16ga.com ~ View topic - Any pistol re-loaders here?

Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 989 Location: Las Vegas

Here's Sunday morning's off-topic question.

I'm dusting off the Dillon XL-650 to run a lot of .45acp. I'm going to be loading 230 gr. RN in both a Berry's plated bullet and a Lazer Cast Lead bullet. My seating die is giving me a C.O.L. of 1.260" COL on the Lead bullet and 1.271" on the plated bullet. This is putting the crimp right at the top of the cannelure in the lead bullet. Load data recommends a COL of 1.230" in the lead and 1.237" in the plated bullet.

So, my re-loaded COL is over the recommendations for both. Is this significant?

Both rounds function as is in the gun they will be used for.

Thanks!

Matt

I reload 380 and 9mm and i follow specs and don't deviate from the published data.

I reload for .45 Colt and 32/20 Win, which are both used in revolvers. COL is not so near as critical in a revolver as in an auto, which I assume your .45ACP is.

With auto's I would stick very close to published COL as I could. If not, you are just setting yourself up for FTF, and FTE.

Dale

Joined: 25 Aug 2014 Posts: 286 Location: Finger Lakes

As long as they cycle you shouldn't have a problem. Load up 50-100 and see how they shoot. If they are reliable and accurate load up a bunch. Don't sit down and load a 1000 only to find out they won't cycle. I know guys that have done that and had to pull a lot of bullets!!! OAL has a lot to do with bullet profile. A full round nose is more critical of OAL than say a truncated cone style bullet or SWC.

*Last edited by skeettx on Fri Jun 12, 2015 11:33 am; edited 1 time in total*

Not significant unless the bullet is jammed into the rifling.
So chamber a round, extract and see if any marks on the bullet.

No rifling marks, feeds well, performs well, no issues.

Mike

Joined: 25 Aug 2014 Posts: 286 Location: Finger Lakes

woody402, seeing as how I don't reload for autos, I will take your word for it.

Thanks for replying. Wink

Dale

Member Joined: 09 Dec 2005 Posts: 989 Location: Las Vegas

Thanks all for the advice. To complicate matters, Hodgdon's COL is different than Accurate's COL. I will adjust the seating depth for the plated bullets down to the COL specs called for by the powder manufacture which I'm using. I will probably continue to crimp into the cannelure of the lead bullet as suggested by Dillon. I will start with a small bunch of each to make sure they function in the gun. Sage advice! Thanks all!

Matt

Joined: 25 Aug 2014 Posts: 286 Location: Finger Lakes

My main back round is reloading for metallic cartridges. Loaded just about everything in a rifle and pistol over the last 25 years. I've always been on the conservative side when reloading for pistols/revolvers. Never hotrod anything. For example I don't think any deer I shot knew I was only loading to 1100 FPS instead of 1400. I'm on the big slow bullet side instead of very fast lighter load side. I've had a few exceptions. Mainly for 357 mags.

But I'm sort of new to shotgun reloading. Always had a reloaded set up for 12 ga. target loads for trap etc. but never played around with other loading for shotguns till recently. First thing I did notice when getting deeper into shotgun loading was the concern about pressure component swapping etc. With shotguns you definitely have a smaller window when dealing with pressure and how changing components can change pressure quickly.

In metallic reloading the hardest thing for me is keeping case lengths consistent.

If you can do that, then setting your seating dies is a snap.

I've been reloading rifle cartridges for around fifty years, took up handgun reloading three-four years ago. I only use a single stage press, and go for quality, not quantity.

I enjoy it very much.

Dale

*Last edited by skeettx on Fri Jun 12, 2015 11:33 am; edited 1 time in total*

I load some stuff Shocked

Did I mention that I am excessive compulsive??

Very Happy

Mike

Mike, one of these days you ought to buy a few reloading dies. Wink

Dale

Joined: 26 Apr 2010 Posts: 3177 Location: NCWa

One thing I do on every pistol/rifle when I start reloading is to seat a bullet so that it barely stays in the case, then push it into the chamber until the bullet engages the rifling. this is done over several seat and try stages. when I can just close the bolt/slide and the bullet is against the rifling, then I know what the distance to rifling from the edge of the bullet is. If you tried this then compared the length to the rounds you are loading, you'd be able to check the "jump" or know how much distance you have between the bullet and the rifling.

There several issues to consider when reloading for pistols.

* Seated too far out so that the bullet is jammed into the rifling can increase pressure

* Seated too deeply can increase pressure

* Seated too far out can cause failures to feed

* Seated too deeply can cause failures to feed

Of my first three reloading manuals - Hornady, Speer, and Lyman (all early 1970's vintage from when I began reloading - yep, 42 years of doing this) only the Lyman lists a maximum OAL for the .45 ACP and none lists a mimimum OAL.

I have a newer manual which shows a maximum OAL for the .45 ACP of 1.275". That's longer than the OAL's that your manual lists - don't get hung up on several thousandths of an inch of OAL. If you are anywhere near the suggested OAL you should not have an issue with excess pressure. Just load 50 - 100 as previously suggested and see if they function in your pistol. If they function properly then load away, shoot, repeat.

Now, when I get off the internet I've got to go downstairs and start reloading about 500 12, 16, 20, 24 and 28 gauge shells that my wife and I shot this past weekend.