Question about forming/loading 43 Beaumont cases

[mazo kid]

I have formed and loaded 6 cases for my Beaumont rifle. My question is: what do you who have loaded this cartridge use to crimp? Before forming and loading more cases, I would like to find a better method of crimping. After fire-forming, my case neck ID was .460-.462". I loaded .458" boolits as cast. I proceeded to crimp with what I had read....45 Colt. This seems to me to needlessly work the neck. Any ideas?

[Hogpost]

I'd like to know too. I had a Beaumont and spent the $$$ for a C&H die set, then sold the whole thing. Now I have several BP rifles that take roughly .458 bullets (11.7mm Danish, Spanish Reformado, and another Beaumont) and would love to be able to crimp, or at least snug down the neck, without buying the whole bloody die set. I was thinking of trying a 45 Colt crimp die myself, as others have suggested it to me; what specifically do you not like about using it?

[EDG]

If your bullets are some where near .458 there are taper crimp and profile crimp dies for the .45-70. Then there are standard 45-70 seaters with crimping shoulders, and finally the Lee Factory Crimp dies.
All these dies might be made to work by cutting off the bottom or boring out the body to clear your alternate cartridge.

These are all no brainer modifications for someone that knows both how to reload and run a lathe.
I am sure one of the guys on the board could make something from scratch too.

[mazo kid]

I have been reloading for 45 years.....but don't know how to run a lathe. Thus my question. The big problem is the large diameter of those Beaumont cases; not many dies that they will fit into.
Hogpost, I guess I ran the cases too far into the die as all I really needed to do was put a slight crimp on the neck. I see NO need to neck size with the 45 Colt die as the mouths are already over boolit size. I will carefully adjust my die the next time!

[salpal48]

I have several Beaumont's and have a set of CH dies and Form die. I used Boolits from .451-.459.. I crimp using the Ch die with a small piece of Paper masking tape around it. I found it to work well. using blue painters tape makes them look good as well
Sal

[Hogpost]

Thanks, Mazo, that's what I wanted know: it can work, depending on how adjusted.
Myself, I'd be careful to assure that the bullet is concentric and straight to the bore; if the case neck is really huge and only a tiny crimp-length at the mouth is applied, the bullet could be slightly pointing off to one side. It depends on how loose it is. If it seems like a problem, one might want to actually neck-size a bit when crimping, or purposely neck size for some length before seating.

I think I'll by a 45 Colt die, and fiddle with it; and report back. We can't be the only ones with this need, who don't have the bucks for C&H die sets or machinist labor, or a lathe in our garage.

[mazo kid]

[QUOTE=Hogpost ".......We can't be the only ones with this need, who don't have the bucks for C&H die sets or machinist labor, or a lathe in our garage.[/QUOTE]
.....Or pay the $4.00/case for Bertram brass. I have time, and I'm learning as I go.