45 acp cast bullets - can I load these in 45LC ?

[Bullseye]

I got these consistent homemade cast 45 round nose bullets from a neighbor shown on the left of my image that have some kind of wax all over them for lube. He has reloaded them and fed them in his 45 auto. They are a lead alloy with tin. Standard ratio.

I really don't want to use these so much in my 45 autos and wondered if I could probably load them in my 45 long colt cases instead.
I'd like to see how they work out.
I have had good success with those on the right in 45LC that are maybe a hair wider.
The crimp could be had at that highest ring on the round nose which is at the same height as the heavier bullet. Thank you.

(Looking at 8.6 gr Alliant Unique to start.)

 

[WestKentucky]

That looks like Lee alox. Should be fine to shoot in either acp or colt.

 

[Don McDowell]

Should work fine. When the granddevils were young enough they still liked to come spend time with me and gramma, I had to keep a pretty substantial stash of 200 gr acp bullets loaded in 45 colt cases and 8 grs of 231.. The could make that lil Winchester go full auto and just devaste coffee cans etc.. Awesome , and knarly were words we often heard above the roar of gun fire.

 

[BigBore45]

It will be fine in a .45 colt. I did not check the charge but just start in the middle with 240 Gr. jacketed data if you cant find lead 230 gr. data

 

[AABEN]

Yes they are good to go.

 

[berettaprofessor]

Great question. I have the same bullets and never thought to ask. I love this place.

 

[mdi]

As long as they fit your gun (proper diameter for the cylinder throats), they will be good to go. The brown goo is alox, a pretty good, easy to use lube.

 

[Bullseye]

Thanks - great job of response. I felt they should work but I wanted to run this by the reloaders. I'll give a report as usual after they get used at the range.

 

[Bullseye]

OK ... glad I didn't load a ton of these. They are too long to cycle in my lever gun. I imagine they will work OK in my revolvers.

 

[PO2Hammer]

Could you seat them a little deeper and crimp over the last band?

 

[Sunray]

You saying a 254 won't cycle in a lever action? What OAL?

 

[MEHavey]

...and what lever rifle ?
(These function fine in a `94 Marlin)

 

[Bullseye]

I would be embarrassed to show my bullets image here. I tried crimping past the last ring too and had some success but these will fly out the revolver. I have a Uberti 1873 sporting rifle and a 1873 cattleman revolver. They look OK to clear cylinder in revolver.
They looked great at first but when they wouldn't cycle in the long gun, I seated them a little deeper and gave them a crimp. The rim still gets caught although I can fidget them to chamber. It isn't a good bullet for the rifle. I only made up a dozen or so.
I'll stick with the RNFP bullets for now and give these a try at full length in the revolver later on. They are just gonna get shot off for now. I can't give an OAL now unless I make a new one. Right now they are sadly sitting at 1.60.

Oh what the heck .... here's a picture of the abortion. Might as well show and tell. I won't learn anything hiding my junk.

 

[BigBore45]

that is weird. i know my Winchester 94 would shoot those right up. 1.60 is sammi spec. sounds like the Uberti is not very good quality.

 

[Don McDowell]

I'm wondering with that massive crimp on the brass cases, if you aren't bulging the case enough to keep it from chambering, or actually making the case to long to chamber?

 

[MEHavey]

The Uberti`73 [which by the way is of superb quality] takes a
max SAAMI OAL of 1.602" and not more (ask me how I know).
Just the nature of the 1873 action's elevator as originally designed
for the 44-40.

By the way, I'd recommend you also not feed that toggle-link design
a steady diet of 45 Colt pressures much beyond SAAMI 14,000 CUP.

 

[Bullseye]

Yeah, The 1873 Uberti is smooth as butter with shorter bullets but these are right on the edge of that 1.602 you mention as they sit now.
So I did not know that good info but I found out the hard way. I only load up mild loads for these firearms anyway. I have read about +P loads and Uberti's and the toggle link issue. Not that they can't take a stout load, but it's unnecessary.
Just like it's unnecessary to race a zebra in the Kentucky Derby.

These bullets shown are loaded with 7.5 grains of Unique and that works nicely with the 255 gr round nose flat points with 1.561 OAL cartridges.

 

[Bullseye]

Oh and Don, The massive crimp is what I was embarrassed about. I know it's ridiculous looking and I promise, you won't see that again.

I am capable of making much nicer bullets. This was an experiment with the 45 acp round nose bullets that I guess will end up in the 1911's.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

The yellow brass rounds with the excessive crimp are causing the lip to catch, it's clear in the picture the brass has flared out at the mouth.

Question; why don't you want to shoot those bullets in your .45 Auto? They look like really well made bullets for the 45 Auto.

 

[therealwormey]

those abortion loads look simular to some i loaded my first attempt using a lee factory crimp die on a 357mag. i had way overcrimped,(learning process). i dont use them anymore except on a couple auto calibers.

 

[Steve2md]

Just too much crimp there. Use a lighter roll crimp and they should feed fine

 

[MEHavey]

You need enough crimp, in a location capable of holding the bullet from seating deeper against recoil.
Normally that means a crimp groove, but can also be lightly into a round nose bullet's side just as the
ogive starts.

As long as the max OAL doesn't force the bullet too deeply into the case for the crimp location to be too
far past ogive start, you're fine.

 

[Jim Watson]

Lee Tumblelube design.
I would shoot them up in the revolver and not struggle with the lever action. I want a real crimp groove and a roll crimp in a tube magazine. A bullet pushed back into the case will cause a monumental jam.

 

[PO2Hammer]

that is weird. i know my Winchester 94 would shoot those right up. 1.60 is sammi spec. sounds like the Uberti is not very good quality.

The 1873 and the 1866 designs use the cartridge length to hold the rounds in the magazine from jamming up the carrier. The cartridge length needs to be right.
More modern designs use a magazine cut off that allows for a greater variety of lengths.

It's the design, not quality.

 

[BLU]

sigsmoker: Your original post....

That's exactly the bullet I reload for my .45 Colt only because I like to use just one bullet style for both guns, (1911-Vaquero). You shouldn't have any problems.