I reloaded 100 rounds of 45acp using a 200 grain plated Berry Bullet. The cartridge overall length is 1.295. All of the bullets were seated and crimped at that length. Should I pull every bullet and redo? Or can I just seat them to 1.250 and re-crimp? Is there any danger in shooting the bullets at 1.295? The bullets do cycle in the gun when I manual do it. Any thoughts? Thanks.
45acp Cartridge Overall Length?
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ChristopherG
Member
You probably do need to reseat them. Hopefully you haven't crimped them much anyway, since (a) it's .45acp and it doesn't ever want to be crimped much; and (b) plated bullets like Berry don't like much of a crimp in any caliber. Try using your seating die to jam them down in there and watch for any flaking of the copper plating or damage to your case mouths. Then, if they'll cycle manually, I'd say you're good to give them a try at the range.
Which 200 Gr Berrys?
I load the Berrys 200 GR HP at 1.200 with good success. Shoots great, and cuts good holes in targets. Even better holes than the Hornady 200 Gr FMJ-CT (SWC) Go figure.
As ChristopherG posted, if you haven't overcrimped, you should be able to seat them deeper.
I load the Berrys 200 GR HP at 1.200 with good success. Shoots great, and cuts good holes in targets. Even better holes than the Hornady 200 Gr FMJ-CT (SWC) Go figure.
As ChristopherG posted, if you haven't overcrimped, you should be able to seat them deeper.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Yikes!
Just seat them deeper.
1.275" is MAX SAAMI length for any bullet in .45 ACP.
At 1.295" you very likely have the bullets shoved into the rifling.
rc
You should load them to about 1.250"
chevy_dmax
Member
Just carefully push/seat them deeper but don't force them, I load 200 grain berry's at 1.200, from memory. As stated by the experts here, 1.275 is max by the book.
Bill.
Bill.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Because Hodgdons is wrong.
All GI issue 230 grain RN-FMJ hardball & match ammo I have measured is seated to between 1.266" - 1.271".
1.275" is SAAMI max length for a standard profile RN bullet, and it seems Winchester is seating to that length.
No idea how or why Hodgdon came up with that 1.200" but it is way to short.
rc
ScratchnDent
Member
It would be tedious, but I would give each one a tap or two in a kinetic puller to loosen the crimp, then seat them deeper. 1.25 OAL functions well for 200 gr RN in my guns.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
It's not like a roll-crimp has a death grip on the bullets.
Unless done extreamly wrong, the taper crimp has nothing to break loose or loosen.
It should be just barely kissing the bullet without cutting into it.
Just seat the dang things deeper is all you need to do.
rc
Unless done extreamly wrong, the taper crimp has nothing to break loose or loosen.
It should be just barely kissing the bullet without cutting into it.
Just seat the dang things deeper is all you need to do.
rc
The 1.200" OAL figure represents the minimum OAL and the pressure generated at that case capacity. It does not automatically mean Hodgdon is wrong.
LiveLife
Member
If you recrimp a plated bullet, make sure you push down hard on the bullet with your fingers/hand afterwards to see if you can push the bullet into the case. If the bullet is loose in the neck of the case, the bullet can seat deeper when the slide slams the loaded round against the ramp resulting in higher chamber pressure.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
Yes, it does.
The whole world seats 230 grain RN to 1.270" or so.
An inexperianced reloader should be able to pick up a Hodgdon manual and get what one must presume is a recommended OAL for a 230 grain RN bullet.
That they list it .070" too short is wrong.
rc
It does not.
There are 230gr RN lead bullets with various ogjive profiles. Lee, for example, offers a mold with a 1R profile that you seat to 1.200" OAL. I seat my Lasercast bullets (2R ogjive) to 1.250" OAL.
Not all 230gr RN bullets are seated to 1.270" OAL. The 1.200" OAL published by Hodgdon is the shortest possible scenario, a safety measure. Can you imagine seating that Lee 1R to 1.200" using 1.270" data?
There are 230gr RN lead bullets with various ogjive profiles. Lee, for example, offers a mold with a 1R profile that you seat to 1.200" OAL. I seat my Lasercast bullets (2R ogjive) to 1.250" OAL.
Not all 230gr RN bullets are seated to 1.270" OAL. The 1.200" OAL published by Hodgdon is the shortest possible scenario, a safety measure. Can you imagine seating that Lee 1R to 1.200" using 1.270" data?
ArchAngelCD
Member.
Every .45 Auto round I've loaded with a 200gr or 230gr RN bullet has been seated between 1.250" and 1.270" depending upon the bullet profile. More times than not they are between 1.260" and 1.270". The bullets I'm loading right now are seated to 1.260" and work well for me. Sorry, I don't know who made them, they were given to me in a bag... (I never say no to free bullets!!)
357mag357, don't forget the report on those reseated rounds...
357mag357, don't forget the report on those reseated rounds...
ole farmerbuck
Member
Well, you're up. Got em shot yet? 
The Berry 200g RN copper plated bullet with 4.2g Clays 1.25(COL) was good. Mild recoil and accurate at 25 ft. The same bullet seated at 1.22 was just as accurate how ever had slightly more recoil do to the increased pressure. The bullets fed well in the gun which is a S&W 1911 5inch barrel. The cases were also very clean after firing. The last bullet tested was the LEE Tumble Lube 230G LRN. I used Rooster Jacket instead of the Lee Lube which produces less smoke. The bullets were loaded with 4.0g of Clays and seated to 1.250 COL. This load was mild to shoot and was more accurate then the Berry 200g copper plated RN bullet.
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