I have been reloading 44mag, 45LC and other straight wall case since 1987. I just started trying the 45ACP. The headspace crap is just killing me and how much crimp(I know that is pretty much trial and error). Man any help or hints on this will be greatly appreciated. Thanks guys. and Go NAVY! Proud NAVY Dad here, lol!

No crimp. Just remove the mouth expansion you added to allow you to seat the bullet. Return the mouth to straight.

When loading straight walled auto-pistol ammo I don't trim brass because it doesn't stretch. After loading revolver ammo it is easy to over-crimp auto brass. Yes, there is a learning curve on applying the right amount of crimp but I say use just a "little dab'll do ya", like just enough to discern that the case mouths do indeed have a crimp but just enough to notice.

Dennis, Why crimp at all?

I agree with Luckyducker on the small amount of crimp needed. Most of the time I have enough case tension that it holds the bullet in place. A good, square case mouth does help though. My pal reloaded some 45 acp and the cartridges didn't stop squarely and positively when he pulled the barrel from his S.A. XD and slid a round in. The brass he used had been through the press a few times already.

As others here have said, Remington brass is thin and after sizing it sometimes I can't feel the expander going in. I try to stay away from it.

I think Kuhnhausen said that often times the extractor holds the cartridge rather than it headspacing on the case mouth. FWIW, my reloads (recreation only) always go bang. I can't remember one not going off.

And if I can add one more thing, ramrod340 makes a good point about not crimping at all. Plus, it's difficult to crimp if there's no cannelure.

After a good nights sleep and got to thinking that one could call what I actually do a "very" light tapered crimp.

Don't want to get mixed up in the semantics. For my 380, 9mm and 45Acp I simply remove the mouth expansion I created to allow me to seat the bullet. If you choose to call that crimping I have no issue with it.

I've done it that way for 40+ years and have never had a bullet moved.

Now something like a 357 or 44 I crimp the hell out of it.

a light taper crimp lessens the drag on the feed ramp - aids in stopping stovepiping

I don't crimp them auto. As said, just put them back to straight. My seating die does that. You can call it a mild taper crimp but it's not a like a .357 taper crimp. Use the barrel out of the gun. Drop them in, they should fall in and "clunk" on the case mouth.

I crimp .460 Rowland, I don't crimp .45 ACP. I expand mouths a very very little and after seating (and crimping in the case of .460 Rowland) I run it through Lee Precision 45ACP Carbide Factory Crimp Die (with removed crimping cone) just to be sure the diameter is fine. It sometimes touches the rounds (mostly at the bottom) near extracting groove. Never ever had any single problem.

Jiri

For crimping I put a real mild crimp in the bullet seating die then clean everything up with the Lee Factory Crimp die. I love the results.

That is the stuff I expected from my Accurate Brothers. Thank you for the info! Great place for help.

Like Peeshooter, I used the Lee Factory Crimp die. I had no problems with them at all.

I taper crimp all pistol cases that headspace on the mouth. I've even switched to taper crimp for revolver ammo. Case length is no longer important as when roll crimping (and I've yet to have a bullet to move, even with .44 and .357 Mag loads). I cale to the idea when I started buying Dillon dies for my progressive press. Dillon dies offer both crimping options, roll or taper. I adjust my taper crimp at bullet diameter + 2x case wall thickness.

quote:

Originally posted by Bren7X64:
Like Peeshooter, I used the Lee Factory Crimp die. I had no problems with them at all.

The only place I've had any trouble with the K+Lee Factory Crimp die is crimping 223 brass. It seems to cause a bit of a bulge in the neck making cambering difficult so you have to very carefully adjust that finishing crimp with a barrel or a Wilson Case Gauge to check for problems. Straight wall brass is a slam dunk, cant go wrong.

The few small primer 45 brass I found I have just thrown in the scrap bucket.