Ruger Vaquero 45 Colt - split cases

[Calpoly93]

So I was shooting a bunch of light target loads in my Vaquero, cast boolits (255gr SWC) with Titegroup. A few of the Remington cases had lengthwise splits in the middle (not to the mouth) they have one or two loadings, tops. I use RCBS FL carbide dies... is it bad brass or an issue with the sizing? I know that Redding makes a sizing die that has two carbide rings... is that to address oversizing the body?

[44MAG#1]

I had some years ago but they were Rem. Nickle cases. None of any others though.

[recumbent]

It's just a few pieces of weak brass.

don't worry about it.

[Wheelguns 1961]

Has this ever happened in this gun before? Reason I ask is because I had a gun with large chambers before that would split brass like that.

[Larry Gibson]

Actually that is quite common when a carbide FL sizer is used. It' sizes them too much because the 45 Colt is essentially a tapered case. With light loads I suggest backing out the FL sizer and sizing the cases just to the base of the seated bullet. Did that for a while then found an RCBS steel FL die and use it now. Yes, I have to lube the cases but it's not that big a deal and I can inspect the cases when sizing. I finish loading on a Dillon SDB sans the sizer. Redding makes a tapered carbide FL sizer die but it's a bit spendy.

[USSR]

Yep. While the SAAMI specs for the brass is straight, the SAAMI specs for the chamber has a slight taper, so your fired brass comes out with a slight taper. Sold my .45 Colt carbide die set real quick and bought a set of steel RCBS dies for the .45 Colt.

Don

[44MAG#1]

Funny how different people have different experiences. I have used nothing but a carbide size die on 45 Colt ammo except for a short period. Loaded loads from mild to quite hot depending on the firearm used. Some loaded with 410 grain bullets too.
Never had a problem with Starline cases
.

[Walks]

I've shot a lot of .45Colt, have a OLD Lyman steel set from the 1960's, it'll size the brass just enough that a sized case will let a .452dia bullet be pushed into the case with the tinest of case mouth expansion. Can just push it in with finger pressure. Never lost a case using those old dies.
When I started Cowboy Shooting, I had to switch to Carbide sizing. Did have some OLD REM cases split in the body then and those blasted hard starline cases split at the mouth frequently. These days I'm back to that OLD steel sizer for .45Colt & .45S&W Schofield. Never lose a case these days. Of course I'm only loading to standard pressure these days too.

[Dan Cash]

Here goes another carbide sizer user; Dillon. My .45 Colt and Schofield cases have been loaded ten or more times and a few are starting to split. So do .357s at this point.

[gnostic]

My 45LC brass splits the same as yours in a few loads. I haven't loaded 45LC for awhile, but when I do, the cases will be sized just enough to hold the bullet, rather than full length. I'm loading with carbide RCBS...

[Outpost75]

+1 on what Larry Gibson said. Modern .45 Colt dies size cases excessively to provide adequate bullet pull for .451-.452 bullets.

Old school .45 Colt dies sized and expanded cases correctly for .454-.455 bullets. I shoot .454 in all of my .45 Colt revolvers and rifles, using soft 8-10 BHN alloy and Bullseye powder 6.5-7.0 grains to match factory ballistics with 250-265 grain bullets, both rifle and revolver.

[winelover]

I have no issues (premature splitting) with RCBS 45 Colt carbide dies, since the early 80's. Don't use much RP headstamps, though. I'm still reloading W-W cases that have been reloaded nearly 20 times...........Ruger Only loads in a BH.

That being said, the other day I did have 5 out of 25 cases split, upon firing W-W 44 Special brass with 200 JHP's in my RH. Cases are from the early 80's, originally factory fodder, that were reloaded only the second time. That ammo was reloaded, way back then. I ran across the ammo and thought it might be too hot for my three year old Bulldog. Load was from Hornady's manual and not a top end load........17 grains of 2400 for @ 1100 fps. I reloaded the other twenty cases with cast at a more mundane velocity. Will closely monitor those for failure. For now, I'm chalking it up to brittle brass and a warm load.

Besides, a few rounds of factory ammo, I rarely shoot jacketed bullets. Been thirty years since I've reloaded any. Every pistol cartridge I load for, 9 mm, 38 & 357, 44 and 44 mag, 45 LC is sized with RCBS carbide dies. I get brass life upwards of twenty times before I start to see necks starting to split. BTW, I've never annealed any brass, pistol or rifle. Even the RCBS Cowboy dies, now come with a carbide sizer. YMMV

Winelover

[Larry Gibson]

Possible explanation of "those who do, and those who don't" get split cases is the chambers not the size die. My Uberti's (M1873 rifle and 2 SAAs) have the tapered chambers. My Contender has a chamber cut straight so the cases must be sized FL in a carbide sizer to chamber. Those cases sized in the older steel RCBS die won't chamber. Obviously those cases fired in straight cut chambers won't expand as much nor be resized as much. Not sure of Ruger, Freedom arms, etc chambers.

[Harter66]

I've split 4 WW cases , just before I annealed the mouths . From the first 50 they have 30 plus cycles . After 2 cycles of cases that moved in the Ruger chambers and were very coke bottled I went to "neck sizing" and began the passive search for steel dies .

I have a carbine with a .492 max chamber dia so brass has to be separated for that . I neck size , for decapping and when needed I use a 45 ACP FCD gutted for a sizer that leaves them .487 or so .

[Der Gebirgsjager]

Just as a long shot possibility, have you been able to isolate the split cases to one particular chamber, or does it happen randomly in all or several chambers?

[fa38]

Would the RCBS Cowboy set of 45 colt dies have the tapered full length die?

[smkummer]

I used to just partially size my 45 colt brass when it went back into the same Colt SAA. Worked fine. Now I have to many guns chambered in 45 colt so I can’t do that anymore. My cowboy loads are a WW case full length sized with a hornandy carbide die stating for 45 LC and 45 acp. The brass last o good long time. My full powered loads are in RP cases and while I may loose 1 or 2 out of 50, the brass is so old and of various places that it could have been loaded 10 times or more.
Again, if the cases were going back into the same gun, I would only partially size. It worked for me.

[Art in Colorado]

I had a problem with 44 Mag medium loads and after re-sizeing with RCBS carbide dies some would split. Called them and they said send the die back with some split cases. They sent me a new die and have not had that issue again.

[Carrier]

I bought a SBH Bisley 45 Colt from a guy and he threw in the RCBS dies he had for it. I had trouble seating cast bullets with them and as I like Hornady seating dies I bought a set of Hornady dies. What I’ve found is the RCBS size die is .467 and the Hornady is .471. The Hornady makes seating cast bullets easier and I don’t get as much case burn with lighter loads.

[Baltimoreed]

Seldom split brass .45lc but I’ll split a case or two of .45lc nickel every match. I only run brass cases in my Marlin Cowboy ltd which puts a noticeable bulge on the brass but never splits. I use the nickel in my revolvers as i use 200 gr in the pistol and 225-250 in the rifle. Been using an rcbs .45 lc carbide die forever. My first cas revolvers were ss ruger .45lc vaqueros [got 5] and other than nickel brass being brittle and splitting occasionally no issues.

[oldhenry]

My .45 Colt sizing die is a Lyman carbide bought in '77 when I got my 1st. .45 Colt. I don't have a case splitting issue. Of course from time to time a neck will split, but all have been fired many times. When I got my 1st. 550 I retained the Lyman sizing die & bought Dillon Seat & Crimp dies (easier to clean).