length of cases and another ?

[duke133]

I am, like I posted earlier, just getting back into reloading. I am using once fired brass (WW, Rem& PMC 45 acp) but noticed in random measuring that the case length varies somewhat from 22.65 up to 22.73mm. This is below the maximum length but I was curious about the difference and whether it makes a difference as long as it is below the max.

Also, in some posts people mention the bell when talking about crimping,. What exactly is the bell?
And, lastly for now, I have de-primed the casings and used a pocket cleaner to remove the residual junk but how clean does the pocket have to be? Sparkling like new brass or just no rough areas?
Thanks.

[Maury Krupp]

Loading .45ACP blammo is as close to a "no brainer" as there is in reloading.

That's not to say you needn't pay attention; more that there are a whole lot of steps and factors that matter in other reloading that don't matter for .45ACP. It's a pretty low power/low pressure load, most pistols chambered for it aren't very finicky, and the usual accuracy demands are comparatively low.

Any case length below max is fine. It headspaces on the case mouth (or extractor) so all that matters is that the weapon can go fully into battery. I've never trimmed a .45ACP case.

Straight wall pistol cases require a "bell" or "flare" to open the case mouth to allow for bullet seating; then a crimp to take that bell out and straighten the case mouth back to the proper shape.

I've never cleaned a .45ACP primer pocket. My cases go right from the tumbler and into the Dillon 550 where they're sized and de-primed/re-primed at Station 1 of the merry-go-round.

If loading for bullseye competition it may be worthwhile to get more OCD; otherwise just load 'em up

Maury

[C5M1]

+1 What Maury said, cept I give the primer pockets a quick turn with the pocket brush, no need to get too fussy.


regards, dennis

[Litt'le Lee]

your #2 pistol die bells your case to allow bullet insertion without carving the outside of the bullet and enlarges the opening to .001 less than the bullet diameter for correct bullet tension-you have to adjust the die to flare just enough for the bullet to set on the case mouth itself

[Parashooter]

[joem]

Any SAMMI specs I've seen allow + - .010 on case length. Cases do not need to be cleaned to new looking. I like to clean my brass to get any crud off the outside but I have a friend that cleans them to look like new. I've never had to trim a straight walled pistol case. Seems they split before they get too long.

[Tuna]

As the others have said don't worry about case length with the .45 acp. It is one of the very few cases that does not lengthen but shrinks with each use. If you load them enought times they will finally not headspace as they are too short.

[Parashooter]

Fired once and sized in same carbide die. Without trimming, these two cases cannot be flared, have bullets seated, and flare removed (or mouths crimped) properly with the same die adjustment. Mixed .45 ACP brass needs either sorting or trimming to yield quality handloads.

[duke133]

All,
Thanks for the info. I did not know the "bell" was the was the same as flaring the casing for the bullet. Now I do. It is good to know I don't have to get OCD on this caliber. Does this also apply to the 9mm round since it's a straight case or does the ability of the 9 to have a hotter load not put it in the same catagory as the 45? Does the separating apply to all calibers? Thinking about it, it does make sense to load all the same brass at the same time due to the differences. I guess I'll make that SOP. In the 45's I only have 2 kinds but in the 9 it looks like I have several types of casings to separate including a lot of Nato brass and Speer. More work but I believe it's worth it.
Parashooter, thanks for the pics. They explain it all.
Thanks all.

[joem]

I don't bother with separating my pistol cases. I have set my powder funnel to bell a shorter case (dillon 650). If the case is too short, it's is not belled correctly and gets crushed. Much faster than separating all the cases. Anything that's crushed has the bullet pulled, powder saved and cases scraped.