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Author Topic: .45 Long Colt reloads  (Read 1322 times)

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Offline DickelDawg

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.45 Long Colt reloads
« on: January 16, 2009, 06:12:48 AM »
A question came to mind while I was reloading some .45 LC ammo last night. Now I've reloaded ammo for many years but not .45 LC. If the bullet does not have a cannelure, can or should you taper crimp the round. These are not Cowboy Action rounds but 200 gr. full power loads.
A second question occurs to me, do you guys who load LOTS of .45 LC ammo crimp?

Thanks for your reply in advance,
DickelDawg
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Offline stimpylu32

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Re: .45 Long Colt reloads
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2009, 06:51:38 AM »
DD

The Taper crimp on a jacketed bullet is not a bad idea if your shooting a wheel gun or a lever action just to help hold the bullet during recoil , just remember to not over crimp and cut the jacket , it could come apart in the barrel and thats not good if it gets stuck . :o

I've gotten to the point that all I load in my 45 LC's anymore is a cast bullet and I use a heavy roll crimp for them .

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Offline bigdaddytacp

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Re: .45 Long Colt reloads
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2009, 08:16:31 AM »
Quote from: DickelDawg on January 16, 2009, 06:12:48 AM
A question came to mind while I was reloading some .45 LC ammo last night. Now I've reloaded ammo for many years but not .45 LC. If the bullet does not have a cannelure, can or should you taper crimp the round. These are not Cowboy Action rounds but 200 gr. full power loads.
A second question occurs to me, do you guys who load LOTS of .45 LC ammo crimp?

Thanks for your reply in advance,
DickelDawg

   I use a taper crimp on my LC loads without a cannelure and jacketed bullets...and I make sure the expander that I use for those rounds is smaller in diameter than the one I use for lead bullets......some die brands use the same for acp and LC and some have larger size for LC....I use a polished ACP expander for the LC loads and make sure the bullet is held firmly in the brass....some lots/brands of LC brass vary in wall thickness and I use starline brass for most of my heavy loadings of LC....I shoot a SW 25-5 LC and only load hoter-factory defense load equals for use in the SW......for the lighter pratice loads I use the thinner walled brass batchs and roll crimp the cannelured lead bulllets or taper crimp the plated ACP bullets.....hth..good luck and good shooting-loading!!               
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: .45 Long Colt reloads
« Reply #3 on: January 18, 2009, 02:31:34 PM »
Personally, I would switch to a bullet that has a cannelure. OR, Invest in a cannelureing tool.

 You say its a full power load, so its likely your using 296/H110 or 2400 or #9 powder. These like to be crimped. For good accuracy and a full burn, it may be necessary to crimp. Taper crimps can work, I prefer a good heavy crimp on my full house loads.

CW
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Offline huntswithdogs

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Re: .45 Long Colt reloads
« Reply #4 on: January 20, 2009, 05:34:14 AM »
My set of Lee dies came with an extra Crimp Die. I believe its referred to as a "factory crimp die". Is this the tapered die ya'll are referring to? I've got a bunch of jacketed bullets for 45ACP that I've not loaded for my BlackHawk(45LC) because they had no cannelure and I didn't want to roll crimp them with my standard dies.


HWD
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: .45 Long Colt reloads
« Reply #5 on: January 20, 2009, 06:06:24 AM »
Quote from: huntswithdogs on January 20, 2009, 05:34:14 AM
My set of Lee dies came with an extra Crimp Die. I believe its referred to as a "factory crimp die". Is this the tapered die ya'll are referring to? I've got a bunch of jacketed bullets for 45ACP that I've not loaded for my BlackHawk(45LC) because they had no cannelure and I didn't want to roll crimp them with my standard dies.


HWD

 What your dies have for a crimp is more determined by that caliber than anything else. That is to say that a cartridge that headspaces off the case mouth, should never be roll crimped. Because doing so eliminates that cartridges ability to headspace. All ACP cartridges, utilize a taper crimp. Most others use a roll crimp.

 The "Factory crimp die is really neither. Lee came up with the item for people who don't know how or don't care to properly set up there dies. (Just my humble opinion.) It aggressively mashes the case mouth into the side of the bullet, creating a crimped cartridge. This is done regardless of the presents of a cannalure. I am no fan of it and see no use for it. But I am in the minority. Many use and love it. To each his own. We have survived countless generations of loaders with out one and IMHO we don't need it. A properly set up, quality die will crimp exactly as the caliber requires.

CW
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Offline Savage

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Re: .45 Long Colt reloads
« Reply #6 on: January 20, 2009, 01:51:52 PM »
Usually the seating die will crimp a round just fine. Minor variations in case thickness and length can effect the amount of crimp applied, but usually not significantly. If not properly adjusted, the crimp can vary from none at all, to collapsed cases. The LFCD forms it's own cannelure on bottle neck cases and bullets as it crimps. (Same for the roll crimp on revolver rounds) The crimp holds the bullet in place until pressure builds, much like seating the bullet out touching the lands. The LFCD for pistol rounds forms a proper taper crimp, the revolver die forms a proper roll crimp. All without concern over case wall thickness or slight variations in case length, from very light, to super heavy and all without ever collapsing a case. Even some of us who don't find die adjustment especially challenging, use the LFCD.  I haven't found a better way to crimp.
Savage
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Offline huntswithdogs

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Re: .45 Long Colt reloads
« Reply #7 on: January 21, 2009, 05:37:52 AM »
Okay, I can use either die to crimp these 230HPs, just don't crimp them real tight, right?

When I'm loading my regular loads, lead, I use a pretty agressive crimp(roll type).


Thanks,HWD
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: .45 Long Colt reloads
« Reply #8 on: January 21, 2009, 06:40:02 AM »
Quote from: huntswithdogs on January 21, 2009, 05:37:52 AM
Okay, I can use either die to crimp these 230HPs, just don't crimp them real tight, right?

When I'm loading my regular loads, lead, I use a pretty agressive crimp(roll type).


Thanks,HWD

 You will need to experiment. But I would think that this lighter bullet would not need a heavy crimp. You wont hurt anything to experiment with amounts of crimp. WITH A REG DIE.

CW
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Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: .45 Long Colt reloads
« Reply #9 on: January 21, 2009, 08:24:33 AM »
what bullet for the 45 doesnt have a crimp grove? if you shooting 45 acp bullets in it just set your crimp die for a light roll crimp and crimp on the bullet. Do one and check to make sure it chambers and if it does you should be fine as long as your not pushing that bullet to mag velocitys
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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: .45 Long Colt reloads
« Reply #10 on: January 21, 2009, 09:07:32 AM »
I'm assuming a acp bullet as well.

 I agree a taper crimp will work as long as he is not needing to push it to top velocities. In that case, a good firm crimp is more necessary...

CW
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Offline huntswithdogs

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Re: .45 Long Colt reloads
« Reply #11 on: January 21, 2009, 10:47:00 AM »
Nah! I ain't pushing anything else to the limits! I'm quite happy if it goes bang and don't fall to the ground before it gets out to 25 yds. LOL Just something to play with but not quite as low as a cowboy load.

Thanks guys. Looks like I get to play with the reloader this weekend since they ain't no races or football games on the tube!


HWD
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