45 ACP loads

[Craigwood]

I dont know about you guys. But I find 45 ACP loads a bit tricky to get the seating die just right. The final diameter for it to fit into the barrel without it being too tight or avoiding that roll crimp if turned down too much. What helps me out is the Wilson Chamber Gauge. Most of the rounds are a perfect fit. Others I have to go back and use a tighter crimp. At times it is hard to avoid a slight roll crimp.
I have no problem adjusting for a revolver like 38 or 357. And none with 9mm.

[ojisan]

Always seat and crimp as two separate steps...soooo much easier!
Reality is most people never OAL trim .45 ACP brass ( I don't).
Given the slight variations is case length from the various manufacturers, loading mixed brass will usually have the crimp moving up and down on the bullet a little.
Using matching brass allows you to set the dies up exactly to match, but this can be a time-consuming and needless job unless you have lots of matching brass and are trying to load match grade ammo.

[f4tweet]

45 ACP is taper crimp, not roll crimp.

[stphnman20]

Yea crimp in a separate stage. I use LCD.. It's awesome!

[Craigwood]

45 ACP is taper crimp, not roll crimp.

Yes I know the prefered method is a Taper Crimp. And it is prefered for most auto loaders. And not prefered for Roll Crimp. But also in one of the answers I got back makes more sence. The brass I have is mixed with other mfgs brass. And it would be too time consuming to seperate.

[zfields]

I don't crimp at all..... bell just barley large enough once seated chambers just fine for me

[Southpaw45]

Yea crimp in a separate stage. I use LCD.. It's awesome!

+ one on this comment. This is what I use.>>> http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct...tNumber=716704

[diginit]

Taper crimp. Not a roll crimp. Roll crimp is for revolvers. Taper for semi autos.

[freonr22]

Taper crimp. Not a roll crimp. Roll crimp is for revolvers. Taper for semi autos.

hey, do you crimp for your home rubber bullet primer only loads is really the question.

[Fishslayer]

I found that I had to back off my seating die just a scosh from manual spec to keep from shaving just a hair of lead off the last few hundredths of a cast boolit.

Sort your brass. Different brands have different wall thickness.

IMO if you have problems with dimensions you might have a problem with your settings or process itself.

My barrels make great chamber guages. If it "plunks" it's GTG!

[NapaCountyShooter]

I also just take out my barrels to make sure the reloads fit. When I started reloading, I overcrimped thinking better safe than sorry, but after several failure to feeds I backed off to just taking the bell off and leaving the case wall straight. Haven't had a problem since. I also use the Lee FCD.

[Chief-7700]

I found that I had to back off my seating die just a scosh from manual spec to keep from shaving just a hair of lead off the last few hundredths of a cast boolit.

Sort your brass. Different brands have different wall thickness.

IMO if you have problems with dimensions you might have a problem with your settings or process itself.

My barrels make great chamber guages. If it "plunks" it's GTG!

Question?
Why are you backing off the seating die?
Problem is that you are not belling the case mouths enough.

[diginit]

hey, do you crimp for your home rubber bullet primer only loads is really the question.

I crimp my Plastic Primer only bullets . Never shot rubbers.
Bullets that is.

I'm confused.... This thread talks about crimping, belling, and seating. Has anyone here read a reloading manual? Maybe we should start over....

If your shaving lead while seating. You need more bell. The taper crimp will straighten the case. Too much bell overworks the brass. Check the crimp with a Micrometer. I crimp .452's to 470 at the mouth. .469 for a .451 and .471 for a .453 bullet. Depends on the bullet. The case thickness is not enough to matter. Cases have no more than 1/100,000th of a inch difference. And all it effects is powder volume. Usually caused by the case head.
Load a dummy rnd and pull it. There should be a slight mark on the bullet. If the case cuts into the bullet, There is too much crimp. No mark, Not enough.
As far as a bullet going "kerplunk"... Any bullet short of the lands will. Use the bullet and rod method the check OAL. A sound will tell you nothing. Put a bullet in the chamber and hold it lightly with a pencil. Use a dowel slightly smaller than the barrel and slide it to the bullet tip. Mark it at the muzzle with a knife. Then make a second mark 1/32" off the muzzle. Load some dummy rnds an different OAL's and check them when chambered with the dowel. When it hits the second mark. This is your OAL with that bullet. Double check to assure it cycles. You want 1/32" jump to the lands in a 45 ACP.