Got one for you guys. I have loaded hundreds of 45 colt for my Ruger SRH. I have always used lead bullets. I want to load 454 Casull for it. So I went out and got 300 gr Hornady XT jacketed bullets. I cannot crimp the bullets! I am using a 3-die RCBS set. So, I fugured I tried them in a 45 COlt case with my 3-die Lee set. Same result. I cannot crimp into the cannelure. The bullet will not fit in the cylinder of the Ruger SRH.

Could it be this...the only bullets I have ever used were .452 lead. These bullets are .452 jacketed. Is there a difference between .451 and .452 in jacketed? Could that .001 make that much of a differnece? Really odd. As I say, I have loaded tons of 45/70, 45 Colt both hot and mild and never had a problem crimping with lead. Am I missing something with JHPs. Help!

Take your seating die apart and give it a thorough cleaning. Next, mike the cylinders to see if they accept .452" jacketed bullets. Third, are the bullets seated for the crimp to match the cannelure? Your are talking of a rolled crimp using these factory dies. Evidently you are attempting to seat the bullet and crimp at the same time. Most handgun shooters that crimp do it as a separate operation.

If the uncrimped cartridge is not chambering, chances are the slight bell to the case for bullet seating purposes is still present and this will be an excessive diameter for chambering.

Try seating the bullets, then going back and crimping. Be sure the rolled crimp matches the cannelure and that the seater die is turned down sufficiently to form the crimp, but DON"T make too large a crimp as this will cause a bulge that cannot be chambered.

Give consideration to the Lee Crimping Die which will give you a taper crimp and eliminate the bulge of a rolled crimp. You will find it useful for your 45-70 reloading too!

kdub,

Usually I use the Lee dies for a 45 Colt, but I have RCBS for the 454. I noticed Lee dies are easier to crimp with. It could be that the 45 colt loads fine in the longer 454 cylinder, but the long 454 won't make it with the .452. The cylinder measures .467, don't know what that means.

I'm going to a gunshow tomorrow and I'll pick up some 300 gr lead bullets and see if that makes a difference. I'll let you know!

In addition to kdubs great advice, I might offer this...

The cannelure on a jacketed bullet is MUCH shallower than the crimp GROOVE on a lead bullet. If you attempt to turn in a crimp as heavy as you can easily do with a lead bullet, you will almost certainly bulge the case (usually just below the crimp level.

As mentioned, try backing the seating die out at least one full turn (and DO clean it out, also). Seat the bullets -you'll have to compensate by turning the seating stem IN a turn or so- without applying any crimp.

Once you have the bullet seated so that the case mouth is centered in the cannelure, start screwing the die down -remember to now back the seat stem back out again!- until you can feel the crimp shoulder touch the case mouth, then come down only about 1/8 turn.
Test the round in all six cylinders. If it chambers, lock the die as is. If not, come down in VERY small increments until the round just chambers.

If test-firing shows that the bullets creep out under recoil (load six and fire five, then examine the remaining one) yo may have to crimp just the tiniest bit more. But go too far and you'll be back at Buckletown again.

Thanks all. I'll give er a go!

A couple of thoughts: First, on crimping, have you tested crimping an empty case to verify you have the crimp portion of the die correctly positioned to try to roll the case mouth?

Second, Since you always shoot lead from .45 Long Colt cases, you might have a band of it accumulated below the chamber throat, effectively shortening your chamber. This can be darn near invisible to the naked eye without just right conditions of lighting. If so, you need to clean it out. The usual lead removal tools will work, like the Lewis or the Hornady knock-off of the Lewis. Search the board on lead removal any you will find everything from the Outer's Foul-out to Chore Boy copper scrubber strands wrapped on a brush. One I've heard but have never tried and been meaning to is just an overnight soak in Kroil. Supposidly losens it enough for a normal brushing and patch job to clear it.