St. Louis Area Reloading Forum

I have a 230 grain round nose lead bullet to use on these 45 ACP shells I have. I am familiar with the crimping ring on other bullets I've loaded but not the 45 bullets. Here's a picture of the bullet and one completed round. I'm assuming that this one has a crimping ring also and that my bullet is wrong since it's not deep enough into the shell.



Also... When you get shot shells is this one you should pitch or is the damage not anything to worry about?



Thanks..

Gary

Gary,

What is your OAL, over all Length ?

My books show 1.250 Lead or FMJ.

I seat my boolits/bullets on step three, step four I do a taper crimp, which is different than a roll crimp used on .38/.357, and .44/.44 Mag, etc.

While loading I'm always checking OAL, if they were a bit long I finish all, I would then re-run them back in step 3, and re seat them, then step 4.

On my Dillon 550 a Progressive Press, you can set it everything up, singly, but when you get all four stations working together it changes, and you need to adjust accordingly.

Also when using Boolits, you will find Lead buildup inside your seating Die, so after about 250 rounds I take it a p a r t and remove the build up, as it will change your OAL.


On your Brass I need to see a side view, if the rim is two different levels, and not just the face having the scar on it, I would not use it.


Barman54

Out

Here's a couple more pictures showing some shells with same damage. (I couldn't find exactly the same shell. I threw it in a pile of others that were similar.) Here's a picture from the side.



Same shells from the top with some color correction to show details.



Closeup of the middle shell that was the most pronounced of the three. I almost think this wouldn't be dangerous since it seems rather solid on the base of the shell. But that's why I'm putting it up here. I don't know.



Thanks for looking..

G..

I would use the Brass, if my Brass a burr on the Head, I take a file to it, and smooth it out.

On the Video posted, on reloading the guy throws half of his Brass away.?
I would size and flare the mouth, then resize it, then I would load it.

Barman54

Out

The only stuff I'll throw out is stuff that has succumbed to overpressure, but since I dont load em for the moon, I get pretty good life out of my cases. One way to extend the life of a rifle caliber case, is to neck size only. What you need to do is "fire-form" your cases. That is, shoot em in the gun for which they are intended. Every gun has a unique chamber, and once you fire those rounds in THAT particular gun/rifle, then its fireformed to THAT chamber. They make Neck Sizer dies that will only resize the neck. Full length resizing will make the brass "flow" to the neck, making case trimming necessary on occasion, and thinning the brass at the base. Eventually they will separate. Neck sizing minimizies that "flow" big time, increasing the life of the case. You'll also find that certain guns prefer certain loads, and even certain bullets for maximum accuracy. When breaking in a new rifle, I will load a number of different configurations to take to the range to "prove" the rifle. My preference so far, when it comes to my hunting .308's is , Varget and Nosler ballistic tips (165 grain). For my sniper rifle, (again in .30 its Sierra matchking 168 grain boattails and Varget. the matchkings have an edge over the noslers in sheer accuracy, but the Noslers are much more suitable for taking big game. The hollowpoint Matchkings actually make a HUGE exit hole, wasting precious meat.

Gary, your brass is okay. On the 45 auto there is No Crimp on the case mouth as the cartridge head spaces on the mouth of the case. In some reloading manuals, you see some people use the case this way. I.E. Crimp. I have not reloaded lead bullets in a long time for my pistol. Marv

Guv,

There are two kinds of Crimps, Taper and Roll.

Roll is used for heavy loads in Revolvers, Taper crimp is used in Pistols, to restore the case mouth, as it the brass chambers on the mouth.

When seating Lead Boolits, you may have the flare the mouth more than with FMJ, or Plated bullets, to avoid shaving Lead from the Boolit.
To restore the mouth of the shell you will apply a gentle Taper crimp, this is best done in a separate operation, combing the two complicates the operation.

Barman


Out

Use light pressure on taper crimp,just enough to keep neck tension.Too much crimp will swage the lead boolit smaller,causing poor fit in the bore,leading to lead build up in the barrel.

Gary, your .45 ACP Brass looks OK. I check more for neck cracks, and of course any signs of presure. On crimping, agree. I use a Taper crimp on Pistol loads. .45ACP 9MM etc.
Roll crimps on my .38/.357 and .44 Mag. Have also used a Lee Collet crimp on .22 Hornet and .30 Herrett. On my Contenders I usually Set my bullets foward of normal. We get to do that. Everything else is pretty Normal to fit in Magazines, 5.56 or in Clips. -06 M-1 Garand.
Oh yea, I'm a New Guy here. Central Oklahoma.....