My 45 auto reloads are not chambering correctly! GRrrrrr - The Firearms Forum

bluesea112 · 10-03-2012, 04:02 PM

What am I doing wrong?

I am using a 200gr. Lee bullet die, making .452 rounded flat nose bullets for my .45 auto. I am running them all through a Lee bullet sizer and then seating them in the brass.
The problem is that they are hanging up and not fully chambering. The place that the bullets are hanging up is about 1/32" from the mouth of the brass. I can see a perfect line around the bullet where it is getting hung just before being fully chambered. I am already at the minimum oal, so I am concerned that pushing them in another 1/32" could cause a pressure spike.

What do y'all think?

garydude · 10-03-2012, 05:15 PM

How about a pic? Would certainly help us out.

mikld · 10-03-2012, 06:04 PM

If you can see where the bullet is hiting the rifling, it's too long. Are you using the Lee mold xxx 1R? If so, the radius of the bullet is too "short". The wide radius bullet needs to be seated deep because the "fatter" ogive bullet hits the rifling. The xxx 2R with a gentler ogive, works better. You can try sizing your bullet a bit smaller, mebbe 451".

JLA · 10-03-2012, 07:06 PM

Charles that bullet mold is intended for the .45 colt so the bullets have a very short blunt ogive. you are going to have to seat them deeper. Minimum OAL for the .45ACP is 1.190, but I have seen them run as short as 1.170. Its not unsafe to go shorter so long as you work up your load properly.

steve4102 · 10-03-2012, 08:49 PM

aa1911 · 10-03-2012, 09:03 PM

I size to .451 for .45 ACP although that's not your current issue. (.452 is OK for most guns too though, the true test is slugging the bore)

OAL as listed is a guideline moreso than a necessity; if you're hitting rifling, it needs to go deeper in the case.

Also, did you check case lengths prior to loading at all? this cartridge headspaces off of the mouth.

JLA · 10-03-2012, 09:11 PM

yeah but .45ACP doesnt grow any when you shoot it. In most cases it actually shrinks a little.

aa1911 · 10-03-2012, 09:31 PM

true that. I'm surprised some of the ones I have are still the same length after oodles of firings. I need to do some spot checks on mine to see where they're at, haven't done that in a while except on my recent .40 reloads.

I've had good luck with Lee's truncated cone 230gn mold, nary a failure to feed. 200gn don't seem to feed well in my TRP either jacketed or lead.

bluesea112 · 10-03-2012, 09:47 PM

Thanks for the advice guys. I will try seating them a little deeper.

bluesea112 · 10-03-2012, 09:50 PM

My .45 feeds the truncated cone very well, but I just don't like how slow that big 230gr bullet travels. I was hoping to use a 200gr bullet and gain a few hundred fps.

gdmoody · 10-03-2012, 10:15 PM

I have found that every time that I load a .45 ACP that won't chamber, it ends up with the bullet needing to be seated a tiny bit deeper. That has always solved the problem.

steve4102 · 10-04-2012, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluesea112

What am I doing wrong?

I am using a 200gr. Lee bullet die, making .452 rounded flat nose bullets for my .45 auto. I am running them all through a Lee bullet sizer and then seating them in the brass.
The problem is that they are hanging up and not fully chambering. The place that the bullets are hanging up is about 1/32" from the mouth of the brass. I can see a perfect line around the bullet where it is getting hung just before being fully chambered. I am already at the minimum oal, so I am concerned that pushing them in another 1/32" could cause a pressure spike.

What do y'all think?

Minimum OAL according to who/what?

OAL is always bullet and gun specific, not manual specific. First and foremost your ammo must Feed-Fit-Fire. If it does not then there is no need to worry about pressure.

http://glocktalk.com/forums/blog.php?b=256

carver · 10-04-2012, 07:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluesea112

Thanks for the advice guys. I will try seating them a little deeper.

Charles, are these rounds for targets only? The reason I ask is because I believe that with pistols, penetration is everything and for reliable penetration you need high sectional density. The light 45 rounds combine relatively low mass with high cross sectional area creating some of the LOWEST sectional densities. Predictably, penetration suffers.

myfriendis410 · 10-04-2012, 09:50 AM

If you are using a roll crimp that could be your problem. A taper crimp would solve it entirely. If it is not happening with every round and you don't trim your brass I would say this is a likely cause of fail-to-feed.

