.45 acp reloading

[dotsun]

As some of you may know I recently purchased a 1911 and immediately started loading for it. I started having FTF where the gun wouldn't go completely into battery with my loads and after some research I think I've found my problem.

It seems that my chamber is a little tight (or perhaps that's normal for 1911's) and some of the rounds that I've loaded don't seem to have enough of a crimp on the bullet. That causes the edge of the case to catch in the chamber when feeding in and results in a three point jam. Some of the rounds have a noticeable lip compared to factory WWB, and after trying to drop them in the barrel they won't even fall completely in. A-Merc brass seems to be particularly offensive.

I'm going to break out the calipers today and see if I can apply some shadetree science to what I believe is the problem, and more importantly see if I can convince my dies to fix these rounds. Anyone else have any issues like what I describe or do you think it's just my barrel? I've loaded 9mm for years and have never had this issue.

[Crunchman]

A-merc brass is only good for recycling at the scrap metal yard. I tried to reload it and had to tear down a hundred rounds. With my Win. and R-P brass, I use the Lee factory crimp die as a final step and it has eliminated all feed problems. Another thing to check is the condition of the feed ramp. If there's any roughness on it, you need to have it polished. Please don't put a dremel tool on it, though.

[Mike.357]

A-merc brass


Where does this come from? Leftovers from store bought rounds or brass purchased by itself?


don't put a dremel tool on it


How do you polish it?

Dotsun says


crimp on the bullet


I thought .45ACP used no crimp???? Using the Lee loader I have it does not crimp either. Did you order the recoil spring? Not that it would help if the casing will not fit in the chamber though. What length is your finished cartridge?

[gcrookston]

a few years ago I came into about 10,000 rounds of once fired USGI brass that had been picked up at a local military range. I worked out a deal with one of my friends who reloads .45 and eventually ended up with 2,000 rounds of .230 gr ball. Shoots fine out of an HK or Sig220, and even runs well in my new PT1911. But on the several occasions I've shot it in any of my GCNM (1962, 1968 and currently a 1967 vintage), I've had similiar problems and, like you, determined the chambers of the match pistols had tighter tolerances.

At the way ammo prices are going, I'm going to start reloading again this year and plan on adding .45 and 5.56 to my lineup (I've only loaded for 7.62x51, .30-06 and .300WM in the past).

[Im Neero]

I have had this problem before. Adjust your crimp die down a little more and that should take care of the problem.

Also, if you are using FMJ bullets don't expand the case mouth so much. If you are loading single stage, you don't really have to expand it at all.

[dotsun]

Where does this come from? Leftovers from store bought rounds or brass purchased by itself?

Dotsun Says:
I'm not sure where I picked it up from Mike, I think it came from all the stuff I got when I bought out my friend's reloading stuff.

Mike Speaketh:
I thought .45ACP used no crimp???? Using the Lee loader I have it does not crimp either. Did you order the recoil spring? Not that it would help if the casing will not fit in the chamber though. What length is your finished cartridge?

Yep I'm still waiting on the spring, but after the hand cycling issue I had last night, I'm convinced the feed problems were caused by my lack of a good crimp coupled by a finicky gun. I'm sure that spring needs replacing anyway, as this gun has been shot alot by the previous owner(s).

[dotsun]

A-merc brass is only good for recycling at the scrap metal yard. I tried to reload it and had to tear down a hundred rounds. With my Win. and R-P brass, I use the Lee factory crimp die as a final step and it has eliminated all feed problems. Another thing to check is the condition of the feed ramp. If there's any roughness on it, you need to have it polished. Please don't put a dremel tool on it, though.

A friend of Phantom's polished the feed ramp after I got it and did an amazing job. I haven't had any issues with factory ammo since he did that. It was in really bad shape and no he didn't use a dremel. :)

I have had this problem before. Adjust your crimp die down a little more and that should take care of the problem.

Also, if you are using FMJ bullets don't expand the case mouth so much. If you are loading single stage, you don't really have to expand it at all.

Ding ding ding! We have a winner. I miked the wwb round compared to my reloads and they were ever so slightly bigger. I then screwed my RCBS taper crimp die down until I got more love from it and they seem to be perfect now. The difference is definitely noticeable when comparing the rounds side by side.

@GC:
I don't think it's a match barrel, the gun's a pretty old beater looking POS, but I agree that the chamber is probably tighter/more finicky than some guns.

[Im Neero]

I thought that would turn out being your problem. Glad I could be of help ;)

[dotsun]

Now if you don't mind coming over and crimping a couple hundred rounds that would be a much bigger help. :D

[Im Neero]

Umm, yea, I've gotta mow the lawn, or I would ....

[Rightwinger]

As posted elsewhere in this forum, I have 200 rounds of Amerc .45 that I will let go for a pittance should anyone wish to shoot them. If I had my old Ruger P-90 I would probably waste a day pounding them through that just to be done with them but all I have in .45 now is my Kimber and A-Merc is not allowed to be out in sight of the Kimber!

40.00 bucks 200 rounds! IM me. If your in the middle TN area we can meet half way or coordinate when one of us is closer to the other. Someone with a grease gun would love these.

[Mike.357]

So someone explain this crimping stuff.

My Lee loading information says that "Bullets should not be crimped in for most rimless cases such as the 45 ACP, blah, blah, blah...."

it goes on to explain that crimping will "permit the case to enter to far and cause misfires, JAMS and possibly excessive pressures."

[Rightwinger]

There is a difference between an actual crimp where the dies compress a very tight ring around a cannelure or the bullet and compression of the mouth of the case to the bullet. You have probably seen that little ring of brighter brass at the mouth of the case when an actual factory crimp was applied. You need some pressure applied to the bullet mouth of the case no matter what your loading to prevent bullet movement during loading, travel or fireing, but an actual tight crimp is normally not needed for any loadings where the bullets aren't going to experience high Gs or be nose to tail as in the tube fed magazines. I don't apply any crimp to my rifle loadings other than a snug interface on the lip of the case. Pistols tend to have more "movement" plus a lot of pressure to the bullet when hitting the feed ramp so more pressure or a slight crimp is a good thing. Proper sizing of the case and not over belling the lip when you expand to put the bullet in is the best way to prevent the case hanging on the feed ramp or chamber. That was all good info above!