What am I doing wrong

[crooked stripe]

I am loading 200 gr lswc for a 45 colt. When setting the oal the shoulder on the bullet is lower than the case. The cases are running 7-10 thousands under-size. When shooting (only 2) burnt powder and debris is blowing back into the cylinder. The cc Rainier bullets (same weight and length) want to crimp on the down side of the rounded nose of the bullet. 1.600 oal is what the books say. I am loading 6.6 gr of Titegroup. I bought some Meister cast 250 grain rnfp bullets yesterday but the extra weight is in the length below the wax grove. Can someone please fill me in?

 

[USSR]

crooked stripe,

First, I don't bother with the light 200gr SWC's, which are designed for the .45ACP and are undersized (.451" or .452") for the .45 Colt (.454") in most handguns. Second, don't be locked in to the AOL that is in some reloading manual. Set your seater die to seat your bullet so you can crimp into the bullets crimp groove or over the shoulder of a SWC bullet without a crimp groove. A good crimp is important. Hope that helps.

Don

 

[calaverasslim]

+1 with USSR. Buy bullets designed for the 45 Colt and the majority of them will have crimp grooves and use that. Then your set.

 

[crooked stripe]

200 gr's

OK, I'll save them for my 1911. As far as the 200's go I seated my first round to the top side of the crimp grove and put it into my new Vaquero to test fire and the bullet got stuck between the barrel and the back of the cylinder wall. I had to cut off the nose of the bullet to get the cylinder out. I was afraid to tap it in deeper fearing the primer. I measured it to be around 1.619 so those bullets won't be anything but trouble. I also ordered another 500 lrnfp 250 grainers this morning from Midway. Thanks for the replies!

 

[snuffy]

First, I don't bother with the light 200gr SWC's, which are designed for the .45ACP and are undersized (.451" or .452") for the .45 Colt (.454") in most handguns. Second, don't be locked in to the AOL that is in some reloading manual. Set your seater die to seat your bullet so you can crimp into the bullets crimp groove or over the shoulder of a SWC bullet without a crimp groove. A good crimp is important. Hope that helps.

There hasn't been a 45 colt barrel made in .454 for over 50 years. Shortly after WW11 the bore size was standardized to .452. That's how the Ruger convertible 45 colt/45 acp revolvers can work.

As for the second part of Don's post, he's entirely correct. The manual is telling you what the longest seating length can be for the shortest cylinder made anywhere. Apparently you have one of the shortest, since leaving that 200 grainer out further let it stick out too far.

The 250 lrnfp bullets should have the correct nose shape and a crimp groove in the right place to make some good loads for your 54 colt.

 

[USSR]

There hasn't been a 45 colt barrel made in .454 for over 50 years. Shortly after WW11 the bore size was standardized to .452.

Yes, that's true, snuffy, but you don't size bullets to bore size, you size them to chamber size, and most .45 Colt chambers are well above .452".

Don

 

[243winxb]

The COL for 45 Colt is 1.600" maximum & 1.515" minimum. http://www.saami.org/PubResources/CC_Drawings/Pistol/45%20Colt.pdf

 

[Gryffydd]

Yes, that's true, snuffy, but you don't size bullets to bore size, you size them to chamber size, and most .45 Colt chambers are well above .452".

I would hope the chambers are larger than .452 since they have to hold the brass as well (.480). The throats on the other hand, depending on the manufacturer may actually be under sized. My Ruger Blackhawk came with ~.451 throats which is fairly typical for Ruger .45 Colts. I had terrible leading until I got the throats reamed to .4525. I know some manufacturers still make oversized throats, but I wouldn't go so far as to say most are.

 

[243winxb]

When shooting (only 2) burnt powder and debris is blowing back into the cylinder. I am loading 6.6 gr of Titegroup.

Increase to 7.5gr with 200gr. bullets.

 

[USSR]

I would hope the chambers are larger than .452 since they have to hold the brass as well (.480). The throats on the other hand, depending on the manufacturer may actually be under sized.

Yes, meant to say throats. While I have heard that Ruger had a stretch where they were producing undersized throats, I would wager to say that most .45 Colt throats are larger than bore diameter.

Don