45 ACP In Revolvers

[ethmoid1999]

A friend and I tried some of my hand-loads for 45 ACP in his 45 ACP S&W 625 revolver. Very few would even fit the cylinder chambers. I am loading on a Dillon 550. The rounds function fine in my 1911's. I am full length resizing. Is there a small base sizer for 45 ACP? What am I doing wrong? Thank you, Mike

 

[Bruce Mc]

Too long or too tight? Bullet seated out too far.

 

[Guy Miner]

Huh. Interesting.

I had a 45 ACP S&W revolver, and my son still has a Ruger Blackhawk with two cylinders, in 45 ACP and 45 Colt.

We just grabbed the 45 ACP ammo I loaded for my 1911's and used it in the revolvers, no problem.

I wonder if your S&W 625 has significantly smaller chambers than your semi-auto?

Try some new, unfired brass?

Guy

 

[ethmoid1999]

Didn't have any factory ammo but know it works as we shot the revolver years ago with some factory ammo. It has me bewildered. I have several 1911's and the ammo works fine. The loads are not too long. They are hard cast 185 grains and a very short bullet. The loaded rounds go about half way into the chamber and then stop.

 

[Guy Miner]

I'd try some brand new brass, or reload factory ammo that has only been fired in that revolver, not in your 1911's. The solution could be that simple.

Guy

 

[jimbires]

are you crimping the bullet ? on 45 acp I use a Lee factory crimp die . this die has a carbide sizing ring built in it . if the brass case bulges a little the carbide ring sizes it back to specs . I had to use this on my 1911 , or I had ones that wouldn't chamber .


https://leeprecision.com/carbide-factor ... 45acp.html

 

[ethmoid1999]

Jim, I suspect you have hit the nail on the head. Some of my reloads do have a little bulge. They function in the 1911's but not in the revolver. Most of my reloads are just too large.

 

[ethmoid1999]

I am using a taper crimp and cast bullets. Tried some loaded with 185 grain Sierra and they fit. Apparently, the cast bullets are a bit larger.

 

[Guy Miner]

Ahhh....

 

[jimbires]

I am using a taper crimp and cast bullets. Tried some loaded with 185 grain Sierra and they fit. Apparently, the cast bullets are a bit larger.

I shot 185 gr cast bullets in my 1911 bullseye gun . I bought from master cast bullets in Pa . I think his standard size is .452 . my gun shot and functioned best with .451 . Mike would run me a batch of 10,000 sized at .451 each year . that's a lot of bullets for the average guy just plinking . do some measuring , you might need to buy from a different caster to get a diameter the same as your jacketed bullets . I still recommend you try the Lee die first . with it being a revolver you don't need to worry about it feeding flawless . the Lee die will probably will get you going with the cast bullets you have .

 

[ethmoid1999]

I ordered the Lee die. I want to give it a try.

 

[1Shot]

Ran into a similar problem with the 38-40. My brother in law has a Winchester rifle and a double action Colt pistol in this caliber. Ordered some cast bullets, can't remember but they around .401 or .402 and loaded up some for the rifle first and it ran like a sewing machine shooting really good groups also. Tried the same rounds in the pistol and they would not even chamber. He had some old factory Remington ammo with jacketed SP bullets and when measuring neck diameter the cast bullets necks were larger than the jacketed bullets necks. I did load up one jacketed bullet designed for the 40 S&W and it chambered just fine but was afraid to load rounds with these bullets because they did not have a crimping groove and I could push the bullet further into the case with just thumb pressure and I am sure that if you fired just one round the rest of the bullets in the other chambers would pull forward tying up the revolver.