.45 ACP OAL

[Werewolf]

Every loading manual I've seen, every online spec and the two loading manuals I own show the max OAL for a .45ACP round is 1.275.

I've got some factory loaded Hornady +P 230 gr XTP's. Since I'm loading some +P .45ACP I decided to measure the OAL of the Hornady's.

***!

Every single one of the twenty in the box ran 1.34 to 1.36. What gives. I thought factory ammo had to meet SAAMI specs (which I don't know for the OAL of a .45ACP). BUT if SAAMI specs for .45ACP and OAL is 1.35 then why do all the reloading manuals show a max of 1.275?

I'm confused...

 

[Jim Watson]

MY factory Hornadys aren't +P but the OAL is 1.230".

I doubt your caliper calibration.

SAAMI maximum OAL for .45 ACP IS 1.275" and that only for RN, I would not expect to be able to make up hollowpoints that long that would work.
I don't know if a 1.36" round would even go in the magazine, which is only 1.37" front to back on MY calipers.

 

[huntershooter]

You are compering the OAL spec's for BALL to Hollow Points.

 

[Werewolf]

I doubt your caliper calibration.

Not an unreasonable estimation but in this case not correct. I use a gauge block to make sure my calipers are OK - they're dead on.

As for magazine length the Hornadies fill it up front to back with little room to spare. They feed into my S&W 1911 and Sig P220 with out a problem. I'm going to test them in my Kimber Ultra Tac II tomorrow. So far it's fed all jacketed rounds without incident. The 4 FTF and 2 stovepipes I've experienced so far (about a 100 rounds fired) were all lead and OAL ran from 1.19 to 1.25 with powders ranging from Titegroup, HP38, AA#5 and HS-6 and from light loads to heavy.

 

[Lone_Gunman]

You are compering the OAL spec's for BALL to Hollow Points.

I have not seen different OAL measurements of ball versus hollow points. What are you talking about?

 

[JDGray]

Hollow points are normally shorter with the flat nose. If the cartridge chambers and fits in the mag, shoot em.

 

[GunDog44]

Of all the reloading manuals I have, the HP bullets are consistantly shorter in OAL than LSWC or RN bullets. Example: Speer Manual #13

185 gr Gold-Dot HP - OAL 1.200
185 gr TMJ/FN - OAL 1.275
200gr TMJ/FN - OAL 1.275
200gr JHP OAL 1.155
200gr Gold-dot HP OAL - 1.200

HP are always shorter in OAL, as far as my experience anyway.

 

[Ares45]

Hollow points are normally shorter with the flat nose.

Agreed. I load 45 FMJ to 1.265". For JHP anything over 1.220 will not feed/chamber reliably, least not for my guns.

 

[Canuck-IL]

Werewolf...
Ignoring the thread drift, I also would have bet they wouldn't chamber or would jam in the mag, assuming they loaded at all...how about asking Hornady about this phenomenon? I suspect they wouldn't think they're loading rounds over SAAMI max OAL.
/Bryan

 

[Werewolf]

Wellllll....

No matter what the books say 1.35 OAL Hornady XTP's feed just fine in a S&W 1911, a Sig P220 and a Kimber Ultra Tac 2.

Just to be sure (overkill in my estimation because I have a 1" gauge block) I checked a number of factory items I have.

• .357 cases - 10 - 1.27 to 1.272
• .38 Spl +P Speer GD 10 factory loaded rounds 1.145 to 1.149
• .357 Mag S&B 158 gr FMJ 1.578 - 1.581 (good quality there)
• Wolf .40 S&W Factory loaded 180gr JFP 1.124-1.129
• Wolf 7.62X39 1.8 - 2.0

All are less than listed maxes for case length (.357 cases) and the OAL (the loaded rounds) in my reloading manuals.

Those Hornadies are LONG. Since I've shot most of them up and I doubt Hornady would believe me anyway calling them would more than likely be a waste of time. If they're gonna build +P's wrong long is probably better than short unless they're for a carry gun and then RIGHT would be best.

I was not surprised by the measurements. I expected the Wolf stuff to be inconsistent and it was. The .004 spread on the GD's was a bit more than I expected but that variation is probably irrelevant in a pistol round. I was especially pleased by the low variation in the S&B factory loads - pretty tight considering the low cost compared to those Speer Gold Dots.