redding dies in 45-70

[Bear Claw]

Hello All

Havent been here in a while hope all is well with everyone, Me I been shootin some & workin lots, anyway I have been trying to get enough time to stop in and ask if any of you can answer this question,,,

My redding dies are marked F L (full length) however they only size the top 1/2 inch of the case, the die is set to just kiss the shell holder in the press.
My 44 mag dies size the whole case so thats what I thought these dies would do as well, so is this normal or a fluke??? I do like that this is what it is doing since it does not work the brass quite as much & no I dont size 45-70 W/ 44mag Dies ( I know someone will wonder):-D Bet reguards to all B. C.

[13Echo]

The 44 mag is a true straight case and a full length sizer will mark it from mouth to base. The .45-70 has a very gentle taper and an imperceptable, straight neck. If you have a tight chamber the sides may show only a slight squeezing while the "neck" will get a bit more. The taper to the case is also the reason you won't find a carbide sizer for the 45-70.

Jerry Liles

[Bear Claw]

X-celant

Thank you 13echo seems I learn somthing every day and I didnt know about that:drinks:

[powderburnerr]

Bear claw , seems you got a shiloh right , my shiloh chambers are so tight there is hardly anything done to the case during resizing... I can run them through the resizing die with out even lube when I found that out I just quit doing that step as it didnt matter much anyway.................Dean

[e15cap]

Bear Claw, When I used my Redding 45-70 dies for the first time I thought they were a mistake. Looked like they were making a bottle neck case. Called Redding and they said that is correctn now run them thru the flaring die so you can seat your soft lead bullets without mashing em all to hell. Know What? They were right.
Best, Roger

[highwallbo]

I love my Redding dies for my 4-70SS, perfect match to my Shilo barrel. Now if Forster would make some dies for BPCR,then we would really have something.

[martinibelgian]

Dies? Who needs dies for BPCR? Well, for case forming maybe, and neck sizing with the sloppy military chambers, but for the rest... Decapping tool, priming tool and case cleaner will do for me!

[SharpsShooter]

If you intend to use the cases in the Shiloh exclusively, shoot em once to fireform them and from that point let the size die gather dust. Use a universal decapper or like tool and your brass will last a long, long time. Flare the case mouth (if needed) only enough to get the boolit into the case and you will be fine.


SS

[montana_charlie]

shoot em once to fireform them
And, if you don't full-length resize, do your trim-to-length after fireforming...
I didn't, and I regretted it.
CM

[WBH]

Both my RB and my Sharps Pedersoli chambers are large enough to require FL sizing. Otherwise the bullets will fall out of the cases. The chambers John King cut for me on other RB's are much tighter.

[martinibelgian]

For my 45-70, the bullets will also fall out of the cases - just a minor inconvenience, and something you have to remember when picking up the cartridge. On the #2 Musket though, no problem there - when I load a primed case with bullet and fire, it will actually keep pressure, flipping the case out when opening the action...

[Nardoo]

WBH,
To save sizing I use a .462" bullet in my rolling block which has a sloppy chamber and a .459" bullet in my tighter chambered Sharpes. Cast 30:1 my barrels accept a range of diameter bullets with equal accuaracy.

Nardoo

[Freightman]

I shoot three 45/70's a Shiloh, a H&R and Rolling blk, never size for the Shiloh or BC but have to beagle a mould to get .462 on the rolling blk. It is worth the extra trouble and care as all three will and do shoot sub MOA at 100 yds.
I hate to size anyhow as my sholders are old and hurt with any pressure on them, even bought a framing nailer to keep from using a hammer.

[EDG]

From the department of redundancy department.

I have currently have 6 sets of 45-70 dies that I can think of.
1. The earliest set is RCBS from 1972 and sizes with no shoulder at start of the 3/4 long neck.
2. A 1980's set of RCBS that leaves a neck about .750 long and a small shoulder.
3. Redding about 7 or 8 years old. These leave a .500 long neck and a pronounced shoulder.
4. Two sets of Lee dies. Both have interior dimensions like RCBS #1.
5. A Redding NECK die set about 2 years old. That is right ...pretty odd huh. They are listed in the catalog and size only the first half inch of the neck and do not touch the body.

I would be careful with Lyman gas checks on long cast bullets with the cases that have almost a bottle necked appearance. They might let the gas check fall off the bullet into the powder charge.

I guess I need to pick up a set of Lyman, C-H, Pacific, Herter's, and Hornady dies in 45-70 to see what they are like. Curiosity can be expensive.

My earliest 45-70 brass is WW from 1972. They have been shot mostly with very mild loads in 6 or 7 different rifles. They are about ready for the scrap heap due to loose primer pockets. This is due to being primed and decapped so many times. Four of the original 20 have been lost. Most of the time they were sized in the #1 RCBS die set above. The 4 that were lost burned through or cracked about midway between the head and the case mouth. They might have lasted longer with the later model dies. The other 16 have made it 35 years.

Ed

[montana_charlie]

I would be careful with Lyman gas checks on long cast bullets with the cases that have almost a bottle necked appearance. They might let the gas check fall off the bullet into the powder charge.
Not possible with the powder packed up tight against the bullet base...unless you are referring to a (gulp!) SPCR application.
CM