Help - Reloading 45 ACP

[Chunky Monkey]

Price of ammo is getting a little ridiculus. I am going to start reloading 45 ACP. I am new to reloading and will be using my brother-in-laws press. He reloads rifle ammo only. He has a single stage press that will be good for me to learn until I can get my own equipment.

I ordered a set of Lee dies and picked up some 230gr gold bond JHP's. My question is what is a good powder and what primers should I buy? Also, what loads would you recommend.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Lycanthrope]

There are lots of load offerrings on the net.

I usually run 4.5gr of Titegroup for practice ammo with CCI 300 primers. Titegroup is cheap and CCI primers are hard. If the gun will light CCI's it will light any other type of primer...nice to know in practice.

The important part is overall length and crimp. Almost all .45 ACP guns will run with an OAL of 1.25. It's the original hardball spec. I usually start with a dummy round loaded to 1.26 and then hand chamber, judging resitence on the feedramp. Let the slide down very slowly and try to stall the round on the ramp. I'll then reseat the round....over and over...down to 1.24. By that time, you'll find what the gun likes best. I repeat the process for different bullet styles.

Don't overcrimp. Crimp doesn't stop bullet setback in most autoloaders, the sizing die does. Crimp no deeper than .470. I find .472 is perfect for my applications....even frangibles.

And...if you ever find AMERC brass. DO NOT reload it. Hammer it flat and bury it on hallowed ground.

Lycanamercisthedevilsworkthrope

[Steve in PA]

I've been reloading for many years, variouos rifle & pistol calibers. I've been churning out .45acp ammo for the last few years.

I found an excellent load at 6.0gr of Unique and 230gr FMJ with CCI LP primers. Some may not like Unique, but I do. There are other powders that work so they best thing to do is pick up a reloading manual and go from there.

I use nothing but RCBS dies.........but again, other reloaders have their favorite brands.

[Karys]

My pet .45 ACP load is 5.0 grains of Bullseye behind a 230 grain Rainier plated round nose FMJ bullet with a CCI 300 primer.

I like to load them long. My OAL is 1.265" to 1.270". I believe the max OAL for the .45 is 1.275". My Glock never had a problem with that length, YMMV if you're shooting something else.

I crimp my loads to .471 and since I'm loading them so long, I run every single round through a Dillon case length gauge before I'll shoot it.

I concur with Lycanthrope on the Amerc brass. I'm currently loading mixed brands of brass and I try to throw out any Amerc cases that I find. I'll usually have one or two sneak through with each new lot of brass I load. I have never had a round loaded in an Amerc case pass the case length gauge test.

Some may not like Unique, but I do.

I've never loaded .45 with Unique but I worked up a nice .40 S&W load with it with 180 grain bullets. I think Unique would work as well or better than Bullseye in the .45 ACP. It's definitely cleaner than Bullseye.

[Chunky Monkey]

Thanks for the info. I borrowed a couple of reloading books off of my brother-n-law. A lot of helpful info in there. Looking at book I'm thinking OK got dies for 45, could get dies for 44mag, 357, 9MM, etc. Problem is that I think this may become an expense little hobby.

On Ebay tonight looking at cheap brass. I'm a gonner!

[Agent Ronin]

Thanks for the info. I borrowed a couple of reloading books off of my brother-n-law. A lot of helpful info in there. Looking at book I'm thinking OK got dies for 45, could get dies for 44mag, 357, 9MM, etc. Problem is that I think this may become an expense little hobby.

On Ebay tonight looking at cheap brass. I'm a gonner!

Well reloading equipment should be viewed as a investment It allows you to shoot more, shoot better, and gives you plenty to do during those days that dont allow for range trips.

Believe me i know the feeling, i started with a Lyman T-Mag starter kit, now i'm up to about a dozen die sets, a dillon progressive press and other goodies. Heh now im looking for a "stronger" single stage press to do the hard work. It never ends

[Karys]

Thanks for the info. I borrowed a couple of reloading books off of my brother-n-law. A lot of helpful info in there. Looking at book I'm thinking OK got dies for 45, could get dies for 44mag, 357, 9MM, etc. Problem is that I think this may become an expense little hobby.

On Ebay tonight looking at cheap brass. I'm a gonner!

Heh, heh. Yeah, you're done.

Before I started reloading I would shoot maybe two or three thousand rounds per year. Once I got my Dillon set up, my ammo consumption jumped to about 20,000 rounds a year.

Well reloading equipment should be viewed as a investment It allows you to shoot more, shoot better, and gives you plenty to do during those days that dont allow for range trips.

I can't say that I actually saved money by reloading. I spent about the same amount or more than I did when I was just buying factory ammo, but I shot a lot more.

[DanV1317]

clays
CCI primers
mixed brass
230rn berry's plated

200swc
VV310
mixed brass
CCI primers

the 200swc were 50$ for 1,000.
20 for 1000 primers
20 for powder

approx 90$ for 1,000 rounds. THat's less than 9mm.

[rwilson452]

For a strong single stage might I suggest the Lee Classic Cast. It was built to handle the 50BMG. I warn you. if you do get one, do not drop it on your foot or anything else you think valuable. It also has an inovative way to handle spent primers.

Well reloading equipment should be viewed as a investment It allows you to shoot more, shoot better, and gives you plenty to do during those days that dont allow for range trips.

Believe me i know the feeling, i started with a Lyman T-Mag starter kit, now i'm up to about a dozen die sets, a dillon progressive press and other goodies. Heh now im looking for a "stronger" single stage press to do the hard work. It never ends

[Farbmeister]

Don't overcrimp. Crimp doesn't stop bullet setback in most autoloaders, the sizing die does. Crimp no deeper than .470. I find .472 is perfect for my applications....even frangibles.

Crimping is the ONLY way to prevent setback and assure uniform start pressure. The sizing die, for a straight wall pistol case like the .45ACP will simply put the diameter of the case back to SAAMI specs.

Plus you cannot size the case more than .001 smaller than the bullet because the bullet will simply stretch the brass to the bullets diameter (you may argue about an 'interference' or 'press' fit, but that is not the case, not every bullet is concentric or exactly the same diameter.

A crimp will remove the bell (if applied for lead bullets) apply a taper crimp into the cannular, or if using a Lee Factory crimp die, concentrically press the case around the bullet no matter its exact size.

If your .45 is a carry gun.. put a firm crimp on the cartridges. Getting a setback bullet, a FTC when you *REALLY* need to put a round down range is not a pleasant experience.

As for favorite .45ACP load? Its been listed. 5gr bullseye, 230gr hard ball.