gonna start reloading 45 acp

[Ron Padilla]

using David's powder, but have a few dumb questions. How many reloads can a person get out of a case before it needs to go away? Now I like to reload on the conservative side of things just because I don't want to push my luck with any of the weapons that I have, I Dolo sees this I am sure that he as well as a bunch of others will chime in. In addition to the powder I got a few once fired and primed cases from David and some extreme 230gr round nose to brake in my RIA 45 and the ATI 45 that I got right after the NRA convention. TIA for all those that will give me some input.

Ron

[leroy]

Ron... Dont worry too much about "bad brass" from reloading... If ya load factory duplication loads, ya will loose far more brass than ya will "ruin"...I've got 45ACP brass that has been loaded at least 8 times...

 

leroy

[expendable]

I load 45acp until the case splits, then I throw it away.

Kurt

[frankmako]

i get many reloads with my 45 acp brass.  i lose more in the grass than i split.  45 acp brass will last a long time if you don't chop them up with the lawn mower.  

[Ron Padilla]

cool thanks for letting me know, I was thinking about buying one of those big brass catcher thingies that are held on a tripod, so that when we go out we can catch all of our brass, as I also make my own 300blk and don't really want to lose much of that.

[Raoul]

Relax. 45 is a simple round to load. Don't load to maximum and just eyeball your case for any splits. You'll be fine.

[Raoul]

cool thanks for letting me know, I was thinking about buying one of those big brass catcher thingies that are held on a tripod, so that when we go out we can catch all of our brass, as I also make my own 300blk and don't really want to lose much of that.

\A tarp is cheaper.

[frankmako]

sometime i use a plastic tarp to catch my brass.  cheap and easy.  sometime i don't and i go on a brass hunting trip.  

[Ron Padilla]

ya a tarp would work and can make a stand out of pvc, ya that would work.

[gregintenn]

I load 45acp until the case splits, then I throw it away.

Kurt

Same here. So far, I've yet to find a split 45acp case. Perhaps they last forever? Don't sweat it. A case split at the mouth will not damage you or your gun.

 

I don't recall how much reloading experience you have, but I'll share with you and everyone else a couple of things I've learned about reloading auto pistol cartridges.

 

1)Bell the mouth of the case after resizing only enough so the bullet will start easily. The bell should be barely visible when looking at it.

 

2)When seating the bullet, crimp the case only enough to remove the bell, as the case headspaces on the mouth.

 

3)An easy trick to adjust your bullet seater die:  a) put a factory round with a similar bullet in the shellholder of your press.

                                                                            b) Back the bullet seater nearly all the way out of the die, and screw the die into the press a bit.

                                                                            c) Pull the handle all the way down so the factory round is as far in the die body as it will go.

                                                                            d) Screw the die into the press until you begin to feel resistance, and lock it in place. This will provide the same crimp as factory.

                                                                             e) Screw the bullet seater into the die until it stops. At this point, you should be adjusted to where your press will produce a round with the same dimensions as factory stuff. This means it should function reliably.

 

 

 

 

Sorry if everyone but me knew this. I've seen a lot of threads here and elsewhere where people were fussing over how much to crimp and case overall length.

Edited May 8, 2015 by gregintenn

[Caster]

Many years ago when I first got into casting I took a Lee handpress, sized/lubed bullets, pre-measured powder charges and a pack of primers to the range with me.  I loaded one single piece of R-P .45 Auto brass 12 times.  

 

.....I wasn't watching what I was doing and lost the brass on ejection.  It would have made it several more times.  It had only stretched about 15 thousandths.  

 

 

Moral of the story? You'll probably lose the brass before it gives problems.  The 45 ACP is such a gentle giant.  As far as pressures go, its a pussycat.  

[Ron Padilla]

Well ok then it's good to know that it's a tiger in pussycat skin sort of reminds me of an old Tom Jones song

[Caster]

.45 acp is THE easiest auto loader cartridge too load for. You gotta do something dumb to get it wrong.

