Thread: .45 reloading trouble.

I took some of my first handloads to the range yesterday. They shot well but I had a FTF at least once in every other magazine. Now I'm sitting here trying to figure out what the **** I'm doing wrong. The load is a 200grn lead round nose over 4.6grains of WST powder. I seated them to the shoulder with a good roll crimp. Overall length is 1.201". I'm shooting them through my Wilson CQB.

Anyone have any ideas on what I should try next? I just measured a factory 230FMJ and it measures 1.261" OAL. Could the shorter OAL be causing my problem? Factory FMJs feed fine.

I'm not an expert by any means, but could it be possible to have a lighter load, thus not fully cycling the slide? If not that, then the overall length difference makes sense to me. Try increasing the OAL to factory and see what happens. Hope that helps.

does your brass have a bulge or line where you bullet stops???

Wish I could help Cap but, all my reloading has been .223/5.56 or .38 special......

Originally Posted by jeclif

does your brass have a bulge or line where you bullet stops???

No not that I notice. But I will check next time I have a FTF.

I went to the range again today. Shot off about 65 rounds of blazer brass with no problems. Switched to the reloads and had a case head seperation about 15rounds in. WTF? I don't think it was a double charge as nothing seemed to BOOM out of the ordinary. I only noticed because the next round wouldn't fully seat. I'm guessing weak brass but I dont know.

I didnt think to look for the seperated case afterwards so I don't even know what headstamp it was

Guns fixed and back together now, but to say I'm discouraged is an understatement.

You know my manual doesn't even list WST. You may have issues with a "good roll crimp" because the case head spaces on the rim of the mouth of the cartridge not the back of the case. So the cartridge may be seating much closer to the rifling increasing pressure on you. Try Win 231 at 5.7 gains with a 200 grain bullet.

Dang man you having a hard start in reloading.

Oh BTW, I'd invest in a LEE factory crimp die

Originally Posted by DKing

You know my manual doesn't even list WST. You may have issues with a "good roll crimp" because the case head spaces on the rim of the mouth of the cartridge not the back of the case. So the cartridge may be seating much closer to the rifling increasing pressure on you. Try Win 231 at 5.7 gains with a 200 grain bullet.

yeah I think that roll crimp was what did it. I had some help from an experienced friend and we had a collectively stupid moment. These things happen. We are starting over from scratch this week. I'm pretty sure we have it figured out now. We just have a lot of bullet pulling to do.


BTW I have entirely too many projects going.

i'll see if I can dig up some Win 231 locally.

I roll crimp mine but it will vary to the degree you can get away with it and the barrel you have.