Finally got to use my Christmas present this week. I did some .45 loads. This is my first time loading .45. How much crimp do you put on the .45? Thanks!
Medium crimp for jacketed and plated bullets. I use a heavy crimp for cast 45 230gr RN's to prevent setback in the event of a jam.
Fired hundreds of each out of a new RIA 1911 without a single hiccup.
What powder are you using? are you loading for plinking, competition, or ?
Fired hundreds of each out of a new RIA 1911 without a single hiccup.
What powder are you using? are you loading for plinking, competition, or ?
I'm running 6.3 grains of sr 4756 using a 230 grain lead round nose bullet. I will be shooting it out of either a 4" or 5" 1911. The load has no specific purpose other than allowing me the opportunity to shoot more. Most likely, it will be used for putting holes in paper and for dispatching critters on the farm. Honestly, I just like to shoot. I have a decent amount of experience loading .44 magnum and I know there are differences in crimping needs.
Being new to reloading, I can maybe save you some problems down the line. All the straight wall (Most are really tapered slightly) rimless pistol cases headspace on the case mouth (The length of the brass butted up against the end of the chamber sets proper headspace.) Semi auto cases are normally taper crimped, as opposed to the roll crimp used in rimmed pistol cases. If you notice any problems feeding, you probably have not set your crimp deeply enough. If the case mouth is the least bit belled from your loading operation, you will get mis-feeds and jams. I use the Lee Factory Crimp dies on almost everything I load. It comes closest to duplicating the factory crimp on hand loaded ammo. You can adjust your crimp deeply enough that it affects headspace, but you really have to work at it. Stay safe and enjoy..
I use a CH taper crimp die and set it at .472 because I only shoot lead bullets, I have found that my sizing die is putting enough interference to hold the bullet in place and the crimp die only needs to remove the bell from the expander die. I do not seat and crimp at the same time on any caliber that I use lead bullets in. It is very easy to reduce the bullet dia. by over crimping and poor accuracy and leading can be the result.
I do not crimp.. i tried it and accuracy is better for me without.
But i shoot all lead in my pistols. And i use the Lee factory carbide crimp/ sizer die. It basically takes the flare out.
To be honest my bullets fit really snug, as i just flare enough to start the bullet..The case will accept the bullet to a depth about the thickness of a copper one cent piece..NO it's not a penny! Penny is a foreign coin.
You have to really look and feel the case to see if it has a flare.
I do not like to over work my brass.
The only round i crimp is 30-30 and just .001" worth.
But i shoot all lead in my pistols. And i use the Lee factory carbide crimp/ sizer die. It basically takes the flare out.
To be honest my bullets fit really snug, as i just flare enough to start the bullet..The case will accept the bullet to a depth about the thickness of a copper one cent piece..NO it's not a penny! Penny is a foreign coin.
You have to really look and feel the case to see if it has a flare.
I do not like to over work my brass.
The only round i crimp is 30-30 and just .001" worth.
I crimp all my semi auto rifle stuff, just cause I don't like the bullet being set back in the case when it hits the feed ramp. I seldom crimp bolt rifle ammo, and likewise lead. I'm with swampratt on the 30-30 lead though, the tube magazine pushes the bullet back into the case if you don't crimp them.
Yes sir im same way crimp all my auto but very few bolt action. My 1911 45 acp loved 800x 6.6gr 230gr bullet shot very tight group took some time building a ladder to find it thu. However that work great for mine yours may be different. Check out hodgdon reloading data online to find a starting load.
