I am reloading 45 acp and the two books (49 th lyman and hornady 7 edition) i have say that overall length should not be more then 1.275. when i go to different powder sites they say the overall length should not be more then 1.20. i am using 230 grain bullets. i measuresd factory rounds they differ fro 1.260 to 1.265. any help would be greatly appreciated
45 o.a.l.
- Thread starter fullbug
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You have to check the rounds as to function. Will they fit the magazine, will they chamber correctly? What I do is to load 2-3 rounds without powder or primer to see if they will fit the mag and if they chamber properly. oal is just for the fit in the magazine I think?
the shape of the bullet determines the oal as to wheather the round will chamber properly.
the shape of the bullet determines the oal as to wheather the round will chamber properly.
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Better a smidge short than too long. the difference between 1.260 and 1.265 is 5 thousands of an inch. Most people can not even measure this. Just make sure you can get them to fit in the mag. The pressure difference if they are slightly short [ a couple thou ] is not going to blow up your gun.
Make some dummy rounds to see if they feed in the guns you want to use them in, then make the rounds you want based on data for the length you use.
I had 230gr AIM plated .45 that wouldnt chamber in my 1911 at 1.26" while 230gr FMJ would at the same length. They all worked in my Glock. I had to load the plated 230gr bullets at 1.20" at the hotter end of 1.20" data for Win 231 to function.
I had 230gr AIM plated .45 that wouldnt chamber in my 1911 at 1.26" while 230gr FMJ would at the same length. They all worked in my Glock. I had to load the plated 230gr bullets at 1.20" at the hotter end of 1.20" data for Win 231 to function.
There are several factors to consider. The Maximum length is determined by bullet shape, magazine length and chamber.
I keep a logbook page for each gun, and one of the first things I do is make a note of the max length the mag will take with a round nose and a semiwadcutter bullet. (The semi has to be seated a bit deeper.)
Then take a loaded round of max length (no primer or powder), chamber it and drop the slide. Pull it out and see if there is a ring around the bullet just above the case mouth. If there is, the round was too long. Seat another one 10 thou deeper (about a quarter turn on the seater stem) and try again. Keep dong ths until the chamber does not mark the bullet.
3 of my 45's require a 230RN to be seated no longer than 1.230"
Note that the max OAL for a given bullet will be different from gun to gun and will differ for one gun from one bullet shape to the next.
Once you know the max, you can make up a test of max, and then two increments of 10 thou less and see if funtion and accuracy improve/get worse.
I keep a logbook page for each gun, and one of the first things I do is make a note of the max length the mag will take with a round nose and a semiwadcutter bullet. (The semi has to be seated a bit deeper.)
Then take a loaded round of max length (no primer or powder), chamber it and drop the slide. Pull it out and see if there is a ring around the bullet just above the case mouth. If there is, the round was too long. Seat another one 10 thou deeper (about a quarter turn on the seater stem) and try again. Keep dong ths until the chamber does not mark the bullet.
3 of my 45's require a 230RN to be seated no longer than 1.230"
Note that the max OAL for a given bullet will be different from gun to gun and will differ for one gun from one bullet shape to the next.
Once you know the max, you can make up a test of max, and then two increments of 10 thou less and see if funtion and accuracy improve/get worse.
