Best Dies For .45ACP With Cast

[Good Cheer]

Is there a better brand of dies to get when loading .45ACP with cast? Any differences?

[Bullet Caster]

Personally I use Lee .45ACP carbide dies for loading all my cast boolits. Never used any other kind so I cannot compare to another brand. So far no problems with the Lee dies. The thing I like about the Lee dies is the powder through and expanding die. I've got my powder measure mounted to the top of the press of my Lee Breechlock Press and use a little funnel to drop powder into the cases. It works really well, if only I could trust the Lee Perfect (Imperfect) Powder measure to throw the same charge every time. BC

[Ford SD]

Die Brands
not sure who is better than another

Some have features others do not --ie powder through the flaring die
if working on a progressive with a 4 station shell plate

one thing on a progressive loader I use 2 seater dies ( taper crimp)
(5 station reloader) One to seat to the correct length the final one to crimp and double check length and have not had a problem

For the roll crimp I find you only need the 3 die set

[nicholst55]

I use an old set (1976) of RCBS dies with complete satisfaction. I may eventually add a Lyman 'M' die to the mix, but I just haven't felt the need so far. I did add a taper crimp die and a carbide sizer to the set about 30 years ago or so, but otherwise they're box-stock.

Actually, my next set of .45 ACP dies will probably be Dillon, to use on my 550B. The RCBS dies work okay for that application, but the Dillon dies would doubtless work a bit more smoothly on the progressive. Their seater die is much easier to disassemble and clean than the RCBS die, also.

[Firebricker]

Brand choice a lot of times comes down to personal preference. I lot of people my self included avoid the Lee factory crimp die with cast boolits. The fcd in handgun calibres can squeeze your bullet down depending on what you sized them. Personally I like RCBS for handgun but Lee or any other main stream brand will be fine.

[captaint]

GC - I started with the Lee Carbide dies first, only set I ever owned. Was never really happy with them. I constantly had to adjust the seater. Maybe it was just me and that O ring business. Anyway, I got a set of Lymans, with the M die and now I'm a happy loader. I do load on a single stage, except for the final stages. Then I use the Harrells manual turret. I won't be changing again. enjoy Mike

[Four Fingers of Death]

I have virtually all brands in handgun calibres and there is nothing between them, mostly just personal preference. I have never had any trouble with the Lee seater. The only trouble I have had with bullet seating dies was many years ago, I was getting a bit of lube buildup, but once I became aware of it and cleaned the die occasionally I had no further trouble. I can't remember what brand of dies that was. I switched to some Hornady dies when I bought a Dillon 550 as a few of the Lees didn't seem long enough. I think that was more a problem with me than the dies, but the current ones are fine.

The 45ACP dies I have been using since the early 90s are Hornady New Dimension Dies (no longer a New Dimension, lol). I also use a Hornady Taper Crimp die. Works fine.

This doesn't apply to 45ACP or other auto dies but the only trouble I have had with Hornady dies is that when a heavy roll crimp was applied, I popped the spring clip off the floating part of the die. I now crimp separately as it is a much more satisfactory process. I use a taper crimp on all auto cases and this is applied separately.

A lot of reloaders have a definite cringe about Lee products, but I use lots and have never, ever had any real problems. I had a 44Mag shellholder that had a tiny bit of metal break off and the odd case would slip out of it's grip. My first Lee Auto disk Powder Measure developed a burr on the slide (in 1983!) and after removing this the measure has not given anymore trouble and has been in regular use ever since. My Lee Auto Prime had a few rough casting fins I suppose you'd call them. I shaved them off with my old Army clasp knife, lubed it up with graphite grease and it has been in service since 1981.

The only dies I am not fond of are the RCBS dies (The Aussie Simplex MAster dies are the same). They work fine, but the shaft up the centre is slim and fiddly to adjust with a screwdriver and means that you cannot remove it easily The centre shaft needs to be completely unscrewed and removed through the bottom of the die. With normal dies, the centre shaft can be removed through the top, leaving the inside exposed for cleaning) and consequently, the die is difficult to clean with such a small hole in one end. No biggie, just my take.

They all work fine.

[Shiloh]

I have RCBS, LEE, Dillon, and Lyman dies. One seems as good as the other.
If one had precision firearms, the difference may be more noticeable.

Shiloh

[Chihuahua Floyd]

As noted above I also have Lee, RCBS,Lyman and one set of Bonanaza dies for a 7mm TCU that I don't have, came as part of a package deal.
What I really like is the Lyman "M" die if I am reloading cast bullets, and I load approximately 1000 to 1 cast vs jacketed.
CF

[Mk42gunner]

For loading .45 ACP, I have a set of mostly CH dies-- carbide sizer and decapper, Lyman M-die, Ch speed seater (works very well for anything with a flat nose) and a separate taper crimp die.

I used the CH expander with no complaints untill it got knocked of the table into the trash can, that is why I have the M-die.

I have used Lee dies in other calibers for pistol rounds; I really don't like the powder through expander die, every one that I have used really sticks inside the brass and needed a jerk on the press handle to pull it off. I know I could polish the expander, but an M die (or any other neck expanding die I have ever used) doesn't need to be jerked to get the brass to come off of it.

The sticking may be a design feature to make sure powder doesn't bridge in the die; but I don't charge my cases in the press, so it is an annoyance for me.

Robert

[TXGunNut]

I have a set of Lee carbide dies but went with the Dillon dies when the Lee dies didn't work in my early 550. That's my only set of Lee dies, I generally opt for RCBS, Redding or Hornady. The only set of dies I've ever been unhappy with is an old set of Lyman dies for 30-06 but that probably had more to do with the user than the tool.

