Reloading .45 OAL question.

[9000S]

I was getting some variences in my OAL while reloading most are pretty tight but occasionally I have some that are off more than I would like.
My Question is this, whats your maximum variance allowed for .45 acp? Right now I am reloading 200gr Rainer plated bullets under 5.0grs of 231 with an OAL of 1.220 on average. Some go as low as 1.217 and some as high as 1.227 so thats about .01 of a difference in OAL. I think this will just cause a velocity spread, as I am shooting middle of the line and not top end of the pressure scale. So as long as it feeds and goes bang is it all good? or how anal should I get on OAL? Mixed head-stamps as well, and I am not shooting for competition.

Your thoughts are most appreciated.

 

[drgrant]

You will always get some variance. For example I load up .45 ACP on my Dillon 550 and I try to set it for a target of 1.260 with a 230 gr FMJ bullet.

On measurement, I get OALs that go from 1.255 to 1.262, and I consider that spread to be pretty normal. Most fall on 1.258, 1.259, 1.260, though.

If you're using a Dillon try to adjust the seater with all the stations loaded with a case. I try to set the seater up with the idea of a maximum OAL in
mind.


-Mike

 

[9000S]

Thanks!

now benefits to having a lower OAL than whats listed on a recipe or having spot on to really close? I Would assume greater truth in numbers for more of a spot on OAL but would shorter cause greater pressures therefore.... Higher speed? or just higher pressure and not much more in the way of speed? Thanks for the input! Also my "reloading station" isn't bombproof solid, actually its uhm. Well I guess I shouldn't say otherwise I will get flamed the dickens out of me [sad2] !! I know that it should be on smooth concrete and bolted down and made of 2x4's and what not... but my renting situation really limits my use of space... maybe this is why I shouldn't be expecting dead on numbers. Just making sure that its not going to blow my face up when Im shooting em. Oh also, when its crimping it leaves a small shiny bit where the bell was maybe a mm or so but thats all is that ok ? just a shinier coppery section right at the edge where the case meets the bullet...
*yeah using a 650*

 

[drgrant]

now benefits to having a lower OAL than whats listed on a recipe or having spot on to really close? I Would assume greater truth in numbers for more of a spot on OAL but would shorter cause greater pressures therefore.... Higher speed? or just higher pressure and not much more in the way of speed?

I don't think it'll make much of a functional difference, but one thing you don't want to do is go shorter than the minimum OAL for that particular bullet, because this could cause pressures to be unnecessarily high. I try to load them as long as possible given that all my guns in that caliber will eat them. What shape is the bullet you're using? Is it
an SWC? RN? FP?

Thanks for the input! Also my "reloading station" isn't bombproof solid, actually its uhm. Well I guess I shouldn't say otherwise I will get flamed the dickens out of me [sad2] !! I know that it should be on smooth concrete and bolted down and made of 2x4's and what not... but my renting situation really limits my use of space... maybe this is why I shouldn't be expecting dead on numbers. Just making sure that its not going to blow my face up when Im shooting em.

Even marginal mounting probably won't affect the OAL much, but a better mounting system probably will make the thing easier to operate. If I didn't have a bench, I'd probably jerry rig something with one of those workmate benches and maybe some weight on the back side of it to hold it in place.

Another thing to try is sort headstamps. Get like 100 of exactly the same headstamp and do a run on those, and see if your OAL is more consistent from cartridge to
cartridge.

Oh also, when its crimping it leaves a small shiny bit where the bell was maybe a mm or so but thats all is that ok ? just a shinier coppery section right at the edge where the case meets the bullet...
*yeah using a 650*

With plated bullets make sure not to overcrimp. If you're damaging the plating with the crimp, then you've got too much crimp. Basically all you're trying to do is remove the bell. A case gauge comes in handy for this sort of thing. (you keep cranking up the crimp until your cartridges smoothly and reliably fall in and out of the gauge. )

-Mike

 

[DukeInFlorida]

The resultant OAL has to do with how straight the bullet was when you started seating it.

The differences can be greater on flat faced bullets.

The seater pushes on whatever surface is sticking out furthest. So, a flat faced bullet, if you sat it in the bell mouth perfectly straight.... the seater would be pushing on the flat surface. If it was a bit tipped, it would be pushing on the edge. The one that got pushed from the edge would be slightly shorter, as measured from the flat face.

While it always LOOKS like they straighten out while you push them into the casing, they don't... well, not completely. So, that is where the variation comes from.

Took me a while to figure that out, after grueling hours of trying to figure out the mechanics involved, measuring bullet lengths, case lengths, etc. A few sketches was what finally confirmed in my mind where the variation came from.

Unfortunately, there's no bullet seater insert that will fix the situation, or compensate for the differences in the angle the bullet is started at.

 

[EddieCoyle]

The resultant OAL has to do with how straight the bullet was when you started seating it.

The differences can be greater on flat faced bullets.

The seater pushes on whatever surface is sticking out furthest. So, a flat faced bullet, if you sat it in the bell mouth perfectly straight.... the seater would be pushing on the flat surface. If it was a bit tipped, it would be pushing on the edge. The one that got pushed from the edge would be slightly shorter, as measured from the flat face.

While it always LOOKS like they straighten out while you push them into the casing, they don't... well, not completely. So, that is where the variation comes from.

Took me a while to figure that out, after grueling hours of trying to figure out the mechanics involved, measuring bullet lengths, case lengths, etc. A few sketches was what finally confirmed in my mind where the variation came from.

Unfortunately, there's no bullet seater insert that will fix the situation, or compensate for the differences in the angle the bullet is started at.

Good post.

There are a couple of things I do to minimize this. One is that I make sure I bell the case enough. Insufficient belling makes it harder to seat the bullets straight.

The second thing I do is to use Hornady (or Redding rifle competition or Forster) seating dies. They have a sliding sleeve that aligns the bullet before the seating stem starts to seat the bullet. Also, when I place the bullet onto the case, I do just that - "place". I don't wedge it down into the case. By just placing it on top of the properly belled case, the sliding sleeve on the seating die is able to straighten the bullet before it pushes it into the case.

 

[DukeInFlorida]

Nice! Didn't know that about the Hornady seating dies. Wonder why they don't market that more loudly???