Help reloading .45 ACP

[Don-n-Texas]

I need some advice reloading .45 ACP. Thanks to this board my rifle reloads are working great.

Question #1 Case trimming
In videos the guys with progressive presses just put the fired brass in deprime them and make bullets without mention of case trimming.

Should I trim all my brass one time to 0.888 then reload them from then on?

 

[turbo54]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

I've never, ever trimmed a piece of pistol brass, and I have some 45 cases that have probably been loaded 20 times.

 

[1911GunNut]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

I have reloaded probably 30k or more pistol rounds (9mm and 45 ACP) over the years and never trimmed a pistol case.

 

[Don-n-Texas]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

Thank you turbo and GunNut. Then I guess as long as it chambers it will work.

 

[former naval person]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

Use the seated bullet as a gauge. Seat it long, and drop it into your barrel. Keep seating it a bit deeper until it is flush with the barrel extension. (I'm assuming a 1911). That way the bullet is the stop and not the chamber mouth...if the case is a bit short and the bullet isn't the stop you can have excess headspace and a misfire. JMHO

 

[leadbullet]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

pistol brass does not need trimming at all.

 

[Don-n-Texas]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

Thank you for your help.

Question #2 Should I taper crimp.

 

[derrelw]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

No and no. I've loaded 10's of thousands of 9mm and 45acp handloads and never trim cases and use a Lee factory crimp die only to just kiss the brass and take the flair out of it after seating.

 

[Lowpull]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

I have never trimmed 45 acp, not enough pressure to make the brass grow. I shoot 10k a year in 45 acp reloads. I have a 1050, clean brass (sort for primer size, *&*()_ small primers) then little lube and let it rock and roll. That is all i do.

As far as crimp goes. Small crimp is necessary. Be careful depending on what bullet you are using it might rip the jacket off. IE rainier bullets. So make a couple test batches starting with little to no crimp and shoot the bullets. Watch for the bullet to push back into the case, if so increase the crimp.

Good luck if you need any help let me know

Hope it helps.

Lowpull

 

[adam3999]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: derrelw</div><div class="ubbcode-body">No and no. I've loaded 10's of thousands of 9mm and 45acp handloads and never trim cases and use a Lee factory crimp die only to just kiss the brass and take the flair out of it after seating.</div></div>

+1

I crimp just enough to take out the flare introduced before the bullet was seated.

 

[mtrmn]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

Lee factory crimp or taper crimp are the ONLY way to go on ammo that headspaces on the case mouth. Roll crimp can be made passable, but not good in this case. All you need to do is bring the case mouth back down from the bell-mouth you applied with the expander die. Remove your barrel from the gun and use it as a case gage-they should drop in easily and the mouth of the case should make a solid stop in the chamber.

 

[1911GunNut]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Don-n-Texas</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Thank you for your help.

Question #2 Should I taper crimp. </div></div>

I do taper crimp mine, its not required though.

 

[mtrmn]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

Taper crimp is a TYPE of crimp die, not the amount of crimp applied-just so we're clear on this. Taper crimp is preferred over the old-style roll crimp on autoloaders. Lee factory crimp dies apply a form of taper crimp on autoloader cartridges if I'm not mistaken.

The taper crimp merely re-sizes the bell-mouthed case back down where it should be.

 

[JGorski]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

Has anyone told Don not to trim pistol brass? ok, Ill say it, too. You dont need to trim pistol brass, why, cuz it never grows like rifle brass.

 

[JoshcBoucher]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

Same answer, from me, on the 45. Loaded thousands, and never trimmed a case, and never had a problem.<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: turbo54</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I've never, ever trimmed a piece of pistol brass, and I have some 45 cases that have probably been loaded 20 times. </div></div>

 

[scifri44]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

I agree with everyone about not trimming … You don't need too .

 

[clmayfield]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

As someone who has reloaded rifle and just recently started to reload pistol... you can pretty much forget all of the anal things we do when reloading for rifle.

OAL matters, but only to the point that it affects proper feeding.

And charge matters along with hardness if you are shooting cast bullets.

And that is about it. There is even a debate as to whether you can mix brass with different headstamps, something that I don't even contemplate with rifle.

45 ACP, you will probably lose the brass before you shoot it out and you will do fine picking up other people's brass at the range.

 

[Don-n-Texas]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

Thank you again everyone lol. You guys are great.

I bought everything but powder and primers. I got box of 100 Hornady 200 gr FMJ-C/T mainly because they were cheap. I'm thinking of trying 230 gr FMJ-RN next.

Question # 3 I'm thinking of getting Winchester WSF for my powder. I heard it meters well and is clean. And Winchester WLP primers. What do you guys think of Winchester WSF

 

[pmclaine]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

I like 5.3 grns W231, 230 grn fmjrn, win lg pp, about 1.26 oal.

Plenty accurate, meters great, economical, doesnt beat my guns during practice

 

[pcschwenke]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

No need to trim your 45ACP brass. I don't know of anyone who does this with 45ACP.

Taper crimping is the ideal way to get the case shape back after seating the bullet to depth. As mentioned above, all your doing is trying to get the case back to its original shape.

WSF is a good powder for high velocity loads out of a 45ACP. It would not be my first choice for target / plinking loads though. My recommendation would be WST instead. You would use much less powder with WST than with WSF.

My target load
200gr SWC
4.3 WST
any case or primer

Heavy/hunting load
255gr SWC
5.8gr WSF
any case or primer

 

[Don-n-Texas]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

Thank you pcschwenke and pmclaine.

My local gun store made my decision for me. They were out of WSF and WST.

So pmclaine thank you again with your help I went with the 231. My loading manual says start at 5.0 gr, so I'll start there. But I'm going to give 5.3 gr a good look when I progress to that point.

Question #4 Final one for now (Well maybe it is)
Can I use the same information reloading 9 mm & .40 S&W?

Thank you to everyone. This board really helps my confidence in reloading.

 

[mnhntr]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

I like Accurate #5 for 45acp with either 200 gr plated SWC or 200gr plated RN. I never trim and always taper crimp with LFCD

 

[Jim Buck]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

I have never trimmed pistol brass.

 

[caseyru67]

Re: Help reloading .45 ACP

I have cronographed my loads with and without a slight crimp. Using same load receipe the slightly crimped rounds had lower ES.