Bullet alignment 45acp

Jeffdg · October 26, 2009, 09:03 AM

Okay - I have a Hornady LNL reloader and have reloaded about 7000 40S&W rounds with Montana Gold with 0 problems re: bullet alignment.

So I bought a S&W TR325 revolver (45 acp), awesome. For reloading, I bought a set of Hornady dies with a Lee FCD and 1000 hard cast 230 gr LRN bullets. (note that the crimp die interferes with the wire ejector on 2+ y.o. reloaders...). Also, OAL is 1.271"

I'm learning that if the bullet is even slightly "off" in the case, the round will be very difficult to insert and remove from the revolver. I can see the protrusion on one side. I've fiddled (added and taken away) expansion, to no avail. Factory rounds fall in and drop out beautifully.

From my search on this forum, others have said that factory crimping fixes this alignment issue. Well, it doesn't, or at least it hasn't for my 45s. Nice crimp, though.

Any thoughts on why a standard LRN bullet won't align properly?
Thanks, Jeff

kle · October 26, 2009, 10:14 AM

Lead-cast bullets tend to be 0.452" in diameter, while jacketted bullets tend to be 0.451" in diameter. This, coupled with some thicker case-walls in some brass (Federal cases come to mind for me) could lead to case bulging like you're seeing when the bullet is seated.

Try going with another brand of brass, or (like I do) run the completed rounds through the resizing die again (with the decapping pin removed), which will swage the bullets (through the brass) down to size. Running the rounds through the resizing die a second time probably shortens the life of the brass, though...

Jeffdg · October 26, 2009, 12:32 PM

Thanks for the input! I will definitely try that.

The bulging I'm seeing is only on one side of the round, which is why I think it's misaligned.

The seater die is part of the Hornady nitride set - (sorry for my lack of jargon here) is the piece that pushes the bullet down need to be the shape of the bullet? (I read that in one of my searches)

kle · October 26, 2009, 01:27 PM

I have that Hornady titanium nitride set; there's a sleeve on the seater/crimp die that is supposed to align the bullet as the cartridge is pushed up into it by the press (or at least, keep the bullet from tipping over).

I think the reason that the seater plug needs to be the same shape as the bullet has to do with avoiding deforming the nose--my set came with two plugs: a flat plug for semi-wadcutters, and a concave plug for round-nose bullets (and I guess the more rounded hollowpoints).

Jeffdg · October 27, 2009, 11:28 AM

I swaged the rounds I loaded and indeed they came out beautifully.

I confirmed that the Hornady seater die has the cupped shaped (as opposed to the flat) plunger.

I'm okay with running all the loaded rounds through the sizer again (sans decapper), but if there's a way to get it straight the first time (w/o the $110 die), I'm all ears.

October 26, 2009, 09:03 AM	#1
Jeffdg Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Posts: 30	Bullet alignment 45acp Okay - I have a Hornady LNL reloader and have reloaded about 7000 40S&W rounds with Montana Gold with 0 problems re: bullet alignment. So I bought a S&W TR325 revolver (45 acp), awesome. For reloading, I bought a set of Hornady dies with a Lee FCD and 1000 hard cast 230 gr LRN bullets. (note that the crimp die interferes with the wire ejector on 2+ y.o. reloaders...). Also, OAL is 1.271" I'm learning that if the bullet is even slightly "off" in the case, the round will be very difficult to insert and remove from the revolver. I can see the protrusion on one side. I've fiddled (added and taken away) expansion, to no avail. Factory rounds fall in and drop out beautifully. From my search on this forum, others have said that factory crimping fixes this alignment issue. Well, it doesn't, or at least it hasn't for my 45s. Nice crimp, though. Any thoughts on why a standard LRN bullet won't align properly? Thanks, Jeff

October 26, 2009, 12:32 PM	#3
Jeffdg Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Posts: 30	resizing Thanks for the input! I will definitely try that. The bulging I'm seeing is only on one side of the round, which is why I think it's misaligned. The seater die is part of the Hornady nitride set - (sorry for my lack of jargon here) is the piece that pushes the bullet down need to be the shape of the bullet? (I read that in one of my searches)

October 27, 2009, 11:28 AM	#5
Jeffdg Member Join Date: April 25, 2008 Posts: 30	updates I swaged the rounds I loaded and indeed they came out beautifully. I confirmed that the Hornady seater die has the cupped shaped (as opposed to the flat) plunger. I'm okay with running all the loaded rounds through the sizer again (sans decapper), but if there's a way to get it straight the first time (w/o the $110 die), I'm all ears.

October 26, 2009, 10:14 AM	#2
kle Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2007 Location: NoVA, USA Posts: 419	Lead-cast bullets tend to be 0.452" in diameter, while jacketted bullets tend to be 0.451" in diameter. This, coupled with some thicker case-walls in some brass (Federal cases come to mind for me) could lead to case bulging like you're seeing when the bullet is seated. Try going with another brand of brass, or (like I do) run the completed rounds through the resizing die again (with the decapping pin removed), which will swage the bullets (through the brass) down to size. Running the rounds through the resizing die a second time probably shortens the life of the brass, though...

October 26, 2009, 01:27 PM	#4
kle Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2007 Location: NoVA, USA Posts: 419	I have that Hornady titanium nitride set; there's a sleeve on the seater/crimp die that is supposed to align the bullet as the cartridge is pushed up into it by the press (or at least, keep the bullet from tipping over). I think the reason that the seater plug needs to be the same shape as the bullet has to do with avoiding deforming the nose--my set came with two plugs: a flat plug for semi-wadcutters, and a concave plug for round-nose bullets (and I guess the more rounded hollowpoints).