45ACP Loads

[Kevin Pledger]

Hi Guys,

We have at present about 6 - 8 625 revolvers in our club. Due to the fact where I reside, we cant reload, we are forced to use factory ammo only.

Today I did a quick main / rebound spring change out to try and get a better hammer strike on a revolver, because we had managed to get some factory Federal .45ACP ammo. With this quick change the gun is firing more consistant, the owner was always backing out the strain screw to get a lighter pull, but he didnt realise it would always come loose and not the correct way to do this. Trigger is still 7.5lbs, but I didnt want to mess around to much as he is going to a match this coming weekend in Thailand.

The 230grain hardball bites like hell, and you certainly feel it after 300 rounds in a match, so after shooting about 50 rounds, started to think if it was feasible to pull the bullets and then reload them.

Seen as I have a RCBS Rock Chucker press, which I had used for crimping .40S&W ammo, I could use this to pull the .45ACP rounds and load them down using the existing powder.

So I am correct in my thinking I would need the following reloading equipment to do this:

1: RCBS Collet Puller and .45ACP collet

2: .45ACP Seating / Crimping Die ( what is the better option Roll or Taper Crimp? )

3: .45ACP Expander Die

4: RC130 Reloading Scales and a Powder funnel

5: .45ACP collet for bottom of press, how could I order this as I dont see this listed on the RCBS webpage.

Is there anything else required that I have missed ?

Assuming that the powder in this ammo is a not commercially available, but rather a federal brand, I would need to weigh the existing load, and then work backwards to attain the desired PF or 175 instead of the 205PF.

I do have reloading experience when I lived back in New Zealand, so I am just doing this to allow our revolver shooters to be able to compete with a lower PF load. Its not worthwhile to invest in a full press, as this would draw to much attention.

A normal match here is about 250 to 300 rounds, so if it takes a few hours to do this its not a problem.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Cheers ....

[wanderer]

kevin

you will also need a sizing die or you will have a loose fit when you replace the projectile.

45acp is taper crimped.

i would pull and weight powder from 10 rounds, it will give you a more accurate powder weight. then reduce from there.

you will be looking for about 100fps less, so at a guess you will want about 0.3 - 0.4 gr less powder give or take depanding on the powder they use.

Edited March 11, 2012 by wanderer

[Kevin Pledger]

kevin

you will also need a sizing die or you will have a loose fit when you replace the projectile.

45acp is taper crimped.

i would pull and weight powder from 10 rounds, it will give you a more accurate powder weight. then reduce from there.

you will be looking for about 100fps less, so at a guess you will want about 0.3 - 0.4 gr less powder give or take depanding on the powder they use.

Wanderer,

Thanks, Forgot I would have to resize. So better to get Seating/ Crimp die alone with a resizing die.

I was thinking of doing the reloading in small batches, and chrono the ammo, till I reach the desired load.

Cheers ...

[pskys2]

Don't forget to remove the decapping pin and you'll be best with a Taper Crimp.

Really seems like a lot of work though.

Have you actually chrono'd the factory ammo? Most I've done come out about 800f/s or less, which is a 184 or less PF.

The last Wolf Ammo I chrono'd out of my 5" 625 was 773 f/s and a 177PF, the Hi Performance 230 HP loads will go 860-900 f/s, but rarely does hardball get there.

Edited March 12, 2012 by pskys2

[Kevin Pledger]

Don't forget to remove the decapping pin and you'll be best with a Taper Crimp.

Really seems like a lot of work though.

Have you actually chrono'd the factory ammo? Most I've done come out about 800f/s or less, which is a 184 or less PF.

The last Wolf Ammo I chrono'd out of my 5" 625 was 773 f/s and a 177PF, the Hi Performance 230 HP loads will go 860-900 f/s, but rarely does hardball get there.

Hi,

Yes we have chrono'd the loads, out of a 4" barrel the average PF is 202, its consistant across all 625's in the club. This is using American Eagle(Federal) ammo.

May seem a lot of trouble, but its something that allows the revolver shooters to compete somewhat on a level playing ground aganist the other competitors in this area, whom can reload.

Cheers ....

[Brian B]

I manage my revolver recoil with this:

http://www.trausch.com/form/crossesbise.htm