45 ACP Crimp

JCSC said:

I know I am removing the flare, but want to know if it’s enough

Click to expand...

If whatever type of expander/funnel you are using is correct, then removing the flare is sufficient, as neck tension will hold the bullet/boolit
This is my opinion, and what works for me whatever type of projectile I use (mostly coated cast, but for plated, or jacketed also).......

JCSC said:

What do y’all see as an average neck size after crimping 45? I know I am removing the flare, but want to know if it’s enough. Average right now is .470? It’s mixed brass, so I see .469/470.

thoughts?

Click to expand...

You should be good, but I'd check how well dummy rounds chamber in your chamber(s).
SAAMI shows the case mouth at .473" max, with a tolerance of -.006.

I usually set up for .470". SWCs are ones may adjust for, but haven't had to go under .469" yet.

JCSC said:

Average right now is .470

Click to expand...

Perfect.

I’ve read those numbers before.

I shoot 45acp (along with some 9mm) and have measured a couple times because people here mentioned it.

But I got inconsistent results due to my incompetence so I stopped.

So for maybe 10,000 rounds I simply crimp the absolutely least amount necessary to get rid of flare so round will plunk or pass a gauge. With some brand cases no crimp is even necessary. Others require considerable.

JCSC said:

What do y’all see as an average neck size after crimping 45? I know I am removing the flare, but want to know if it’s enough. Average right now is .470? It’s mixed brass, so I see .469/470.

thoughts?

Click to expand...

I don’t measure the post-crimp external neck diameter - the finished round fits the chamber or it doesn’t - but I do have both SAAMI and min/max gauges and I plunk a sample of all of my finished rounds in my tightest barrel/chamber (Auto Ordnance 1911A1). If they fit the barrel with considerably more slop than they drop into the min-spec gauge, that tells me my seating die is a little tight and needs to be backed off an 1/8th turn. I don‘t want set-back but I also don’t want die-swaged bullets. Fortunately, there’s a LOT of room in the .45ACP spec’ to avoid both.

I'm not going to lie, I use a case guage to set my crimp. I add more until the round falls in and falls out. My guage is tighter than my gun so if it passes the guage it goes in the box. If I'm loading a large batch, I guage the first 50....

I should also say my seating die has no crimp function so when I say some need a crimp/some don’t, I mean it

And I should also, also say I plunk or gauge every round.

And I should also also also say, if I could get consistent measurements I might occasionally do it.

JCSC said:

What do y’all see as an average neck size after crimping 45?

Click to expand...

For .451" sized bullets, I add .022" (combined thickness of average case wall at case mouth) for taper crimp to just remove the flare back flat on the bullet, which is .473" and this even freely plunked in my railed Sig 1911 (with tightest factory chamber I have seen and) to feed 200 gr LSWC reloads. Of course, .473" worked in looser SAAMI max chamber barrels of Glock 20 and M&P45 along with various SA/Kimber/RIA 1911s.

For .452" sized bullets, .474" taper crimp.

But some match barrels have tighter forward part of chamber (Likely SAAMI minimum chamber) to require "negative" taper beyond just returning flare back flat to around .470".

JCSC said:

I did my bench push test and didn’t get movement.

Click to expand...

I used to do the same to check neck tension but now I feed/chamber dummy rounds from magazine and release the slide without riding it as bullet nose bump to feed ramp impact force is different than static push on the bullet against the bench top.

It has been a while since I measured any crimp on my 45 ACP handloads. I deflare and plunk. My RIA 1911 has a short throat and my method has worked well, after I have established a good OAL for a specific bullet. Data for each load is stored in a binder in the shop and on my computer which included "plunking" info and OAL. (OAL notes are often stored in the bullet container or written on the box with a marker). I do this with all my semi-auto handloads.

mdi said:

RIA 1911

Click to expand...

Several RIA 1911 Tacticals I have shot had generous chambers with enlarged/flared chamber mouths to reliably feed and chamber even sloppy 200 gr LSWC reloads with taper crimp that varied quite a bit.

I now consider RIA 1911 "Glock" of 1911s.

Citadel 1911 is match grade version of RIA with tighter tolerances and chamber (On par with my railed Sig 1911 XO with match barrel) that required shorter OAL and much tighter taper crimp to plunk but produced greater accuracy (Actually slightly better than Sig).

I crimp for my tightest chamber, which is a Kimber 45acp. It needs a .4685 to plunk and twist. What plunks in my other 1911 sometimes won't plunk in the Kimber, so I just make ammo to fit that gun and it works in all of them.

chris