45 ACP Reloading Issues

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ColbyToll

Bearcat
Joined
Dec 21, 2010
Messages
63
Location
Greater Seattle Area, WA
I am new to reloading and I started with loading 45 ACP for my P345, but I am experiencing a couple issues when I try to fire my reloaded rounds. Issue 1: Sometimes the brass doesn't seem to be ejecting correctly after firing. It is getting caught in the slide and preventing the next round from chambering. Issue 2: If I can get a round to fire and the brass ejected, the next round doesn't always seem to chamber. It looks like the round isn't getting pushed far enough forward so the slide isn't closed all the way.

I used the Lee Modern Reloading Second Edition manual specs in combination with comparing to a factory round for OAL. The rounds I loaded are using 230 grain PowerBond copper plated bullets, 4.5 grains of Winchester 231 powder, and have an average overall length of 1.263 inches.

After reading a bit online and looking at the Hogdon's site, I have some ideas about what is causing each issue, but I wanted to get additional opinions. I am thinking that I am not using a powerful enough powder charge and that is causing the issue with the brass not ejecting (Issue 1). According to Hogdon's site, the OAL for these rounds should be 1.200 inches. I am thinking that my rounds might be a bit too long and that could be causing the chambering issue (Issue 2).

Is my thinking correct? If so, how should I go about correcting the issue on the 40-ish rounds I have? Should I just pull the bullets, increase the powder charge, and reseat the bullets a little deeper? I appreciate any help that you can offer.
 

PapaJack

Bearcat
Joined
Jan 30, 2011
Messages
3
I have had good luck with 5.1 to 5.2 gr. of 231 and overall length of 1.25 in two different 1911's.
 

Hammerdown77

Blackhawk
Joined
Jan 24, 2010
Messages
886
Location
North Alabama
If those bullets look like a normal 230 grain FMJ, then an OAL of around 1.260" is fine.

A good test is to take the barrel out of your gun and drop the loaded round in the chamber. It should drop in easily, seat all the way (see how deep a factory round seats for comparison), and fall out easily when you turn the barrel up. If your round passes this test, don't mess with the OAL.

Your charge is a little light. 4.6 grains will cycle my 1911 with 16# spring, but it may not yours. I'd go up to 5 grains and see what happens. Don't mess with the OAL until you try the higher charge.
 

96/44

Blackhawk
Joined
Mar 23, 2009
Messages
551
Location
Minnesota
+1 To what Hammerdown77 said, also pay attention to the crimp. Are you using a seperate crimp die, or crimping with the seating die?
 

ColbyToll

Bearcat
Joined
Dec 21, 2010
Messages
63
Location
Greater Seattle Area, WA
Thank you to everyone for the help. With everyone's input and taking a look at my P345 I think I am starting to find some answers. First, after looking at my gun it looks like a good cleaning and lubing might be a good start. I have only taken this gun to the range 2 or 3 times, but I think I will start there. Second, I did the test that Hammerdown77 suggested and found that my reloaded rounds drop in the barrel easily, but might be a tiny bit long to fully seat. Also, some of the rounds fell out easily while others took a little work. It looks like I need to shorten the OAL a hair. Third, I figured the charge I was using might be a bit light, but I wanted to err on the side of caution with it being my first time reloading these rounds. I will try a charge around 5 grains.

Looks like I have some bullet pulling to do. Luckily when I rechecked, it looks like I only have around 30 to pull.

96/44 – I am using the 4 die Lee Deluxe Carbide set so I am seating and crimping separately. The crimp I had on them is pretty light (from what it looks like…I just used the starting recommendation from Lee), so I am guessing that isn't the issue.
 

gregs45auto

Single-Sixer
Joined
Dec 26, 2005
Messages
491
Location
utah
You could use a TAPER crimp die to make sure these will chamber correctly in your bbl. The case headspaces on the case mouth. hth greg
 

revhigh

Hawkeye
Joined
Aug 31, 2005
Messages
5,590
Location
PA
I'd seat them a little deeper ... no need to pull ... and make sure you're not limp-wristing. The gun needs to be held firmly, otherwise the charge is moving the gun, rather than cycling the slide, as it should be. I doubt there's anything wrong with that charge. I use about that charge with a 200 grain lead bullet target load, so that charge shouldn't be underpowered for a 230.

I'd reseat them a little deeper, taper crimp them a little more and I bet they run like silk.

Pulling bullets should be a last resort if the charge isn't dangerous. It's a real pain in the butt.

REV
 

WESHOOT2

Hunter
Joined
Mar 19, 2005
Messages
2,124
Location
Duxbury, Vermont, USA
Suggest: 5.0--5.5g W231.
OAL 1.250--1.255".
Crimp at case mouth .469--.470".

I also suggest finishing your cartridge with the LEE Carbide Factory Crimp die.
Set the jaws of your dial caliper to .469--.470", then 'slip' the jaws over the bullet and to the case mouth; they should just 'slip' over the very edge of the mouth.
Don't? More crimp.
Go past the mouth much? Less crimp.

I highly recommend adding another source for load data. Lyman Pistol & Revolver comes to mind first....
 

