Question for you experienced reloaders

FrontSight · April 18th, 2006, 11:39 AM

Just purchased a used Dillon RL-550B on Ebay, along with other items needed to reload .45 ACP. I purchased Ranier Ballistics lead safe bullets in 230 gr. ball and 200 gr. JHP from Dillon. Got those today in 500 pc. boxes, as I examined them the have very slight dents from being packaged in bulk. My experience in shooting an Enfield M1853, 3 band musket for accuracy, caused me to fabricate 2 bullet sizing dies, 1 for hunting and 1 for timed stake shoots. The sizing die for hunting was sized 0.0005 larger than nominal and yielded 3 inch groups at 100 yd. using a soft lead round nose Minie ball and blackpowder. The die for stake shoots was 0.0015 undersized to allow for fouling.

My question for you experienced reloaders who load for accuracy is this; should I size these bullets to improve their accuracy? Will it make a difference in IDPA shoots?

rocky · April 18th, 2006, 12:30 PM

My opinion. For the short distance, fast action shooting, sizing probably will not matter all that much. Why not test it though? size 12 or 20 and shoot em . then compare to from the box bullets.

P95Carry · April 18th, 2006, 01:51 PM

Agree with Rocky - do a comparitive test.

For combat close range shooting tho to be honest I doubt you'll see any big difference. Certainly doubt it matters one bit for IDPA shooting!

Those bullets won't be over hard and any small discrepancies will be ''swaged'' away when you shoot.

HotGuns · April 18th, 2006, 08:23 PM

There are alot of variables that deal with cast lead that the sizing die smooths away.

In any case, a a lot of sized bullets will be more accurate than another lot of the same bullets unsized.

Take my word for it and dont waste time like I did years ago trying to reinvent the wheel. If NOT sizing bullets made no difference, no one would go through the time and effort to size them.

As for the IDPA shoots, it certainly couldnt hurt. Un sized bullets will often vary in the outer diameters as much as 2-3 thousanths. Think about why you reload. You do it because its cheaper, it allows you to shoot more and you do it for consisitency.

Not sizing your bullets throws the consisitency right out the window.

Trust me....been there,done that. Now I know better...and I always size....

CopperKnight · April 18th, 2006, 09:01 PM

I'm going with the general consensus on this one. Try a handful sized and unsized with all other variables being equal. One may work better in one gun, but not in another. Just can't tell until you give it a try. That's one of the reasons I got into reloading...it's cheaper to experiment. Plus I'm a control freak, even on my ammo.

frankmako · April 18th, 2006, 11:54 PM

It does not matter. Load them up and have fun. Good shooting.

frankmako

David III · April 19th, 2006, 06:50 PM

I have never heard of anyone sizing plated bullets. Please let us know what you find after testing.
Thanks!

Himself · April 19th, 2006, 08:04 PM

I think that perhaps, repeat, perhaps if you fired 100 each sized and unsized from a ransom rest at 50 yards then did a mean radius statistical analysis of the groups, there might, repeat might be a difference. The difference could favor either one. Sized may or may not turn out to be be better.

In short, you are tilting at a windmill.

Load and shoot them as-is.

Enjoy

HotGuns · April 19th, 2006, 10:28 PM

Plated bullets....hmmm...I guess I missed that.

If they are plated just load and shoot.

I hope you have better luck with Ranier Bullets than I have. Ive tried several batchs of various calibers and they seem to be all over the place...

April 18th, 2006, 11:39 AM	#1
FrontSight Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: albany, ga Posts: 132	Question for you experienced reloaders Just purchased a used Dillon RL-550B on Ebay, along with other items needed to reload .45 ACP. I purchased Ranier Ballistics lead safe bullets in 230 gr. ball and 200 gr. JHP from Dillon. Got those today in 500 pc. boxes, as I examined them the have very slight dents from being packaged in bulk. My experience in shooting an Enfield M1853, 3 band musket for accuracy, caused me to fabricate 2 bullet sizing dies, 1 for hunting and 1 for timed stake shoots. The sizing die for hunting was sized 0.0005 larger than nominal and yielded 3 inch groups at 100 yd. using a soft lead round nose Minie ball and blackpowder. The die for stake shoots was 0.0015 undersized to allow for fouling. My question for you experienced reloaders who load for accuracy is this; should I size these bullets to improve their accuracy? Will it make a difference in IDPA shoots? __________________ Pershing SIR!!

