Author Topic: 45-70 dies? (Read 762 times)

eroyd · « **on:** April 30, 2005, 02:11:50 PM »

What dies are best for loading/seating long cast bullets? I've been using Lee but have just found the die length is too short for seating 530gr Postell's out to touch the lands. Max overall lenght with these dies is only about 2.8 with these dies.

slayer · « **Reply #1 on:** April 30, 2005, 02:24:38 PM »

Good question. I am ordering the Lee Classic Loader and the RCBS Cowboy Dies. Jack.

fffffg · « **Reply #2 on:** April 30, 2005, 02:30:46 PM »

all you will probably need is a lyman seating die, its box on mine is marked, 7482466, i got it probably from midway.. you should get a punch marked 658s its for pointed bullets.. leaves a little ring but it seems to be fine. the round nose tends to deform postels... this die will seat very long.. ifirst used it for the mathews wich seats out much more than the lyman postel in my gun.... other dies that shooters like is the step expander from buffalow arms, and the compression die from the same company made by various die makers.. .. if your not sure which one to order they will help you with all your black powder supplies.. dave

slayer · « **Reply #3 on:** April 30, 2005, 02:43:54 PM »

I myself will be loading up to 405 gr bullets, will they seat deap enough without the Lyman SD? Thanks-Jack.

sharps4590 · « **Reply #4 on:** April 30, 2005, 03:20:32 PM »

Any set of dies will seat 405 grain bullets. It's when you get into the heavier, thus longer bullets, that difficulties arise. The Postell style of bullet seems to be particularly known for that as well as bullets weighing much more than 520 grains, or that's been my experience.

Vic

slayer · « **Reply #5 on:** May 01, 2005, 02:38:00 AM »

Thanks guys!! Ya, I would say 405-450 would be the most, especially when trying out different loads at first to get the one to settle on. Well, I ordered the RCBS Cowboy Dies and the Lee CL and some accessories. I am going to shoot some store bought shells at first and then buy the raw bullets and reload them. So, this way I don`t have to buy new brass, maybe down the road though. Thanks-Jack.

cooper · « **Reply #6 on:** May 02, 2005, 06:55:07 AM »

I'm not sure I'm following this question.....

I am assuming that your seater stem is screwed as far out as it will go. If your OAL is still too short, can't you just unscrew the die BODY a bit? I do this all the time with my Redding seater in 40/65, when I use the real long NEI 216 A bullet.

You will lose the crimp, but you can either a) not crimp at all, b) after you're done seating, take out the seater stem, screw the seater die in all the way, and use the seater die just as a crimping die, or c) use a separate crimp die - like the Lyman taper crimp dies made specifically for BP rounds.

eroyd · « **Reply #7 on:** May 02, 2005, 08:19:35 AM »

Quote from: cooper

can't you just unscrew the die BODY a bit?

You know that answers just a little too obvious cooper :oops: and just might work. I know the die is already not threaded very far into the press but I maybe able to back it out a touch.

Don't I have to use the crimp a little just to close up the case mouth where it was expanded?

cooper · « **Reply #8 on:** May 02, 2005, 09:29:42 AM »

Depends on a combination of how much flare you put on, and how tight your chamber is. On my Browning 40/65, I like to make the mouth straight. No real crimp, but just enough to straighten out the flare.

At first, I just left the flare there. Some people wrote that the flare would help to center the cartridge in the chamber. But one time, in the middle of a match, my cartridge would not go all the way into the chamber! The flare, along with the fouling, made it a really tight fit. So from then on, I started using the crimp die just enough to take the flare out.

There was no difference in accuracy.

On my Shiloh 40/70 Straight, I leave the flare alone. I have only had this rifle for a few months, but so far this seems to work OK.

BTW - if you need to crimp, and want to do it as a separate operation, I highly recommend Lyman's taper crimp dies for BPCR. They make them in 3 sizes: 40, 45 Short, and 45 Long. The 45 Short is for everything up to and including 45/100, and the 45 Long is for 45/110 and 45/120.

eroyd · « **Reply #9 on:** May 03, 2005, 08:08:00 AM »

Quote from: cooper

I highly recommend Lyman's taper crimp dies for BPCR. They make them in 3 sizes: 40, 45 Short, and 45 Long. The 45 Short is for everything up to and including 45/100, and the 45 Long is for 45/110 and 45/120.

This would be the "M' die?

Buffalo Arms offers a custom expander die.

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/2,180.html

After decapping, would this expander be all that is required for resizing fireformed brass for a specific rifle?

Thank's for all the info so far. This BPCR sure has opened up a new demension to my shooting sports.

leverfan · « **Reply #10 on:** May 03, 2005, 01:47:29 PM »

Quote from: eroyd

Quote from: cooper
I highly recommend Lyman's taper crimp dies for BPCR. They make them in 3 sizes: 40, 45 Short, and 45 Long. The 45 Short is for everything up to and including 45/100, and the 45 Long is for 45/110 and 45/120.

This would be the "M' die?

Buffalo Arms offers a custom expander die.

http://www.buffaloarms.com/browse.cfm/2,180.html

After decapping, would this expander be all that is required for resizing fireformed brass for a specific rifle?

Thank's for all the info so far. This BPCR sure has opened up a new demension to my shooting sports.

Nope, cooper's talking about the taper crimp die that you use after the bullet is seated, not the M die that expands the case mouth before the bullet is seated.

After fireforming, a new bullet should slide into the case with just thumb pressure, you shouldn't need to expand it. You may have to size the neck down if you want a tighter grip on the bullet for hunting rounds and such. If a new bullet doesn't fit into an unsized, fired case, the case neck walls may be too thick, or your chamber neck is extremely tight. Some black powder shooters find a good balance of case neck wall thickness, bullet diameter, and chamber size, which allows them to skip resizing, expanding, and crimping.