Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading 45 acp 1911

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I use the tool above for the plunk test.
Also the gray box RCBS dies expander plug looks the same as a Lyman m die expander.
I tried almost everything the prevent the shaving of lead while seating the bullet. My newest die is the Redding expander which is coated. Seems to be working fine. Hasbeen

If you are using your seating/crimp die in two passes isn't that basically turning it into a 4 die set, with the added complication of adjusting the die between seating and crimping? Sure you can minimize adjustments by doing them in larger batches but I figured it would be easier to just use a fourth die to crimp even if it was another rcbs die or something. The LFCD just seemed like a well reviewed option so that is what I went with. I just put it in an RCBS jr press so I don't have to readjust and can just go from one to the next. I would like to get a progressive at some point though.

That is correct. As I said, the extra die is not really needed unless using a progressive. The RCBS die I have makes a perfect taper crimp and I used to load in batches of 1000 so a quick adjustment was no big concern.

Sounds like you have your system working now, so all is good.

Loaded 10 more ACPs. All functioned fine. Maybe when I was loading that batch, I did not pay enough attention to detail. Shot 10 of the old ones in my .45 acp revolver day before and they all worked fine, but the revolver may be more forgiving of errors in seating depth of the primers. Thanks for all the help.

Glad you're getting it sorted out.

I had used a progressive that I didn't like, it seemed too easy to tie up. Found about close to 1000 rounds of .45 ACP I had loaded on it and set aside back in the early '90s. Had one high primer and one with no powder when I shot through that batch, so that was better than I thought it would be.

Quit using that and bought a Dillon 550C. Night and day difference.

Hope your improvements continue.

Some good info on this thread. A neighbor asked if he could have some of my cast and coated 45 bullets. I gave him some and he had all kinds of problems starting with sticking a tight fitting load in the chamber of his new gun. He's a former Ranger sniper special forces guy too but hadn't heard of the kerplunk test with just the barrel.

I inquired as to his process and he didn't use an expander at all. He just figures the case will cut the bullet to size. That particular mold casts a little out of round but they work fine in my gun unsized but I flare the mouth and then taper crimp it back down which sizes it a bit. I told him I'd size some with my push through if he wants to try again but he needs to start using an expander instead of shaving the coating off with the case mouth.

Bb