April 18th, 2006, 12:30 PM	#2
rocky Senior Moderator Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: MI Posts: 11,768	My opinion. For the short distance, fast action shooting, sizing probably will not matter all that much. Why not test it though? size 12 or 20 and shoot em . then compare to from the box bullets. __________________ "In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." Thomas Jefferson Nemo Me Impune Lacesset Link to my kydex builds:http://rocknloadkydex.blogspot.com/

April 18th, 2006, 01:51 PM	#3
P95Carry Assistant Administrator Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: South West PA Posts: 25,366	Agree with Rocky - do a comparitive test. For combat close range shooting tho to be honest I doubt you'll see any big difference. Certainly doubt it matters one bit for IDPA shooting! Those bullets won't be over hard and any small discrepancies will be ''swaged'' away when you shoot. __________________ Chris - P95 NRA Certified Instructor & NRA Life Member. "To own a gun and assume that you are armed is like owning a piano and assuming that you are a musician!." If a BG dies as the result of pointing a gun at me, then he has merely succumbed to an occupational hazard of being a thug

April 18th, 2006, 09:01 PM	#5
CopperKnight Moderator Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Spokane area, WA Posts: 4,694	I'm going with the general consensus on this one. Try a handful sized and unsized with all other variables being equal. One may work better in one gun, but not in another. Just can't tell until you give it a try. That's one of the reasons I got into reloading...it's cheaper to experiment. Plus I'm a control freak, even on my ammo. __________________ Being happy doesn't mean everything's perfect, but that you've decided to see beyond the imperfections. The only thing that stops bad guys with guns is good guys with guns. SgtD

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April 18th, 2006, 08:23 PM	#4
HotGuns Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 5,184	There are alot of variables that deal with cast lead that the sizing die smooths away. In any case, a a lot of sized bullets will be more accurate than another lot of the same bullets unsized. Take my word for it and dont waste time like I did years ago trying to reinvent the wheel. If NOT sizing bullets made no difference, no one would go through the time and effort to size them. As for the IDPA shoots, it certainly couldnt hurt. Un sized bullets will often vary in the outer diameters as much as 2-3 thousanths. Think about why you reload. You do it because its cheaper, it allows you to shoot more and you do it for consisitency. Not sizing your bullets throws the consisitency right out the window. Trust me....been there,done that. Now I know better...and I always size....

April 18th, 2006, 11:54 PM	#6
frankmako Distinguished Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Parts Unknown Posts: 1,890	It does not matter. Load them up and have fun. Good shooting. frankmako

April 19th, 2006, 06:50 PM	#7
David III Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sturgeon, MO Posts: 745	I have never heard of anyone sizing plated bullets. Please let us know what you find after testing. Thanks!

April 19th, 2006, 08:04 PM	#8
Himself New Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Vernon, CT Posts: 14	I think that perhaps, repeat, perhaps if you fired 100 each sized and unsized from a ransom rest at 50 yards then did a mean radius statistical analysis of the groups, there might, repeat might be a difference. The difference could favor either one. Sized may or may not turn out to be be better. In short, you are tilting at a windmill. Load and shoot them as-is. Enjoy

April 19th, 2006, 10:28 PM	#9
HotGuns Moderator Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Arkansas Posts: 5,184	Plated bullets....hmmm...I guess I missed that. If they are plated just load and shoot. I hope you have better luck with Ranier Bullets than I have. Ive tried several batchs of various calibers and they seem to be all over the place...