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Thread: reloading dies for dummy rounds

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  1. #21
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    Quote Originally Posted by megafiddle View Post
    I was wondering about those. Since the die needs to stop when the overall length is reached, would that mean that the crimp is fixed?

    The amount of crimp cannot be controlled independently?

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  2. #22
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    Both the bullet seating depth and the amount of crimp can be adjusted on a standard seating/crimping die. And both seating and crimping can be done independently.

    However, doing all that without a loading press and shell holder will be a challenge. And you still will need to flare the case mouth to accept the base of the bullet.

    I mentioned using a 2½" long #8 taper pin only because it's probably the simplest and cheapest thing to get if nothing else is available. If you have a drill press with a ½" chuck you could make one from a length of ½" OD steel or any metal using a mill file. Maybe even a ¼" drive socket of a suitable size would do the trick! Or a 15/32" OD steel ball.

    I repeat: If you don't flare too much you probably won't need to crimp to remove any remaining flare. Cripes, with the inside of the case mouth chamfered the bullet may get seated without the case mouth being flared!

    I repeat: You're way overthinking this!!
    When you can measure what you are speaking about, and express it in numbers, you know something about it; but when you cannot measure it, when you cannot express it in numbers, your knowledge is of a meagre and unsatisfactory kind. [Lord Kelvin]
    Last edited by niemi24s; 3rd April 2018 at 20:50.


  3. #23
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    Quote Originally Posted by niemi24s View Post
    I repeat: You're way overthinking this!!
    Well that's likely true.

    Nonetheless, my newly loaded dummy sticks in the chamber. And it wasn't even flared.

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  4. #24
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    Quote Originally Posted by megafiddle View Post
    I am using a UMC factory round as representative of the factory ammo that I am trying to duplicate. UMC is what I will be shooting in the gun that this dummy ammo is intended to test for functioning.

    The dummy round I "loaded" is 0.002" larger at the mouth, and 0.001" larger at the base, compared to the UMC. The UMC round drops freely into the barrel chamber. The dummy round sticks.
    -
    What's the OD of the factory UMC rounds? (At the case mouth.)

    FWIW, I've been using the Lee factory crimp die since the very first round of .45 ACP I loaded, more than 10 years ago. Every single round I've loaded has gone through it, and I haven't experienced any problems. I just measured a handful of cartridges from my last batch -- they measured .472" OD. I also found a partial box of Remington UMC factory ammo -- five taken from that box at random all measured .469" OD. The SAAMI spec is .473", but the tolerance is -.006". That means anything from .467" through .473 is in spec. .472 seems pretty good to me.
    Hawkmoon
    On a good day, can hit the broad side of a barn ... from the inside
    Last edited by Hawkmoon; 3rd April 2018 at 21:23.


  5. #25
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hawkmoon View Post
    What's the OD of the factory UMC rounds? (At the case mouth.)
    Right at the case mouth, I'm measuring .470" on the UMC, and .472 on mine. This with a freshly seated bullet; no sizing or crimp yet.

    At mid-case, both the UMC and mine measure .470". So I imagine all I need is a slight taper crimp.

    The Kart barrel that I'm fitting is undersized at about 0.472" at the front of the chamber, but is still perfect for commercial ammo that falls towards minimum spec.

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  6. #26
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    I would not be at all happy with a barrel that won't handle ammunition that's within SAAMI specifications. The front of the chamber should be .474" + .004. My handloads measure .472" and they've worked in every pistol I've tried them in ... and that's quite a few.
    Hawkmoon
    On a good day, can hit the broad side of a barn ... from the inside

  7. #27
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    Quote Originally Posted by Hawkmoon View Post
    I would not be at all happy with a barrel that won't handle ammunition that's within SAAMI specifications. The front of the chamber should be .474" + .004. My handloads measure .472" and they've worked in every pistol I've tried them in ... and that's quite a few.

    Looking more carefully, the chamber may be closer to 0.473", but still under spec though. I would agree that an out of spec chamber is not good, but there is little to choose from among carbon barrels.

    I ran a file lightly around the edge of the case mouth and it no longer sticks. It still measures 0.472" though. So likely was just a bur that I missed when measuring the first time.

    The headspace looks good, and if I can use it with the commercial ammo (which I have lots of), I can live with an 0.001" or 0.002" undersize chamber.

    There is no one in my area that can ream a chamber, and I don't really want to buy yet another tool that I may use only once.

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  8. #28
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    Do Kart barrels have finish-reamed chambers?
    Too many people miss the silver lining because they're expecting gold.
    M. Setter

  9. #29
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    Quote Originally Posted by Spyros View Post
    Do Kart barrels have finish-reamed chambers?
    Good question.

    There's some information here, but it's 10 years old:

    https://forum.m1911.org/showthread.p...finish-reaming

    I know that the headspace is good on a couple Kart barrels I looked at, and according to the topic just above, the lead-in to the rifling should be ok for round nose.

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  10. #30
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    I hate to be a reverse snob, but this is why I shy away from "name" barrels. They generally need too much to make them function reliably, and for combat/self defense accuracy a $200+ barrel simply isn't necessary. I've been very happy with Sarco's "Roto" house brand barrels. They're more accurate than I am, and I've never had a problem due to a tight chamber (for enhanced accuracy, of course). I just put 'em in the gun and go shooting. It's one thing if you're buying a "gunsmith fit" barrel -- those are expected to need fitting (although they should NOT require reaming, unless sold as unfinished). The ones that are supposed to be drop-in should drop in ... but often they don't.
    Hawkmoon
    On a good day, can hit the broad side of a barn ... from the inside

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