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Thread: Problems with Magtech .45 acp brass?

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    Default Problems with Magtech .45 acp brass?

    Is anyone else having problems with Magtech .45 acp brass.My problem is,that I canīt get enough neck tension to hold bullet in place.This only happens with Magtech brass,everything else works fine.My reloading dies are Hornady titanium nitride dies,and these dies load also .45 win mag .45 auto rim and .45 colt.Sizer ring measures .471" inside diameter.What are other brands of sizer dies measuring?Could it be,that die meant to load several calibers,isnīt sizing case enough?


    Kaj

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    Dogs Like Him versifier's Avatar
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    The first thing I would suspect is that the brass is too thin in the neck. Compare it with a case that doesn't have the problem. I seriously doubt that it is the dies in view of the fact that they have loaded other rounds in different brass without problems. I have never used Magtech brass, but have encountered similar problems with cheap European shoot-em-ups (I think it was S&B) in 9mm and 38spec. The .38 was cured with a heavy crimp, but that isn't an option with an auto pistol case. I threw away the 9mm's and tossed the .38's after two loadings due to neck splits.
    "Stand your ground.
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    Moderator Toney's Avatar
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    Welcome to the guide KTN!!!
    Toney Relic Hunter

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    Versifier,
    Magtech brass is thinner than other brands.Difference isn´t big,but it´s just enough to cause this problem.I´m trying to find a way to reload these cases,as I have quite big pile of them.So,is there "small base" sizer dies for .45 acp?Other end of case wall thickness is Fiocchi brass,those cases are so thick,that reloaded ammo doesn´t fit to my guns chamber.You are right about S&B cases,they aren´t worth reloading,they used to be,but not anymore.

    Toney,thanks.


    Kaj

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    Gunload Grunt kg42's Avatar
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    Hi KTN

    How do your bullets compare to your sized cases?
    Maybe by just flaring the brass without expanding it you would have enough tension.... if it works, buy a used expanding die and reduce it's diameter with sandpaper (or just a new expander for your die).
    That's LEE's universal expander which apparently only flares cases (I'm not sure it works for short pistol cases www.leeprecision.com).

    I once kind of solved that problem by shooting unsized bullets.

    From my experience, these Hdy dies were very (too) tight when they came out around 1988; a friend bought a bunch and all calibers had a "bottle of coke" look once the bullet was in... LEE carbide dies are made for thick brass.

    kg

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    Dogs Like Him versifier's Avatar
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    Maybe a Lee factory crimp will do it.
    Today I found a few MT .45ACP cases in with a bunch of range brass that I hadn't gotten around to playing with, and I will see if I can make them work within the next few days and report back on it. I don't have a FC die, but I do have a Lee 3die carbide set. I'll have to cast up some boolits for them, too.
    What kind of pistol are they being shot in? kg42 has an excellent point - What is the outside and inside diameters of the fired cases before sizing, and what is the ID after sizing. (How big a boolit will the fired case take before sizing?) Are you shooting jacketed or cast? If cast, it might just be easier to size the boolits a little bigger for these particular cases. If you're loading jacketed bullets, then the collet of the Factory Crimp Die would make the most sense. A heavy roll crimp on an ACP case would cause more problems than it would solve.
    I dug out the brass. It's in a MagTech box and has a "CBC" headstamp. Same stuff that you have?
    Last edited by versifier; 04-15-2006 at 03:56 AM.
    "Stand your ground.
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    - Capt. Parker, Lexington Militia, April 19, 1775

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    KG42 and versifier,thank you for your answers.
    I just measured some sized cases and W-W brass measures .443-445" ID,Magtech brass .451-.455" ID.I only use cast boolits in .45 acp sized .452" as this is what my mold drops them.I did try loading with heavy taper crimp,but it was no help.My pistol is Norinco 1911.CBC headstamped cases are same as mine.Thanks again,for all your trouble.



    Kaj

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    When I was shooting a lot of IPSC matches, I learned that there were certain kinds of brass that was just too thin to work well (lacked sufficient neck tension). I discovered that military brass was a lot thicker and that solved my problem. So, I switched to all military brass.

    Lack of sufficient neck tension can be a safety issue. Bullets deep seating as they are chambered reduce the case capacity markedly and raise pressures a BUNCH! I have seen cases blow out, ruin a magazine and crack grips (splinters in the hand are not much fun, either).

    I am a great believer in good neck tension both for reliability AND for safety.

    Dale53

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    Turret Loader Ranch Dog's Avatar
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    Yikes... MagTech is now the only source for 25 ACP brass since Winchester discontinued it. It seems the brass is now being used as a reloadable cap for muzzleloaders and MagTech has picked up the slack in production. These are a bi*ch to reload to begin with and I hope I don't see this problem. These are sitting on my bench waiting to go but I'm waiting for a shipment of bullets.

  10. #10
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    I have only had this problem with Magtech .45 acp brass.Magtech 9x19 and .40 s&w brass works fine.Magtech .357 mag brass is also thin,but it´s no problem with revolvers.Most of the range brass I can find is Magtech,and I sure would like to be able to reload it.I have been shooting .45 acp for 11 years and during that time have only bought 300 rounds of factory ammo (200 of those steelcased Wolf ammo) but at the same time have bought several thousand brass cases.


    Kaj

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