I recently got this question from a reader (recoilamrs) regarding loading 45ACP on the Hornady Lock-N-Load:
Hi! This is killing me I swear!! No matter what I do I can’t reload 45 auto that fits into my XD45. It doesn’t look like new ammo and it always seems to bend the case wall. I don’t know what else I can do. I’ve tried reading the manual. Can you please make a video on setting the dies? I got the deprimer down good but the other two are driving me crazy. If I could just see someone else do it that would be great. And I’m watching your video on 45 auto reloading and your instruction is awesome. So can you help me PLEASE!!???
I think everyone who has reloaded pistol ammo has run into this problem (crushed cases). It can be quite madening!
I’d bet you are over-crimping. Here’s how I setup a seat/crimp die for automatics:
- Install seat/crimp die in LNL bushing, snap into place
- Back the seating plug mostly out
- Raise the die in the bushing fairly highÂ
- Take a loaded round that is properly sized (factory ammo would be good option) and put it in the shellplate before the seat/crimp station
- Raise the ram, keep the ram at the top of its stroke
- Turn the die down until you feel it contact the case (make sure seating plug is not touching bullet
Tighten slightly (slightly!!!) - Turn down the seating plug (make sure you’re using the right profile, flat point versus round nose) until it contacts the bullet.
That should be enough to dial you in. Run a test round through, check your cartridge overall length with calipers and dial in.
The LnL has arrived and I have the dies for .45 ACP set-up and I am setting up the .223 dies. The de-cap/sizing die does not seem to want to set-up like the instructions suggest. I ran the die body down to the shell plate when in the “up” position and then adjusted the de-cap pin as the instructions in the die box suggest. The case stops short of punching the primer out.
I raised the die body up and reset the de-capping pin to punch out the spent primer and resize the case mouth. I have the de-cap pin set at 1/2″ below the mounting base. This does not seem right. The powder measure seems to have a little hitch in it too.
Do you have any tips on this with this particular caliber (.223 rem)?
The hitch in the powder measure could be the size of the powder (Varget). The rotor seems to kind of catch just as it turns past the the feed area in the bottom of the measure. Any experience with that?
The hitch in the powder measure could be the size of the powder (Varget). The rotor seems to kind of catch just as it turns past the the feed area in the bottom of the measure. Any experience with that?
So you have crushed some cases trying to seat a bullet…Can you recover that primer? If so how do you do that safely? “Enquiring minds want to know.”
If you try and extract the primer intact, you risk primer detonation.
Personally, I only trust pristine brand new primers in any of my reloaded rounds.
I know, it feels like throwing away gold in this day and age…
Hey,
I am new to all of this and just needed the experience of others to confirm what I thought was the standard.
All,
In talking with the guys over at XDTalk the crushed case thing is not uncommon to them using the Hornady seater die with the micrometer depth adjuster. The reason for this is very simple. The original die that arrives has the seater adjuster that screws into the top just like any other. It also has a hole in the top of it too. This hole allows for the air to escape from the die as the ram is raised and compresses the bullet into the case. When using the micrometer depth adjustment there is no hole for the air to escape the die body and thus leaves an “airlock” on the seating sleeve. This is nice to know that the tolerances are that close even though it causes the sleeve to stay in the up position. If the seating sleeve does not come to the lowered position the bullet will have a higher probability of being canted and crushing the case.
The resolution is to drill a 1/16″ hole in the knurled section of the die body to allow for the air lock to be broken. Problem solved.