Good points, will have to consider that when I start reloading 45acp. May have to setup two sets of dies/toolheads - one with taper crimp for my 1911's and one with a roll crimp for my S&W 625 where the cartridge head-spaces off of the moon-clip. Was talking to another wheel-gunner who had experienced 45acp rounds coming apart in his 625. I think he said he switched to roll crimping.
- What he said. This is a no-brainer; all cartridges headspace. They all locate their correct depth in the chamber somehow - this is what "headspace" means. Rimmed cartridges are easy - they rest on their rims at the chamber mouth; bottlenecked rifle cartridges usually (not always) headspace on their shoulder (the "not always"? - .303 British and 7.62x54R are rimmed bottlenecks that headspace on the rim; the "R" in 7.62x54R means "rim").
- And what happens if they headspace wrong? As in say, a roll crimp on a cartridge that's supposed to headspace on the case mouth? There will be nothing stopping the cartridge from falling too far into the chamber, and then the firing pin will not even reach the primer, or will just shove the cartridge forward instead of denting it; gun go 'click' instead of 'boom'. Interestingly, an older friend was recently complaining that his .45 ACP was misfiring his handloads something dreadful - on discussion, it turned-out that he was roll-crimping them. I offered to mount-up my spare cylinder and shoot 'em off in the Webley with moon clips, to help him salvage the brass; ain't I a helpful soul?
Finding-out how the cartridge you're reloading is supposed to headspace, is one of those "little things" you must learn before you try to reload that cartridge. And for cartridges that headspace on the case mouth, you should also look-up your case dimensions to see what diameter the finished cartridge should be, and mike a couple of your reloaded cartridges across the case mouth to see if they're too small; there's a bit of wiggle-room in case you're loading-up some +P's and need a firmer crimp, but not much.
); a spare 'shaved' cylinder with .45 ACP and moon clips was the only way I could reload fast enough to compete. I had no problems with the rounds coming apart, but I load so soft for the Webley that I suppose I wouldn't; 3.5 gr Trail Boss, a 230gr lead TC and ~625 f/s.
