Help! My 45.ACP reloads don't work!

[Spike59]

I need help! I've been reloading since 1983 with no problems to speak of. My last few batches of .45 ACP will jam my pistols (failure to lock up). I have the Dillon case gage and they are within normal limits. I have an old racegun Colt and my sons have Springfield 5 inch autos. I have never had any problems in the past and now I have jams every mag. Any suggestions will be appreciated!

[Dedpoet]

Are they failing to chamber in all 3 guns? Maybe your sizing die has crept up a couple of threads and your brass isn't being sized all the way down. Maybe you have a particularly thick batch of brass. My Ed Brown 1911 won't reliably chamber A-MERC stamped brass, for example. If it's just your gun with problems maybe clean the hell out of your chamber and barrel throat. Do you shoot lead bullets? Is it possible you have a leading issue?

[5pins]

Either your bullet needs to be seated deeper or you need more crimp. Since it passes on the case gage I would lean to over all length. Instead of using a case gage take the barrel out of one of your guns and drop a round in it and see if it will drop in all the way. If not then adjust your seating die down a little then repeat. Do this until the round drops in and falls out easily. I most often have this problem with lead SWC. If this will not fix it then try adjusting your crimp.

[markm]

Pull the barrel out of one of the problematic guns and chamber check the ammo. It's very easy to tell if you have too much OAL.

(oops! I see 5pins already posted this.)

[Spike59]

Thanks for all the suggestions, guys! As soon as I get home I will try all of your ideas. I really am stumped because .45 auto has allways been simple to reload and dependable to shoot. Now I am lucky to fire a complete mag. Maybe I can get my Dillon press set-up properly! I will report back to yall later!

[BobM]

I once bought some commercially cast bullets and later found them to be a little over size. I bought one of the Lee bullet sizing dies and ran them all through.