?? on OAL tolerance

[sofbak]

I'm setting up to reload my first .45 LC cartridges, and looking at the Lee manual. COAL for my loads is given as "1.600", but no tolerance in either direction.

I can get a +/- .0005 reading just by the way I hold the calipers on the cartrigde, so what would be an acceptable tolerance to that OAL, and would it be better to keep the tolerance band larger than than the stated length?

I've run a few dummy rounds through the dies, and they are producing lenghts from 1.600 to 1.6015, is that close enough?

TIA

[AJD]

I doubt your caliper could accurately measure the difference to .0001. Measuring to .001 with a caliper is pushing it. The tolerance you're indicating is insignificant.

[joelogic]

Even +/- .01" would be insignificant

[M27]

I load all of my pistol ammo to +/- .001 for anything that I can use a flat seating die for. Anything with a round nose +\- .003 is pretty good because round bullets are not all shaped the same so they hit the die differently causing for inconsistency.

[scotty99]

OALs listed in reloading manuals are generally MAX lengths. If you use a +0 -.010 tolerance you should be GTG for just about any pistol cartridge.

[mjmagee67]

I shoot for +/- .003 for low volume pistol cases and +/- .005 for higher volume cases. .010 seems like a pretty large tolerance for a pistol, that could put some of my pet loads over the max COL and push me into feeding issues. YMMV as with all things in life.

[Whiterabbit]

I'm setting up to reload my first .45 LC cartridges, and looking at the Lee manual. COAL for my loads is given as "1.600", but no tolerance in either direction.

I can get a +/- .0005 reading just by the way I hold the calipers on the cartrigde, so what would be an acceptable tolerance to that OAL, and would it be better to keep the tolerance band larger than than the stated length?

I've run a few dummy rounds through the dies, and they are producing lenghts from 1.600 to 1.6015, is that close enough?

TIA

You're scrutinizing a whale with a magnifying glass. Yes, it's close enough.

[Fjold]

OAL on revolver cartridges is like the bust size on a senior citizen, it really doesn't matter.


If the cartridge fits in the cylinder it's good enough.

[22popnsplat]

This is just my opinion but I see some pretty sloppy information given out at times .
It really comes down to what bullet you are using , Cast lead bullets tend to not be as consistant as jacketed . I like to see +/- .003 on my cast loads and crimp in in a seperate step for best oal and crimp consistancy . With a book load of 1.600 anything greater than -.010 at a warm charge or greater gets pulled , as you seat the bullet deaper it raises pressure. I go by what ever the smallest reading is i can get with my .001 calipers as the accepted reading .
I started out reloading with the 45 colt and is still one of my favorites , I have a couple of Rugers in 45 colt and the Ruger only load of a 255swc with winchester 231 has been my go to plinker for alot of years.

[Whiterabbit]

Lets remember there is a difference between blindly following the book without understanding why, and allowing larger than NASA grade tolerance because we understand what it means for real world, real life, real load safety and performance.

One man's sloppy is another man's uneducated (or unwilling to communicate his education!)

----------------

Edit: Don't let ME be the person who snobbily tells someone else they SHOULDN'T reload to NASA level tolerances in the name of knowing what said tolerances actually do (rather than what the book implies but does not state), by all means, load to .0005" spec!

But know that it might not amount to very much on the shooting bench in this case!