hornady leverution 45-70 reloading pains

[doc1876]

My nephew bought some of the leverutions for his trapdoor, and now he wants me to reload them. I got everything ready, and knowing that they were shorter than the other brands, I attempted to allow for it. Well they won't crimp due to the fact. He only wants to shoot pyrocrap, will not use bp, and then these short cases. I finally gave in, took my factory crimp die, set the case on top of the shell holder, and rammed it up. This seemed to add some crimp, but I know this kid, and he is not going to like the fact that the boolets spin. I have told him that most bp loads, there is not much of a crimp, and this is getting through to him, but if I have to put smokeless in them, this crimp will not be enough. does any one have a trick up their sleeve?

btw, he got some hornady .45LC, and they were .030 short too!!

[DeanWinchester]

I hate Hornady for this. Most of their straight wall cases are junk to me cause they are short.

I don't mean to be rude or disrespectful but I think your nephew needs a serious talking to. Trapdoor, jacketed bullets and BP substitute should NEVER be in the same conversation.
The rifle is his and he's free to go whoop up against a tree if that makes him happy but some thing just ain't right. Not to mention the Trapdoor is notoriously weak in the scheme of things. Jacketed bullets create more friction and therefore more pressure. Pyrocrap, while close does not produce the same pressure curve as real black. PERSONALLY, I think he's playing with fire. I sure would hate to see him get burned.

BE safe!!!

[doc1876]

I totally agree, and have tried to explain this to him, but he thinks that if it is available across the counter, it is safe.
The only thing he has going for him is that is one of the H&R Officer models, and I want to believe that with modern steel, it MAY be a better gun for him........sometimes I think my head is going to fall off of my neck because I shake it so often!

[DeanWinchester]

Maybe you need to load him some PROPER rounds and let him try them. Not many, just enough to wet his whistle.
A proper 405g lead boolit and some Swiss black powder?? I bet if you ask politely, someone here would give you a small handful.

DO you know what size boolit this rifle needs? I just bought a mold a few weeks ago that I have decided not to use. I was going to list it in the S&S section. It's a Lee .457 340g plain base. It drops .4575-.458 from wheel weights. You'd need something softer for black powder.

[dh2]

I too shoot am old trap door Springfield, It is load data to it's self. I have checked three load manuals and do not see information for this rifle using Leverution. and none on hodgon web sight.
http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/rifle
I shoot a 405 Gr. cast pushed by IMR4198 in an R-P case
as for Hornady brass I got two boxes of it from the guy I bought my marlin 45/70 I am not sure what to do with this brass I am thinking if I get a hornady crimp die it should fix this, I will try it when I need the brass,
I have 6 boxes of hornady ammo that was a package deal with the gun, I load this with 45LC die's so it is only a die adjustment
I did buy new 9.3mmx62mm Mauser Hornady brass for a rifle I built PPU factory ammo feeds well the hornady brass had to be full length
resized befor it would feed in to the chamber
So needless to say when ordering brass I now will order any other brand of brass.

[Skipper]

Just grab one of these for 13 bucks and give it a little trim job.

Lee .45-70 Seat die body 90561
http://leeprecision.com/images/P/p-1760.jpg

[rpludwig]

timely post, for me anyway....just started loading 45-70 (smokeless) and had some Hornady once fire levererlution and new starline brass....had no clue on short (.060) hornady brass until tutored on it by NSB here on the forum...I could order a hornady crimp die, but frankly, don't want to fool with it going forward....anyone interested in some once fired short hornady 45-70 brass for trade, send me a pm...sorry if I'm off topic...

Ron

[doc1876]

Heck, I'd trade too!

Dean I loaded him up some black with 405g he hated them

[aspangler]

If you have a three die set with the resizer with no decapping pin, you can do a taper crimp using it. Just don't try to run it all the way down. Just enough to grip the boolit. I use the Hornady brass and have no trouble with it crimping this way.

[doc1876]

I tried the resizer trick right after I discovered that they weren't crimping, no luck. I got out my original Ideal Hand Loader, and tried it. It did a little better, but still not happy with it. I finally gave in, and reset everything on the press to accommodate the factory crimp die, and the only way it would work was to set the case on top of the shell holder, and run it up slowly until it crimped, and then take a rod, and push it back out of the die. This seemed to be the best solution. At this point he only has one box of these devil things, and I will tell him if he gets any more, he is on his own.

Dean, I really appreciate the offer, but I can't see going into extras for this small loading situation. I have two for my Sharps that are .459, and I think that will be enough for me. I will continue to just use the box of 405g that are here for him, and if he wants anything else, we can work on it. Slugging his rifle is a good suggestion, though, so I will make arrangements to do that, and maybe while I am doing it, I can "politely" lecture him some more.

Skipper, I have two of these now, what are you suggesting?

[Skipper]

You just cut off the bottom of the seat die (which also crimps). If you cut off an amount equal to the length Hornady shortened the Leverevolution brass, it will crimp just fine.





I tried the resizer trick right after I discovered that they weren't crimping, no luck. I got out my original Ideal Hand Loader, and tried it. It did a little better, but still not happy with it. I finally gave in, and reset everything on the press to accommodate the factory crimp die, and the only way it would work was to set the case on top of the shell holder, and run it up slowly until it crimped, and then take a rod, and push it back out of the die. This seemed to be the best solution. At this point he only has one box of these devil things, and I will tell him if he gets any more, he is on his own.

Dean, I really appreciate the offer, but I can't see going into extras for this small loading situation. I have two for my Sharps that are .459, and I think that will be enough for me. I will continue to just use the box of 405g that are here for him, and if he wants anything else, we can work on it. Slugging his rifle is a good suggestion, though, so I will make arrangements to do that, and maybe while I am doing it, I can "politely" lecture him some more.

Skipper, I have two of these now, what are you suggesting?

[doc1876]

duuhh. that makes sense

[John Allen]

I have used a taper crimp die on these with success. I believe it is a lyman.

[c1skout]

I've used the short Hornady brass with my Lee loader (the kind you hammer together) with no problems. I didn't even change the seating depth. I only use 2 loads, one is a Marlin-level load and the other is trapdoor level, both with smokeless powders.