GDSimms

Bearcat
Joined
Dec 24, 2010
Messages
32
Location
Upper Peninsula of Michigan
My KP345 liked hotter loads and so did my P97. I experienced the same thing when I tried light starting loads for plinking. Use your manual and work your loads up close to or to maximum and you should be OK with a little hotter load.
 

twobisquit

Single-Sixer
Joined
Jan 8, 2006
Messages
318
Location
Rock Ridge, Wyoming
About 2 weeks ago I loaded about 30 rounds of .45ACP with 4.5 g of Hp-38 and a 230 fmj for the first time. 2 stove pipes and it did not stay open on the last roundLooks like I'll bump it up a little or go back to my old reliable load of Unique
 

Snake45

Hawkeye
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Mar 14, 2009
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Location
+4020
twobisquit said:
About 2 weeks ago I loaded about 30 rounds of .45ACP with 4.5 g of Hp-38 and a 230 fmj for the first time. 2 stove pipes and it did not stay open on the last roundLooks like I'll bump it up a little or go back to my old reliable load of Unique
HP-38 and WW231 are EXACTLY the same powder sold with two different names.

I'd say you both need to pump up the jam a little. I've used 5.3 grains of 231 behind any bullet from 200 to 230 grains and never had a bit of functioning trouble in ANY gun I've ever shot it in, over a dozen different guns from LW Commanders all the way to a MAC-10 and a semiauto M3 grease gun.
 

Gregger

Bearcat
Joined
Oct 25, 2010
Messages
9
Agree with the 5.3g of w231/HP-38. I've shot thousands thru my 1911 at 1.260 without a single problem. Good luck
 

Chief_10Beers

Blackhawk
Joined
Mar 15, 2009
Messages
943
Location
Kenly, North Carolina
Snake45 said:
twobisquit said:
About 2 weeks ago I loaded about 30 rounds of .45ACP with 4.5 g of Hp-38 and a 230 fmj for the first time. 2 stove pipes and it did not stay open on the last roundLooks like I'll bump it up a little or go back to my old reliable load of Unique
HP-38 and WW231 are EXACTLY the same powder sold with two different names.

I'd say you both need to pump up the jam a little. I've used 5.3 grains of 231 behind any bullet from 200 to 230 grains and never had a bit of functioning trouble in ANY gun I've ever shot it in, over a dozen different guns from LW Commanders all the way to a MAC-10 and a semiauto M3 grease gun.

That's what I ended up using too. 5.2-5.3gr of HP-38 pushing 230gr LCRN, fires fine out of my P90 and P345 and accurate too...................................
 

ColbyToll

Bearcat
Joined
Dec 21, 2010
Messages
63
Location
Greater Seattle Area, WA
I reloaded some rounds with a bumped up powder charge and shortened the OAL a bit. I am also planning on giving my pistol a good cleaning and lubing before I head to the range this weekend. Hopefully that will do the trick.
 

H Richard

Bearcat
Joined
Dec 9, 2007
Messages
54
Location
West Central IL
There is a direct action/reaction to the load and "Recoil Spring". The normal recoil spring for a 1911 45acp is 17 lbs. Light target loads will not reliably cycle the action. When the spring is too heavy the slide will not move back far enough to reliably eject the fired case and not far enough to pick up the next round. You must tailor the spring weight to the load being used. In my Major caliber .45 I load 5.3 gr Win . Super Target behind a 200 gr cast swc. It chronographs 979 fps and makes a 195 power factor and is very accurate. In this gun I use an 18 1/2 lb spring. For my paper punching bullseye loads, I use 4.3 gr. Win. 231 behind a 200 gr. cast swc. This chronographs 682 fps, and for reliable cycling needs a 12-14 lb spring.

So obtain a variety of recoil springs (keep them labeled as they are difficult to tell apart) and you only need to swap out them to use different loads.
 

ColbyToll

Bearcat
Joined
Dec 21, 2010
Messages
63
Location
Greater Seattle Area, WA
Good news! I just got back from the range and the 30 (or so) rounds that I reloaded with the increased powder charge and decreased OAL worked perfectly. No ejection problems…no chambering problems. They also seem to be a bit more accurate than the factory rounds I had previously purchased. Now that I have a setup that works I will have to load some more rounds and get back to the range soon. Thanks again to everyone for the advice.
 

dennie

Bearcat
Joined
Feb 13, 2007
Messages
89
Location
Hamilton,Ohio USA
ColbyToll, you changed several different things at the same time, cleaning, lube, more powder, and shorter overall length. I have only been reloading about 4-5 years, so am certainly no expert, but changing 4 different things at one time may not show you what the problem was before.
I have 3 1911s and they all like 5.5 W231/200gr LRNFP at 1.190 OAL.
They also like 5.0-5.3 W231 with 230gr LRN at 1.240 OAL.
I had to run this OAL because my Colt Commander has a slightly shorter chamber than my Kimber and Para. When I dropped a loaded round in my Colt before I had several rounds that were hard to get back out. The bullet was sticking in the rifling. I seated a little deeper until all fell out and stopped the problem. Fortunately the other guns like it too.
Good luck with yours.
dennie
 

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