.45 Colt Case Length

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mercuryv8

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Hi, I have a quick question.

I read that case length should be 1.285 in (32.6 mm) (Wikipedia) the brass I have been loading (winchester) measures almost exactly 1.285 inch. The case length trimmer I bought from Lee makes the brass a lot shorter than this I'm at 1.260 and its not done yet. Whats the deal?

Nic
 
1.285 is correct- it can't be a 45acp as that's .898- somebody has goofed on the shaft length - i just looked and i can't find find a cartridge that has a 1.26 trim to lenght- i'd write lee and complain- see what they say- and no, pistol brass won't "stretch" that much either
and you DON'T need to trim pistol brass- ever
 
.45 Colt cases (or any other straight walled pistol case) don't need to be trimmed. That said, I would guess that 1.285" is in fact a maximum dimension.
 
Well good thing I only messed one up. I measure the gauge and I don't know if it's coincidence or not but it measures 1,285 from cutting edge to the tip. But of course the tip extends past the bottom of the primer hole when it is inserted, thus making the case even shorter than 1.285.

Nic
 
t-star said:
1.285 is correct- it can't be a 45acp as that's .898- somebody has goofed on the shaft length - i just looked and i can't find find a cartridge that has a 1.26 trim to lenght- i'd write lee and complain- see what they say- and no, pistol brass won't "stretch" that much either
and you DON'T need to trim pistol brass- ever
Click to expand...

Goes to show this is the first pistol round I have loaded. Thanks for the advice.

I got to wondering even about sizing the brass, a new bullet fits pretty tight in the fired unsized case. I sized them all anyway, after sizing there is a smal wobble in the brass about 1/4 in from the head. Is that normal.

Nic
 
trim to is 1.275 and max is 1.285-that STILL makes that shaft away short
the other part is that with the lee, you have to have the round IN THE CHUCK as the shaft goes through the flashole and butts up against the back of the chuck to give the correct shaft length-if you just drop it in there without the chuck, the shaft ends up away short-it's now using the length of the decapping pin on the end of the shaft as a base
 
Mercury: You have to size them and you have to crimp them, or your bullets will jump out in the cyl. during recoil, tying up your gun. I don't understand the "wobble" part as sized, straight wall cases should have no distortion until after the case mouth is belled and bullet seated.
 
t-star said:
trim to is 1.275 and max is 1.285-that STILL makes that shaft away short
the other part is that with the lee, you have to have the round IN THE CHUCK as the shaft goes through the flashole and butts up against the back of the chuck to give the correct shaft length-if you just drop it in there without the chuck, the shaft ends up away short-it's now using the length of the decapping pin on the end of the shaft as a base
Click to expand...

That was my problem, I didn't know it had to be in the chuck. All measures up right when it's in the chuck.

Thanks.

I love this site!
 
ben hunchak said:
Mercury: You have to size them and you have to crimp them, or your bullets will jump out in the cyl. during recoil, tying up your gun. I don't understand the "wobble" part as sized, straight wall cases should have no distortion until after the case mouth is belled and bullet seated.
Click to expand...

After sizing the top 7/8'' measures 0.469 near the base it measures 0.477. The 'wobble' feels like a small wave where it changes size.

I've fired them like this.

I hear you about crimping, I've been putting a small crimp on them ( I cant move the bullet with my fingers) But a few of them have moved under recoil and jamed the revolver.

Those bullets you made for me are working well, as of yet I can't hit anything with them :) But I know it's not the bullets. The lube makes for easy cleanup too.

Nic

Nic
 
Wikpedia for case length reference??? Good humping heysoos. Everyone do this lad a favor, and give him no more advice or encouragment until he buys a relaoding manual.

No, really. If he can take the PAL test, afford press, dies, components and the gun to shoot them in, he can buy a good reloading manual. Keeripes, he can buy a used one in a decent gun shop for ten bucks. Wikpedia??? Better to take the word of some guy you met in the bar remembers some guy told him about what a buddy remembers seeing in a gun magazine....
 
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