Reloading 45 Colt, Bulged Cases...

[oldmax]

I think I asked this before... But here go's
Reloading 45 Colt for Win trapper. ( ? Big Chambers ?)
The cases ' Really' bulge . I've reloaded about 3-4 times.
Cases eject cleanly, look ok , except for the bulge in the case , forward of the Web Area.
No splits, but I'm getting a little nervous on repeated use.
How many reloads would be a max ????
Should I just neck size ?
Need advice.......

[Leverluver]

For long life on the cases, about the only remedy for large chambered guns is to reduce the amount of sizing when you reload. Most dies excessively over-size the cases so they will fit in even the smallest chambers. I've found it easier to solve the problem with carbide dies than with steel dies but that depends on the die construction. With the carbide dies, I chucked them in a lathe and polished them out with a wooden dowel with diamond paste on it. If you have the equipment, it is an easy modification. If you don't, it is a pain. Other than that, about all you can do is live with it and accept a little shorter case life. It won't be as bad as you think but yes, it will be shorter. You could try just sizing the mouths of the cases sufficiently to hold the bullets and leave the bulge there. I have not had much luck with that as rarely are the bulges symetrical and the unsized bulge causes chambering issues. Good luck.

[cnjarvis]

IIRC, that's fairly common with Win. 94's in that chambering. Mine does it too but it doesn't bother me too much.

[J Miller]

For some reason most manufacturers of .45 Colt firearms seem to be hell bent on using oversized chambers. My; Winchester 94AE Trapper, Marlin 1894 CBC, and OM Ruger BH are like yours. Only my S&W has reasonable chambers and they bulge too.

I just ignore it, and full size ALL my cases. I've never had a problem with multi time reloaded cases splitting. It usually happens on the first firing.

Many people say to neck size only, well I don't agree but if it works for them fine. I've been reloading the .45 Colt since the mid 1970s and I'm still using brass I bought then. But what do I know?

Joe

[Hobie]

Partial full-length size if you feel better about it. I just full-length resize.

[J Miller]

oldmax,

Here is an experiment you can try. Go buy a couple boxes of the Corbon 300gr JSP .45 Colt +P stuff. It's only loaded to around 1300 fps from a 7.5" revolver barrel. Nice stuff from my Ruger, I love it, just can't afford it.

Any way, shoot it from your 94AE, then be prepared to look at the worst bulging you're likely to see. Then full length resize them, load and shoot them. Keep track of how many times you've loaded them, and what you load them with.
I did that some time back when Corbon used Starline marked brass. After a while the cases sorta kinda got accidentally dumped into my miscellaneous brass bag and lost. I keep shooting and loading and shooting and loading the cases in that bag and to date none have body split. Case mouths, yes, but body, no.

If that don't prove it's a non issue, I don't know what will.

Joe

[colo native]

One must remember this action was not designed to shoot streight walled cases, and to keep them runnig the gun makers do some tweeking on the chambers to let them cycle, not to my likeing. even the 32-40 and 38-55 had a lota taper and fed quite well.
the same goes for the 92 action, it was designed for tapered cases ,like the dash rounds, but with the advent of cas all raced to make a wepon to sell.
the colt lightning is a good example of a rifle that was designed for dash rounds and gun makers are trying hard to get them to shoot 45's and 38's.
probably the least troublesome is the marlin followed by the browning 92.
if i were to shoot a 94 with stiff loads, i would requier some thick safty glasses...

[Chuck 100 yd]

What Joe and Hobie said + 1. No worry,just shoot em.

[1886]

I had similar experiences with a Marlin 1894 CB .45 Colt. No problems noted. I just partially sized the cases. 1886.

[J Miller]

One must remember this action was not designed to shoot streight walled cases, and to keep them runnig the gun makers do some tweeking on the chambers to let them cycle, not to my likeing. even the 32-40 and 38-55 had a lota taper and fed quite well.
the same goes for the 92 action, it was designed for tapered cases ,like the dash rounds, but with the advent of cas all raced to make a wepon to sell.
the colt lightning is a good example of a rifle that was designed for dash rounds and gun makers are trying hard to get them to shoot 45's and 38's.
probably the least troublesome is the marlin followed by the browning 92.
if i were to shoot a 94 with stiff loads, i would requier some thick safty glasses...

