single bullet for 45acp and 45colt

[shu]

have done some 45acp for my springfield mil-spec before, have new vaquero in 45colt which i plan to hand load for. like to keep number of inventory items to a minimum. 45acp would normally take a taper crimp, 45 colt would normally take a roll crimp.

is there a single bullet (preferably plated type) suitable for both? berry's seems not to have anything. not going nuclear here, just soft to medium stuff for targets and plinking.

have rcbs 45 colt dies on order. can the 45acp crimp die be used on the 45 colt
cases (so as not to pinch plating of bullet)?

wanting to go for accurate loads, but also to get the most bullets per pound, is there much sacrifice in accuracy deviating from the presumed optimum of 230gr for 45acp and 255 for 45 colt? what is the lightest bullet which would give satisfactory accuracy in these calibers? (leaving aside the feeding problems with 45acp; i have given up on semi wad cutters there!)

thanks - shu

 

[countertop]

Don't know the answer (but I think it is no, they are slightly different sizes), but I just wanted to mark it to ensure I findi out if it is answered.

 

[Jim Watson]

No problem with the weight - lots of CAS tenderfeet shooting light bullet .45 Colt - or diameter, which have been within a thousandth for some years.

You ought to be able to use the ordinary 230 grain .45 ACP bullet and, as you say, flange up a taper crimp for the Colt brass. Since you cannot crimp a loose bullet tight, especially with the thinly plated things, you might have to use the ACP sizing die to neck size the Colt cases and you might have to reduce the diameter of the expander plug to give adequate bullet pull.

Me?
I'd just get some correct bullets for each. As R. Buckminster Fuller said, "Simplify as much as possible, BUT NO MORE!"

 

[Sistema1927]

Both use the same diameter bullets.

I reload .45 ACP with 200 and 255 lead RNFP and SWC bullets, the same as I use for .45 Colt, but mainly for use in a S&W revolver. I also have loaded 230 Gold Dots for the .45 Colt. I would think that you could use 230 RN or FMJ without problem for your .45 ACP semi as well as in your revolver.

 

[jjohnson]

Rainier Bullets - Same Ones

Hey, the "old" 45 Colt used to be .454 (more or less) diameter, but that was some time ago - most manufacturers, Ruger included, has been boring the Colt to the same .451 bore as the ACP for decades, so, yeah, you can use the same bullets. My Ruger Convertible (45ACP/45Colt) handles the 230 grain RN bullets with either cylinder just fine. If you're trying to keep it all simple, you might try Rainier plated 230 grain RN bullets. You can get them from (among many other places) Midway = midwayusa.com. I've had pretty decent results with lighter cast bullets as well, both 200 grains and 185, but that gets a bit more sensitive to the actual load and the actual handguns you're using. The revolvers, of course, will eat stuff you just can't get to regularly feed in the autos. The Ranier slugs are reasonably priced - I'd order a pack of 500 and go from there. On the crimp, the ACP is more touchy than the Colt - you should be able to taper crimp the Colt, but roll crimping the ACP would likely cause you feed problems. The ACP (taper) crimp should cause you no problems on the Colt. You can verify this safely by loading your 45 Colt ammo and checking it in your (REMOVED from Vaquero) cylinder if you're not using a case gauge. I repeat - in the REMOVED cylinder. They should drop free.

 

[bigger jon]

try`em all

thats what i do right now i`am shooting 200gr,s.w.c. out of both the 45acp and the 45colt, I`ve also loaded up a bunch of colts with the speer 200gr jhp intended for the ACP, play around with`em just start off low and have fun

 

[shu]

thanks. i do like plated bullets. guess i am most concerned about feeding in the 1911 and roll crimp the 45 colt die will put on plated bullets. have a lee fcd in 45 cal which i got while wrestling with the 1911 feed problems. i'll probably just set the 45 colt die to lightly iron out the bell and finish them off with the lee fcd, altho it will add an extra pass thru the single stage rock chucker.

-shu

 

[LAH]

I've had no problem using the LFC die without removing the bell from the case so probably the extra step won't be needed.........Creeker

 

[jjohnson]

45 Colt - No Worries, Mate!

You're probably over-working the situation with the Colt. That revolver cylinder is bored to be fairly forgiving. Your 1911 is an entirely different animal and you have to play with how you finish after getting the bullet seated for it to feed reliably (which is why you have a fcd in the first place) but the revolver isn't so picky.

Try this.... with that REMOVED Vaquero cylinder sitting beside you at the loading bench, take a Colt round right after seating the bullet and see if it'll drop right in the cylinder. It probably will. If it does, you could get away with putting a LIGHT crimp on it and be done. Lots of people overdo the crimp - be gentle. The crimp on revolver ammo is only there to hold the bullet in place so it doesn't fall inside by accident when loading or get shot loose under recoil when another round goes off. It just doesn't take much. Some seating dies by themselves will give you a tight enough crimp to accomplish that. Don't make a big deal out of the revolver ammo. It's just not as twitchy as your auto is.

 

[sgtfri714]

I have had great luck using the same generic 230gr LRN bullets you see offered my several commercial casters, in both my Ruger 45ACP/45Colt Convertible and Mil Spec Springfield 1911A1. For the 45ACP I use a charge of 4.5gr of Bullseye in the 45 Colt I use a Cowbay load of 8gr of Unique. In the 45 Colt I use a medium role crimp just over the ojive. The original 45 Colts were crimped in the same manner as they did not have crimping groves either.

 

[JoeHatley]

+1 I use Rainier 200 grain SWC plated bullets in both calibers, with great results.

Joe

 

[bakert]

No experience with plated bullets so I really can't comment on them. I use cast bullets almost exclusively in both .45ACP and .45 Colt. I usually use a heavier 25/255 gr bullet in .45 Colt but at times I use 230 gr LRN or 225 gr FN bullets in both. Although I normally use a roll crimp in .45 Colt, a .45 ACP taper crimp die works just fine in both calibers unless you're using firebreathers in that big Colt rd.

 

[BluesBear]

The crimp on revolver ammo is only there to hold the bullet in place so it doesn't fall inside by accident when loading or get shot loose under recoil when another round goes off.

Oh how wrong that statement is.

The crimp does so much more than that.
Many powders just don't burn as well with a loose sloppy crimp.
You'll find your ammunition is much more consistent with a good firm crimp.
You'll get much less unburned powder and your velocity deviations will be much smaller.

 

[unloaded]

Maybe something like these, they are .452" and could be roll crimped. The 45ACP FCP should get them the right size for it.
http://cgi.ebay.com/500-Ct-45-Colt-...9QQihZ014QQcategoryZ71113QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
Also, can you shoot 45ACP in that revolver with moonclips?

peace.
unloaded

 

[BluesBear]

You cannot use moonclips in a traditional single action revolver.
The cylinder doesn't swing out.

 

[zeke]

Am using 200 grain lrnfps for 45 acp semi, 45 AR revolver and same bullet for 45 LC. The sights need regulated or adjusted for lighter 200 gn bullets in 45 LC. Use the same powder (HP-38) for the loads.

250 grain lrnfps will also work (different powder), am currenty looking for a 230 lrnfp, as i don't cast.

 

[Rico567]

I think the secret is settling on the 230 gr bullet. My S&W M1917 shoots the same Rainier 230 gr. RN plated bullet load as my autos. It does not behave as well with the 200 gr bullet. I haven't tried loading the 230 plated in the Vaquero, having always loaded lead 250 gr. bullets in that, but I'm going to try it.....