44 special

[Blammer]

Ok it's late I'll look this over again tomorrow.

BUT, I am trying to load some 44 special ammo.

I have my 44mag/44 special dies they resize and flair them nicely, but the crimp die won't reach!

Correct me if I'm wrong but the RCBS combo dies 44mag/spcl SHOULD work for All stages correct?

crimping is the only part that's NOT working!

I screw the die all the way down and it touches the shell holder before it even starts to crimp any.

[Alvarez Kelly]

I have had several 44 Special (only) RCBS die sets over the years. It does make you wonder...

[Calamity Jake]

Grind the bottom of the die and make it shorter, it doesn't even have to be square.

[Wayne Smith]

Yeah, DJ, I thought the same thing about 45 Colt dies and 45S&W brass. The brass slides completely into the die with no hint of stopping! Oh well, gotta get another 45ACP crimp die cause I ain't re-adjusting mine as it is now!

[W.R.Buchanan]

Blammer is the case bottoming out on the mouth of the die? or can you just not screw the die down far enough?

If 1. the turn the end of the die off about 1/8


If 2. then remove the nut on the die so it will screw down further. You can also make the nut thinner or screw it onto the underside of the die.

Probably going to need another one anyway.

Randy

[Blammer]

Die is touching the shell holder, and can't get a crimp.

I just took my grinding wheel on my dremmel and found an old 44cal Pacific Durachrome seating die and hacked off the bottom 1/4 inch or so. Seated and crimped the 44 special cases like it was designed for it. :)

[shooter93]

More common than you think. I took an extra 44 mag crimp die and cut the bottom off in a lathe.

[km101]

I just checked my RCBS .44 dies with .44 spl brass. The seating die goes down far enough to make a good crimp. I don't load .44 spl much and haven't loaded any in a long time, so I had to check. My dies were manufactured in '85. Is this something that occurs with newer dies? First time I have heard of this.

[jlchucker]

I had the same thing happen with a Lee die set. The 44 mag die would hit the shell holder before the crimping shoulder would contact the 44 special cases. For now, I'm using the 44 mag factory crimp die that I had, but I'm going to see if I can get a 44 Special-only seating die if I can find one.

[dakota]

I just checked my RCBS .44 dies with .44 spl brass. The seating die goes down far enough to make a good crimp. I don't load .44 spl much and haven't loaded any in a long time, so I had to check. My dies were manufactured in '85. Is this something that occurs with newer dies? First time I have heard of this.

I started with RCBS in about 1980, added a Lyman Carbide sizer later. I didn't have a Special until the last couple of years -- only Magnum. But now I'm loading Special with these dies also. No issues with crimps.

Forgive me for asking, I suppose you've checked case length and the cases are within spec's. If so, trimming the crimp die seems like the best answer for your problem to me also.

[Johnny_Cyclone]

Isn't that how most die sets are though?

The Special die sets can load the Magnums, but generally the Magnum die set won't load the Specials.
Because of the crimp die, and some times the seating die, wont go down far enough.

[Ewald]

Hmm I have a RCBS set that I use for 44 Spec. Works fine. I bought them used. 70s manufacture. I generally pull the seat stem to crimp.

[bgoff_ak]

my RCBS has .44 MAG/SPL stamped on the top, it does both but the mags are farther from shell plate. this is my carbide set i need to look at the green box dies to see what it says... i'm assuming yours is stamped like wise ? i do have a mag setup that does the same thing, but is only listed as mag. when in doubt send it out... the RCBS warranty says they want a receipt of date of purchase but I’ve never returned any thing to them... are these new or old dies ?

[W.R.Buchanan]

This was problem with the early dies Magnums would only do magnums. Specials would load both. I think they figured this out about 1980 and fixed the problem.

I bought a set of Pacifc dies in .44 magnum in 1978 and then returrned them for Specials the next day.

Randy