went slow and cautious. Shot the first 10 rounds with just the 1 round in the gun. The recoil was slightly lighter. That was expected. I was shooting at 8" plates. 1 plate was 15 yards and the other was 25 yards away. Was hitting the plates 6/6, 5/6 times. Was a little surprised on the accuracy of these rounds.
Thanks for all the input. Calguns is the BEST !!!

[Unretarded]

As a reloading instructor, I'll say to always follow published load data and don't go below minimum listed loads. So, pull them.

As an experienced, lazy azz reloader, I wouldn't have any issue breaking them down using my trigger finger. But, I'd have to recast the bullets, re-lubesize them, tumble, resize and reprime the brass it before I loaded them again.

Which triggers me to ask the question, since I have pondered pulling bullets down and also buying primed brass from pull downs.


Would you need to resize the neck to remove and type of crimp or does the neck even stretch from installing A projectile.


What would you reccomend once a bullet is pulled ?

[otteray]

You neglected to state the weight of the projectile.

[jericho89]

Which triggers me to ask the question, since I have pondered pulling bullets down and also buying primed brass from pull downs.


Would you need to resize the neck to remove and type of crimp or does the neck even stretch from installing A projectile.


What would you reccomend once a bullet is pulled ?

Usually the pull down bullets there are is no need to resize, but with any pull down you are not making precision ammo just good inexpensive plinking ammo.

For the brass I would pull the depriming pin out of the full length sizing die and run the brass as you would any brass, through all the stages.

As for CSACANNONEER comment, his pulled bullets (from his trigger finger) end up as blobs of lead at the end of the range so if he wants to reuse them he was to recast them, the true meaning of recycling

[Whiterabbit]

Which triggers me to ask the question, since I have pondered pulling bullets down and also buying primed brass from pull downs.


Would you need to resize the neck to remove and type of crimp or does the neck even stretch from installing A projectile.


What would you reccomend once a bullet is pulled ?

For my 45 colt loads, I always just resize half the brass, so the base is a nice tight fit. For me, absolutely I resize and re-expand the brass, and leave the primer in place. case tension is accuracy. Even if just a pistol round at 25 yards.

YES the neck stretches from seating a projectile. If it did not then there would be no tension from holding the bullet, and the bullet would fall right out and spill powder from no tension.

[JMP]

The 45 Colt, in particular, is an interesting cartridge because it can be loaded to pressures way higher than the book if you are shooting it from certain modern revolvers. You can pretty much fill the case to the brim with a magnum powder and the loads won't even be that hot.

[CSACANNONEER]

Which triggers me to ask the question, since I have pondered pulling bullets down and also buying primed brass from pull downs.


Would you need to resize the neck to remove and type of crimp or does the neck even stretch from installing A projectile.


What would you reccomend once a bullet is pulled ?

Once you pull bullets, you should completely resize your brass. This can be done without decapping the live primers by simple removing the decapping pin. Then, either use an expanderiron, the expanderball on your decapping rod or, for straight walled cartridges, flare the case mouth prior to reloading them.

Using pulled bullets can be fine depending on how deformed they get.

[JagerDog]

Which triggers me to ask the question, since I have pondered pulling bullets down and also buying primed brass from pull downs.


Would you need to resize the neck to remove and type of crimp or does the neck even stretch from installing A projectile.


What would you reccomend once a bullet is pulled ?

Yes. Resize the case at least where the bullet registers.

[Whiterabbit]

The 45 Colt, in particular, is an interesting cartridge because it can be loaded to pressures way higher than the book if you are shooting it from certain modern revolvers. You can pretty much fill the case to the brim with a magnum powder and the loads won't even be that hot.

I wouldn't go that far. You can easily exceed 454 casull pressures (65ksi) in a 45 colt case with H110. easily.

Point taken though that the SAAMI spec for 45 colt is very low at 15ksi.

I agree it is a very interesting cartridge due to the wide range of pressure spec one can shoot in a modern gun. the caliber is an excellent size as well.

[choprzrul]

Back when this caliber was invented, I wonder how many black powder short loads had hammers dropped on them? The brings to question how low can you go and still get it out of the barrel? Is OP'S short load producing less pressure than a mild black powder load?

.

[Whiterabbit]

what "spooks" me about reduced loads with smokeless powder is not pressure, but ignition. I've not yet tried to cough a bullet out of a barrel and not have it go. But I have seen inconsistent ignition or failure to ignite the powder.

I'd be much more concerned about squibbs than pressure. Or, put another way, if the loads do not show any odd signs (inconsistent muzzle flash, erratic velocity, extreme flyers, etc), and all light off reliably, then I would judge the load OK.

[Eljay]

Back when this caliber was invented, I wonder how many black powder short loads had hammers dropped on them? The brings to question how low can you go and still get it out of the barrel? Is OP'S short load producing less pressure than a mild black powder load?

.

With black powder you can't have an air gap, so you pretty much fill it up - a lot of people actually fill the case and then compress it. If you don't want a load that hot you would add cream of wheat or whatever to the top to remove the air gap.

[stilly]

I don't think a "failure to eject" is very common on 45 Colt rounds.

Beat me to it...

Failure to feed though maybe... hehe

[rm1911]

Went out and shot "the mistake" rounds last week and all was fine. I went slow and cautious. Shot the first 10 rounds with just the 1 round in the gun. The recoil was slightly lighter. That was expected. I was shooting at 8" plates. 1 plate was 15 yards and the other was 25 yards away. Was hitting the plates 6/6, 5/6 times. Was a little surprised on the accuracy of these rounds.
Thanks for all the input. Calguns is the BEST !!!

I'm not sure how fast clays is, but if it's like bullseye then you can go fairly low and still not stick a bullet. Yeah, some magnum powders, or some designed to burn a little slower, ya gotta be more careful. But keep in mind that people routinely load 5-6 gr bullseye in reduced rifle loads. And the 10gr unique load is kinda ubiquitous. I've shot cast lead out if my '06 with 10gr unique and it's way fun to shoot.

Much easier to get in trouble with fast powders when you go over. Pretty hard when you go under. In fact, you might have just found yourself a new favorite load