.45 Colt Sizing Dies & Dimensions

[Biggfoot44]

We all know about the wide fluctuation in .45Colt dimentions of chambers, throats, die sizing, etc . I had gotten luck with adaquate overlaps with Lee 3 die carbide and Ruger Blackhawk(s) .

Currently I am mentoring a friend new to loading . He's the kind of guy who aquires all the possible equipment for every cal he owns , before actually starting , often in redundency. But thriftily through buying used equipment by the box full from our fellow gun guy networks, from gun shows etc .

He has a set of Lyman All American steel dies for .45 Colt , lightly used , but old .

The problem is the sizing die is only .469 . I vaguely understood that small-ish modern .45 Colt dies would be at least .473 , but haven't extensively researched current offerings .

For me I would either partially resize, or tapered polish out the lower portion of the sizing die, but I want to get him started the "normal ", instead of starting subtle experementation .

So help me out . Which 2019 mfg .45 Colt die sets are coming with appropriate dimentions ?

[nicholst55]

I would recommend either an RCBS 'Cowboy' sizing die, or else the (very expensive) Redding Dual Ring sizing die.

[Outpost75]

Good reason to take gage pins with you to gun shows!

Best combination I have found to load revolver ammo in .45 ACP/AR, .455 and .45 Colt has been an older RCBS .455 MkII die set. Handles the 0.76" Starline, Hornady and Fiocchi brass well, as well as Dominion .455 Colt, .45 Cowboy Special, Starline .45 Schofield and regular .45 Colts. Makes a perfectly formed roll crimp.

Set up the dies for the shortest case that you load. To load longer cases back off dies by stacking spacing rings from the Redding set. May need to add a second die lock ring to back off enough for .45 Colt. Expander plug measures a true .453", which is fine as I use .455 diameter bullets as-cast, unsized in all of my revolvers except the Rugers, which get .452" when serious about accuracy, (I then use .45 ACP expander backed off for them) although my usual .455 bullets loaded for the older Colts and S&Ws actually shoot pretty well in the Ruger's DougGuy-honed .4525" cylinder throats.

Sizer die body is .476" at entrance and cylindrical for 0.50," then tapers to .470" at 0.80" and is cylindrical for the remainder. I lube cases with mineral oil, USP applied by rolling cases on a stamp pad.

I load for and can interchange brass two S&W and Colt M1917 revolvers, a Colt M1909, a New Service .455 Eley and two Rugers, a Marlin 1894 and an H&R Handi Rifle.
Works for me.

[str8wal]

I use carbide RCBS 45 Colt dies without issue.

[mdi]

I got a SAA clone about a year ago and used my Lee 45 Colt dies quite well, but I was using my cast bullets and wanted to be able to seat oversize bullets, so I got an RCBS Cowboy die set (and they are purdy). I haven't done any post sizing measuring but I have seen no problems with the 500 or so rounds I've reloaded so far (Starline and mixed brass)...