Opinion on .45 bullet COL

[Wanted]

I have some LSWC cast .45s. 200gr, .451dia. Bullet overall length is .591 I made sever dry loads to check function starting at 1.25. I had feed and jamming with all untill I got to 1.20. Drop test in chamber is good. I found some data in my Hornady manual for 1.200 lswc and Allient for 1.190. I'm not super experienced at loading, these seem close to min. length. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[High Lord Gomer]

Is it a LSWC with a round nose or a truncated cone? My limited experience has been that the OAL for a truncated code / flat point is much shorter than a comparable round nose bullet. I haven't loaded .45 in a while but with 9mm I don't even adjust the seating die when switching from round nose to JHP and back. I end up with an OAL of 1.125 for round nose and 1.087 for JHP and they both work fine.

[old506]

You want about a fingernail's worth of shoulder at the end of the case, it is usually around 1.250 or so. This is so the lead shoulder will hit the ramp and not the case. Crimp a little more so there is NO sharp edge on the case mouth, it should be smooth and rounded, not rough. That should do it....Good luck!

DougCarden was the one who gave me this info. I am loading to 1.234 with no problems. You may want to work with the crimp, that is probably the problem.

Edited August 3, 2010 by old506

[FLSlim]

A quick manual check (Lyman) for 200 gr LSWC shows OAL of 1.161 and 1.235--depending on bullet design. I doubt that 1.2 is going to be a problem, but you might check with the bullet manufacturer or their web site.

[Wanted]

Thanks for the replies. Yes it has a flat nose. It was hand cast, so I can't check maufactuer. As long as I'm good with 1,200. It won't function with anything longer. I just never loaded this short. Just kinda spooked I quess. Thanks old506, what are you crimping at?

Edited August 4, 2010 by Wanted

[noylj]

Re: COL per Ramshot

"It is important to note that the SAAMI “COL” values are for the firearms and ammunition manufacturers industry and must

be seen as a guideline only.

The individual reloader is free to adjust this dimension to suit their particular firearm-component-weapon combination.

This parameter is determined by various dimensions such as 1) magazine length (space), 2) freebore-lead dimensions of

the barrel, 3) ogive or profile of the projectile and 4) position of cannelure or crimp groove."

You have to determine what works in your gun. I have always loaded 200gn H&G 68-style L-SWCs out to 1.257-1.270 (as long as possible to fit magazine, feed reliably, and easily chamber).

I have always used the barrel or cylinder of the gun I am reloading for to determine COL.

The short-nose SWCs will have a corresponding shorter COL.

[CocoBolo]

LSWC are designed so that the full diameter section of the bullet is about a fingernail thichkness about the rim of the brass. This is just a general rule of thumb, and I mean thumbnail thickness. My Precision's are 1.260 this bullet is based on the mold 38 I think, it has rounded off edges and that is the easiest one to make feed. The precision delta has sharp corners and would not feed in my guns.

1.20 sounds short, but without seeing the bullet design aka profile it is impossible to tell. I would recommend you load light and work up or kaboom.

[Wanted]

I've heard some people mention the thumbnail rule. The data I'm going to use use is from Hornady manual and starts with 5.2 of Win. 231 LSWC at 1.200

[Wanted]

Crappy pic, but all I have now

[paul gilman]

I have shoot 10's of thousand 45 semi wad cutters they are hg 68 mold design that is also copied by magma bullet casting machines. I use overall length of 1.250 to 1.255 and they feed with out any problem in all of my 1911's and Para's. They even feed in my officers model. If they do not feed there is probably another problem with your gun.I even use this load to test accuracy of a new 45.

[Emerson]

I've shot many thousands of 200 gr SWC's set to an OAL of 1.250" My guns have never complained about the length, so I've never changed it.