Case length for 45 colt

[44 AMP]

I don't know where the idea came from that new (virgin) brass is all ready to load just as it comes out of the box or bag.

particularly if its packed loose.

The people making and selling the brass don't advertise that it is ready to load with no additional prep required, and I'm thinking that if it was, they would be.

Sometimes, it may work out, but I've see a lot of brass with some slight damage due to shipping, packed loose, especially large bore thin brass. Dented case mouths or slightly out of round, is fairly common, meaning each batch often has one or to or so. Easy to fix. Also, new brass isn't chamfered, and for some cases, that makes a big difference.

seems like 40 some years ago, buying brass was packed just like loaded ammo, Remingtons came in Styrofoam trays, Winchesters came packed alternating up/down in a box. Last couple decades seems like its nearly all loose in a box or a bag...

I size everything I load. Basic first step, brand new cases or fired brass, all gets sized, first.

I've never had to trim pistol cases due to length resulting from stretching. I have trimmed batches for uniformity. If you're loading upper end loads in cases using a roll crimp, uniform length is the best way to go.

 

[Real Gun]

"I don't know where the idea came from that new (virgin) brass is all ready to load just as it comes out of the box or bag."

Because it works better than sizing it. Context is revolver and then flared case mouths before roll crimp, so sharp case mouth edges are not an issue.

The expander makes cases as uniformly shaped as they need to be.

I catch any anomalies by gauging every round. I don't recall any regular issues.

 

[Unclenick]

I've used a neck turning mandrel in a Sinclair mandrel die body or a Lyman M-die or a Lee Collet Die to take dents out of case necks. Otherwise, I've never resized new brass for a couple of reasons. One is that bulk brass comes from the same bins commercial ammo makers load their finished ammo in. Indeed, up until about 15 years ago, factory-primed bulk brass was commonly available. It's the same brass, but with a primer already in it. Glen Zediker mentioned that he used that for initial loading and I couldn't see why I shouldn't either. If it fits the chamber, it can be loaded and fired.

A second reason is I've noted before that resizing a rimless bottleneck case a second time will make it a little shorter from head to shoulder, thereby increasing excess headspace in the chamber and therefore increasing the amount the case is stretched at the first firing. I have yet to identify any advantage to putting that extra wear in the brass.

Mind you, I still inspect and, in some instances, prep and check wall runout in new brass, depending on my purposes for it. The last time I bought Winchester 223 brass in bulk, I found two cases that had missed the flash hole punching operation. I always look at the flash holes.

 

[Pathfinder45]

While this thread is about reloading, remember that it is specific to 45 Colt. And so we should keep in mind that it is a caliber that has some special considerations that may not always apply to all other calibers. It has some quirks that the 44 magnum, a nearly identical cartridge, does not have.

 

[PolarFBear]

Pathfinder45: Other than the old "balloon head" case what "special considerations" should I consider?

 

[Pathfinder45]

Well, for one thing, the rim is very small. Decades ago, I used to tear off a significant amount of rims when resizing until I switched to carbide sizing dies. As mentioned before, the diameter of bullets for this caliber, has varied over the last century+ from .456" to .451". The case was originally crimped over the ogive of the bullet, which would be a lot more forgiving of case length variation than with bullets having a definite crimp groove. I have some vintage WRA Co. cases that quite a bit longer than any other cases; fatter too, as some of them are just a little bit too tight to squeeze into the cylinder of my Vaquero. So the cartridge has evolved quite a lot since it's beginnings.

 

[PolarFBear]

Pathfinder45: Thanks. The 45 is the last cartridge I have started loading for. I guess I'm lucky. My brass is all late model and my firearms are all Rugers. Seems to a be a process just like a 44 or 38/357. Thanks for the tips.

 

[USSR]

There are some "quirks" regarding the .45 Colt that I will discuss here. First, while SAAMI specs for the cartridge itself specify a straight-wall case, the same SAAMI chamber specs call for a some-what taper, i.e. the chamber dimensions are smaller at the case mouth end of the chamber than they are at the rear. So, after shooting your new straight-wall cases, you now have some brass with a slight taper. One of the first things I did after buying my .45 Colts was sell my carbide dies. The reason is, the carbide ring is at the bottom of the sizing die and has to produce the proper case mouth size, but that results in excessive resizing at the bottom of the brass. The RCBS non-carbide sizing die has a built-in taper that takes into account the taper induced by the chamber dimensions. Hope that helps.

Don

 

[rclark]

The reason is, the carbide ring is at the bottom of the sizing die and has to produce the proper case mouth size, but that results in excessive resizing at the bottom of the brass.

Maybe so, but most of the brass still lasts for well over 20+ reloads.... Most discards are because of mouth splits. So far as I can see it never has affected accuracy either . I've been reloading since the early 80s. Bottomline, carbide dies are the cat's meow in my opinion. Occasionally, I've also found it fun to use my o' Lyman 310 tool! It just resizes the neck area.

 

[Pathfinder45]

And then there are the quirks of the individual guns. Yes, the tapered chambers..... I'm pretty convinced the old Colts had them. My Marlin certainly has a large tapered chamber, no doubt to facilitate reliable feeding, that also slightly bulges cases upon firing. My Vaquero, however, ejects fired cases that appear to be the same size as before firing. It might have tapered chambers, but I would have to mike it to know. So I think not. Snug chambers equals long case life.

 

[USSR]

Actually, the reason I switched to standard, non-carbide dies for the .45 Colt has nothing to do with case life. The resized brass simply looks better and fits the chamber better.

Don

 

[zeke]

Have found more sizing difference in loading for 45 LC, than any other pistol loading for. Depending on era and manufacturer, small or large cylinder throats, rifiling, and especially oversize chambers in certain era of Rugers. Own several Rugers with oversize cylinder chambers and very tight cylinder throats. Lots of variations from manufactures over the decades.

Used to use a dual sizing of 45 LC, basically neck sized them to keep the cases and cylinders cleaner firing milder loads, and to not work the brass so much. And yes that can be dependent on how many differing revolvers/loads you use. Have also used 45 acp sizer to neck size some to shoot jacketed bullets designed for 45 acp.

Finally bought one of theose fancy new dies from Redding that size to dual dia. It works, but pricy.