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Reloading .45 ACP using your Ballistic chart

#1: Reloading .45 ACP using your Ballistic chart Author: jnauman, Location: South Texas

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 12:00 pm
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[b]I'm preparing to go test fire my first reloads, and have been using your Ballistic's chart. I'm using a Lee Pro 1000 turrent press. Just finished donating. I used Hornady 200gr XTP with 0.61 powder as the starting weight. I will give you my report, when I get back.

#2: Re: Reloading .45 ACP using your Ballistic chart Author: jnauman, Location: South Texas

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 1:41 pm
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At 20 yds. little, if any drop, ejected well, did notice some small leakage around crimp. Overall, great load.

#3: Re: Reloading .45 ACP using your Ballistic chart Author: Ominivision1, Location: Iowa

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 2:39 pm
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Welcome jnauman:-
I understand you are using the hornady 200gr xtp for the 45axp, but I'm confused as to 0.61 powder as the starting weight? Do you mean % of the case or what?

BTW Welcome and grab a stump and one of Vince's beer's.

#4: Re: Reloading .45 ACP using your Ballistic chart Author: English Mike, Location: Whitehaven, Cumbria, UK

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 3:41 pm
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What powder are you using?

#5: Re: Reloading .45 ACP using your Ballistic chart Author: jnauman, Location: South Texas

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 5:07 pm
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Unique.

#6: Re: Reloading .45 ACP using your Ballistic chart Author: jnauman, Location: South Texas

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 5:09 pm
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Ominivision1 wrote:

Welcome jnauman:-
I understand you are using the hornady 200gr xtp for the 45axp, but I'm confused as to 0.61 powder as the starting weight? Do you mean % of the case or what?

BTW Welcome and grab a stump and one of Vince's beer's.

I'm sorry, new to reloading. I'm using the 0.61 size on the Lee Pro 1000 gunpowder disk.

#7: Re: Reloading .45 ACP using your Ballistic chart Author: jnauman, Location: South Texas

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 10:16 pm
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jnauman wrote:

[b]I'm preparing to go test fire my first reloads, and have been using your Ballistic's chart. I'm using a Lee Pro 1000 turrent press. Just finished donating. I used Hornady 200gr XTP with 0.61 powder as the starting weight. I will give you my report, when I get back.

The one thing that my Pro 1000 does that I can't understand is, it's been cutting the case when the bullet is pressed in. It just does it once in a while, but, I hate throwing away a good bullet, and primer.

#8: Re: Reloading .45 ACP using your Ballistic chart Author: dhc4ever, Location: Ipswich, Queensland Australia

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 10:50 pm
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Hard to tell from this photo, is that a deep scratch on the projectile above the crush in the case mouth? Is it on all of them that are damaged? How often does this happen?
Look at the interior of the dies for any scratches /swarf, do the mouths of the cases get sufficiently belled to receive the projectile without catching.
Indexing and clearences of the dies and plate within spec?
Clean everything, lube where required and recheck your setup and settings.
Dont try to go too fast, even full length strokes.

I dont own one of these press's, but did use a dillion type press around 30 yrs ago, yeah not much of a recommendation for trouble shooting, but I can sit back and pontificate quite well.

Good luck with it.

Last edited by dhc4ever on Sat Sep 03, 2011 11:07 pm; edited 1 time in total

#9: Re: Reloading .45 ACP using your Ballistic chart Author: Elvis, Location: south island New Zealand

Posted: Sat Sep 03, 2011 11:01 pm
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do you check weigh every 10th, 20th 50th charge weight?
it looks to me as if the bullet is not starting straight I dont use this type of press either so am just speculating, do you champher the case mouth???

#10: Re: Reloading .45 ACP using your Ballistic chart Author: Joe Boleo, Location: Pennsylvania

Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 5:09 am
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I agree with Elvis. It appears that the case has either not been chamfered or was not slightly belled to accept the bullet. Welcome to the Forum. Take care...
Joe

#11: Re: Reloading .45 ACP using your Ballistic chart Author: Ominivision1, Location: Iowa

Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 5:39 am
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You might want to try re-adjusting the expansion die.

