In 45acp I Only Use Winchester Cases .894" & Longer

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CQB45ACP

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When I concluded my years long 45acp case longevity test, having learned cases shorten with each use, I measured all my Winchesters. Why? Just for fun and to schedule their future use virtually guaranteeing I'm loading less used cases first.

SAAMI specs are .898" down to .888". Most all of my testers were below .888" when test ended with some as short as .883". They were dumped into a shortie container. Any others measuring .889" or shorter got their own container as well and are not to be used except in an apocalyptic emergency. .890" - .891" also in one container as were .892" - .893". First picture shows the three containers.

Since that great measuring, I have only loaded/shot those cases .894" and above. After I size & wet tumble they are measured again and if below .894" into the appropriate container they go. Second picture shows unloaded cases .894" and longer. Another hundred or so are loaded in magazines. In the foreground are the only ones from Monday's session still qualifying--just 17 of 'em.

If you're interested to know, even cases of same brand do not shorten the same amount at same pace. Don't know why. Same load used each time--a moderate load.

Cheers
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https://www.bullseyeforum.net/t3370-45acp-case-length

I posted in this thread years ago. Long brass to match a short chamber, makes for top accuracy. Best for the 50 yard line.

Never use mixed range brass, if you want accuracy. Bullet pull can be from 45 to over 100 pounds to move a lswc bullet.
Edid/Add- Bullet Pull- The force in pounds it takes for the bullet to start moving out of the brass.
The standard for 5.56 is 35 pounds minimum. On bullet seating, brass OD will expand .002"
 
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CQB45ACP said:
When I concluded my years long 45acp case longevity test, having learned cases shorten with each use, I measured all my Winchesters. Why? Just for fun and to schedule their future use virtually guaranteeing I'm loading less used cases first.

SAAMI specs are .898" down to .888". Most all of my testers were below .888" when test ended with some as short as .883". They were dumped into a shortie container. Any others measuring .889" or shorter got their own container as well and are not to be used except in an apocalyptic emergency. .890" - .891" also in one container as were .892" - .893". First picture shows the three containers.

Since that great measuring, I have only loaded/shot those cases .894" and above. After I size & wet tumble they are measured again and if below .894" into the appropriate container they go. Second picture shows unloaded cases .894" and longer. Another hundred or so are loaded in magazines. In the foreground are the only ones from Monday's session still qualifying--just 17 of 'em.

If you're interested to know, even cases of same brand do not shorten the same amount at same pace. Don't know why. Same load used each time--a moderate load.

Cheers
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So… when did you verify your results with R-P cases?
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
So… when did you verify your results with R-P cases?
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Your memory betrays me. Might not have announced it here, but I just couldn't get into it nor with S&Bs. Shooting at most every three weeks makes it just too much like work to keep up and keep track. BUT, all the cases are sorted, uniformed, and ready to resume
 
CQB45ACP said:
Your memory betrays me. Might not have announced it here, but I just couldn't get into it nor with S&Bs. Shooting at most every three weeks makes it just too much like work to keep up and keep track. BUT, all the cases are sorted, uniformed, and ready to resume
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Hmmm… I don’t know. A single point of reference is kinda flimsy. But, it’s still admirable work. Just not quite complete.

Good effort! Much appreciated!
 
Mission creep.

That’s all I gotta say. 😁

Seriously though, I’ve never been a brass chaser, though I have been known to bring a wet-vac to the range and snarf up gallons of brass in seconds, whether I needed it or not, but it is interesting to know how quickly brass shrinks and where the shrinkage occurs.
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
Mission creep.

That’s all I gotta say. 😁

Seriously though, I’ve never been a brass chaser, though I have been known to bring a wet-vac to the range and snarf up gallons of brass in seconds, whether I needed it or not, but it is interesting to know how quickly brass shrinks and where the shrinkage occurs.
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Not a favorite thing of mine, chasing, but provided I get end lane and no one immediately next to me, it's not too bad.
 
GeoDudeFlorida said:
Mission creep.

That’s all I gotta say. 😁

Seriously though, I’ve never been a brass chaser, though I have been known to bring a wet-vac to the range and snarf up gallons of brass in seconds, whether I needed it or not, but it is interesting to know how quickly brass shrinks and where the shrinkage occurs.
Click to expand...

I never had power where I needed it but I have made my own gasoline powered vacuum for the job.

044251B4-69FB-4225-A6FC-601A8A4686F5.jpeg0BC66A0B-FB24-4C7D-9374-86A606549BFB.jpeg
 
jmorris said:
I never had power where I needed it but I have made my own gasoline powered vacuum for the job.

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I used a power inverter to get A/C 110V@5A out of the truck’s D/C 12V@20A trailer hookup. The parts came from Radio Shack and Zenith. The case I made at the shop using scrap and a power break.

This was in 1984/85. Commercial inverters were insane $$$$ back then.

I got yelled at by a few members and the club came within a couple votes of kicking me out. People were that mad (that they didn’t think of it first). 🤣
 
.45Coltguy said:
Dang. I don't think I've ever measured handgun brass. As I don't shoot my .45 acp at 50 yards, just at empty cans and dirt clods in the desert, what is the preferred case length for .45 acp? Thanks.

Wait! Now I'm gonna measure my cases!? Double dang!o_O
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Don’t start! Not necessary.

Remember where I began and why…I was running my longevity test for 18 months and consistent with the article linked to below, my cases were getting shorter and shorter with each use or every few uses. Eventually they dropped below SAAMI minimum of .888” where conventional wisdom said they’d start headspacing off the extractor (whatever that means).

From all that, I became fixated.

How many times can I reload 45 ACP brass? – Florida Reloading

www.floridareloading.com www.floridareloading.com
 
First, I defer to the ingenuity of the professional brass collectors in this thread. Our tactical bays are covered in 9mm cases with a few 45 ACP and 380 thrown in for good measure. My objective is to come home with a few more cases than bullets that I shot. I do it the old-fashioned way, bending over picking them up one at a time. Those contraptions make me go 🤔. Thanks for the ideas.

As to short brass, I measured it when I started reloading and noticed the autoloaders did get shorter over time. I asked on a couple forums and guys said they'd reloaded both 9mm and 45 ACP literally until the headstamps weren't readable and had no issues. I used to lube it too, but found out I didn't need to do that since I use Lee carbide dies.
 
Barmcd said:
First, I defer to the ingenuity of the professional brass collectors in this thread. Our tactical bays are covered in 9mm cases with a few 45 ACP and 380 thrown in for good measure. My objective is to come home with a few more cases than bullets that I shot. I do it the old-fashioned way, bending over picking them up one at a time. Those contraptions make me go 🤔. Thanks for the ideas.

As to short brass, I measured it when I started reloading and noticed the autoloaders did get shorter over time. I asked on a couple forums and guys said they'd reloaded both 9mm and 45 ACP literally until the headstamps weren't readable and had no issues. I used to lube it too, but found out I didn't need to do that since I use Lee carbide dies.
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Repeat after me, hello I’m barmcd and I measure brass…
 
Awhile back notice feeding problems in a tight chambered 1911. The well used (over used) 45 acp brass was shortening and getting larger dia near the base. Modified a lyman carbide sizing die and shell holder to almost fully resize the brass body. Magically, the shortened brass actually got longer, and the larger dia base reduced back to "normal". Since then Lee sells a kit to use with their fc die to fully resize the case body, but does not size down to the dia a modified lyman does.

As an aside, lead target loads were made more consistent by head spacing off the appropriate lead bullet, and not recommended for jacketed.
 
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