[DCM]

Ok flame me, but the BEST dies for seating and crimping cast are made by Dillon.

Why? Because once you put a locking lock ring on them (Dillon rings don't lock to the die) you will not have to adjust them as long as you use the same bullet.

Hows that you say as most folks are to cheap to actually buy Dillon dies but will gladly bash them as too expensive. The dies can be taken apart to be cleaned very simply by removing spring loaded retainers that they build into them just for this purpose. One simply pulls the pins, cleans the lube out of the die, reassembles and you are back to loading without having to readjust your crimp or seating stem.

[462]

I've had Lee, RCBS, Lyman and Hornady, and have settled on the following mix-and-match setups:

For all brass prep:
Hornady sizer/decapper
Lyman M-die

For the 452374 boolit:
Lyman seater die with a 452374 seater stem
RCBS taper crimp die

For the 452460 boolit:
Hornady seater die with a flat seater stem
Hornady taper crimp die

[ColColt]

95% of my dies over the years have always been RCBS. It's sort of like primers. I've mostly used and depend on CCI but have used Federal when CCI wasn't available. The 45 ACP dies I have are pretty old...70's era and I use a separate taper crimp die-RCBS as well, and have been totally satisfied always with the results. A carbide sizer is imperative to me. I got tired of the sticky mess years ago having to roll cases and then clean them off.

[Four Fingers of Death]

[QUOTE=DCM;1598070]Ok flame me, but the BEST dies for seating and crimping cast are made by Dillon.

"Why? Because once you put a locking lock ring on them (Dillon rings don't lock to the die) you will not have to adjust them as long as you use the same bullet."

I must be missing something here, but thats what happens with any sort of dies as far as I can see. I'm not all that keen on the Dillon/Lee lockrings (they share the patent) as you can move the ring inadvertantly when removing the die, especially the FLS die as they are not anchored to the die, just held by friction. My fav sort are the Hornady ones that are split and have the Allen screw. Once they are locked down, the lock ring is going nowhere, but when loosened, pop free immediately. The RCBS type with the lead ball tend to jam on, I'm not real keen on them at all. Having said that I use a lot of the Lee rings (which no matter how much anybody cringes, are identical to the Dillon rings. If you are using Dillon or Lee progressive presses, they are essential as they are the only sort that fit on these presses as the space between the die stations is too close for traditional rings.

"The dies can be taken apart to be cleaned very simply by removing spring loaded retainers that they build into them just for this purpose. One simply pulls the pins, cleans the lube out of the die, reassembles and you are back to loading without having to readjust your crimp or seating stem."

This is an excellent feature on the Dillon dies. I went to buy a set on two occasions when I was cashed up (they are more than twice the price of other dies here), but they wern't in stock. The two big shops (who sell heaps of Dillon presses, etc) said they don't normally stock them as they aren't very popular, but order them in as required.

[Wayne Smith]

My current set consists of: Lyman steel sizer/decapper (- need to update), Lyman M die, an old Pacific seater (need another) and an RCBS taper crimp die. I'd like to pick up a carbide sizer for obvious reasons and another seat die since I'm currently loading two different boolits.

[DCM]

FFOD I was a bit unclear due to my wording I think. I much prefer the varios types of lock rings that clamp down on the die.

My personal favorite is the RCBS with the brass set screw.

I have a variety of lock rings and a larger variety of dies. IME if I adjust the die and set the lock firmly I can remove the die from the press by putting a wrench on the lock ring and replace it at a later time by using a wrench on the lock ring without the need to make adjustments to the die.
If one wants to go one step further one can put index marks on the press, lock rings and dies with various colors of magic marker, nail polish etc. .
This will work on the lee and Dillon lock rings too, but it is a more tedious process.

[405]

Yugo, Ford, Chevy, Toyota, Dodge? :)

Single stage loader- just not a progressive type so no idea about Dillon and other such. But for 45 ACP I use a mixed set with a carbide sizer. I think the most important die in the set is the Taper Crimp Die- I use a Lyman taper crimp die.

[stubshaft]

I use an old set of RCBS dies too. It originally came with three different seating stems to match different profiles.

[runfiverun]

i use a lee carbide,the flair from dillon an rcbs to seat and hmmm i can't read it for crimping but it's steel.

[Four Fingers of Death]

FFOD I was a bit unclear due to my wording I think. I much prefer the varios types of lock rings that clamp down on the die.

My personal favorite is the RCBS with the brass set screw.

I have a variety of lock rings and a larger variety of dies. IME if I adjust the die and set the lock firmly I can remove the die from the press by putting a wrench on the lock ring and replace it at a later time by using a wrench on the lock ring without the need to make adjustments to the die.
If one wants to go one step further one can put index marks on the press, lock rings and dies with various colors of magic marker, nail polish etc. .
This will work on the lee and Dillon lock rings too, but it is a more tedious process.


I meant that I prefer the fixed in place lockrings, sorry. The Dillon/Lee type work ok, but you have to be careful to hold the die and the ring as you remove them or you can disturb the setting. On progressive presses, this is not an issue as you rarely remove them from the press/turret insert/LnL adaptor.

If I was buying a set of dies for cast bullet use, especially with softish lubes that most reloaders use, I would avoid RCBS because the narrow stem makes the die a bit difficult to clean built up lube out of, but If they were all that was available, I would buy them anyway, not a big issue.

I have no experience of them but I have been led to believe that the RCBS Cowboy dies are the bee's knees for cast bullet use. Can anyone comment on that?