45 colt dies for loading 454 casull

[DoubleBit]

I have a batch of brass coming to load up some 454 casull. Lee lists the same carbide crimp die for both are the same. Could I use my Lee 45 colt dies to load 454 casull?

[Walks]

Back in 1988 I used RCBS .45Colt Carbide dies made in 1977 to Load .454Casull. I purchased a Lyman M-die for the .45Colt and turned the RCBS Expander ball down to .448, worked like a charm.

I wouldn't consider Lee, I've had problems. Spend the extra money to buy RCBS or more to buy Redding to start with.

[lightman]

I don't see why your 45 Colt dies would not work. Of course you will have to readjust the seating and crimping die.

[Minerat]

If your resizing die is long enough the there is no problem. I use my 45 colt for my 454's but mine are RCBS carbide. Not much different from 44spcl to 44 mag.

[DoubleBit]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I was hoping it would be situation like 44mag/special. Sounds like I will just need to try it out and make lots of measurements along the way.
Btw, what’s so bad about Lee dies? I find them to be affordable and functional. I did basically wear out my 223 depriming/sizing die. Basically the staked primers beat it up and now deprime/sizing ball get pushed up too easily. I added an rcbs universal deprime die to the set and we’re cranking out AR food all day.

[bobthenailer]

It seems to me that the sizer die for the 454 casull sizes a little smaller than 45 lc sizer ! but this may only be with casings fried in another brand if 454 and then be used in a min dimension chamber FA 454.
I use the Lee factory crimp die for crimping only full power loads with Jacketed bullets as it duplicates the factory FA ammo crimp which is flattened into the fill height of the bullet cannalure

[onelight]

It seems to me that the sizer die for the 454 casull sizes a little smaller than 45 lc sizer ! but this may only be with casings fried in another brand if 454 and then be used in a min dimension chamber FA 454.
I use the Lee factory crimp die for crimping only full power loads with Jacketed bullets as it duplicates the factory FA ammo crimp which is flattened into the fill height of the bullet cannalure
Do you use the Lee collet crimp or carbide Factory crimp die ?

[bobthenailer]

For full power loads & jacketed bullets using 454 brass fired in 3- FA 454 revolvers I use the lee carbide factory crimp die for the 45 lc. the FA factory ammo flattens the crimp the whole width of the crimp grove of the bullet

Since FA revolvers have min chambers spec and use a slightly smaller sizer die than 45lc you will probly never use/ need the carbide ring . some other brands of 454 have larger chambers than FA

For cast loads I use a 45lc taper crimp up to 1000fps , over 1000 fps cast and mid range jacketed I use a Redding pro crimp die which is a combo roll & taper crimp.

[dbosman]

Except for the shell holder being different, you can use .45 ACP dies to load .45 win mag, 45 Colt, .454, .460 S&W, .45 Schofield, and .45 Auto Rim.

[John Wayne]

My experience is the same as Mr. Bosman states above except I have not loaded the 460 and 45 auto rim. You can always load a dummy cartridge without powder and primer and see how they chamber.

[DocSavage]

My dies are marked on the box 45 Colt/454 Casull. 45 acp carbide die will be a bit small in the diameter compared to 45 Colt but you'll still need a 45 Colt seater die. I prefer a good roll crimp for heavy 45 Colt/454 Casull over a taper crimp.

[Duckiller]

When #2 son pt a Raging Bull we went to a gun show to get dies. Got 45 Colt carbide dies. Worked fine and were cheaper than 454 carbide dies.

[Tatume]

Freedom Arms advised me to substitute a 45 ACP full-length sizing die for the 45 Colt sizing die. They said the cartridge benefits from additional case tension. They also recommended very hard bullets. If you're using lower powered data with softer cast bullets, then the 45 Colt sizing die should be fine.

[Walks]

I used a roll crimp on Freedom Arms Jacketed bullets and then taper crimped them too. Had to trim to minimum every time and crimp at the top of the crimping "groove". My FA had unbelievably tight tolerances.

[DHDeal]

I used a roll crimp on Freedom Arms Jacketed bullets and then taper crimped them too. Had to trim to minimum every time and crimp at the top of the crimping "groove". My FA had unbelievably tight tolerances.

A FA will teach you what a tight chamber and tight throats are. All is well with jacketed bullets, but branch out into cast bullets that are even slightly larger than the throats and your thumb will get sore.

I've had good luck using my Hornady 45 Colt dies and a Redding Profile Crimp die. No crimp jumping.

[Greg S]

I'm rocking Redding 45 Colt/Casual dies for a FA Mod 83 in 454. I need to move to a 451 sizing die to aid chambering occassionaly. Looking at scoring a set of RCBS Cowboy dies to use for 46 Colt.