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Shaving Lead on 45 ACP 230 RNL


Skalkaho Slim

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I'm reloading 45 ACP using 230 RNL pills.  I've noticed that I am shaving a thin ring of lead when seating the bullet.  I've tried adjusting everything I can think of, to no avail.  Most of the time, the ring just falls off, but sometimes it doesn't.  I'm concerned that this may affect headspace.  I've been told never to chamfer 45 ACP brass and would think that this would alleviate the problem.  Can anyone give me an idea of what to do?  Or am I just S.O.L.?  Thanks!

Toujours Pret!

Skalkaho Slim

(Edited by Skalkaho Slim at 9:42 pm on Aug. 23, 2002)

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I'm belling the case quite a bit more than I do with 45 Colt.  My pills are made by Burgess Bullets out of Moses Lake, WA.  They're .452 dia, 7% Antimony, 2% Tin.  Real nice, pretty much exactly the same as D&J pills.

I'm wondering if maybe the crimp is starting before the bullet is fully seated.  I'm not taper crimping them after seating, but rather doing it at the same time.  Wonder if I should add the taper crimp as an extra step.  After loading 500-1000 rounds on my little single stage, I would hate to think that I gotta go through and do an extra step.:(

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Slim,

I think the problem may be from seating and crimping at the same time.

I used to load on the Lee turret press, which only has three die stations...no place for a seperate crimping die.

I started depriming and sizing all brass to be reloaded, then placed the crimp die where the sizer/deprimer was.  This solved my problem of shaving lead.

Then I bought a Dillon, and life was better.

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OK, brainfart time.  Being told never to CHAMFER 45 ACP brass, I confused that with REAMING a case.  600 rounds into it with only about 100 more to go, I decided to ream a few.  Lo and behold, problem solved!  At least I have 100 or so rounds with out the rings.  Now my question is - some rounds have a slight ring of lead in front of the rim.  Very slight, but still there.  Will this affect headspace?  Are these rounds safe to shoot?  Thank you.

Toujours Pret!

Skalkaho Slim

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Slim,

You have me a bit confused.  I don't think we are all on the same page with the terms.

To me, reaming means getting out a cutter and putting it to each piece of brass.  That is something that is just not needed for 45 APC pistol brass.

What reloading equipment are you using?

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I thought that reaming was getting rid of the sharp edge of the inside of the case mouth.  I only load lead bullets and if I don't do that, the case will shave a thin ring.  I've always done it to my 45 Colt brass, but then again, I have always used lead pills.  I didn't do it to my 45 ACP brass because I always heard that it was never to be chamfered, forgetting that chamfering is removing material from the OUTSIDE of the case mouth.  Personnally, I don't know if there is really any difference between the two words, but I had just figured it as so.  I could very well be wrong (and often am:D) when it comes to the verbage.  I thought that most people used plated pills and with that being the case, there would be no need to ream/chamfer the case.

I hope this clears up my line of thinking.  If I continue, I'll only start confusing myself.:D

As far as reloading equipment, I have a Lyman single stage and all of the various dies and so forth.  Granted, it's a long, painful process, but it works.  I shoot CAS quite a bit, so 45 Colt has been pretty much all I reload (besides 45/70).  Figured I might as well start for my other calibers as well.  I've been reloading for revolvers for so long, doing the same for autos seems to be a little different.

Toujours Pret!

Skalkaho Slim

(Edited by Skalkaho Slim at 6:30 pm on Aug. 31, 2002)

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Slim,

You're not belling the case enough.  Plain and simple.  You really should never have to do any prep work to a pistol case besides the normal vibe bowl song and dance routine.  Getting a lead bullet in the case with out shaving lead or lube just takes what appears to be a hideously large bell.  

You're making life *way* too hard on yourself here.  There is an easier way.

E

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Take a belled case, and by hand, check it for fit in the seating die.  If the expanded end of the case won't go into the die, you have overdone it.  If the case goes in with no drag, you can try cranking in more flair.

All the belling in the world won't fix it if you are crimping and seating in the same operation.  Get a dedicated crimping die, and do the extra operation.  It was worth it for me.

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Yep, for 45ACP, leave the reamer/de-burr tool on the shelf.  Bell the case until the shaving of the lead stops.

If you plan to shoot lots, and are only reloading pistol, look into getting a Dillon Square Deal B.  They are a dedicated press...for pistol only.  They produce quality rounds...hundreds per hour.

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Slim,

Yeah it probably weakens it, but 45ACP is a very robust case.  The pressures are low, and they seem to just last forever.  You really need to get a Dillon.  Once you do, you'll never go back.  Single stages are for the birds.

E

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"You don't actually need a great deal of bell.  The trouble is that your crimping happens while the bullet is still moving into place.  You may find that more bell makes no improvement."

Right! You're having to ream the case mouth is because you're trying to taper-crimp and seat at the same time. Deburring the case mouth maybe a work-around until you get the Dillon.

:)

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I USED TO HAVE A LEE, IT WAS SUCH A PAIN IN THE ASS, THAT I RARELY RELOADED. THEN I BOUGHT A 38 SUPER RACE GUN, AND WAS FORCED TO RELOAD A HIGH VOLUME OF AMMO. I BOUGHT A DILLON 550, AND HAVE LOADED 1000'S OF ROUNDS OF HIGH QUALITY AMMO. DILLON ALSO OFFERS EXCELLENT SUPPORT AND CUSTOMER SERVICE.

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