45 Colt Crimp Die

[bigtee]

Just started loading the 45 Colt and will be using .452 boolits. I bought a set of the RCBS Cowboy dies but would like to seat and crimp in different stages. What crimp die do you think is best? I have read good and bad reviews on the Redding Profile crimp and was leaning towards it, but wanted to ask what your opinions are.

[Frozone]

Look for a LEE 45 colt Rifle Style Collet FCD.
IIRC it was Ranch Dog that had lee make a bunch. They don't have the carbide ring.

I have 2, one modified for a 454 length. Best things since sliced bread.

[John Boy]

What crimp die do you think is best? Hands down, the Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die

['74 sharps]

No problem crimping/seating in one step in 10,000 rounds of cast 45 for my Colts.

[Mk42gunner]

No problem crimping/seating in one step in 10,000 rounds of cast 45 for my Colts.

I agree, although I haven't loaded quite that many .45 Colts. Careful setting of your seating/ crimping die and you will be fine.

Robert

[enfieldphile]

Go w/ your first instinct, get the Redding Profile Crimp die. The combo taper/roll crimp is the goods.


Just started loading the 45 Colt and will be using .452 boolits. I bought a set of the RCBS Cowboy dies but would like to seat and crimp in different stages. What crimp die do you think is best? I have read good and bad reviews on the Redding Profile crimp and was leaning towards it, but wanted to ask what your opinions are.

[Kull]

Go for the Redding if that's what you like. I use Dillon's and personally like it a lot because it's made to be taken apart for cleaning without screwing up your adjustment.

[DougGuy]

I use the collet style crimp die for heavy .45 Colt loads. It can be ordered directly from Lee for $25 search item #80337 and you will find it. I modify mine so the crimp band is narrower and I shorten the bottom of it so it lowers the crimp band down just thousandths below the case mouth. It puts no downward pressure on the case, and no sideways pressure on the boolit inside the case.

When I am seating boolits in the press, I adjust the seating/roll crimp die so that it seats the boolit to the proper depth, and just barely removes the bell of the case mouth from the charging die, it leaves the case pretty much straight walled, and it is then presented to the collet crimp die. I have my most consistent results like this, I get excellent case neck tension, and extremely consistent crimps since any variation in the case length doesn't affect the collet style crimp die, but with a roll crimp die, any variaton in case length throws the crimp all out of whack, and makes some very inconsistent crimps. That alone is enough to cause flyers in group sizes.

Many people swear by the Lee carbide factory crimp die, but it has a carbide sizer ring in the bottom of it and if you load a .452" boolit, then run it through this carbide die, try pulling the boolit and measuring it. It will NOT measure out at .452" since the carbide ring swages the outside of the case, AND the boolit inside to a smaller diameter. Don't be surprised if the boolit you pull measures .449" afterwards..

Check out this thread for photos and text of this modified Lee #80337 .45 Colt collet crimp die: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?201449-Question-about-type-of-crimp-required&p=2239315&viewfull=1#post2239315

[Frozone]

......Many people swear by the Lee carbide factory crimp die, but it has a carbide sizer ring in the bottom of it and if you load a .452" boolit, then run it through this carbide die, try pulling the boolit and measuring it. It will NOT measure out at .452" since the carbide ring swages the outside of the case, AND the boolit inside to a smaller diameter. Don't be surprised if the boolit you pull measures .449" afterwards.......

Well, except for the above BS, you're a genius

[DougGuy]

If it was bs I wouldn't post it. Fact is, it is a factory crimp die, designed to do the same job the factory presses do, and that's remove any bulges from the outside case walls, takes them right to saami specs, so that there are no issues chambering. It is also meant to be used with saami spec boolit diameters, which it will not swage down. However, if you use larger boolits, as us handloaders are known to do, the carbide ring will resize them as it takes the bulge out of the case. There are several good threads on this forum about the subject, and some even going as far as to hone the inside of the carbide ring .002" larger so it does not resize cast boolits once loaded in their cases.

I just don't have a need for it so I don't even own one. Maybe it won't swage a .452" boolit to .449" but it certainly won't be .452" afterwards.

[Frozone]

If it was bs I wouldn't post it. .....

RIGHT!!!!!
It's still BS.

[DougGuy]

It's still BS.

I'm not followin' ya there.. But.. I did want to ask how you got your collet to work for .454 did you weld or solder a ring on the bottom of it to make it longer?

[wrench man]

I use Dillon's and personally like it a lot

Same here.

[Swede44mag]

Same here.

Same here again.

[r1kk1]

Same here again.

And same here again

r1kk1

[cowboy]

I use a Redding crimp die , prefer to seat then crimp in separate operations. Stopped finding shaved lead at the crimp, which made my '73 run happier. ( less build up in the chamber and just ahead of same, as shaved lead is not being run over by a bullet hastily exiting the case when fired ). I use what works for me. "Your mileage may vary".