Ooooooo, me thinks colo native knows not from where he speaks, and just demeaned our Winchesters. Bad juju! I've had all the above rifles, ditched the thing Rossi, kept the 94AE Trapper and added a Marlin 1894 CBC. Ain't nuthin at all wrong with the Win 94 .45 Colt. Not one darn thing.
I've lived with mine since 1986 and have put some SMOKIN loads through it. It'll do the job just fine.

Joe

[Grizzly Adams]

One must remember this action was not designed to shoot streight walled cases, and to keep them runnig the gun makers do some tweeking on the chambers to let them cycle, not to my likeing. even the 32-40 and 38-55 had a lota taper and fed quite well.
the same goes for the 92 action, it was designed for tapered cases ,like the dash rounds, but with the advent of cas all raced to make a wepon to sell.
the colt lightning is a good example of a rifle that was designed for dash rounds and gun makers are trying hard to get them to shoot 45's and 38's.
probably the least troublesome is the marlin followed by the browning 92.
if i were to shoot a 94 with stiff loads, i would requier some thick safty glasses...

Ooooooo, me thinks colo native knows not from where he speaks, and just demeaned our Winchesters. Bad juju! I've had all the above rifles, ditched the thing Rossi, kept the 94AE Trapper and added a Marlin 1894 CBC. Ain't nuthin at all wrong with the Win 94 .45 Colt. Not one darn thing.
I've lived with mine since 1986 and have put some SMOKIN loads through it. It'll do the job just fine.

Joe

Sorry, gotta agree with Colorado Native. I am not demeaning the Winchesters, or anything else in 45LC, but they have oversized chambers and that's a fact, Jack. I shoot a lot of CAS, and I see buckets full of bulged and split 45 cases - from Winnies, Marlins and Ubertis..........Don't know about that safety glasses business, however.

I shot 45LC in a rifle for years, and NEVER found a way around the problem of bulged cases and stuff in the action, and on the cases. It's just something you have to live with! If you like the 45LC in your rifle, then ignore the issues, and enjoy shooting a great cartridge in you rifle.


.....Me, I shot the "dash" calibers now. Dash calibers be good juju, Amigo!

[colo native]

Thankx Griz, I hope I didnt mean to degrade winnies. my start waz in 1955 driving to trinadad with an uncle to se his freind parker ackley, and have been tinkering with gunz sence. as to the saftey glasses, I even wear em when using this puter, afraid i might get a splinter, from a richocet..

[w30wcf]

I have been shooting the .45 Colt cartridge since 1974 with loads from mild to wild. Never had a problem.

The maximum chamber diameter can be as large as .491" which means that the cases can expand quite a bit. Why the chamber spec is that way is anyones guess, but I am thinking that since the earliest cartridges were b.p., the larger chamber dimension was selected to keep the gun running as fouling built up and also for easier insertion of the cartridges.

I am in the "neck sizing" camp....been doing it since the late 1970's.
Works very well for me.

w30wcf

[Hobie]

If I wasn't also loading for .45 Colt revolvers (different loads but the same dies) I'd likely neck size, too. I just haven't worn out the brass yet. I do need to do more shooting.

[J Miller]

If I wasn't also loading for .45 Colt revolvers (different loads but the same dies) I'd likely neck size, too. I just haven't worn out the brass yet. I do need to do more shooting.

Me too.

But Hobie, here's the rub. I'm STILL shooting cases I bought as loaded factory ammo when I started shooting .45 Colts way back in 70 something. When will they start wearing out? I keep accumulating more, just in case, but then I load them to. So now I can't foresee any of my .45 Colt brass getting worn out.

Oh, the horrors of modern life.

Joe