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Old March 21, 2000, 03:22 PM   #1
Svt
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What’s the minimum OAL for 230 FMJ? My manuals all state the maximum (1.275) but no minimum.
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Old March 21, 2000, 04:51 PM   #2
Coinneach
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I don't have the number right in front of me, but when I started loading .45ACP I miked a UMC cartridge and set my seating die to it.
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Old March 21, 2000, 04:54 PM   #3
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If you're talking 45ACP, Alliant lists it as 1.190 min oal.

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Old March 21, 2000, 06:27 PM   #4
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All of my OAL for 230gr FMJ is 1.260" But the shorter your OAL is the higher your pressure will be with the same charge of powder.
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Old March 21, 2000, 06:30 PM   #5
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All of my OAL for 230gr FMJ is 1.260" But the shorter your OAL is the higher your pressure will be with the same charge of powder.
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Old March 21, 2000, 07:14 PM   #6
Bud Helms
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.

[This message has been edited by sensop (edited March 22, 2000).]
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Old March 21, 2000, 07:16 PM   #7
Bud Helms
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Sheesh.

[This message has been edited by sensop (edited March 22, 2000).]
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Old March 21, 2000, 07:18 PM   #8
Bud Helms
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According to Syd Weedon's 1911 Notebook, 1.190 - 1.275. Normal OAL range for 230 gr FMJ Ball is 1.250 - 1.265.

Mine are 1.260.
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Old March 22, 2000, 09:38 AM   #9
WESHOOT2
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DANGER!

Be very very careful when reducing OAL in 45ACP.
Pressures can EXCEED 100,000 PSI.

Sounds dangerous, huh?

Well, it is!

Safety first, so if you want to shoot 'short' 45ACP's, reduce powder charge and work up slow.

Nominal OAL is 1.255-1.270".

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"All my ammo is factory ammo"

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Old March 22, 2000, 11:41 AM   #10
Svt
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All of mine are 1.268" but I was just curious since I never saw the minimum in any of my manuals.
Thanks!
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Old March 22, 2000, 01:49 PM   #11
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I have shot 230's @ 1.24" with no problems...

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Old March 23, 2000, 07:53 AM   #12
WESHOOT2
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You can use listed minimums, but work up slow.

Decreases in available combustion volume is where pressure climbs, so just be careful.

Case neck tension, avoid bullet setback, crimp won't make up for insufficient neck tension.................

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Old March 25, 2000, 04:39 PM   #13
Walt Welch
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OAL affects two things: whether the round will fit in the magazine, and whether the round will function through the gun.

Pressure is not affected by OAL. It is affected by bullet seating depth. Two bullets of differing lengths, loaded to the same OAL will yield different, perhaps drastically different, pressures.

I would suggest that you follow recommended OAL for a given brand of bullet as given in the reloading manuals, most of which are available on line. Failing this, pull some factory rounds, and find out what the bullet seating depth is, by measuring the case, the bullet, and the OAL. You may well just find that the bullet is the same length. In which, the same OAL is acceptable. If not, simple calculation will yield seating depth.

OAL minus case length yields the amount of the bullet protruding from the case. Subtracting this protrusion from the bullet length gives you seating depth.

I once had a nasty scare when Remington increased the OAL of their 115 gr. JHP's by 0.035". Had I used the same OAL, since the ogives were the same, I would have markedly increased the pressures, almost certainly into a dangerous zone, as I had created a condition identical to bullet setback.

Hope this helps, Walt
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