Crimping into lube groove on cast powder coated bullets. Yeh or Ney.

[arakboss]

i have a bunch of 45 bullets that have a single lube groove. Some are powder coated and have no lube on them. Would it be OK to crimp the cases into the lube groove for 45 Long Colt loads? The bullets were probably intended for 45acp loading but I would rather not have to order any special bullets for 45lc loads, right now.

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[ma96782]

I wouldn't.
But, there is no LAW that says YOU can't, if YOU wanted to.

Be mindful of the grease and have some consideration for COAL. IF, that is a problem. Though I suspect, using a 45 ACP bullet with 45 LC you won't.

Aloha, Mark

PS.....
LOL, I once tried......using 45 LC bullets in a 45 ACP. I had major feeding problems. Yeah.....the shape of the nose makes a difference.

 

[Lar45]

You wouldn't have to crimp in the lube groove, you could always taper crimp with your acp die not screwed down all the way.
I'm assuming that you will be loading mild 45 Colt loads, so a heavy crimp wouldn't really be necessary.

 

[MickShagger]

I don't load 45 long Colt, but I do load powder coated 45 acp and I taper crimp everyone just enough to straighten the slight belling and then just past that enough to slightly taper into the groove. If you crimp too hard or roll crimp I have noticed it can compromise the powder coating by squeezing too hard and cutting into the powder coating. I use a hornady taper crimp die. If you would normally crimp your 45 LC loads that are similar to those then crimp them and let them fly. I didn't have any 45 loaded but here's a crimped 38 special powder coated for an example.

 

[dangerranger60]

One of the reasons I would not is you may not get exactly straight bullets. Or may get loose bullets. You are dropping the edge into a large cavity. DR

 

[Certaindeaf]

You can always crimp on/past the shoulder proper also.

 

[DLS]

So, in the spirit of Internet advice unity, that always happens (grin) ...

I don't see a problem. Take a properly powder coated bullet, put it on a hard surface and begin smashing it with a hammer. You will see the coating stays put! Roll crimping into the groove shouldn't upset the coating.

When using cast bullets that are not specifically designed for a particular cartridge along with old style grease in the groove lube methods, it's not uncommon to leave the top one or two grooves dry and crimp into them.

The bullets base below the grease groove should give you enough bearing surface to properly align the bullet, just don't be shy about belling the case mouth and be smooth and gentle when seating and crimping. Do these as separate steps.

You will have a long jump to the cylinder throats using the shorter ACP bullet in the LC chamber, but this is no different than say shooting a .38 Special in a .357 Magnum chamber.

 

[ThePants]

Overall length is my focus on these uncoated rounds of 500mag. I will only use this brass once, so crimping in the groove doesn't matter. They work.

 

[DLS]

Why are you limiting the loadings to one time?

 

[ThePants]

Why are you limiting the loadings to one time?

Crimping the groove deforms the brass. I load Hodgdon H110 max 500mag loads. With that much power, it's not worth the risk over recycling brass. Especially when my hand loads cost 30% of retail. It's not something I shoot as much as 357mag or 44mag for that matter.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Crimping the groove deforms the brass. I load Hodgdon H110 max 500mag loads. With that much power, it's not worth the risk over recycling brass. Especially when my hand loads cost 30% of retail. It's not something I shoot as much as 357mag or 44mag for that matter.

Too bad your pic isn't more sidewards.. I'd be interested in seeing the crimp.
Also, if they're loaded normally and not destroyed by too much crimp you can easily get 2-10+ loadings out of a piece of that brass.
Just look out for loose primer pockets and split necks.

 

[ThePants]

Too bad your pic isn't more sidewards.. I'd be interested in seeing the crimp.
Also, if they're loaded normally and not destroyed by too much crimp you can easily get 2-10+ loadings out of a piece of that brass.
Just look out for loose primer pockets and split necks.

Ask and you shall receive.
It is possible to trim the cases into less special 500s&w wildcat cartridges, but at some point I realized it's better to just load once for 500mag.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Ask and you shall receive.
It is possible to trim the cases into less special 500s&w wildcat cartridges, but at some point I realized it's better to just load once for 500mag.

View attachment 1413917

Wow, I've never seen a crimp like that before.. nevertheless, it'll iron back out upon firing.

 

[ThePants]

Wow, I've never seen a crimp like that before.. nevertheless, it'll iron back out upon firing.

I admit over the many years, I've had a squib round or two (in a different caliber) from pressure loss related to poor crimp vs projectile geometry / seat depth. These 500 projos seat at an OAL where the groove and mouth of case meet. No squibs so far in 500 mag. Over-crimp = yes