JLA · 10-04-2012, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bluesea112

My .45 feeds the truncated cone very well, but I just don't like how slow that big 230gr bullet travels. I was hoping to use a 200gr bullet and gain a few hundred fps.

velocity aint everything charlesman

10-03-2012, 04:02 PM	#1
bluesea112 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: West, TX Contributor Posts: 1,257	My 45 auto reloads are not chambering correctly! GRrrrrr What am I doing wrong? I am using a 200gr. Lee bullet die, making .452 rounded flat nose bullets for my .45 auto. I am running them all through a Lee bullet sizer and then seating them in the brass. The problem is that they are hanging up and not fully chambering. The place that the bullets are hanging up is about 1/32" from the mouth of the brass. I can see a perfect line around the bullet where it is getting hung just before being fully chambered. I am already at the minimum oal, so I am concerned that pushing them in another 1/32" could cause a pressure spike. What do y'all think? --> Last edited by bluesea112; 10-03-2012 at 04:05 PM..

10-03-2012, 05:15 PM	#2
garydude Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Desert Southwest Proper Contributor Posts: 747	Re: My 45 auto reloads are not chambering correctly! GRrrrrr How about a pic? Would certainly help us out.

10-03-2012, 06:04 PM	#3
mikld Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oregon Posts: 573	Re: My 45 auto reloads are not chambering correctly! GRrrrrr If you can see where the bullet is hiting the rifling, it's too long. Are you using the Lee mold xxx 1R? If so, the radius of the bullet is too "short". The wide radius bullet needs to be seated deep because the "fatter" ogive bullet hits the rifling. The xxx 2R with a gentler ogive, works better. You can try sizing your bullet a bit smaller, mebbe 451". __________________ My Anchor is holding fast.

10-03-2012, 07:06 PM	#4
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,319	Re: My 45 auto reloads are not chambering correctly! GRrrrrr Charles that bullet mold is intended for the .45 colt so the bullets have a very short blunt ogive. you are going to have to seat them deeper. Minimum OAL for the .45ACP is 1.190, but I have seen them run as short as 1.170. Its not unsafe to go shorter so long as you work up your load properly. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

10-03-2012, 08:49 PM	#5
steve4102 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota Contributor Posts: 2,760	Re: My 45 auto reloads are not chambering correctly! GRrrrrr

10-03-2012, 09:03 PM	#6
aa1911 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 3,115	Re: My 45 auto reloads are not chambering correctly! GRrrrrr I size to .451 for .45 ACP although that's not your current issue. (.452 is OK for most guns too though, the true test is slugging the bore) OAL as listed is a guideline moreso than a necessity; if you're hitting rifling, it needs to go deeper in the case. Also, did you check case lengths prior to loading at all? this cartridge headspaces off of the mouth. __________________ "Loud noises don't end gunfights.... well placed shots do."

10-03-2012, 09:11 PM	#7
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,319	Re: My 45 auto reloads are not chambering correctly! GRrrrrr yeah but .45ACP doesnt grow any when you shoot it. In most cases it actually shrinks a little. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!

10-03-2012, 09:31 PM	#8
aa1911 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 3,115	Re: My 45 auto reloads are not chambering correctly! GRrrrrr true that. I'm surprised some of the ones I have are still the same length after oodles of firings. I need to do some spot checks on mine to see where they're at, haven't done that in a while except on my recent .40 reloads. I've had good luck with Lee's truncated cone 230gn mold, nary a failure to feed. 200gn don't seem to feed well in my TRP either jacketed or lead. __________________ "Loud noises don't end gunfights.... well placed shots do."

10-03-2012, 09:47 PM	#9
bluesea112 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: West, TX Contributor Posts: 1,257	Re: My 45 auto reloads are not chambering correctly! GRrrrrr Thanks for the advice guys. I will try seating them a little deeper.

10-03-2012, 09:50 PM	#10
bluesea112 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: West, TX Contributor Posts: 1,257	Re: My 45 auto reloads are not chambering correctly! GRrrrrr My .45 feeds the truncated cone very well, but I just don't like how slow that big 230gr bullet travels. I was hoping to use a 200gr bullet and gain a few hundred fps.

10-03-2012, 10:15 PM	#11
gdmoody Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Northeast Georgia Contributor Posts: 6,345	Re: My 45 auto reloads are not chambering correctly! GRrrrrr I have found that every time that I load a .45 ACP that won't chamber, it ends up with the bullet needing to be seated a tiny bit deeper. That has always solved the problem. __________________ NRA Endowment Member GeorgiaCarry.Org Member Retired US Army Postal Worker Personally, I carry a gun because I'm too young to die and too old to take an ass whoopin'.....author unknown (but obviously brilliant)

10-04-2012, 09:50 AM	#14
myfriendis410 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Lompoc California Posts: 543	Re: My 45 auto reloads are not chambering correctly! GRrrrrr If you are using a roll crimp that could be your problem. A taper crimp would solve it entirely. If it is not happening with every round and you don't trim your brass I would say this is a likely cause of fail-to-feed. __________________ Life's too short to shoot an ugly gun.....