[gregintenn]

.45 acp is THE easiest auto loader cartridge too load for. You gotta do something dumb to get it wrong.

 

Yup....you can hold on to it. I'm trying 380 auto now, and it's like castrating gnats. Anyone who reloads 25acp has my utmost respect.

[Caster]

Red333 not only reloads for 25acp but he casts for it too! Edited May 9, 2015 by Caster

[Ron Padilla]

Thanks Gregintenn that was some useful info I will have to do that tonight about to tire to do much else. But castrating a gnat is that anything like checking a moth for mothballs? I was and still going to watch a few utube on it bet again Gregg that was good info I would not have thought about it myself I have never done pistol yet other than 300blk yukyukyuk.

[SonnyCrockett]

whats your 45ACP loads fellas?

 

I have tried a few but landed on the ole reliable

 

230G FMJ,6.0 G unique,1.25OAL

[gregintenn]

whats your 45ACP loads fellas?

 

I have tried a few but landed on the ole reliable

 

230G FMJ,6.0 G unique,1.25OAL

230 gr FMJ or plated, and 5.0 gr Bullseye. I understand this was the old military load, and works great in everything I own.

[Ron Padilla]

Gregg, the only thing I did not think out well is the die set I bought, I purchased a 3 die set so it has the 2 in one seating and crimping, any difference in the steps you outlined above sorry for sound dumb, just real tired and not sure.

Thanks

[gregintenn]

Gregg, the only thing I did not think out well is the die set I bought, I purchased a 3 die set so it has the 2 in one seating and crimping, any difference in the steps you outlined above sorry for sound dumb, just real tired and not sure.

Thanks

That was the die I described. I'm not real good at explaining things.

 

You turn the die body down until it touches the case mouth of the factory round, lock it in place on the press, then turn the seating die down until it contacts the bullet.

 

In my opinion, you do not need a crimping die, as the seating die will do it all in one step.

[Ron Padilla]

Ok cool that helps but to play the dumb part were not talking about bottoming out the die on the shell holder 1st

[Ron Padilla]

Thanks Gregintenn the suggestion worked well I went out and loaded about 30 up with setting the die set up you mentioned, and using David's powder. I didn't want to do to many without testing and if the indoor is open being mothersday and all then I will find out, the only bummer is that I don't have a chrono so I cant test the speed. I checked them with the barrel of the primary gun and they set just right. The powder flowed well the bell was not over done and from the looks of it the crimp was just right.

[BigK]

Like GregInTenn said, you can get the OAL from a factory round that you know will cycle well in your gun(s), but the amount of powder might still need to be tweaked until you get the best reliability and accuracy. Starting somewhere around 1/3 of the way between min and max is what I do when I switch powders. To work up a good load I make 10 rounds at that charge, 10 rounds a little lighter and 10 rounds a little hotter. If I see a measurable difference in accuracy and all the rounds cycle well, I may even tweak it further with 30 more rounds with powder weights closer to the one that I found to be the most accurate in my previous batch.

BTW...I have 45 brass that I have no doubt has been reloaded 30 or 40 times, because I barely flare/crimp the mouth...works for 9mm too.

[Ron Padilla]

reporting back with reloads and 1st time out with RIA midsize 45. I first ran a few federal rounds that were 230grn fmj through the gun then on to some hand loads using some FMJ round nose with some of the powder from David the CSB 1 with out any problems what so ever. there were not any FTF, FTLB, it ran smooth as can be. The only thing I did notice with that powder being a flake powder is that I had the metering knob turned all the way in on the hornady LNL press and it will still dispense the powder, yet it would dispense st the amount that I needed for the 230grn rounds that I loaded. So I guess that means I will have to load either round nose or the 230grn hollow point, but that is fine, the gun is going to be edc anyway and want as much behind it that I can get. Edited May 13, 2015 by Ron Padilla

[expendable]

Is there a large and small metering insert for the Hornady powder measure?
If so which one are you using?