are my reloads too long?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - are my reloads too long?

Posted: 9/26/2011 6:45:44 PM EDT

On sunday I finally got to shoot some of my reloads out of my 1911 at a class. The gun ran flawlessly on factory ammo and even my wadcutter reloads, but my ball rounds only fed about 85% of the time. I am thinking the OAL is to blame here since everything else ran great, but I'm not really sure.

The load was a 230 lrn bullet from MO bullet company, 5gr bullseye, 1.29oal and they were slamming into the feed ramp and staying there. Any advice? All my factory ammo measures right at 1.270.

Posted: 9/26/2011 7:06:24 PM EDT

[#1]

Could be the length. Easiest way to tell is to seat them to 1.270 or even 1.250 see if how they function. Another idea is to take a couple of rounds that chamber OK, eject them without firing them and see if there is any marks on the bullet from the feed ramp where it looks like they were catching then going ahead and chambering.

Posted: 9/26/2011 7:33:56 PM EDT

[#2]

Sounds almost like my first attempt to reload for my new .45 a few weeks ago. Mind you I have reloaded for my 9mm and never had this problem. I also did not reread the set up instructions for the seater taper crimp die (all in one ). So, when I got back from the range I still had some factory ball ammo. Took my dial calibers and checked the mouth dia of the factory ammo, it was .470. So, I then check my reloads and the mouth is .475 +/- .001. So I ran the seater plug up and turned down the die several times till I started to get mouths that measured .470. Went out back (I live in the country) and manually cycled through a whole mag of reloads with not a single hicup. I could not do that before. So check the dia of the case mouths.

Posted: 9/26/2011 7:52:00 PM EDT

[#3]

What did your reloading data call for an OAL with that bullet?

I would load those to 1.250 and retest.

Posted: 9/27/2011 12:24:03 AM EDT

[#4]

dryflash3 nailed oal at 1.250. Case mouth od .471.

Am curious how you got 1.290 ?

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Posted: 9/27/2011 7:34:07 AM EDT

[#5]

Quoted:
dryflash3 nailed oal at 1.250. Case mouth od .471.

Am curious how you got 1.290 ? Wadcutter length??

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Def case length IMO like stated above

Posted: 9/27/2011 7:47:10 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
What did your reloading data call for an OAL with that bullet?

I would load those to 1.250 and retest.

You are going to hate me for this. I couldnt find what I wanted in my manual so I just guessed at OAL. Not really surprised to find out they are too long though.

Posted: 9/27/2011 8:39:21 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:

Quoted:
What did your reloading data call for an OAL with that bullet?

I would load those to 1.250 and retest.

You are going to hate me for this. I couldnt find what I wanted in my manual so I just guessed at OAL. Not really surprised to find out they are too long though.

Check the OD on the case mouths of the loaded rounds. They may require a very light crimp. I had a batch of .40 S&W do the same to me and a light crimp fixed them 100% reliable.

Posted: 9/27/2011 8:44:57 AM EDT

[#8]

just make a dud and keep shortening the length till you get reliable feeding. I personally use 1.25 as standard for ball ammo.

Posted: 9/27/2011 9:01:07 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
just make a dud and keep shortening the length till you get reliable feeding.

+1

Since the plated bullets I've used had no load info to speak of, this is how I found out what fed in my pistol. Find one that will just barely feed 100%, then shorten it another .01" or so (for the variance in the consistency of the bullets themselves) and work up a load.

Off the top of my head, 1.27" is max cartridge overall length for .45 Auto. Your particular pistol might run on loads that are longer, but I'd bet this is where your problem lies.

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Posted: 9/27/2011 11:23:10 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:

Quoted:
What did your reloading data call for an OAL with that bullet?

I would load those to 1.250 and retest.

You are going to hate me for this. I couldnt find what I wanted in my manual so I just guessed at OAL. Not really surprised to find out they are too long though.

Guessing and reloading are a bad combination my Friend.

Posted: 9/27/2011 3:16:56 PM EDT

[#11]

Learn SAAMI specs for each cartridge you load. As mentioned you were operating outside of spec.

It's amazing you got any to feed at all.

Now, let me leave you with a thought.

Slide launches a bullet loaded too long into rifling. Trigger pulled, cartridge ignites, bullet stuck hard enough pressure has no place to go.

Can you see what happens next ?

All a part of learning process. I don't think there's been a mistake reloading I haven't made yet. If there are any left, am sure I will make them.

My greatest accumulation of knowledge has often been the result of high priced mistakes.

Advice, slow it down, get some reloading manuals or if you have a few actually sit down and read.

Shoot safe, reload smart.

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Posted: 9/27/2011 5:29:15 PM EDT

[#12]

Quoted:

Quoted:
What did your reloading data call for an OAL with that bullet?

