unchartered water lever action

[merbeau]

I have purchased my first lever action rifle, a Henry 3rd edition in 45 Colt. To this point my experience has been with bolt action and semi automatic rifles and handguns but never a lever action so I am in unchartered waters for reloading

After doing some investigation I have seen all the issues concerning the use of round nose bullets and the Henry manual states do not use Blaser or other aluminum rounds in the Henry.

The use of semi wadcutter bullets seems hit and miss. I plan to shoot the Ranier copper plated 200 gr. SWC and after making some dummy rounds they seem to cycle fine.

The issue is degree of crimp. I shot a 45 ACP in pistol matches and crimp lightly but obviously it is not a lever action with bullets stacked end to end in the magazine.
I am using a set of Lee Carbide dies and my plan is to seat the bullets 0.010 long and then adjust the crimp so that it meets the OAL for the SWC bullet. I am planning on testing using Vihtavuori powders and according to their web site for a 200 grain SWC the coal is 1.594 so seat the bullet to 1.604 and then adjust crimp die until the COAL is 1.594 to provide enough to ensure the bullet will not move under recoil.

Does this approach sound reasonable or what other approaches do other people use who reload for lever actions?

Robert

 

[okie man]

On my 444 Marlin I trim all brass to length, seat bullet to desired oal. Back seating stem off and start adjusting for proper crimp , check oal to see if Bullet moved during crimping . If not the turn stem back in until it touches bullet and lock it down. Seat and crimp a bullet and check oal again , if sells good tighten set screw and never adjust die again! I've loaded several hundred rounds this way and as long as I trim to same length they come out the same every time!

 

[RT2506]

It has always been my practice to seat all bullets to the COAL I want then back the seating stem way out and then screw the die down to apply the crimp I want and then crimp all the rounds. Seating and crimping at the same time especially with cast bullets can cause nose damage to the bullets. I would also suggest you use a bullet that was meant for the 45 Colt and not the ACP. A 45 Colt 250 gr SWC will have a crimping groove that your roll crimp that is in the 45 Colt dies will roll the case mouth into the groove and keep the bullet from moving. You will run a real chance of smooth sided bullets being pushed back into the case in a leaver action.

 

[merbeau]

Thanks for replying. I should mention I am using a Lee Carbide 4 die set, so the seating and crimping are done in separate steps. I think that it probably makes sense to use a bullet with a cannelure. I am afraid after reading your replies that a smooth bullet and with a crimp may end up deformed or cutting into the plate essentially ruining the bullet.

Looks like there are several flt nose bullets that are available with cannelure.

Thanks

Robert