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Thread: 308 brass into 45 ACP shotshell

  1. #41
    Boolit Buddy jessdigs's Avatar
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    I came across a set of rcbs .45 shotshell dies on cast boolits forum a few months ago. Knowing that rcbs stopped making them, i snatched them up. Made a few, but they are a little long for the mag if my sig P220. I will have to buy a 1911 in .45 just to play with these.
    I first used commercial .308 brass, then used .45 mag brass as it is the same length as trimmed cut down .308 brass.
    .410 wads, and a .375 gas check. The seller also included a c&h star crimper that reduces shot capacity, but helps feed in my p220. "
    The July 1979 issue of handler magazine is still available to buy, that's what MJ from the ammo channel used. Click image for larger version. 

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  2. #42
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
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    I had the RCBS set back in 80s. I made up a few. I used commercial 308s and cut to rough size with dremil & cut off wheel, then squared up to length on case trimmer. I didn't get anywhere near 25yds killing range on anything other than a unlucky bird that. I sold my set to a Duputy that loaded a few to shot trouble calls on small animals at close range where he couldn't use a bullet.

  3. #43
    In Remembrance Reverend Al's Avatar
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    I've had a set of those same RCBS shotshell dies for years. Lucked into them at a gun show about 35 years ago! I made up about 100 rounds of reworked cases and they are an absolute hoot on station 8 at the Skeet field!
    I may have passed my "Best Before" date, but I haven't reached my "Expiry" date!

  4. #44
    Boolit Master
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    I did this and used a .45" gascheck as over powder wad!
    Big problem as it sized the front ot the case to actual bore and made extraction a slam dunk thing (way more slam than dunk!).
    So use a soft wad between power and shot and all will be fine.
    Oh: And i used the bottom of a 44MAG sizer to bring my cases to fire size.

  5. #45
    Boolit Man dryflash3's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bbs70 View Post
    Several years back I made some of these 45 shot shells for my 1911 out of 308 brass.
    The other day I decided to make some more to have on hand now that I live in the country.
    Refreshed my memory via YouTube on how to make them.
    Can't seem to get it done right though.

    Deprimed, cut down to recommended size, sized in 45 die,and used a 41 Mag die to size the neck down.
    But everytime I end up with a smashed 308 case.
    Tried different head stamped brass, grease, oil,and about everything else, but still get mashed brass.
    No, I'm not trying to size the whole thing, just a smidge on the case mouth.
    I know it can be done because I've done it before some years ago, but am getting mighty frustrated.
    I anneal my cases before forming the shoulder with the 41 Mag sizing die.
    I also use a bit of Imperial for lube.

  6. #46
    Boolit Master
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    good results with 8X57cases trim to cylinder length and 4.5 green dot with card wads and 7.5 shot.

  7. #47
    Boolit Buddy
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    I read about those in an American Rifleman Reprint back in the 80's. Bought the RCBS dies and made up a bunch loaded with the published data and still use them on rats and snakes while mowing. I tested them against the .44 shotshells, no contest. The 45 with the .410 wad patterned soo much better.

  8. #48
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    The Starline 5 in 1 blank cases also make good shotshells for use in the .44 Special, .44 Magnum, .38-40, .44-40 and .45 Colt.

    Instructions here: https://www.marlinowners.com/forum/t...ank-cases.html

    See also customer review here: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010093167

    5 in 1 Revolver and Rifle Shot
    Submitted 4 years ago
    From West Virginia
    Verified Buyer

    The Starline 5 in 1 Blank cases work well to assemble handgun shotshells useable in the .44 Special, .44 Magnum, .38-40, .44-40 and .45 Colt revolvers. Powder charges must be kept mild due to the enlarged flash hole. I use 5 grains of Alliant Bullseye or 6 grains of WST or 231 and a Winchester Large Pistol primer. A Buffalo Arms .45 card wad must be inserted over the powder charge, first inserting the card sideways with tweezers, pushing it about halfway into the case, before rotating it to bridge across the interior case wall and then aligning and pressing it down against the powder using a 3/8" dowel. Next a Federal 410SC shot cup is inserted firmly against the card, seated with the dowel and its protruding wad fingers trimmed off with a sharp knife. It is absolutely necessary to use the .45 card under the plastic shot cup because it is not of sufficient diameter to prevent powder from otherwise leaking around it, which will cause bloopers. Load about 1/3 oz. of fine shot not larger than 7-1/2, to maintain adequate pellet count, within 1/8" of the case mouth. Insert a .38 cal. Buffalo Arms card wad over the shot and then crimp the shell using either a .44 Long Shot, .45 ACP Shot or Lee .308 Winchester seating die which has been shortened by 1" and a blank RCBS sizer-lubricator top punch positioned and adjusted in the seating stem collar to hold the top card at the mid point of the die shoulder, while the case mouth is bumped against the shoulder to form a nice, professional looking crimp. Waterproof the shell by painting the top wad with clear urethane or varnish. These produce rabbit and grouse killing patterns patterns at 20 feet with No.8s and burn rattlers to "snakeburgers" at 15 feet. More effective than the Speer factory shot and useable in a variety of guns. I pack 20 of these in each vehicle or aircraft survival kit.

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  9. #49
    Boolit Master

    Combat Diver's Avatar
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    Have always thought to use 7.62mm blank cases for cutting down to .45 ACP shotshells and using 5.56mm blank cases cut down for 9mm shotshells. Seems I have got a bunch of those fired cases

    CD
    De Oppresso Liber

    Irag: 91,03,04,05,06,08,09',15', 16',22-23'
    Afghanistan: 09,10,11',14',17'-21'

  10. #50
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    Quote Originally Posted by Combat Diver View Post
    Have always thought to use 7.62mm blank cases for cutting down to .45 ACP shotshells and using 5.56mm blank cases cut down for 9mm shotshells. Seems I have got a bunch of those fired cases

    CD
    That would be a good use for those expended blank cases. I used to have a bunch of them, but they went to the recycler as scrap brass a long time ago.

    Hope this helps.

    Fred
    After a shooting spree, they always want to take the guns away from the people who didn't do it. - William S. Burroughs.

  11. #51
    Boolit Master
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    I cut a 308 case down with a pipe cutting tool,brass is a lot tougher than copper pipe but it will work.

  12. #52
    Boolit Buddy jessdigs's Avatar
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    I got my little 3d printed jig in for cutting them down with a harbor freight mini chop saw. I just tried it out and it seems to work pretty good. I took a short video, so please excuse the shaky video, I'm trying to for the first time and doing it one handed.

    https://youtu.be/lwgsdNWGRRA

    Sent from my Pixel 4 XL using Tapatalk

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check