Question on .45 ACP vs .45 Long Colt

[PennsyPlinker]

I have done some reloading for my .45 LC with good success, and am preparing for reloading .45 ACP. I have a bullet question. I had opportunity to buy a box of 500 lead bullets, .452 in diameter. The are 200 gr in weight. Can I use these for .45 ACP, or are they strictly a .45 LC load? I don't care either way, except that I do not want any bad things happening because I put them in the wrong casing!

[Kiski Cowboy]

All depends upon the shape of the bullet, and whether or not your pistol will feed that style of bullet. Some pistols prefer RN bulllets, some will work well with SWC or RNFP bullets. As for the diameter of the bullet, that should not be an issue with lead bullets. 200 grain bullets are great to work with, in either caliber ( I load 200 gr. LSWC for my .45ACP loads, and have never had a problem with them feeding on any of my pistols...S&W 645, S&W 4566, M1911A-1).

[Jim1911]

I have a box ox 500 200 grn .452 SWC waiting for primers for 45 acp.


http://www.missouribullet.com/detail...y=13&keywords=

[Jim1911]

All depends upon the shape of the bullet, and whether or not your pistol will feed that style of bullet. Some pistols prefer RN bulllets, some will work well with SWC or RNFP bullets. As for the diameter of the bullet, that should not be an issue with lead bullets. 200 grain bullets are great to work with, in either caliber ( I load 200 gr. LSWC for my .45ACP loads, and have never had a problem with them feeding on any of my pistols...S&W 645, S&W 4566, M1911A-1).

Make up a couple of dummies to see if they will feed before you reload 500.

I made up 8 to fill my mags.

[mikey]

Reloading?.........did someone mention reloading?........

[PennsyPlinker]

Reloading?.........did someone mention reloading?........

Yeah, I've been cleaning, organizing, and getting the room ready. I found a box of spent .223 cartridges I did not recognize, so I threw them out.

[PennsyPlinker]

All depends upon the shape of the bullet, and whether or not your pistol will feed that style of bullet. Some pistols prefer RN bulllets, some will work well with SWC or RNFP bullets. As for the diameter of the bullet, that should not be an issue with lead bullets. 200 grain bullets are great to work with, in either caliber ( I load 200 gr. LSWC for my .45ACP loads, and have never had a problem with them feeding on any of my pistols...S&W 645, S&W 4566, M1911A-1).

Thanks KC. I was mainly concerned about the diameter. I know it is only 0.001, but one never knows unless one asks.

Make up a couple of dummies to see if they will feed before you reload 500.

I made up 8 to fill my mags.

I don't know if I will make dummies. I will probably just load up a couple of mags worth and see how they fire. The worst that will happen is I will have to shoot them up single shot style. Then I'll know better.

[GUNGUY45]

Thanks KC. I was mainly concerned about the diameter. I know it is only 0.001, but one never knows unless one asks.

.452 is the proper diameter of LEAD bullets for use in .45ACP.
.451 is the proper diameter of Jacketed bullets for use in .45ACP.

[Pukindog]

This is another one of those things like clip and magazine. The correct designation for the cartridge is .45 Colt; not Long Colt.

Jeff

[Brick]

.452 diameter for cast/swaged lead bullets is correct for either .45 ACP or .45 Colt (when used in guns built after WWII) the 200 gr. weight is fine for either cartridge also.

For .45 Colt guns built prior to WWII use .454 diameter lead bullets.

FWIW 200 gr. .452" dia. LRNFP is one of my favorite bullets because I use them in 2 .45 Colt guns and 3 .45 ACP guns. I generally buy them in lots of 5000. Commonality of components really eases logistics!