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Thread: 45 colt balloon head nickle plated

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
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    45 colt balloon head nickle plated

    Wanted to decap the spent primers but the recommended Lee #11 shell holder is too small. What is the correct shell holder size? What is the primer size? I have 62 of these to do. Thanks for any assistance in this matter.
    West of Beaver Dick's Ferry.

  2. #2
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    Larry Gibson's Avatar
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    Lee says to use #11 or #14.

    RCBS says to use #20 or #4
    Larry Gibson

    “Deficient observation is merely a form of ignorance and responsible for the many morbid notions and foolish ideas prevailing.”
    ― Nikola Tesla

  3. #3
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    Thanks, I will look for a #14
    West of Beaver Dick's Ferry.

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    The first 45 Colt cases I reloaded, back around 1970, were ancient balloon heads. Those rims, lacking an extractor groove, were so tiny that I damaged both cases and shellholders of the early Lee hand primer tool, the one with screw-on shellholders. Today, I would try all the shellholders I could reach to see if any did better. Those cases can be a challenge.

  5. #5
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    Mk42gunner's Avatar
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    No idea on the primer size, they weren't all 0.210" or 0.175".

    As far as depriming, something with a hole to rest the case on and a 1/16" pin punch should do the trick. I did that to a huge number of .45ACP brass one Westpac.

    Robert
    Last edited by Mk42gunner; 10-20-2021 at 06:47 PM.

  6. #6
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    These are looking like they are becoming candidates for the recycle bin. Thanks for all the advice.
    West of Beaver Dick's Ferry.

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by trebor44 View Post
    These are looking like they are becoming candidates for the recycle bin. Thanks for all the advice.
    I encourage you to tumble them sparkling clean and save them, if you have room. You could find a workable solution someday and the cases are rare now and perfect for black powder loads or even display. I'm glad I kept mine.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by trebor44 View Post
    These are looking like they are becoming candidates for the recycle bin. Thanks for all the advice.
    Save them for a collector ... the old ones are getting hard to find and there are a few who reload with black powder that actually prefer and look for them .
    Rule #1 of Reloading and Pack-Rats ... Never throw anything away ...you may need it ...someday !
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    " Let's Go Brandon !"

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check