|
.45 acp: do I need to buy a crimp die
I just started loading the .45 acp and wonder if I need to buy a taper crimp die to make sure they chamber correctly. I was reading on the Lee Precision site and it implied that taper crimping is almost a must for autoloaders. If it matters, I am shooting a government model colt .45 1911.
Also, what are the advantages and/or disadvantages to shooting cast bullets in the .45. I think it may be cheaper but past that I have to plead ignorance. thanks, dave |
RE: .45 acp: do I need to buy a crimp die
I shoot a Colt 1991 A1 Series 80. I shoot a 230 gr LRN bullet on top of 5.4 grs of WW231 with CCI 300 primers. I just put a slight roll crimp with the RCBS dies. Never had a problem. 500+ rounds since I have started reloading. Not a single mis fire, jam, stovepipe, nothing. Everything works like it should. I don't think there is any other real advantange to shooting lead bullets other than the cost savings, which can add up after a while.
|
RE: .45 acp: do I need to buy a crimp die
I would defintly buy/use either a typer crimp die or the Lee factory crimp die .
I shoot lots of cast bullets of my guns . Accurey is not hurt. Being cheap is not a bad thing. Johnch |
RE: .45 acp: do I need to buy a crimp die
The taper crimp is generally preferred over the roll crimp by the IPSC/IDPA shooters. Normal taper crimp is .466 to .468. Any more and you are swaging the bullet to a smaller diameter. And the taper crimp die is generally utilized as a last step in the reloading process.
|
RE: .45 acp: do I need to buy a crimp die
im assuming you are using lee dies?? the seating die is also a taper crimp die ( I use the lee carbide die set for my 45 acp's) . this is also true with most dies like RCBS and lyman.
|
RE: .45 acp: do I need to buy a crimp die
A proper taper crimp is done with a separate die. It is usually the 4th die in the four die pistol set. And, yes, I would recommend it.
|
RE: .45 acp: do I need to buy a crimp die
HDW - Thanks for telling me that. When I posted that last night, I started to second guess myself, and no one at work knew exactly what that was with the standard seating die. So, I taper crimp my rounds slightly with the RCBS seating die. Thanks.
|
RE: .45 acp: do I need to buy a crimp die
Most everyone's standard pistol seating die will crimp if you run the bullet in there far enough. Problem is that as the crimp is being applied, the bullet is still being seated. This will shave a little lead forward of the case mouth and, although it may not give you a problem in standard field grade guns; it can be problematic in a match barrel with the headspace set close to minimum.
I had this discussion with Paul Miller of Colorado Cast Bullets about 20 years ago when I first started competing in IPSC. Why do I need a separate taper crimp die? My regular seating die works just fine. It turned out he was right; and I also discovered that the taper crimped rounds group a little better, have a narrower SD of velocity, and are less critical to case length consistency. Better mousetrap. |
RE: .45 acp: do I need to buy a crimp die
ORIGINAL: Roskoe Most everyone's standard pistol seating die will crimp if you run the bullet in there far enough. Problem is that as the crimp is being applied, the bullet is still being seated. This will shave a little lead forward of the case mouth and, although it may not give you a problem in standard field grade guns; it can be problematic in a match barrel with the headspace set close to minimum. I had this discussion with Paul Miller of Colorado Cast Bullets about 20 years ago when I first started competing in IPSC. Why do I need a separate taper crimp die? My regular seating die works just fine. It turned out he was right; and I also discovered that the taper crimped rounds group a little better, have a narrower SD of velocity, and are less critical to case length consistency. Better mousetrap. You are right about that, but to get around the problem without having to buy another die, this is what I do you also have to do this when loading shot capsules in handgun cartridges. with the seating/crimp die seat the bullets to the desired length without crimping then back the seating plunger out and then set your crimp and crimp the rounds in totally seperate stage. good luck |
RE: .45 acp: do I need to buy a crimp die
Hmmm . . . . pretty clever idea.
|
| All times are GMT -8. The time now is 04:27 PM. |
Copyright © 2026 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.