Topic: hornaday XTP question

[TylerC]

so I was trying to load up some xtp's in .45acp and was having some troubles deforming the bullet. at times the cavity would be closed up like a ball round. so I changed the seat die to the flat point and it started flattening the tip of the bullet out. So my question is what can i do to prevent this from happening. do i need to bell the case mouth more? or is there a special seat die that would work? I'm using Rcbs dies.

[ogree]

Try belling the case more and then see what happens.
I would continue using the SWC seater plug on Hollow Points.
I have never had the problem though when seating HP bullets, maybe I've just been lucky.

Good Luck.

[TylerC]

the funny thing is its only with the XTP i've used golden sabre, silvertips, and nosler HP's without issue.

[Nealio]

the funny thing is its only with the XTP i've used golden sabre, silvertips, and nosler HP's without issue.

I had similar issues with the Hornaday XTP's in my 10mm.  They hollowpoint would close up so far they seemed nearly useless.  And this was using thier own Hornaday dies....
I'm not a big fan of Hornaday bullets, but I love their reloading equipment..
 - Nealio

[TylerC]

I love my Hornaday dies for my .44 mag, and am thinking of changing all my dies over to hornaday. but what you described is exactly what was happening to me.

[egress81]

not sure what is causing that i as i have loaded a couple of the XTP's as well in .45 ACP and i haven't experienced deformation of any kind.

Maybe its the dies as I'm using Dillon dies. 

[RGinIdaho]

Are you seating and crimping in one step or two?

[fj40mojo]

RG may be on to something. How much crimp may be a factor too. With jacketed pistol bullets I set the seater to just remove the bell and then crimp with a Lee Factory crimp. The only time I seat and crimp in one op is with cast lead bullets.

[luvmy45]

45 ACP should use a taper crimp, because the case spaces on the case not the rim.

And should be a separate station from the seating.

In general the crimp should be, the Width of the bullet plus the width of the shell case x2.

ex. .45 + .05 + .05 = .460

[Nealio]

I was using a Dillon 550 with a Lee taper crimp for the 4th step (ie no seat 'n' crimp).  I don't flare my 10mm's much though.

 - Nealio

[TrooperBrian]

I've had problems in the past similar to yours from seating and crimping in the same step. I separated them and haven't had a problem since.

[TylerC]

I usually only apply a crimp to bullets with callelures. otherwise its only enough to get rid of the bell. I'll try to separate the two steps and see how that works, and maybe pick up a taper crimp die if it doesn't.

[luvmy45]

I know there are guys that do crimp .45, and use the all in wonder seat/crimp... but I've not had luck and read more bad about it that good.

.45 is my load of choice

Dillon .45 die sets on a 550. I wouldn't mind trying the Lee FCD, I have one for the .223 and it works well, but .45 just works all the time, no complaints.

[RGinIdaho]

I usually only apply a crimp to bullets with callelures. otherwise its only enough to get rid of the bell. I'll try to separate the two steps and see how that works, and maybe pick up a taper crimp die if it doesn't.

Sounds like you are doing the all in one seat&crimp. Two steps should cure it.


I figure here is as good a place as any to put this;

Recommended taper crimps for semi auto pistol cartridges:

9mm     .3785
40s&w .420
10mm  .4205 - .4210
45acp   .470

[TylerC]

ok so after belling the cases a tiny bit more and splitting the seating and crimping into two steps it looks like it alleviated the problem. I'll probably pick up some taper crimps for my auto's here soon so I don't run into this kind of issue again as it seems like a good idea .

[birddog1989]

I like the lee factory crimp dies for handgun loads, rifle loads too but that's a different story.  They have a carbide sizing ring that does wonders for store bought bulk cast bullets.  They never seem to be all the same size and it can be a pain.  I don't know another sizing die the gives you the ability to easily increase the consistency and reliability of cast loads.