Bolted_Down

Thanks for the advice, everyone. Mine look nothing like these. LOL! The mis-shape in my fired brass is barely noticeable to the naked eye, a simple "coke bottle" shape, maybe a little more pronounced on one side than the other. A 'drop in' chamber look shows part of the case wall near the web (maybe 1/8 to 3/16") as unsupported on the underside, just above the feed ramp. My loading is in the mid range of published data(Lyman's 49th), started at the low point and worked up to its present mark: Mixed brass RMR 165gr Plated RNFP 5.5 gr HP-38 CCI SP primer OAL 1.125

Hey all. I've been reloading for a while now and have prided myself on safety that begins and ends with a rigorous(some would say bordering on ridiculous)quality control /inspection process. After working up several dependable and accurate loads for my XD9 and 1911, I bought my first .40 S&W. Well, I started reading and quickly came across the "glock bulge" subject in my research. Both, my S&W 4006 and to a lesser extent my Beretta mod.96 leave a bulge in the brass. I have acquired a Lee single stage "O" frame and Lee's factory crimp die/bulge buster kit. The once bulged brass comes out LOOKING like new. My question is this... Once bulged and then fully resized to factory specs, how durable is that 40 S&W case in the long run? How many reloads are you getting out of your .40 S&W brass??

OK... I've heard of it, but this range rat has never come across a single 45ACP case with a small pistol primer. ...but I recently received a boat load of them from a friend off an indoor range in So. Florida. SP primer pocket, but a large flash hole. The brass is actually built pretty well, with decent weight and nice case wall thickness. I wanna give em a try...as I can't see letting pristine 1x fired brass go to the scrap bin. They are marked: ICC 45ACP I looked it up... ICC International Cartridge Corp. Reynoldsville, PA International .45 Auto Frangible HP Question 1 & 2:(I'm sure there will be follow ups from this end) Any special considerations to take into account when loading 45ACP with SP primers?? My normal range load lately has been the following, will this load work with a SP primer?? 5.8gr HP38 RMR Bullets 230gr CPRN Win LP primer *(CCI SP primer)* oal 1.250" using a 5" Springfield Loaded 1911 Clean and accurate with no pressure warning signs on any of the mixed headstamp brass I've used. Thanks in advance for any input...

OK so I'm in the ballpark for OAL. Maybe I'll try to shorten it up a bit, down to 1.230 or so first see if it cleans up in the Springfield... and up the charge by a 10th each x3 or 4 test beds to near 8gr see if it'll smoke less/eliminate the keyholing with the Kimber. and if all else fails... ...looking at the burn rate chart... 16. Clays (Hodgdon) 17. N320 (Vihtavuori) 18. Competition (Ramshot) 19. Royal D (Scot) 20. WST (Winchester) 21. AP- 50N (ADI) 22. HP38 (Hodgdon) HP38 is the other powder I have on hand. Been very happy with it in 9mm with both CPRN and LRN. Guess I'll try a few .45 loads with that 0ne and save the HS6 for another application.

Hey Dillon...thanks for the quick reply...Love that equipment, Dillon 550B on my bench!! all of my data sources say 0.473 at the crimp...a random sampling of three rounds from the lot and I'm at .4725 , .4725 , .4730 am I under-crimping?? I test 2 or 3 outta every 25 or so for mag feed, chambering, and then remeasure looking for set back. Have never noticed any difference before to after. hmmm...and why just the Kimber?

Started loading lead round nose .45 for my Springfield Armory Loaded full size 1911 and a Kimber 4". Both weapons are kept in immaculate shape with clean and healthy bores. My load : 230gr LRN (.453) 7.5 gr HS6 Winchester LP primers COL 1.245 The overall length may seem a bit long but would cleanly chamber in both pistols, and as I am new I decided to go long for pressure concerns. In my SA the load is PERFECT, a bit dirty, but accurate. In the Kimber the load seems substandard, though. SMOKEY and with an occasional keyhole in the target at 15 yds. Now...I've read that HS6 likes the higher pressures for a cleaner burn so maybe set the seat depth to a COL nearer 1.200 to clean up its act out of the Springy... but what is going on in the Kimber and the keyholes?? Not pushing it fast enough out of the shorter barrel?? OR over pushing it and stripping past the lands?? I have not chrono'd the round, but Hodgdon's data says +/-800fps and I'm in the middle range of their data, not even close to max for lead... Any suggestions or diagnosis would be appreciated.

Thanks everyone for the encouraging words. Getting my .45 dies in tomorrow...the production line is rolling off a few more 9mm as we speak. ROFL! Sounds just like the guys I go to the range with...

Well...Joined up a few days ago and I've been looking for an opportunity to jump into the conversation, so here goes... I 've been lurking here for about 6 months. Stopped by the first time because of the extensive info on Dillon reloading equipment. This forum has been a great resource for me in getting started reloading. Have had my 550 for a while now, but due to a probationary period at work and not knowing whether I'd still have a job due to budget cut layoffs, I did not bench mount it until about a week ago. So, using my time wisely all these many months I was able to get the basics down. Then, finding out a week ago that I'll have a secure job into the foreseeable future(wheeeewww), I reloaded my first run of 9mm...and gave the test batch a range trial this morning. 9mm Luger Federal once fired brass 115gr Berry MFG Preferred Plated RN CCI 500 SP primer 4.5 gr Hodgdon HP38 COL: 1.110 I was impressed! Just a plinking load, but performed every bit as good as the factory range ball I was using for a side by side comparison! In fact my loads were a bit more accurate at both 7 and 15 yards. No hiccups or cycling problems in my XD9 Tactical and no adverse indicators from the brass I collected and examined. Did a full run of 100 tonight of the same load. Lovin' the new hobby! Thanks for the read...