.45acp reloading help

[angrycookieman]

Hey guys, I'm new to reloading and am having some issues trying to reload .45acp. The first issue is that with jacketed bullets, when I try to set the bullet on the case with little or even no flare it will easily fall down too far into the case once it starts to move. With my bayou bullets I could seat them properly because they are slightly tighter. The other issue is that the hornady new dimension die set I have does not put a taper crimp on at all, it's just a roll crimp. I thought this would be ok because they will be used in a revolver, but the bullets will not go far enough into the chamber. The last 1/4 or so of the brass is too fat.
Is it possible that my decapper/sizer die is not doing it's job, causing both issues? I can get a taper crimp die if I need to for the crimp, but what are your suggestions on the case looseness when seating bullets? Thanks!

 

[Guate_shooter]

Was that brass fired in a Glock before ???????

 

[angrycookieman]

No, most of it was from the revolver, a S&W 625JM

 

[dmiculek]

Make sure you are sizing the entire case. The die should nearly contact the shell plate/shell holder. Add just enough flare to case mouth to accept the bullet into the case so that it does not shave the bullet during the seating process.

 

[jmcrawf1]

Make sure you are sizing the entire case. The die should nearly contact the shell plate/shell holder. Add just enough flare to case mouth to accept the bullet into the case so that it does not shave the bullet during the seating process.

This.

Sounds like a sizing issue to me.

 

[angrycookieman]

Ok, I think I've got it, I was running the sizer down all the way to the shell plate and then raising up a hair, but I tried just leaving it all the way aginst it and it's better now, not very tight, but probably won't move before crimping now anyway. I just need to get a taper or factory crimp die now. Thanks for the help!

 

[scooterj]

If a jacketed bullet will fall into the case with no pressure, you may need to remove the expander and polish it. Removing only a couple thousandths will make a huge difference.

 

[angrycookieman]

I'll try that this evening, thanks!

 

[latech15]

I had a lee reloader and their crimp die would put a roll crimp on the case if you had it adjusted too far down. Back it off a little bit and you get a perfect taper crimp. How many stations do you have in your press? Are you seating and crimping in separate stations?

 

[angrycookieman]

The press has 5 stations. I'm currently seating and crimping in the same station and wanted to continue to do so to use the rcbs lockout die, but I may have to seperate the seating and crimping. For my 9mm loads, the die does a nice taper crimp unless I go too far like you said, but the .45 die doesn't seem to taper at all, just roll, so I'll probably get a taper crimp die.
I spoke with a tech at Hornady earlier about the case being too loose and he said the sizer probably was wrong or out of spec. He's sending another one and said that should take care of the loose case issue.

 

[KevinV916]

You could look at using a powder through expander to free up a station for the dedicated crimp.

here's my setup on my Hornady L-n-L:
1. deprime/size
2. powder through expander
3. rcbs lockout
4. seat
5. taper crimp

 

[angrycookieman]

I was thinking about that and read mixed reviews on the hornady ptx. Do you use the hornady one? If so how is it?

 

[latech15]

You could look at using a powder through expander to free up a station for the dedicated crimp.

here's my setup on my Hornady L-n-L:
1. deprime/size
2. powder through expander
3. rcbs lockout
4. seat
5. taper crimp

What he said.

 

[angrycookieman]

Do you guys use the hornady factory ptx or the one from Powderfunnels.com?

 

[Rig Magician]

Get the one from Powder funnels. It will work with all calbers. It works great on my press. Just use small adjustment when setting it up.
Mark

 

[KevinV916]

I've actually got both. I use the hornady ptx on my .45 but have only loaded jacketed bullets. Haven't had any problems. I keep that one in a separate powder measurer and the powderfunnels in another one for 9mm. That way I don't have to keep adjusting when changing calibers.

 

[scooterj]

I guess I'm lazy. Each of my toolheads has it's own powder measure and "powder through" expander die.
I don't use a powder cop on any of them, have 9. Set a light above the press so you can see inside the cases and look into each one after the powder drop.