Reloading .45 ACP

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Bluedevil25

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Hey fellow 'Nutz! :)

I'm looking at possibly getting into reloading .45 ACP and was wondering if anyone had any tips and experiences loading it?

I have just started reloading rifle rounds in the last couple of years on a single stage press (Bonanza Co-Ax). I have some basic essentials excluding dies (Redding dies on order as Forster doesn't make pistol dies) and components to get started which I will start to acquire over time.

Does anyone know if Winchester 231 meters well through powder measures? specifically on a Harrell's? Thanks!
 
45ACP is easy to load for. I'd say the only thing to watch for is that you have enough bell on the case mouth as the cases are somewhat thin. 231 usually meters well although I have no experience with Harrell's.

Oh, and make sure you check your brass for primer pocket size. both small and large are out there.
 
joe-nwt said:
45ACP is easy to load for. I'd say the only thing to watch for is that you have enough bell on the case mouth as the cases are somewhat thin. 231 usually meters well although I have no experience with Harrell's.

Oh, and make sure you check your brass for primer pocket size. both small and large are out there.
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Awesome thanks! I've noticed that on some of my boxes that they have different primer pocket sizes. :)
 
That's one thing to watch out for is small pistol and large pistol brass. After cleaning the brass I put them in loose fitting trays and sort the small pistol from large. Once i have enough small pistol brass, I will change the primer assembly on my progressive (pro1k). Some of the small pistol brass is crimped as well, but that usually isn't a problem for me.

Hp38/w231 meter great in my rcbs uniflow, Lee measure, and Lee autodisc measure.
 
I've been using 231 for 20+ years with .45 ACP no issues. Watch the primer sizes as was mentioned - also make sure that any range / used brass that you've picked up is commerical (ie watch for a crimp)
 
Main concern loading .45ACP is: since its a large case using a RELATIVELY small powder charge - be EXCEPTIONALLY VIGILANT to make sure you do not DOUBLE CHARGE a case with powder. With centerfire rifle cases its readily apprarent you've double charged when you have powder spilling everywhere, but pistol cases are a different situation. Large cases, small amount of powder in .45, .38 Spl and .357 Mag - check and recheck. As an old IPSC RO - I've seen too many .45 double charges! Its lije a grenade goes off in the shooter's hands - the double charged round blows up the barrel chamber and THAT explosion ignites the first couple rounds in the mag - which blow out the wood grips sending splinters into the shooter's hands.... NOT GOOD!!!
 
Be sure to inspect every piece of brass you use. I've seen once fired split up the side which could go unnoticed if using a progressive.
I personally just sort all small primer and norinco brass into a large zip-lock and give it away whenever it gets full.

The warnings about double charge are very real, after blowing up a 2 week old HK USP Tactical I have changed my reloading procedure which has slowed me down a lot but at least now I feel safer.
I usually use Universal as my 45auto powder but have tried a few others. I know a couple guys that use 231 and love it so you shouldn't have any trouble with it.

Be careful and have fun
 
Just made a few hundred 45 acp this weekend, all good advice above, caught a double charge myself, not a big fan of the piggyback I have, but it was free, likes to mess up the odd primer too, ie sideways or upside down, but for last 100 I did it seemed to not screw up.

And as said above, and this time was the first I ever came across this (over 1000-1500 of 45 i have reloaded), watch out for cci blazer brass ( and other small pistol primer 45 cases), damn that was pissing me off, never seen this myself before, throws a wrench in the process, sort them out before starting would be my advice, otherwise it is a real PITA, learned that the hard way this weekend,..... damn it that was annoying

and as a corollary question, is that blazer brass any good, ie if i come across enough of it do I use it in a batch, or is it not worth the trouble?
 
superted said:
Main concern loading .45ACP is: since its a large case using a RELATIVELY small powder charge - be EXCEPTIONALLY VIGILANT to make sure you do not DOUBLE CHARGE a case with powder. With centerfire rifle cases its readily apprarent you've double charged when you have powder spilling everywhere, but pistol cases are a different situation. Large cases, small amount of powder in .45, .38 Spl and .357 Mag - check and recheck. As an old IPSC RO - I've seen too many .45 double charges! Its lije a grenade goes off in the shooter's hands - the double charged round blows up the barrel chamber and THAT explosion ignites the first couple rounds in the mag - which blow out the wood grips sending splinters into the shooter's hands.... NOT GOOD!!!
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Wise words of wisdom...

I've made the mistake and will definitely be more careful and switch powders. Double checking is not enough.

I've decided to step back in the pistol game for awhile. Really needs to soak in how stupid of a mistake it was.

I have a brand new Hornady L&L progressive, sitting the box not being used. (It wasn't on a progressive where I made the mistake).
 
madman25 said:
Just made a few hundred 45 acp this weekend, all good advice above, caught a double charge myself, not a big fan of the piggyback I have, but it was free, likes to mess up the odd primer too, ie sideways or upside down, but for last 100 I did it seemed to not screw up.

And as said above, and this time was the first I ever came across this (over 1000-1500 of 45 i have reloaded), watch out for cci blazer brass ( and other small pistol primer 45 cases), damn that was pissing me off, never seen this myself before, throws a wrench in the process, sort them out before starting would be my advice, otherwise it is a real PITA, learned that the hard way this weekend,..... damn it that was annoying

and as a corollary question, is that blazer brass any good, ie if i come across enough of it do I use it in a batch, or is it not worth the trouble?
Click to expand...

That's why I hand prime all my cases now. It might be slower but you don't end up putting them in sideways or backwards when the primer feeder messes up.
 
Not having powder is just as easy as double loading, if you don't visually check. Using a single stage press reasonably quickly requires technique. You do one step to all your cases then change dies and repeat. Using both hands makes a huge difference too. Really just a time thing. Been using one for 40 years with no fuss. There are hand held powder throwers that work well and you get to check easily.
Do not ever mix the daft small primer cases with the proper large primer cases, but which one you use doesn't matter. The small primer comes from Winchester's NT ammo. NT meaning Non-Toxic. They went as far as saying they weren't reloadable when the stuff was new. Marketing BS.
 
sunray said:
Not having powder is just as easy as double loading, if you don't visually check. Using a single stage press reasonably quickly requires technique. You do one step to all your cases then change dies and repeat. Using both hands makes a huge difference too. Really just a time thing. Been using one for 40 years with no fuss. There are hand held powder throwers that work well and you get to check easily.
Do not ever mix the daft small primer cases with the proper large primer cases, but which one you use doesn't matter. The small primer comes from Winchester's NT ammo. NT meaning Non-Toxic. They went as far as saying they weren't reloadable when the stuff was new. Marketing BS.
Click to expand...

Many others make it as well, federal, Blazer, ICC, Cci aluminum, etc.
 
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