Reloading .45 ACP for webley MK1

[stevepardy89]

Hello, I have been researching on how to make hand loads for my webley mk 1 in .45 acp. So far I figured out to use .454 diameter 255 gr soft lead bullets, 3.7 to 4.2 grains of IMR Trail boss powder, and Winchester large pistol primers. My biggest question is would standard .45 acp reloading dies work? I use a Lee classic turret press.

 

[pointandshoot]

I use unique powder and yes on the 45acp dies. If I recall (it's been a while since I loaded any thing for my webley) I just had to bell the cases a little more than what I usually do for a jacketed 45 acp round for the softer and larger slug that is used in the webley loads.

 

[Justins1877]

If you're going to reload, "Jethunter" makes fantastic projectiles for the MK's. Mine went from stringing shots everywhere at 10 feet, to making solid hits @ 60 yards on an 8" popper. 265 hollow base projectiles, same as original loading.

I would suggest slugging your barrel to determine it's exact diameter. I did this by going to Canadian tire and buying a small box of fishing weights, a blow torch, an empty .45 ACP casing and a wooden dowel.

Some people use unique, myself, I use trail boss.

 

[Thenoobgunsmith]

Hello, I have been researching on how to make hand loads for my webley mk 1 in .45 acp. So far I figured out to use .454 diameter 255 gr soft lead bullets, 3.7 to 4.2 grains of IMR Trail boss powder, and Winchester large pistol primers. My biggest question is would standard .45 acp reloading dies work? I use a Lee classic turret press.

Yes you can use .45 acp brass and the webley .454 projectiles with standard .45 acp dies.

 

[jethunter]

Hello, I have been researching on how to make hand loads for my webley mk 1 in .45 acp. So far I figured out to use .454 diameter 255 gr soft lead bullets, 3.7 to 4.2 grains of IMR Trail boss powder, and Winchester large pistol primers. My biggest question is would standard .45 acp reloading dies work? I use a Lee classic turret press.

45ACP dies work fine.

When you're loading 45acp for a webley, remember the webley 455 was built to operate at about 12,500 psi, whereas the 45acp is at least 18,000 psi. So you need to load the cartridge for the revolver you shoot it in rather than the cartridge you're loading. With Trail Boss be careful not to compress the powder and you should be OK.

Soft bullets and "stout" loads usually work best in the MKI and MKII Webleys. The throat restrictions are commonly tighter than the groove diameter so regardless what size the bullet starts out at, it will be swaged down to throat size before it enters the bore, and the lands (rifling) in the early Webley revolvers is VERY shallow to start with. A stout load will expand the base of the bullet so that it can grip the rifling. Light loads will not, and that is why soft lead bullets and healthy loads work best. Even flat-based bullets will obturate to fill the bore if the lead is soft.

If you're shooting a S&W 455 then you can size the bullets properly for your barrel at the start and don't need to rely on the bullet expansion to help the bullet grip the rifling.