First, run the shell holder to the top of its stroke, then screw the expander die into the press until it touches the shell holder and tighten the large lock ring. Lower the shell holder, place a resized case in the shell holder, and run it fully into the expander die. Check the mouth of the case. It should be expanded and belled just enough to accept a new bullet. Excessive belling of the mouth shortens case life. If the case needs more or less expansion, loosen the lock nut at the top of the die and screw the tapered expander plug up or down until the correct amount of belling at the mouth of the case is achieved, then re-tighten the lock nut.

#12: Re: Reloading .45 ACP using your Ballistic chart Author: SingleShotLover, Location: Illinois

Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 8:07 am
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This can occur if the case has been belled a little too much also. When this happens the case can wobble just enough to allow part of it to enter the die but the rest catches the die mouth and crumples back. A bullet not properly aligned with the case can also crumple part of the case mouth upon seating.

Remember that when using the powder through the die charging /expanding die, follow the manufacturer's instructions completely. It does not adjust the same way that a simple three-die set does for a non-progressive press.

Make sure that the spring-steel "legs" are adjusted properly to hold the case firmly in the shell-plate through all stations. Develop a consistent, smooth stroke so that cases are not jerked and miss-aligned rotating through the positions.

There are quite a few good tutorials on using and setting up the Lee Pro 1000 on You Tube. Just "Google Lee Pro !000 setup" and you will find them Many times it is a lot clearer to see something than just trying to figure it out by instructions.

#13: Re: Reloading .45 ACP using your Ballistic chart Author: Ominivision1, Location: Iowa

Posted: Sun Sep 04, 2011 12:05 pm
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Doh!

I was looking at the picture of the scraped shell and completely forgot you were loading for the pro 1000. Yup they do not adjust the same way as a non-progressive press.

#14: Re: Reloading .45 ACP using your Ballistic chart Author: stovepipe, Location: Pine, Az.

Posted: Tue Sep 06, 2011 1:08 pm
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I have a 1000. Lee's carbide pistol dies @ station 1 do not use lube- soot and carbide hardness acts as lube. Other two have no need for lube- never lube the other two internally. Clean #3 regulary if you use cast/lubed bullets. The die gets yuky fast with some comerical bullets.

That case got munched by the sizer/decapper at station 1.

If it does not go into the shell carrier all the way, the case catches the #1 die's lip and gets bent, subsequent processing will cause further damage. Like when it pulls out of the charger/expander die the crease opens up and looks like a tear.

If it's not flared enough it'll shave bullets @ station 3, fouling the die. Easy fix. Increase expander 1/4 turn and try again with a single case till it comes out perfect- bullet should just balance in the mouth w/o falling out or shaving.

The seater @ station 3 is very forgiving on a flared case but it'll make up for only so much...and if the bullet is too crooked the case will buckle and peel the bullet, then when ya bring the ram back down it's opens the buckle in the case and it looks like a tear etc....clean the seater/crimper once this happens.

Check your Z-bar and case carrier/dropper for propper adjustment etc...
Check for indexing issues.
Another check is the "spring up" at the turret when the ram goes up- they all have a certain amount..if it goes up a ton, either the allum turret is toast or the top of the press is out of spec.
None of these is an issue as the case looks fine execept for being mushed and then torn. Dies don't cut cases, per say. They will bend the crap outta them then when extracted tehy tear.

The dies are very easy to check for defects- just take them apart. Do this and look at all inernals for damage. Send all suspect dies back to Lee ASAP and they will repair or replace them pretty quicky. I've gotten a bunch of Lee dies...so far no defects on any of them. On mixed lot plinking stuff I get some scratches and stuff on a couple but that's caused by not being in the shell carrier all the way and the base of the die scuffing it or shoving it too far up into the expander die. The seater/crimper die is butt-smooth inside sans the crimp shoulder.

With a little care the 1000 will outlast your arm. Get plenty of them turrets- they are only 10$ or so...that way you dont have to take dies in and out. I also use it for single-stage work doing one case atta time in a semi-progressve manner as it's still faster and safer than true single stage relaoding as you work with one case, primer, charge at a time. The 1000 is kinda odd looking but once yuo realise how verstile it is you'll be glad you got it...keep the primer tray full too! IT'll flip and primers and jams if the lolipop gets low as it's gravity fed.

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