Thread: Crimping.
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Old November 14, 2012, 11:35 AM   #11
Unclenick
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Join Date: March 4, 2005
Location: Ohio
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3.5 grains of Bullseye under 185 grain swaged and cast lead bullets in a tuned target pistol with light recoil springs used to be a common load for conventional pistol target shooting (though I always found 3.8 grains more accurate in my 1911's). The 185 grain jacketed semi-wadcutter bullets used to be loaded by the factory with the equivalent of 4.2 grains of Bullseye, which was the load generally recommended as a substitute for use with 185 grain JSWC's. That corresponds closely enough to Hornady's minimum load recommendation, and it is a load that will normally cycle a standard 1911 without special reduced recoil springs. So it is where I would start.

So I am a little surprised to see Lyman recommend starting a 185 grain JHP with 3.5 grain, but the higher pressure that the shorter seating depth causes may explain it. It should shoot just fine, but I'd still be concerned that some guns might not cycle properly with it. Some of the short compacts, in particular, probably will not.

The old 230 grain hardball load of 5 grains of Bullseye is so commonly used that you are in no danger with the lighter bullet of using a load that high. I note Hornady has you work all the way up to 6 grains, but note they are using the longer 1.230" COL the Dave mentioned. The Lyman load is for a general JHP shape, but once you have a particular bullet identified, the bullet manufacturer usually knows what COL their particular bullet works best with and has tested well with. So, while your 3.5 grain loads are fine to fire with the Lyman COL, I would switch to 1.230" and 4.1 grains starting load, per Hornady's recommendation for their own bullet, to start the next round of tests.

By the way, if you call or email Hornady, they will send you their load recommendation details for any particular bullet they make. If you don't have their manual, that's a good work around for a particular bullet of theirs.

The previous advice to adjust a taper crimp to just iron out the belling is a good approach. Take your calipers and measure the diameter of the finished round just below the case mouth. It should be between 0.467"-0.473" according to SAAMI's drawing.
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