Getting ready to load lead 45acp 230g RN, what do I need to know and what for?

[stgdz]

Been loading rainier 230grain RN bullets on my 550. The die setup I have is RCBS 3 die, one of dies is a seater and crimper though. My load is 5.7grains of unique so I am going to back that down a bit as I am first trying this out, I believe my OAL is about 1.26. The bullets that I am getting are from missouri bullet.

Is there anything that I need to pay attention to when loading lead? Checking for lube? Bullet shape etc...

 

[PotatoJudge]

Just the usual, flare the case neck enough so you don't shave lead and measure your taper crimp when you set the die. OAL and load data are fine.

 

[Galil5.56]

Might not go too much under 5.5 grains, at least in my experience for good cycling, and consistent velocities. I chronoed some 230 LRN over 5 grains of Unique and got about 650 fps... Nowhere near the Hercules manuals 790fps. 6 grains bumped it to 775 fps, and 6.2 grains about 805 avg.

I believe the gun was my 1911. I like Unique a lot, especially in higher intensity rounds (read 9mm), but until charges hit the firewall in 45 auto, I like Bullseye, 231, 700x, Solo 1000, and other faster propellants for this round when loading "target" type ammo. Good luck!

 

[stgdz]

One thing I forgot to add is that my rainier bullets develop a small wrinkle at the case mouth. I believe its the copper coating peeling back.


I have considered the 4 hole to eliminate this problem but will I have to get another seater bullet?

Chrono's on the rainier load were around 800 average I believe.

 

[evan price]

You need to flare the case mouth more in the expander. You're catching the copper plating and peeling it. NO amount of post-seat-sizing will help that, just use more flare and apply a gentle taper crimp. If you over crimp plated rounds, you will cut the plating and at higher velocities the copper will strip off.

 

[Markbo]

Just curious... is this for a practice load?

 

[Shoney]

Seating and crimping lead/plated bulletes in the same operation has never resulted in the best accuracy for any cartridge I have loaded. I always strongly suggest that the bullets be seated then crimped very lightly in seperate operations.

With your 550 setup as is, you must either size, prime, charge, seat without a crimp on one operation. Then remove all dies and powder measure for a second pass to crimp. PITA but worth it in accuracy gained. Or what I have done is do the second pass in my single stage press.

 

[wally]

For .45ACP 6.0 grains Unique any bullet, any primer, is good shooting with minimal complication.

When the charge gets too light Unique gets very dirty and you see lots of unburned flakes in front of you after you shot a box or two. I'd not suggest going below the 5.7 you are using, in fact I'd recommend going up to 6.0.

A bit more case mouth bell and you should be fine. I prefer a four station setup with taper crimp, but used the RCBS dies for a long time when I first started.

--wally.

 

[TEDDY]

45

I use a 200gr swc with 3.6 gr 700x.I have an AMT long slide and it functions perfect.I seat the bullet 1/32 out and roll crimp.I use the bullet to head space.It stays in x ring at 50 ft and in the ten ring at 50 yrds.I cant do better
and at 84 I dont care.

 

[rg1]

I agree with Galil5.56 and Wally on Unique and 230fmj's. I wouldn't go below 5.7 and 6.0 grains makes a good shooting load. Even 6.2 is not quite maximum but careful going above 6.2. I seat to 1.260" also. Even though I'm a single stage press user, I recommend seating and crimping in separate operations even with jacketed bullets and especially with plated ones.

 

[Sunray]

"...need to pay attention to when loading lead?..." Just go easy with the crimp. It doesn't have to be very much to work just fine. Taper crimp only, of course.
"...and roll crimp..." If you're shooting a .45 ACP and roll crimping, stop doing that. You have no headspace. The .45 ACP headspaces on the case mouth. The bullet will do nothing for headspace.

 

[stgdz]

I received the order today and I went to start loading them up. I have been using rainier 230 grain bullets before with an OAL of 1.267-1.270 and crimped at around 0.469.

These bullets would pass my lee 45acp go-no-go gauge

I then tried the softball 230 grain loads and my OAL was 1.267-1.270 but it would not pass the go-no-go gauge as it appears the 0.452 diameter shoulder on the bullet is interfering with the gauge. I did some experimentation and found that I could get the should to sit slight at the case line if I went with a 1.230 OAL. Most of the books I have read suggest a 1.256-1.266 OAL. I did not change the crimp.

Am I doing something wrong or is the 1.230 the correct OAL with these bullets. I can send you some pictures if you would like of what I am seeing.

 

[Griz44]

I too had an issue with wrinkling the jacket on the Rainier. After some experimenting I found that using a universal flaring die in front of the Lee powder through expander die cured it. Station 2 in my Lee Loadmaster was a priming station only, and putting the flaring die in that hole effects nothing else in the process. The universal flaring die does a slight flare on the very top of the case, just .001 larger than the powder die flaring sleeve. I get a perfect seat depth and no pealback. I finish them off with a Lee factory crimp die. Accuracy is excellent with the Rainier 230G RN. FYI I load with WLP primers under a 5.0gr charge of HP38.

 

[stgdz]

Got my lead loads out this weekend with my missouri bullets and 5.7 grains of unique.


Any way to reduce smoke or do I just live with it Is one powder less smoky then others?

 

[PotatoJudge]

That's what you see with light loads of Unique. Most other powders won't do that.

 

[Idano]

I too had an issue with wrinkling the jacket on the Rainier. After some experimenting I found that using a universal flaring die in front of the Lee powder through expander die cured it.

This week I just used my first Lee pistol dies on .357 Sig and I wasn't impressed with the Lee powder through expander die. It didn't have any adjustment for the width of the flare, but in it's defense it did provide enough flare for the Rainier bullets I was using. However, I can see where that could be an issue if the bullet size varies any.

 

[evan price]

The adjustment for the width of the flare is to screw the entire die down further. The deeper it sets, the more flare you get.

 

[Randyc74]

I'm reloading 230 Gr. Berrys Plated and 230 Gr. Oregon Trail Hardcast lead over 5.5 Gr. of Unique for my Springfield XD45.
I stick with the Berrys plated in my Kahr PM45. The 5.5 Gr. charge has worked out well for me in both pistols.