What Dies To Use for .45 Cowboy Special Brass?

[Liberty1776]

I have 250 .45 Cowboy Special brass cases on order from Starline.

Goal is to download a 200 grain RNFP for SASS/cowboy action shooting in a .45 Colt Ruger or Colt clone revolver.

The .45 Cowboy Special is a shortened .45 Colt that's about the length of a .45 ACP. Rumor says to use .45 Auto Rim data.

I assume I can use the .45 Colt sizing die, but what about case flaring and crimping?

Thanks.


UPDATE:

To get a roll crimp, I bought a used Lee 45 Colt seater die at my LGS for $5. It has a roll crimp shoulder, but is too long for the short 45 Cowboy Special brass.

I put the die in a vise and cut it about 3/8" shorter with a grinder and a 1/8" wheel. Sparks flew.

I opened up the end for easy feeding with my Dremel tool and a carbide burr, then sanded it smooth with a 120-grit mini drum sander, again in the Dremel. (All this would be better done on a lathe, which I don't have.)

Nice reliable crimp without using the 45 factory crimp die's carbide sizing ring, which makes the Colt brass too small, in my opinion.

45 Colt is 0.480" dia straight wall from mouth to base.
45 ACP actually tapers from 0.473" at the mouth to 0.476" at the base.

So here's my die setup in a Lee Ultimate Turret press with 5 positions:

1. Lee 45 Colt carbide sizer
2. Lee 45 ACP powder-thru expander with Auto Drum powder drop
3. Lee 45 Inline Bullet Feeder with single tube adapter (very reliable bullet feeding, by the way)
4. Lee 45 ACP seater, backed off so it won't crimp
5. Lee 45 Colt roll crimper (shortened 45 Colt seating die)

[Outpost75]

In use roll crimp .45 Auto Rim or .455 Webley dies with .45 Colt shell holder.

[Tom Myers]

Liberty1776,
Please forgive me, I misread your post and assumed that you were looking for a 265 grain mold for the Starline 45 Cowboy Special Brass so I worked up the data shown below.
I went to some trouble to work this up and post it so I hope you will not be offended if I just leave it there in case someone might have a need. .

Sometime back, Al Nelson (N.O.E. Bullet Moulds ) asked me to work up some images of the N.O.E. 454-265 WFN Gas Check and Plain Base Bullets loaded into the 45 Cowboy Special Brass Produced by Starline Brass
Here are a few of the images of the fit in the Brass.

Hope this helps.

{Click on RED text to open links to N..O.E. Webbage}

{Click on an image to view a larger size}


https://noebulletmolds.com/site/

[Wheelgun]

I use a mixed set that I pieced together. A Lee 45 colt size die, Lee 45acp expander with a rcbs 45 auto/auto rim roll crimp die.

45 auto dies will work, and I’ve been told a regular Lee crimp die that comes in the 45acp set will roll crimp when adjusted correctly.

[Char-Gar]

I use 45 ACP dies.

[racepres]

I use 45 ACP dies.

And...I have a Lochmiller eating die (45ACP) which Roll Crimps...Why??? Matters Not. but, I have heard that many early 45ACP seating dies in fact roll crimp!!

[gwpercle]

If you already have a set of 45 ACP dies and if you are loading a boolit like the 200 grain Lyman 452460 SWC or the Lee 452-200-SWC , then just seat and taper crimp like you would do a 45 ACP round ... the taper crimp should hold just fine ...
You can get a little heavier on the taper crimp if any boolit creep shows up .
Think of this round as a 45 acp with a 45 Colt Rim !

I have a Taurus 455 - 5 shot 45 acp revolver that uses thin moon clips for ejection ... and I'm not crazy about them ... and I'm thinking these 45 Cowboy special cases may work and let me shoot it without the thin Taurus moon clip . 45 Auto-Rim doesn't work ... rim iis too thick , cylinder will not close !
Just a thought ... Taurus has probably discontinued the clips ... they have already discontinued the 455 45 ACP revolver !
Gary

[Liberty1776]

Tom,
That illustration of the 265 in a diminutive 45 Cowboy Special is magnificent. Nice software!

[Larry Gibson]

I have 250 .45 Cowboy Special brass cases on order from Starline.

Goal is to download a 200 grain RNFP for SASS/cowboy action shooting in a .45 Colt Ruger or Colt clone revolver.

The .45 Cowboy Special is a shortened .45 Colt that's about the length of a .45 ACP. Rumor says to use .45 Auto Rim data.

I assume I can use the .45 Colt sizing die, but what about case flaring and crimping?

Thanks.

A 45 Colt shell holder with standard 45 ACP dies works fine. A crimp is not needed with the reduced SASS level competition loads nor is a crimp needed for top end +P 45 ACP level loads in the revolver, especially with 205 gr or less bullet weights. A Taper crimp is the most that's needed and then to just straighten out the case mouth flair.

$5 AR or 45 ACP data works fine.

[Liberty1776]

I edited my original question to include my solutions to crimping 45 Cowboy Special, using a shortened used 45 Colt seater die.