.45 auto & Lee FCD question.

[FullEffect1911]

Hi,

Well I was reloading 50 .45 auto rounds today and came across something that struck me as somewhat odd that I would like to find out more about. I am not exactly a novice at reloading, but there is always room for improvement and adding a greater knowledge base.

The components:
.45 auto winchester brass
WLP primers
Oregon trail 230 grain cast lead round nose (.452 dia)
5.5 grains Alliant Unique
1.240" COAL

The cases seemed to need a little extra flaring from what I remember, but no problem I thought, and just flared them a tad bit more. I charged and seated with no problems, except that there was a bulge that I could feel on the side of the cases where the seated bullet stopped and the remaining case capacity started.

This "bulge" is what caused the resizing ring of the Lee FCD to resize just about all of the loaded rounds. I've read on the forums that this sizing ring really shouldn't be resizing a cartridge that was loaded correctly. The cartridges that contacted the FCD's sizing ring ended up at 1.243" COAL. The FCD did get rid of the external "bulges" however, which is why the COAL got a little longer.

So my question:

Is it okay in this application for the FCD to resize all of the rounds?
Or does it sound more likely that I messed something up during reloading?

 

[RustyFN]

Is the FCD resizing the round or is it just bumping the flair because there is a little too much. Sounds to me like it might be a little too much flair. I size my 200 grain SWC to .452 and use the FCD and never feel the post sizing ring touch anything. A couple of things I would check. Try to spin the bullet in the case to see if it is loose. Also hold the case and push the bullet against the bench to make sure you still have proper case tension. Don't push as hard as you can just hard enough to make sure the bullet is snug. If for some reason the FCD is out of spec and sizing the case there is a chance the case will spring back and the bullet won't making the bullet loose. If the bullets are still tight I would think you are good to go, you just might try a little less flair.
Rusty

 

[FullEffect1911]

Is the FCD resizing the round or is it just bumping the flair because there is a little too much. Sounds to me like it might be a little too much flair. I size my 200 grain SWC to .452 and use the FCD and never feel the post sizing ring touch anything. A couple of things I would check. Try to spin the bullet in the case to see if it is loose. Also hold the case and push the bullet against the bench to make sure you still have proper case tension. Don't push as hard as you can just hard enough to make sure the bullet is snug. If for some reason the FCD is out of spec and sizing the case there is a chance the case will spring back and the bullet won't making the bullet loose. If the bullets are still tight I would think you are good to go, you just might try a little less flair.
Rusty

All very valid suggestions. However I did check the tension in just the ways you described and it passed those tests.

Also I do not believe that it was just bumping the flare because in a direct comparison between the pre and post FCD rounds the "bulge" in the side of the case was noticeably flattened. So I am 99% sure that it was sizing the side of the case and not the flare.

Edited to add:

Wow i didn't realize this was such a debated topic, as always I should have searched first. If accuracy is okay I guess there is no problem here. Guess the bullet dia is just a little to large and/or thick case walls.

 

[Primersinmyshoe]

I use the Lee FCD with great success. No more fat cartridges.

Some reloaders swear by the FCD, others swear at it.

 

[RustyFN]

Wow i didn't realize this was such a debated topic,

Yes there have been some very interesting discussions about the FCD to say the least. I use the FCD for every caliber I load for because I like to seat and crimp in separate operations. If Lee offered a four die set with a standard crimp die and not the FCD I would be just as happy with that also because I don't rely on the post sizing ring to fix my ammo.
Rusty

 

[Jim Watson]

I can feel the CFC ring go bumpity-bump over the bands of common bulk cast bullets in mixed brass most of the time. People will tell you this is a Bad Thing because of various technical considerations, but unless you want to go to matched brass and premium bullets, you may well need the CFC to get all your rounds to chamber in the first place.

 

[FullEffect1911]

I use the FCD for every caliber I load for because I like to seat and crimp in separate operations.

I prefer to do it this way as well.

you may well need the CFC to get all your rounds to chamber in the first place.

This is the conclusion that I came to as well. I had a brief conversation with my buddy about this, and we came to the "conclusion" if you're loading for a gun that you need/want to have feed correctly every time then the FCD is a nice tool for that. If you are loading for max accuracy like for his kimber then reliability can take a back seat to accuracy. Not a hard and fast rule of course, but it makes sense to me.

Oh by the way, fwiw I just got back from the range, and they all fed and fired just fine. And for the record I really like my new M&P45 compact.

 

[skeetman59]

OK, while we are discussing this, has anyone found the need for a little extra crimp on LSWC to get them to feed properly? I am reloading 185 g LSWC(I got a great deal on them) ending up at about 1.235, and plan to shoot them in a Para 1911 with polished ramp. I loaded some dummy rounds and the ones with extra crimp fed better. Any drawbacks like too much case pressure/ Thanks!!

 

[Walkalong]

Some reloaders swear by the FCD, others swear at it.

Very true.....