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Thread: Question on 45 Schofield and 45 Colt Dies

  1. #1
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    Question on 45 Schofield and 45 Colt Dies

    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.
    Last edited by bedbugbilly; 11-23-2020 at 10:55 AM.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    I load 45 Schofield with 45 Colt dies on a 650 with no problem. If using a single stage press set the dies for 45 Schofield you can us a 1/8 inch washer with a 7/8 inch id as a spacer to load 45 Colt. You might need to do a little sanding on the washers but the trick should work.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master
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    I believe the correct answer is that it depends. I cannot use Redding 45 Colt dies to load due to length, but can use the Colt resizing die followed by a 45 ACP seating die to seat and crimp. I have heard that rcbs 45 Colt dies will do it all, as well as Lyman.

    Sent from my Pixel 5 using Tapatalk

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    Thanks Doc - appreciate the info. I was thinking that I had loaded some back in MI with my 45 Colt dies (before I bought a set of dedicated Lee 45 Schofield dies) but I couldn't remember. I'm using a single stage here in AZ. Since I have the old set of Lyman AA dies, I can set the expander and seating die up for the Schofield and then use the Lee dies set up for 45 Colt - and use the Lee carbide FL sizing die for both. I do have some spacer washers that I tossed in to a set of 38/357 dies that I brought out here that should work if I need them. Thanks again for the help.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
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    Lyman makes two die bodies for the M die series, long and short. If you have the short body you are good to go.
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  6. #6
    Boolit Master 44magLeo's Avatar
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    If you have 45 Schofield dies in MI why not get someone there to ship you the dies ?
    Leo
    Last edited by 44magLeo; 11-23-2020 at 05:44 PM.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master Baltimoreed's Avatar
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    I use the same lyman carbide .45 lc sizer die for both but have picked up a second cheap lee set with the seater and expander set up for Schofield. The dies I’ve marked red are for long colt and ones marked blue are for the Schofield. You still have to adjust the seater stem depending on the weight of the bullet you use but the big lock rings don’t get messed with. Keep it simple.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master bedbugbilly's Avatar
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    44mag - the biggest issue in trying to get someone to send the dies to me from MI is that i don't have anyone back there to do it. The gal that watches our place wouldn't know a die set from a crescent wrench and it is more hassle than it's worth.

    I don't have a Schofield casing to check the dies I have but I did some measurements yesterday and the lyman m die from the 45 Colt Lyman set I have does not look like the expanding stem is quite long enough to expand a Schofield casing - it is an old set of AA dies - I have other lyman M dies with both short and long bodies but the stem will not fit in any of the short bodies.

    So . . . I checked Titan and they had a 3 die set of Schofield dies so I placed an order for them yesterday. The $30 set of dies is not going to break the bank and I will be done with it and not have to worry about finding an expander and seating/crimp die for the shorter casing. In the end, the $30 set of Schofield dies probably would be cheaper than buying individual dies.

    I have two conversion cylinders I am working with - one for a Uberti 1858 NMA (6 chamber) and one for a Pietta 1860 Army (5 chamber). I decided to consolidate some things and I will use Schofield brass in the conversion cylinders and Colt Long in my Uberti 1873 SAA. I don't want to push the conversion cylinders/revolvers and they will be used for lighter plinking loads. When we go back to MI for next summer, I'll bring my Uberti 1858 NMA revolving carbine back with me and will use the Schofield brass in that as well - both smokeless and BP.

    I'm hoping to add a Uberti 1873 Winchester in 45 Colt when I can find one so by consolidating a bit, I will be able to keep the 45s separated - Schofields for the conversion cylinders and 45 Colt for the rifle and SAA using the same load in both.

    I ordered 45 Schofield casings from Starline yesterday - they are out of many of the calibers including 45 Colt, 45 Cowboy (shorter casing), etc. so if anyone needs 45 Schofield, a heads up that they still show them in stock but who knows for how long?

    Many thanks for the help - greatly appreciated.

  9. #9
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    Mk42gunner's Avatar
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    BBB,

    It seems you have already answered your question, and solved the problem to your satisfaction; but I have a different solution that may work for others.

    A standard .45 ACP die set, with appropriate shellholder. I remember years ago seeing a die set (Hornady???) marked for .45 ACP/ .45 Colt/ .45 WinMag/ one other that I think was the .454 Casull (the .460 S&W hadn't even been dreamed up yet).

    I think with the possible addition of a roll crimp die that would satisfy most .45 caliber shooters needs. Did I go that route? Of course not, I forgot about it when I got my first .45 Colt and bought another set of dies to go with my hodge podge of .45 ACP dies.

    Robert

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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
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HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
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LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
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