Casting for 45 long colt

[Static line]

Not my 255 gr. WFN but a 255 grain Keith SWC in this picture but you might see where I crimp to.

[USSR]

i should be able to adjust the die shouldn't I? They are adjustable. Or am I missing something?

When you've got the case all the way up into the die, how do you adjust the die to get the case farther up into the die? Try it and see. If you feel you are getting enough crimp then load em.

Don

[waco]

Not my 255 gr. WFN but a 255 grain Keith SWC in this picture but you might see where I crimp to.

Looks like the RCBS 45-270-SAA
One of my favorites.

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello slk,

Here is my son's nickel JAG with a 452-200 gr Hunters Supply bullet from Midway,
along side my Star-line and my Lee 452-200-RF on the right.
I don't think I changed a thing when I switched from his to mine.

USSR,
To move the case further into the die you would run the die down, but then you also need to raise the seating plug.

AntiqueSledMan.

[USSR]

USSR,
To move the case further into the die you would run the die down, but then you also need to raise the seating plug.

When the case is fully up in the die, the case holder is touching the bottom of the die. You can't run the die down any further.

Don

[slk]

To be perfectly honest I have been reloading for many many years, and this is the first cartridge that has perplexed me. I am using Hornady 3 dies set. The seating die is something I have never encountered before. It has a sleeve that drops down over the bullet, and slides back up into the die as you are seating the bullet. You can feel the bullet seating, and then it stops abruptly as if you are in fact hitting the case. At that point I have been stopping. If I want to seat the bullet further I can screw in the center portion of the die.

I am getting older but this should not be this difficult to figure out. I have not tried the crimping process yet, but it is included in the same die.

Steve

[onelight]

The picture waco posted is a beauty , but if your cases are not all exactly the same length it will be simpler to not seat the bullet quite so deep so you have a little more margin for error if you have a case a little longer .
A simple way to adjust the die to crimp and seat at the same time is to back the die out so you know it will not crimp at all , set the seating stem deep work the bullet down into the case until you get the bullet to OAL you like back out the seating stem and start working the die down a little at a time until you get the crimp you want lock down the die and screw the seating stem down until you feel it hit the bullet and lock the seating stem . Check you next one to make to see if you need to fine tune.

[slk]

So if I am understanding everyone I am really close to the seating depth now. I do not want the brass to be past the crimp...Right? I want it fold into the crimp.

Steve

[onelight]

So if I am understanding everyone I am really close to the seating depth now. I do not want the brass to be past the crimp...Right? I want it fold into the crimp.

Steve

That is right .

[prs]

Larry, when loading the Lee 452-230-TC for your carbine, which type of crimp die are you using? I have a few pounds of those all sized and ready to load for my Marlin CB Limited and since that boolit has no crimp groove I have been wondering which is the most secure crimp. I was thinking of trying the collet crimp die.

prs

Duh? Straight wall case, no collet die available. I selected a roll crimp for a couple of tube magazines full and will see how it goes before loading the batch.

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello USSR,

Then I'd say your case is short.
There should be a step to form the crimp.

AntiqueSledMan.

[cwlongshot]

I agree whats the case length?

Also could simply be a faulty die. There may not be a "crimp" machined properly inside. Hornady I assume?

CW

[Static line]

Humm, faulty crimp step in the seating/crimp die? Could very well be. Looking back at the pictures that slk posted I see evidence of a bright ring just below the case mouth as if the crimp made contact but down that far I would think the crimp would have been well established in the groove by then. I have Hornady dies for my 45 Colt also and you surely can feel the crimp taking place. Even if the cases were a little short as is with the Hornady cases, I would think a proper crimp could be achieved by simple adjustment.

[slk]

Humm, faulty crimp step in the seating/crimp die? Could very well be. Looking back at the pictures that slk posted I see evidence of a bright ring just below the case mouth as if the crimp made contact but down that far I would think the crimp would have been well established in the groove by then. I have Hornady dies for my 45 Colt also and you surely can feel the crimp taking place. Even if the cases were a little short as is with the Hornady cases, I would think a proper crimp could be achieved by simple adjustment.

That bright ring was already there from the factory loads. I have yet to attempt the crimping process. I will be doing that today, and report back with my results.

[Static line]

Good deal. We will check back to see what your results are.

[USSR]

Hello USSR,

Then I'd say your case is short.
There should be a step to form the crimp.

AntiqueSledMan.

Read the previous posts by slk. That's what we are talking about; Hornady brass that is about 1/16" short that they use to load their special bullets.

Don

[slk]

Ok does this look about right?

[USSR]

If that's with your short Hornady brass, then I'd say you have enough crimp there and it looks good.

Don

[slk]

That is with the starline brass. I have not done anything with the hornady brass yet.

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello USSR,

I see your a "NRA Certified Metallic Cartridge Reloading Instructor",
sounds like your giving some goofy advise to me.
When I set up for the bullet seating & crimping,
my first step is to set the seat position, bullet in case.
Then I raise the seating plug up and set the crimp by lowering the die.
It's at this point I reset the seating plug, while bullet is crimped.
One might have to make a slight adjustment at that point.
The only time the shell holder should come in contact with the die is on full length sizing.
Everything else is set to top of stroke.

That's how I do it, AntiqueSledMan.