Today, we present five YouTube videos that demonstrate basic reloading procedures. This article will focus on the.45 ACP cartridge as it is a good choice for beginners. Because it has a larger case diameter and a larger primer pocket, the.45 ACP cartridge is easier to reload than rifle rounds. We recommend that all new reloaders start with the.45 ACP cartridge. The.45 ACP cartridge is a great choice for beginners to hand-loading. Although the case is quite small, it has a large diameter and minimal taper. This makes it easy to see inside. This allows you to quickly check the powder levels.
2. Many powders, including the.45 ACP, will fill the case to over 60%. If you double-charge accidentally, you will have obvious overflow.
3. The.45 ACP round is extremely accurate, despite operating at low pressures.
4. Good quality.45 ACP brass is durable, easy to size, and can be used for many reloads.
5. Excellent.45 ACP revolvers can shoot the round with moon clips.
6. Large pistol primers are used for the majority of.45 ACP brass (although there are some smaller primer pockets varieties). Large primers are easier for us to pick up and use if we only have one primer tool. The.45 ACP (Automatic Colt Pistol cartridge) is a rimless, straight-walled handgun cartridge that John Moses Browning originally created in 1904 for his prototype Colt semiautomatic pistol. It was adopted by Colt as the standard chambering for their M1911 pistol after successful military trials. There are many powder options for reloading. We recommend Vihtavuori N320. This powder is extremely accurate and burns cleaner that other good powders like Accurate (AA). Unique. Basic Reloading for.45 ACP Cartridge. This is the most viewed.45 ACP cartridge reloading video. This video is intended for novice or potential reloaders. It covers the basics of case inspection, cleaning and trimming, as well as priming, powder filling, bullet seating and crimping. The creator of the video notes that trimming pistol/revolver brass is optional, and often not necessary. It was included because it is what I did when reloading began. The cases are sized, and the bullets are seated using a single stage RCBS press. Prime the cases using an RCBS hand-priming device that keeps multiple primers in a tray. This is preferred to seating primers that are applied directly to the press. Safety First when Loading All Cartridges. We also include two videos that focus on safety in reloading. Gavin Gear from UltimateReloader explains how to check your cartridge before loading to avoid squib loads or other defects. Hunter Pilant, Starline Brass tech, explains how to avoid double fees in the second video. Load.45 ACP safely — Avoid Squib loads and Overcharges
Every round you load must be checked for powder levels. Before you place a bullet, visually check the powder level. Or, if you have a progressive press, a lock-out tool that monitors powder levels can be used. This is important as a squib load, with little or no powder, can cause a bullet to lodge in the barrel. A Kaboom can result from a subsequent full, live shot. Avoid double charges — Use a case-filling powder with.45 ACP to prevent double charges
Important tip: Do not use bulky powders that fill more than half of your case with the correct charge. Double-charging will cause the case to overfill, making it difficult to load. This is one way to avoid making a big mistake. (Hunter Pilant and Starline). It will be easier to see the contents of a bulky powder with a high fill level inside the case. The Progressive Option — Loading.45ACP on the Dillon 550B. Once you have mastered the basics for reloading the.45ACP, if your ammo requirements are large, you might consider a progressive press. While progressive presses can increase your ammo output by a significant amount, there are important safety considerations. Be careful with priming and powder levels. Gavin Gear demonstrates how to safely reload with a Dillon progressive press 550B. The Dillon 550C is the equivalent model. .45 ACP Ammunition Guide — Nosler data There are many powder options available if you “roll your own”. Vihtavuori No.320, AA No. 5 and Hodgdon TITEGroup, but there are many good options. These three powders are listed, along with many others, in the Nosler.45 ACP LoadData Charts. Below are the Nosler guides for 185gr and 230gr bullets. To access/download printable PDF files, right-click on each image. Click for PDF File
Click to download PDF file
* CCI and other companies now manufacture.45 ACP brass with small PRIMER POKETS. Check all cases for primer size before you buy new brass. Separate large and small parts in two groups. It is possible to jam a large primer in a small hole. This can cause detonation or worse. Be careful!