I would load those to 1.250 and retest.

You are going to hate me for this. I couldn't find what I wanted in my manual so I just guessed at OAL. Not really surprised to find out they are too long though.

No hate here.

Sometimes you just have to find data for a similar bullet.

Then you work up from the start load watching for pressure signs.

Keep good notes and record what works for you.

Posted: 9/27/2011 7:07:06 PM EDT

[#13]

Is this the bullet you is try to use ??

Yes ?

With lead, all the rules pretty much get tossed out widow as fas as OAL, as the drive band (bearing surface) will dictate your OAL for you..

You will need to seat this bullet so a sliver of band is above case mouth.

Adjust your powder charge accordingly,, chrono be big help in dialing in load/velocity

Note drive band placement withthe lead in this picture.. disregard the TC in the nckel case

Posted: 9/27/2011 7:58:06 PM EDT

[#14]

Home cast 230 gr RN with 5.0 grs Bullseye. OAL 1.250

SBR7_11 got me loading steel cases also.

Posted: 9/27/2011 8:08:01 PM EDT

[#15]

I need to try the steel reloading one day

Posted: 9/27/2011 10:05:30 PM EDT

[#16]

im reloading steel too. I just reset the die so they are now 1.250 and tightened up the crimp a little bit. Only put 2 mags through it so i cant really tell but it ran fine.

Posted: 9/28/2011 10:09:29 PM EDT

[#17]

any idea what kind of velocity i should be getting out of these? They feel quite a bit stouter than regular old wwb or federal or whatever. Its my carry gun so I dont want to get used to shooting light loads through it but I don't want to hammer the hell out of it either because i shoot it alot.

Posted: 9/29/2011 3:37:25 AM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
any idea what kind of velocity i should be getting out of these? They feel quite a bit stouter than regular old wwb or federal or whatever. Its my carry gun so I dont want to get used to shooting light loads through it but I don't want to hammer the hell out of it either because i shoot it alot.

Did you just screw the seater plug down?

Changing the OAL .04" will increase pressure with the same powder charge. It would be recommended to go ahead and work up a new load.

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Posted: 9/29/2011 3:50:25 AM EDT

[#19]

What Wizzo said... +1.

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Posted: 9/29/2011 5:52:26 AM EDT

[#20]

I would recommend that you take the load down 10%. 230gr FMJ with 5 gr BE matches the Mil load at 850 fps. Yuor doing it with a lead bullet. take it down to 4.4 and see if you like it. You can probalby go even lower than that if you are looking for a low recoil load.

Posted: 9/29/2011 7:45:53 AM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:

Quoted:
any idea what kind of velocity i should be getting out of these? They feel quite a bit stouter than regular old wwb or federal or whatever. Its my carry gun so I dont want to get used to shooting light loads through it but I don't want to hammer the hell out of it either because i shoot it alot.

Did you just screw the seater plug down?

Changing the OAL .04" will increase pressure with the same powder charge. It would be recommended to go ahead and work up a new load.

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Yes i just screwed it down.. Im not seeing any kind of pressure signs on the brass or anything but they do feel hot. Maybe thats just because i got used to shooting the cheapest factory ammo i could find. Of course I'm just going by look and feel here since I dont have any actual data on it. Although it seems like alot of other people are running the same load from looking around the internet.

Meh, Ill shoot off what I got and back it off to 4.5 grains or so.

Posted: 9/29/2011 12:11:06 PM EDT

[#22]

You won't see pressure signs with 45acp until it's too late. I should have seen this coming and talked about this earlier.

For one, reloading is a lot more serious than, meh.... your deal. Not gonna tell you how to run your show.

For two. I got by foolishly without enough data or chronograph for over a decade. Repeat my mistakes if you like.

I can fill a 500 page novel with, "what not to do."

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Posted: 9/29/2011 9:14:54 PM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
You won't see pressure signs with 45acp until it's too late. I should have seen this coming and talked about this earlier.

For one, reloading is a lot more serious than, meh.... your deal. Not gonna tell you how to run your show.

For two. I got by foolishly without enough data or chronograph for over a decade. Repeat my mistakes if you like.

I can fill a 500 page novel with, "what not to do."

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Alright then, just ordered a chronograph. Really didnt want to spend the money but oh well.

Posted: 9/30/2011 12:53:03 AM EDT

[#24]

You will see benefit quickly. One 45acp load that I would have sworn was running no more than 850 fps loaded with Titegroup and lswc chronographed at 950 fps. It worked, was within range. Still my guess was off by 100 fps. Might not sound like a big deal but I was loading .40S&W on the SWAG and 100 fps is a big deal with .40.

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - are my reloads too long?

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