45ACP Seating Depth

[runlevelsix]

I am new to handloading and ran into a snag with 45. I made sure the OAL was under the maximum 1.275" but it didn't like to chamber in my RIA 1911. The slide would not fully close and after doing a bit of homework I shortened them a bit from 1.263 to 1.238 and they seem to have no problems chambering while being ran manually by working the slide.

The thing I am worried about is that as a bullet gets seated deeper chamber pressures increase. I can't find any minimum length numbers in my Lyman book or the pamphlet that came with the .45acp dies. How do I know I am not going to blow my hand and/or gun up?

Bullets are 230gr RN cast .451

 

[Reloadron]

Because of the case volume of the 45 ACP seating the bullets slightly deeper isn't likely to create much higher chamber pressures.

That said I would remove the barrel and do a few plunk test and try to see exactly what / where the problem is with chambering.

At a glance my Hornady manual shows a case length Maximum as .898" and a trim length of .893". COL for a 230 grain LRN is 1.210". My Speer #12 manual shows a COL of 1.270" for a 230 grain LRN.

Anyway, with the large 45 ACP case volume I wouldn't worry too much about increased pressure, especially if you are working below max loads.

Ron

 

[steve4102]

OAL is Bullet and Firearm specific, not manual specific. You must first find the OAL that fits-feeds-fires in Your pistol. Then start low and work up. After all if it does not fit and fire, no need to worry about pressure is there.

BTW, Hodgdon data list an OAL of 1.200 for their 230gr LRN in 45 ACP.

http://data.hodgdon.com/cartridge_load.asp

 

[runlevelsix]

Excellent, thank you for the help guys. I will do the plunk test tonight when I get a free minute, but it is reassuring that OAL is something that requires fine-tuning. Oddly enough I sized the LRNs to the same length as my factory FMJ and JHP which feed fine. I assume this is different due to bullet construction materials and shape differences?

 

[whughett]

At the start of each 500 round loading session of 45ACP for my Gold Cup, with 200 grain lead SWC I check the OAL by loading the first seven in the magazine. The OAL has been set that will allow the round to slide into the magazine with minimal clearance. With the pistol pointed into a safe backstop I manually rack and release the slide in a quick and positive manner for each round all seven should load and eject. All things being equal if the round fits the mag then it should load and eject. I also use a light taper crimp on these rounds.

 

[rcmodel]

All things being equal if the round fits the mag then it should load and eject.

Not true.

It all depends on the bullet shape.

For instance, a 230 grain Hornady XTP will fit in the magazine.

But it will be too long and jam into the rifling if you try to chamber it.

The same is true of any flat-point jacketed bullet.

Or any lead SWC bullet.

rc

 

[MEHavey]

Overall length is (likely) not your problem.
Make SURE your crimp die reduces case mouth diameter to that shown below.
Otherwise the case itself prevents free closure of the slide. (Classic symptom)

 

[Reloadron]

Not true.

It all depends on the bullet shape.

For instance, a 230 grain Hornady XTP will fit in the magazine.

But it will be too long and jam into the rifling if you try to chamber it.

The same is true of any flat-point jacketed bullet.

Or any lead SWC bullet.

rc

Here is an example of what RC is getting at:



The bullet on the right is a Hornady XTP 230 grain JHP .451 Dia. The bullet on the left is a Speer Gold Dot 230 grain JHP .451 Dia. Both bullets have the same weight and diameter. However, as can be seen they are not the same. The Speer bullet is about .652" long and the Hornady bullet is about .635" long. The Speer Gold Dot being almost .020" longer. The Speer bullet, while not visible in the image has a much deeper cavity. Finally the ogives are not in the same location. So two bullets, same diameter, same weight, both JHP and not the same at all really.

Hope That Helps....
Ron

 

[mljdeckard]

I have one .45 (A Para SF-45A) that is super finicky. All of my other (and my friends' guns) take all of my handloads just fine. But the para was so finicky, I was trying to crimp them so tight I was crinkling cases. I backed off and got a factory crimp die, and shortened the OAL. They cycle well by hand......I'm waiting on more supplies to do a serious shooting test.

 

[John3921]

My sig is sensitive to the shoulder as Mehavy shows in his pic above. I believe I ended up around .928 or so to pass the plunk test and get reliable feeding.

I also found I was shaving a tiny amount of lead when I was seating the bullets as I wasn't flaring the casemouth quite enough for lead bullets. A tiny amount of lead piled up on the casemouth pretty much guaranteed a feed issue.

 

[Speedster00]

I have an RIA 1911 as well. I seat to 1.23 and it feeds like a champ.

 

[Speedster00]

My sig is sensitive to the shoulder as Mehavy shows in his pic above. I believe I ended up around .928 or so to pass the plunk test and get reliable feeding.

I also found I was shaving a tiny amount of lead when I was seating the bullets as I wasn't flaring the casemouth quite enough for lead bullets. A tiny amount of lead piled up on the casemouth pretty much guaranteed a feed issue.

John- do you happen to know what your OAL is for your sig? I just picked up a sig scorpion and Im working up a load for it...it needs slightly higher pressure to cycle that big 5" railed slide when new...or so it appears it does as nearly every round wasn't going to battery on my standard loads I use.