Help with OAL for .45 ACP

ruger.john · November 23, 2009, 06:43 AM

I have the Lee, Lyman and Speer manuals plus the Web. I find a lot of difference in OALs. I am using Win 231 with 230 grain Lead round nose. In my new STI Spartan I find FTFs with the 1.26 as recommended by some manuals.
I recently tried some 200 grains loaded with 4.7 of 231 and an OAL of 1.19 and it fed perfectly. My question is can I use a 1.19 or perhaps 1.21 with my 230 grain bullets without developing high pressures?
Lee manual says OK but the others say no. I notice on this forum 1.22 and 1.23 often mentioned. (I never intend to use max loads only paper punch.)

darkgael · November 23, 2009, 07:10 AM

I just checked a few of mine. They work very well in my Colt. Two different 200 grain LSWCs, a 230 FMJ, and a 185 JSWC. The 185 was at 1.150". The three others ranged between 1.255" and 1.265".
That 1.190" seems a bit deep for a 230 grain bullets. With the light powder charge, though, you are probably fine.
I have to smile, though, about reloading and the habits that we get into. I can't remember ever measuring a .45 ACP cartridge for OAL until very recently (in response to a thread like this one) and I have loaded many 10's of thousands (well....5 or 6 anyway). I took the advice in Jerry Kuhnhausen's book and, for SWCs in general, seated the bullets so that about "the thickness of a dime" of the shank showed above the mouth of the case (my 185s are loaded a tad deeper than that). Checked to make sure that they would fit into the magazine. For FMJs, I seated them so that they would fit the magazine is all.
Measure? What a concept.
By FTF - do you mean "failure to fire" (round chambers but does not fire) or "failure to function" (may mean that the round doesn't even chamber)? What happens exactly?
Pete

**Unclenick** · November 23, 2009, 07:55 AM

John,

It is not COL, but seating depth (how deep the base is in the case) that affects pressure. That is because the space the powder has to burn in affects pressure.

Please read the second post in this thread for an explanation. If you have a good known load for a bullet weight with one bullet style and construction (i.e., lead, jacketed, or solid), just measure the length of the bullet in the good load and the length of the new bullet (which needs to be of the same construction type) and add or subtract the difference to your COL, depending on whether the new bullet is longer or shorter.

whiplash · November 23, 2009, 08:05 AM

Do you seat and crimp the bullet at the same time? I used to prior to my XD. Think the chamber was just a smiggin different. I found that some rounds would not feed (FTF), and the slide wouldnt go into full battery. But I switched to seating all bullets, then going back to crimping. Going to doing seating then crimping, everything worked perfect. That is with 230gr RN Laser-Cast.

darkgael · November 23, 2009, 11:07 AM

Seating and crimping. Depends on the press. Mostly seat and crimp in one operation (Lee Pro 1000 - one die.). When I use the Dillon 550, it is two operations (two dies).
Pete

Walkalong · November 23, 2009, 05:59 PM

With 4.7 Grs of W-231 you will be more than fine pressure wise with that 230 Gr lead bullet at 1.190 O.A.L. That is a light load.

November 23, 2009, 06:43 AM	#1
ruger.john Member Join Date: March 2, 2008 Posts: 29	Help with OAL for .45 ACP I have the Lee, Lyman and Speer manuals plus the Web. I find a lot of difference in OALs. I am using Win 231 with 230 grain Lead round nose. In my new STI Spartan I find FTFs with the 1.26 as recommended by some manuals. I recently tried some 200 grains loaded with 4.7 of 231 and an OAL of 1.19 and it fed perfectly. My question is can I use a 1.19 or perhaps 1.21 with my 230 grain bullets without developing high pressures? Lee manual says OK but the others say no. I notice on this forum 1.22 and 1.23 often mentioned. (I never intend to use max loads only paper punch.)

November 23, 2009, 07:10 AM	#2
darkgael Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2006 Location: Homes in Brooklyn, NY and in Pennsylvania. Posts: 5,473	hmmm I just checked a few of mine. They work very well in my Colt. Two different 200 grain LSWCs, a 230 FMJ, and a 185 JSWC. The 185 was at 1.150". The three others ranged between 1.255" and 1.265". That 1.190" seems a bit deep for a 230 grain bullets. With the light powder charge, though, you are probably fine. I have to smile, though, about reloading and the habits that we get into. I can't remember ever measuring a .45 ACP cartridge for OAL until very recently (in response to a thread like this one) and I have loaded many 10's of thousands (well....5 or 6 anyway). I took the advice in Jerry Kuhnhausen's book and, for SWCs in general, seated the bullets so that about "the thickness of a dime" of the shank showed above the mouth of the case (my 185s are loaded a tad deeper than that). Checked to make sure that they would fit into the magazine. For FMJs, I seated them so that they would fit the magazine is all. Measure? What a concept. By FTF - do you mean "failure to fire" (round chambers but does not fire) or "failure to function" (may mean that the round doesn't even chamber)? What happens exactly? Pete __________________ “Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” Ernest Hemingway ... NRA Life Member Last edited by darkgael; November 23, 2009 at 07:32 AM.

November 23, 2009, 07:55 AM	#3
Unclenick Staff Join Date: March 4, 2005 Location: Ohio Posts: 21,063	John, It is not COL, but seating depth (how deep the base is in the case) that affects pressure. That is because the space the powder has to burn in affects pressure. Please read the second post in this thread for an explanation. If you have a good known load for a bullet weight with one bullet style and construction (i.e., lead, jacketed, or solid), just measure the length of the bullet in the good load and the length of the new bullet (which needs to be of the same construction type) and add or subtract the difference to your COL, depending on whether the new bullet is longer or shorter. __________________ Gunsite Orange Hat Family Member CMP Certified GSM Master Instructor NRA Certified Rifle Instructor NRA Benefactor Member and Golden Eagle

November 23, 2009, 11:07 AM	#5
darkgael Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2006 Location: Homes in Brooklyn, NY and in Pennsylvania. Posts: 5,473	crimping Seating and crimping. Depends on the press. Mostly seat and crimp in one operation (Lee Pro 1000 - one die.). When I use the Dillon 550, it is two operations (two dies). Pete __________________ “Auto racing, bull fighting, and mountain climbing are the only real sports ... all others are games.” Ernest Hemingway ... NRA Life Member

November 23, 2009, 08:05 AM	#4
whiplash Senior Member Join Date: January 18, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 334	Do you seat and crimp the bullet at the same time? I used to prior to my XD. Think the chamber was just a smiggin different. I found that some rounds would not feed (FTF), and the slide wouldnt go into full battery. But I switched to seating all bullets, then going back to crimping. Going to doing seating then crimping, everything worked perfect. That is with 230gr RN Laser-Cast.

November 23, 2009, 05:59 PM	#6
Walkalong Senior Member Join Date: May 30, 2007 Location: Al. Posts: 196	With 4.7 Grs of W-231 you will be more than fine pressure wise with that 230 Gr lead bullet at 1.190 O.A.L. That is a light load.