New to Reloading have some questions..

[fromps]

I am new to reloading and i have a couple questions that i hope you guys or gals can answer.

Prelim: I have a Dillon 650 XL / setup for .45ACP / all Dillon Dies and accessories / 230 grain Ranier bullets / Winchester large primers / Remington brass / Bullseye powder.

Question One: The OAL in Lyman's 48th edition for a .45 ACP is 1.275 for a 230 grain bullet. I have completed 88 rounds and their OAL varies from 1.267 - 1.275 (.008 difference). Lyman's states that the OAL can vary +/- .005, but the Dillon setup book states the OAL can vary .016, which is correct and are my rounds within an acceptable tolerance?

Question Two: I have brand new Winchester brass. The Lyman manuel states the case should be .480 wide, but my brass is measured at .470 wide, is that acceptable?

Thank you for your time.

 

[ole farmerbuck]

I'm not at my reloading bench now or i would try to answer your question. I'll sure read the replies though. Good luck, a lot of helpful people on here.

 

[ole farmerbuck]

My new Hornady book shows .473 at the mouth of the case.

 

[Grumulkin]

I would say the cartridge length variations are acceptable. Try this; measure some bullets and I think you'll find that bullet lengths vary. When you seat a bullet, you are probably seating it by applying pressure not at the very tip but down the bullet a little way. If you had a bullet comparator and were able to measure that distance, you would probably find that it didn't vary much.

According to my Nosler manual (I don't have a Lyman manual), the 45 ACP case should measure 0.480 inches across the rim of the case and 0.473 inches across the outside dimension of the mouth of the case. You didn't say what part of the case you were measuring. Either way, the dimensions of your cases shouldn't cause a problem.

 

[243winxb]

Whats been said above. My taper crimp of the mouth is around .470"

the Dillon setup book states the OAL can vary .016,

The Tool Head moves if i remember correctly. There is a fix made by a company called Uniquetek's toolhead clamps.http://www.uniquetek.com/site/696296/product/T1230

are my rounds within an acceptable tolerance?

Yes.

 

[fromps]

Thank you guys for your help.

 

[edelbrock]

That is pretty ambitious starting out with a 650 as a new reloader. You have a lot of reading to do! Good luck!

 

[DukeInMaine]

Here's how I teach it in my reloading classes:

Take a similar factory load that is known to function (regarding length) fine in your gun, and use that as the reference round for setting up your press. I have my students mark that reference round with X's on the sides (with a Sharpie), and keep it with their tools, or in some other safte place. The X's indicate that it is a reference round, and should not be shot.

Now, as long as you make you reloads the same length as that reference round, it should cycle through your gun fine. The MAX overall length measured in the books is just that. Most factory rounds are less than max overall length.

Hope that helps you.

 

[jfh]

Well--one thing for sure: I would not get carried away with building a lot of rounds until I had verified their function in my particular (.45ACP) firearms.

IOW, check for FTFs, chamber fits, et.al. before getting the 650 rocking....

Jim H.

 

[RustyFN]

DukeInMaine,
Hey Duke welcome to THR.

fromps,
What I would do is take the barrel out of the gun and take the longer rounds and drop them in like a case gage. If they will chamber then the shorter ones should be fine. I also do as Duke suggested. I make up a dummy round ( case & bullet only ) for each bullet profile so when I need to reset the seating die for that bullet it makes it fast and easy.

Rusty

 

[mallc]

They'll shoot fine!

The 650 will spin rounds real quick so you do want to be sure its dialed in. That said, long will cause problems, a little short is not an issue.

Seating depth with usually depends on the shape and quality of bullet you're seating. Most standard seating dies contact the end of the bullet which tends to introduce the variation. Competition dies usually contact the ogive (Oh-jive) or shoulder of the bullet which is the where the bullet engages the barrel rifling.

The Dillon tool head does lift when loaded, however it lifts the same amount each time. I have not been able to measure decernable OAL difference between rounds loaded on my 650, Rock Chucker, or Redding T7 using standard seating dies.

Hope this helps.

Scott

 

[rfwobbly]

The Dillon dies (unlike most others) also have the internal ability to change from FP to RN inside the seater die. Make sure your dies are set to push on RN bullets. That should help some.

 

[fromps]

Thank you again guys. about 12 years ago i started with a lee press, but i only loaded rounds for a bout a year and then the press got put away with the intent of reloading again someday. 12 years later i decided to get into reloading again but my lee press was rusted and in bad shape, so i decided to upgrade into a Dillon 650XL, and yes Edelbrock, it is has been a lot of reading and researching. I figured with me being in law enforcement reloading would be cheaper than buying boxes of ammo and the Dillon would pay for itself.
DUKEINMAINE: Thank you. I plan on taking a reloading class in addition to all the research i am doing. My main concern was with the shorter bullets creating too much pressure and becoming dangerous. 90% of my first batch are within .004 (1.271-1.275) of the recommended 1.275 OAL, but i had a few that were .008 under the recommended OAL (LYMON recommends 3.8 grains as the starting point for a 230 grain bullet. I am reloading them at 3.9 grains. and i am checking the weight every tenth round. Max is 5.3). According to Lyman it's ok to be +/- .005 of the suggested OAL, but Dillon stated .016 is acceptable. Not sure which is more accurate. All my rounds fit in the bullet gauge fine, i was just concerned about the short ones. Thank you for your suggestions and i will be making a reference round per your suggestion.