Long story short - I have two revolvers with conversion cylinders in 45 Colt. I am considering ordering some 45 Schofield casings to play with but I can't remember if they can be loaded with 45 Colt dies (due to shorter length).
Back in MI - I have a set of Lee 45 Schofield dies as well as some casings - but it has been a long time since I loaded them up.
Here in Arizona - i have a set of Lee 45 Colt dies and a set of the older Lyman AA 45 Colt dies.
FL sizing is not an issue as the FL 45 Colt die will do it - I normally FL size when I have new casings and then just neck size.
The question I have is whether the Lee or the Lyman Expander Die will work with the shorter Schofield casing? The Lyman expander die is a "M" die. Unfortunately, I do not have a Schofield casing to try it.
The next question is will either the Lee or the Lyman seating die seat the boolit due to the shorter Schofield casing. I am using tow boolits - Lyman 454-190 FNRP and the Lee 452 - 200 grain tumble lube SWC. I also wonder if either die will allow for a roll crimp on the shorter casing?
In the past - while I usually roll crimp, I have used a 45ACP taper crimp to crimp a 45 Colt/Schofield. Would a 45ACP expander die work on the Schofield casing? If a 45ACP expander die will work, I would try to find an older set of the Lyman AA 45ACP dies and use the expander and seating/crimp die.
I know Lee does some creative marketing in putting together their die sets - as in the set for the 38 Short and Long Colt where they utilize various dies from other sets. The sell a separate set for the 45 Schofield - I sometimes wonder why when they could easily design a set to reload both the 45 Colt and Schofield.
If anyone can advise on if dies from either the Lee 45 Colt set or the Lyman AA 45 Colt set will work as far as expanding and seating and or crimp - I would greatly appreciate it.
I do have some 45 Colt casings to load so am not out of business but I would like to be able to load some 45 Schofields as well. All I had here in AZ was the set of Lyman AA dies which has a steel FL sizing die. I ordered the set of Lee 45 Colt dies so I would have a set with a carbide FL die - had I realized that Starline was going to be out of 45 Colt but that I could get 45 Schofield I would have ordered a set of Lee 45 Schofield dies. Just grasping at straws and hoping that what I have will do the Schofield. Thanks.