45acp reloading, need pointers please.

[dennishoddy]

JMB designed the 1911 to shoot round nose FMJ.
That doesn't mean that a 1911 won't shoot other designs. My 1911 Kimber that's used in USPSA limited 10 competitions, shoots 200 grain lead SWC all day long without fail.
If my bullet is seated a little too deep, I'll have loading issues. Move it out .020, and it runs perfectly.
Magazine tuning can create feeding problems as well.

 

[technetium-99m]

After you seat a bullet take out your calipers and measure the outside diameter of the case below your bell. When crimping the idea is to get rid of that bell you put in to aid bullet seating. I personally take the bell out and then put maybe another 1-2 thousandths of crimp on. That's it, don't crimp any more than that. With straight walled pistol cases the tension the case has on the bullet is doing more for you than your crimp with setback prevention.

 

[dennishoddy]

Absolutely correct. Very little crimp.

 

[victor3ranger]

Hmmm, I am going to need some schoolin on this for sure.

 

[ByrdC130]

Don't worry, it's not that hard. Just start with some dummy rounds to check your dies and then start makin ammo. Make about 20 or so and go shoot them and look at your ejected brass to make sure all is well.

 

[csmestorga]

I just picked up an electronic caliper at harbor freight that makes these measurements and overall cartridge length easy & precise. got it on sale with a coupon for less than 10 bucks. I wish I'd had one of these years ago when I started reloading (just getting back into it after a 10 year break.)
Also the Lee factory crimp dies make the crimp process much more reliable, instead of trying not to overcrimp with a roll crimp die. If you've ever seen or fired a cartridge with the bullet pushed back in the case, it can make a nasty boom.. nearly lost my head to one in Iraq (7.62x39). The AK47 didn't fare well at all. Just from the recoil pushing the bullets back into the cases in the magazine. Granted, it was crappy confiscated ammo donated by our Italian army friends for use in training Iraqi Police. Luckily, the IP firing the rifle & me with my chin on his left shoulder still have our faces. It blew the top of the AK about 30 feet behind us. Now I've seen pics online of guns supposedly blown up by bad ammo, but I've experienced it first hand. Believe me, I'm pretty picky about overall cartridge length now, & inspecting every round for proper bullet seating.

 

[csmestorga]

OK, all that being said, I think loading .45s are my favorite. nice fat case, good powder fill, lots of variables to try out. Wish I still had all my old data, but it's kinda fun to start from scratch & figure it all out again.
Good luck & good loading!

 

[Kosh75287]

I like RedDot or Unique for powder, 225 grain TCs for projectiles, and taper crimp dies to improve function. But if ever there was a cartridge that could probably work with nearly anything, this is probably the one.

 

[kennedy]

can anyone tell me what powder charge I should use for a 230g bullet using hodgdon tight group powder and what is the min and maximum length of the round after loading the projectile please...thank you

 

[Mechanicalmehem]

Kennedy, this is where I usually look at for my basic starting info:

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

best I can do for you since I dontload that specific load...
--Mech