dies for 405gr hb 45-70

[craveman85]

looking for a good set of dies to reload my 45-70 with the 405 grain bullet. looking for one thats not going to deform them and also looking for an expander or compression die since im going with bp.

[dromia]

Try here:

http://www.the45-70book.com/

You'll need two Lee three die sets as Pat seems to have stopped making up the sets but she still supplies the expander and compression plugs for the Lee dies.

The lee 405 gn HP mould was Spences design specifications based on his research.

[Wayne Smith]

Or you can go with the Lyman M die. Believe me, you won't stop with the one boolit in that caliber! Otherwise standard reloading dies of any make.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

AT this point, My set of Hornady dies are doing very well, and I presently see no need for anything beyond that 3 die set.

The case is expanded and flaired so that there is no damage caused to the boolit during seating and the seating process is smooth and trouble free.

The only issue I have seen was while loading heavy loads of IMR 3031. In that case, the powder was taking up so much case room, the boolit would not seat to the "normal" depth, which in turn caused some deforming of the boolit nose.

Didn't find the 3031 to shoot that well in my RUGER #1-s 45/70, so that is no longer an issue.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Larry Gibson]

looking for a good set of dies to reload my 45-70 with the 405 grain bullet. looking for one thats not going to deform them and also looking for an expander or compression die since im going with bp.

If you can't get the 5 die Lee set then let me suggest; back out the FL die to just partial size the case. Back it out enough so the inner diameter of the sized case neck area is .002" smaller than the sized diameter of the 405 gr bullet. If the case mout is not belled enough with the die you have then a Lee belling die works very well with cases partially sized as such. BP psi's are very low and FL sizing of the case is not needed.

A plug for compression can be easily machined for the Lee Belling die also but most often the tip of the expander die plug can be flattend for use as a compression die.

Larry Gibson

[craveman85]

so i need another die besides the 3 die set? what does the expander die do then? i thought that would open up the case mouth enough.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Caveman85,

This may be one of those things you just need to work through for yourself.

Can't say from here, cause all I know is my Hornady three die set does just fine for my needs.

Maybe for other applications, this would not be true.

However, that is where I would start and then move on as real needs or problems indicate.

I have bought some extra dies on occasion, some of which have been worthy investments, some are seldom if ever used and show no real advantage when used, then there are those which have been nothing more then an addition on a tool manufactures bottom line and only slightly above zero on mine.

Buy a quality 3 die set, and work from that known point to see what and if any additions are truely called for.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot