.45 reload newbie questions

[Notsobrt]

Hello all! I just started reloading after reading up on for several months in books and the internet. Finally broke down and bought a 550B package from Brian. Awesome! Loaded up on supplies and have been reloading. As problems arise I've been finding alot of answers on the forums but here are three I can't seem to get a good answer for:

First what I'm loading.

.45

Win 230 FMJ

Mixed brass

CCI 300

Clay's 3.8/3.9

1.255" COL

Not Chrono-ing/Not worried about PF- just looking for a cheap target load.

Questions:

1. What is considered acceptable deviation for COL? I set it for 1.255" but sometimes get as low as 1.248" and as high as 1.263". Considering 2-3 sheets of paper can be .014 that ain't much! However, I'm very cautious about anything that will reduce OAL and cause increased pressures. I'd really prefer not to blow a barrel. (I did see something on the Dillon website and manual that you can get up to .016" deviations but I guess my question is when should I be concerned and get the ol' kinetic hammer out?)

2. Running an 18lb spring in a Springfield 5" and I have alot of fails to lock to the rear. Brass is spitting about 1-2'. I suspect one or two things. Increase the charge to 4.0 (or maybe higher) and lighten the spring to 16lbs (yes, I'm very well aware of the thoughts on recoil spring weights). I do like the softball loads at 3.8 to 3.9 but... In the 5" Kimber with a somewhat well worn 16lb spring I have no issues. (I think Wulff recommends about 5' for the brass to eject...)

3. In order to clean the powder bar (which apparently is not uncommon to get a little dirty), do I have to dump out all the powder. I'm assuming I do but I don't see any easy way to do that except maybe unscrew the whole powder measure from the die and then dump it back into the container. Clean it and then reinstall and readjust the whole measure? I'm hoping there is a simpler way cause every time I look at doing that I cringe. I will say, I have quickly learned about cleaning, scrubbing and adding some graphite to the pimer bar. Got that down pretty quick! :-)

Thanks for the help in advance. I've learned quite a bit on here already. And every day of reloading is a lesson but it's getting better.

[noylj]

1. What is considered acceptable deviation for COL? The concern is not that level of deviation but rather bullet set-back from the round hitting the feed ramp—say 0.1" and not ±0.007". The deviation you are seeing is most likely due to how loaded the shell plate is with cases—it seems to me that when the shell plate only has the one case in it that the COL is the longest. To reduce that deviation, you would need to tighten the shell plate down to the point where it would not rotate easily and you would need to do "dead length" bullet seating by having the seating die turned down about 1/2-1 turn from point of contact with shell plate. This would stress the shell plate and your press. Some people may try to convince you that they can control it tighter, but I have never been able to on a progressive press. If COL was that critical, we would have to do it by hand or, at least, on a machine dedicated just to seating. Also, by starting with the .45ACP, you are loading an ~20K psi round in a gun that can handle 35k psi or more. Don't try to max out your .45ACP, but you have some safety room to learn with.

2. Why did you replace the recoil spring? Was it under 6" in length? How many rounds have gone through the gun? A new gun needs a break-in period to get all the parts burnished to each other. People who shoot softball loads use a 12-14# spring. People who really want to run hardball are the ones who use an 18-20# spring. Your loads are most likely just barely cycling with that spring. Run for a couple hundred rounds, see how things work, and then try a lighter or heavier spring. Every gun is an individual.

3. There is a lock ring on the measure, consisting of a fixed 180° section and a removable 180° section held by two bolts. Most people never fully tighten the two bolts and simply loosen the bolts so they can pull the removable section out far enough to lift the measure off the die. The die never leaves the tool head. I have never cleaned any of my charge bars and, in fact, you should cycle enough powder through the measure to sort of coat the inside rubbing surfaces with graphite from the powder. If you have some powdered graphite, use it and cycle the measure. The only time to disassemble, in my experience, is to change charge bar or to clean out any powder that has leaked (and then, all you need is a brush).

[Notsobrt]

Thanks for the reply. What I decided to do was make a 3x5 card with 1.255 plus or minus .016 (based on the possible deviation that Dillon says the press might do) and just leave that with the press. This way when I measure one that's off I just check to see if it's within those limits. If it is, I won't sweat it.

The stock recoil spring is 18#. Not sure why but that's what they put in there. I just dropped it to the standard 16#. We'll see what happens. Spring weights are a topic in their own. At 4.0 grains of Clays I think 16# should do it. I don't think that's exactly "softball" anymore but again, I'm new to this.

I know the parts you're talking about. I was just curious if when I pull those 180 degree pieces apart and lift the measure off the die would I have any issues with spilling powder all over? My charge bar just seems like it"ratchets" some times so I wasn't sure if I needed to clean it.

Thanks again for the answers.

[chbrow10]

I agree with what Not So Bright said above. I'd like to add that when I had similar concerns over the COL of the cartridges that I was loading, I measured a box a factory ammo, and it varied all over the place. 0.1 was the range of deviation that I saw on the factory stuff. What I have done is learned what the longest round my barrel will chamber and my magazines will feed. I make sure that I stay 0.01 to 0.015 below that. That is just my way.

[G-ManBart]

Using mixed brass will give you that amount of variation. Slightly different neck tension will cause that...slightly softer, harder, thicker or thinner brass. I know, in theory it shouldn't matter, but it does.

For my 38SC loads I set the OAL at 1.235" (using same headstamp brass) and don't worry unless I see a round outside of 1.230' to 1.240"...most are within a range of 1.233' to 1.238". Also note that the first couple of rounds, and the last couple of rounds, will be slightly different because all of the stations on the press aren't full.

For soft loads in .45, a 16lb spring is fine. The failures to lock back and the short ejection distance are telling you all you need to know. R,

[MARKAVELI]

I normaly try to stay within the guide lines of what my manuals say for the OAL,guage em drop em in my barrel to see if they would chamber and load em in my mags to make sure they dont rub on the walls of the mags then just rack em out!

2.)?

3.) I too just unscrew the two screws that lock the powder measure in place and tip it over in a funnel and call it one!

Edited October 22, 2010 by MARKAVELI