45 ACP handloading problem

[Pass Lake]

I am having a problem handloading cast bullets for my Kimber Custom Target 45 ACP.  It is an extremely accurate pistol.  It loads and fires handloaded .451 FMJ roundballs without a problem. Initially we (my handloading mentor & I) loaded Lee cast 230 gr. FN cast bullets that mic at .454.  They would jam and we had to use a wood dowel to assist in opening the action.  Next I got a Lee bullet mould for a 228 gr. RN bullet that we sized and lubed to .452.  They would chamber but wouldn't lock into the battery consistently.  We tried seating the bullet a little deeper- no help. The brass would have a slight bulge in it.  We next tried removing the decapping pin and running the seated bullet through the sizer another time.  This caused the bullet to become loose and the recoil would cause the bullet to move forward from the brass on the next bullet.  It now micced at .447.  I next purchased a new Lyman .451 H & I sizer.  It now functions but I am getting 1 bullet out of a clip jamming.  I need to be confident that my 45 ACP is 100% reliable. It is my home defense weapon.  It is currently loaded with FMJ RN but I want to be able to practice with cast bullets.  I am appreciative of any and all advice.

[shot1]

Your Target Kimber has a tighter match chamber than most SD guns most likely. The ramp going into the chamber may need polishing or you may need to play with your over all length of the cartridge to get it to function best. I would also suggest you get you a LEE Factory Crimp Die an use it on your loads. It helped function on some of my loads for a finicky 1911. To get good function with cast bullets the mix needs to be HARD. For self defense you need to get you some good HP ammo. Speer Gold Dot, Hornady XTP, Federal Hydro-shock etc. 45 FMJ has too much penetration and being that you are responsible for the bullet if it goes through the purp and hits someone else it is a liability let alone it does not have near the wounding ability of a good HP.

For a good cheaper Jacketed target bullet do a search for ( Montana Gold bullets) . They list a 230 HP bullet but it is a TARGET bullet not a self defense type HP. It will shed it's jacket and then keep on trucking like a FMJ but they are accurate and have a good price. 

[Savage]

The "Lee Factory Crimp" die will cure the problem. I use them for all my pistol calibers. It cures chambering problems, even with mixed brass, assuming no OAL problems.
Savage

[cybin]

My nephew had to make his OAL 1.225 with 230 RN cast in his Kimber to make them work right--plus use the Lee Factory Crimp Die.  In my Ruger P-90 I had to make my OAL smaller 1.135 with 185 gr semi wad cutters to make them work--I had them set at 1.205 OAL. But with them all they worked much better when the Lee FCD was used.

cybin

[Pass Lake]

Thank you for your comments.  I appreciate your thoughts and ideas.  The cast bullets I am using are from wheel weights.  We have a few hundred pounds of linotype so we could make HARDER bullets. That is a good consideration. The OAL is a good thought too although we did try seating the bullets deeper. I will gauge the length of any jamming cartridges that I get.  This also led me to think I should check the brass manufacturer of offending ammo.  Could there be a thickness difference that causes a problem?  The uniform response has been getting a Lee Factory Crimp die.  How does this crimp differ from other seating die?  Is it a taper crimp?  Also, I have checked Midway and it doesn't offer the Lee FCD in 45 ACP.  Where can I buy this die?  For now I would like to avoid messing with the chamber.  I like how accurate that my gun shoots.  That is when it doesn't jam.

[OR-E-Gun Bill]

Here's the one listed on MidwayUSA.
http://www.midwayusa.com/viewProduct/default.aspx?productNumber=716704

And Midsouth with a lower price:
http://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/item.asp?sku=0000690864

I've been using one on my 45 Colt and 357 Maximum handloads.

Bill

[mdi]

Measure your reloads to find out where they are too big. Lee FCD isn't really needed if all other adjustments are correct. Check the crimp (I don't like the term "crimp" when talking about 45 ACP 'cause you are just "de-flaring" the case mouth with a taper crimp die); measure at the case mouth, should be around .470". Remove the bbl from your gun to use as a "plunk" gage. Loaded rounds should fall easily into the chamber (plunk) and fall out just as easy. If they don't, find out where, by measuring, they are too large.

[shot1]

The Lee Factory Crimp Die is a separate die from the seating die. This die puts a taper crimp on the 45 ACP but it also sizes the rest of the case is the best way to explain it.  It is like a chamber in a pistol barrel that is tight with the taper for putting a taper crimp on the mouth of the case.  They work.

[Savage]

Lee FCD isn't really needed if all other adjustments are correct.
True---most of the time. Mixed brass, dirty chambers, minimum spec chambers, all factor in.  I loaded tens of thousands of 45acp before there was a FCD. I learned quickly to chamber check each loaded round. There were always a small percentage of rounds that wouldn't chamber in one or more of my pistols. Enter the FCD. When I got one in .45acp, I ran a bucket full of my rejected rounds through the die, and WOW! Now they chamber in all my pistols! Since then, I use the FCD for all my pistol calibers as well as the 5.56. I load range brass for my pistol calibers. I won't load without the FCD.
Savage

[cybin]

I have read that the Lee factory crimp die isn't needed, but my experience tells me different. When I run mixed brass through the FCD you can feel the difference --R&P brass seldom touches the die--Winchester brass sometimes hits the die and sometimes doesn't--Federal brass usually hits it pretty good--other makes of brass hits it more often than the the first 2 I mentioned. Now if your fortunate enough to use all of one kind of brass and have your bullet seating and roll crimping working for you--then great. For me--I use mostly range pick up brass, and it comes in all makes---I have some brass that is marked on the bottom "A-merc" don't know who makes it--but it has the thickest walls of any .45 brass I have ever seen----so there is a place for the Lee FCD IMO.

cybin

[OR-E-Gun Bill]

About Ammunition Headstamp Code: A-MERC

Internal ID Code: 139
Ammunition Country of Origin•USA
About the Ammunition Manufacturer•American Ammunition Co., 3545 NW 71st St, Miami, FL 33147 USA

[cybin]

About Ammunition Headstamp Code: A-MERC

Internal ID Code: 139
Ammunition Country of Origin•USA
About the Ammunition Manufacturer•American Ammunition Co., 3545 NW 71st St, Miami, FL 33147 USA

Thank you.

cybin

[Pass Lake]

Again, thanks for all your experience and thoughts.  All of my die sets are 
RCBS, but I am very impressed with the Lee Factory Crimp Die that arrived in the mail.  Today, we loaded and fired 60 rounds of cast bullets using the Factory Crimp Die without a hitch!  As I previously,  stated I was having jams every few rounds before.  We also cast 200 harder rounds made from linotype that we loaded.  Those test fired 100% too after running them through the FCD.  I am a sold believer on the effectiveness of the Lee FCD for automatic handgun rounds.  I am very appreciative of you advice.  Thank you.