Trapdoor .45-70 Die

[varsity07840]

What die would you recommend for flaring a case mouth to accept a .464 bullet? Lee Universal?

[M-Tecs]

I use a Lyman M Die with a custom oversize stem.

[varsity07840]

I use a Lyman M Die with a custom oversize stem.

Thanks. That was my other consideration.

[Nueces]

Search on Buffalo Arms for 'custom expander' and see if you can find one with a 0.462 stem and 0.466 step. They go with a Lyman M die body. Pricey little buggers, but perfectly made and will enable you to make factory quality rounds.

Lightly chamfer the inside of the case necks to completely eliminate shaving.

[Nobade]

Will your fired case accept a bullet that big? Do you need to size at all? I never resize cases for my trapdoor, just hand seat a bullet and put a light taper crimp on to hold it in place. Of course that assumes you're using black powder and there's no room for it to fall in.

[varsity07840]

Will your fired case accept a bullet that big? Do you need to size at all? I never resize cases for my trapdoor, just hand seat a bullet and put a light taper crimp on to hold it in place. Of course that assumes you're using black powder and there's no room for it to fall in.

I'll have to look into that. I've always full length sized them and used an expander die, same as for my other .45-70s that use a .459. The '88 TD needs a bigger bullet. I can get it into the Winchester case by tightening down the expander a bit, but I still have to be very careful to have it aligned right when I run it through the seating die so I don't shave lead. I'm strictly black powder. I'll try keeping the '88 TD cases separate.

Thanks.

[gunther]

Pure lead TC Maxiballs will expand to fit anything. They shoot minute-of-popcan at 85 yards from a trapdoor on a rest. Huge lube grooves, and, at 250 grains, they are fun to shoot. With a case full of black powder, they ought to drop a deer inside 100 yds without a problem.
You don't need to size the bullet or the case.

[bedbugbilly]

gunther - just curious as I'm just getting into 45-7- trapdoor - what does your TC Maxi ball drop at? (diameter)

I had one of the mods at one time - got it in a "lot" of molds that I purchased - didn't have a 45 cap/flint rifle so gave it to a fellow in the round ball club I used to shoot in that had a 45 - so never cast anything out of it.

Thanks.

[Nobade]

Pure lead TC Maxiballs will expand to fit anything. They shoot minute-of-popcan at 85 yards from a trapdoor on a rest. Huge lube grooves, and, at 250 grains, they are fun to shoot. With a case full of black powder, they ought to drop a deer inside 100 yds without a problem.
You don't need to size the bullet or the case.

What a great idea! I think I have one of those moulds, I need to give that a try. Thanks for the suggestion.

[huntj3]

I typically load with the Lee 459HB sized to .460/as cast. After firing, my star line brass is on average opened up to .465 but I don’t have a mould that size.

I guess neck sizing is how I load the brass by lowering the die until the inner neck diameter is approx .459 and then flare with the powder thru die. I’m sure you could load with a similar method and then a ‘universal’ flare die.