45 Lc question

[UncleFudd]

I am getting ready to load 45 LC for the first time and have an older two die set of RCBS. It has no crimp die and my question for those who are or have loaded a lot of these rounds, do you use a crimp and is it necessary?

Appreciate any help and suggestions. I also have a new set of Dillon in the three die set with crimp die but will take it back and get a refund if the crimp is not necessary. Nit trying to be cheap, just don't want to spend money that I don't have to.

Thanks in advance

UF

[joe45c]

unclefudd, it depends on what you are loading for. I crimp my loads because i load it in a 45 colt henry rifle, which has moderate recoil, and if i don't the bullet will move in the caseing and jam my gun.(don't ask me how i know this) so in a leveraction rifle i would say yes crimp, but in a hand gun i'm not sure since i don't shoot one, but i'm sure others will know. I use a carbide rcbs 3 die set for mine. In your 2 die set doesn't your seater die have a built in crimp?

[RJay]

The recoil in a 45 Colt pistol is enough to unseat a uncrimped bullet and cause it to travel forward, resulting in a locked up action. I use a visible roll crimp on all my 45 loads and have experience no problems. In fact I use a roll crimp on all my revolver loads and a taper crimp on all my auto loads

[muddober]

UF, I am thinking you have an incomplete die set. Your bullet seat die most likely has a roll crimp built in, but you should have an expander die by which to start the bullet.

And yes, as RJay said you need to crimp 45 Colts not matter what you plan to shoot them in. I might suggest you buy yourself an new set of dies with a carbide sizer die, I haven't bought a set in years but I would guess they are all of about $50.00.

Ron

[UncleFudd]

Thanks a bunch guys.

I do have a new set of Dillon, carbide three dies new in the box. If I did not need the crimp I was going to return them.

As it seems, I will go ahead and use the new Dillons and be done with it, better safe etc.

I will be using the loads in the newly acquired Ruger Vaquero 45 LC as seen in my post on the centerfire pistol thread.
I already have nearly 2000 brass and lots of bullets in different weights so I will set up the dies tomorrow and load my first LC ammo. Should be fun and hope to be as accurate as I am with my 41 mag in the 45/8 barrel.

Will post some pics when I get to shoot my first loads.

Thanks again for all the suggestions.

UF

[LDBennett]

UncleFudd:

While I dearly love my Dillon RL550B press and all the Dillon accessories, their dies are unusually expensive. I have one set (out of 30 different cartridges that I reload for) of Dillon dies and find them no better or worse than other dies.

Next time buy any die set but LEE and you will be rewarded with money left over and no loss in performance. I particularly like RCBS and Redding dies but actually anyone's are OK. The LEE dies, in MY opinion, have lower quality and have a tendency to rust in my environment. While they seem to work just fine, an inspection of the machining shows a big difference between their dies and those of others.

LDBennett

[American Leader]

Common LD, you're starting that "Trash Talk" again. YOU know YOU spend way too much money for your Dillion stuff, so you have to put LEE down because they are so cost effective. Now, what company did you say (from your own thread response to dixielandman) makes the greatest FCD factory crimp die known to man? I rest MY case! Have a great day LD!

[Kevin Rohrer]

re: The "L" word vs. everything else.

You get what you pay for.

re: Crimping

The 45LC is a stout cartridge, even using CAS loads. Roll-crimping your rounds is a real good idea. You don't want bullets walking out of their cases.

[UncleFudd]

Thanks LD and you are right about the dillon dies and their expense.
But they are right here in town and very close to my home so it makes it easy to go there to shop lately.
I have 67 sets of dies and other components such as bullet pullers neck sizers etc and only 6 of these are Dillon and several are Older model Lee dies from two to three die sets.
I have not experienced trouble with any of them but have noticed that my Lees are more corrosive than any of the others and have to keep a shine of oil on them at all times.

I am going to order a crimp die for $17.95 from RCBS and return the $76 dillon set. That will give me the three dies for the 45 LC.

Currently on break from shooting with my 11 yr old grandson and to say the least I am so impressed with this young mans shooting. I will be posting our range time pics later this eve or tomorrow morning and I think most will be as impressed as am I.
Quarter size groups with his 788, 223 in a pretty brisk breeze at 100 yds and he has done it constantly with three different powder loads we are testing.

Thanks again to everyone.

UF

[LDBennett]

American Leader:

Read what I said:

"The LEE dies, in MY opinion, have lower quality and have a tendency to rust in my environment."

You can take what I said for whatever you want. It is, after all, MY OPINION. Unfortunately for LEE it is shared by others.

While I really like the DESIGN of the LEE RIFLE Factory Crimp Die, it too suffers from LEE's common problem....use of the wrong materials for an excellent idea. They use similar metals for the collet parts. Similar metals, when run against each other, gall. At least the older Rifle FCD dies from LEE did that as I have had to fix a few. They do such a good job (when they work right and newer versions may be better made ??) that I use them when necessary but all my old LEE regular die sets get replaced with better sets from others, over time.

I have a lot of die sets (over 30 sets) and the only ones that rust, are poorly machined inside, and gall (see above) are the LEE dies. To me that constitute enough of a reason to alert others. But we all get to choose regardless of what others say.

LDBennett

[muddober]

UF, you started off with your thread by stating you had a 2 die set for 45 Colt, I don't think such a thing exist. If one of your dies is a bullet seat die it almost has to have the crimping feature built in it. If you have a sizing die it de-primes, so what you are missing is an expander die and in my opinion that is what you need to order. But let me tell you the difference between a carbide sizer and non carbide is day and night and I would not be in any hurry to bring back the Dillon's, but rather use them, you will find no better.

Just my two cents,

Ron

[JLA]

UF, you are already revolver cartridge savvy by reloading the .41 mag. Just load that .45 Colt the same exact way you do the .41, using the proper data of course, and youll be golden. IMO every handgun cartridge needs to be crimped, it helps alot with consistency and therefore accuracy.

[JLA]

Originally Posted by American Leader

Common LD, you're starting that "Trash Talk" again. YOU know YOU spend way too much money for your Dillion stuff, so you have to put LEE down because they are so cost effective. Now, what company did you say (from your own thread response to dixielandman) makes the greatest FCD factory crimp die known to man? I rest MY case! Have a great day LD!

You know, i just spent 100 bucks, yes i said 100 bucks, to have Lee Precision custom make me a 6.5-284 collet die set, an FCD, and a trim length gauge.. All because I cant stand the way RCBS, Hornady, Dillon, Redding, etc, adjust..

LD is right about the rust, but i find a little oil keeps that from happening, and I clean and oil my dies after each use, hes also right about the galling, somewhat, but i also find a little drop of SBGO on the colley seat stops that too.. I love Lee dies. And you too LD.

[American Leader]

LD, you know I really like you! I'm the kind of guy that interacts with those folks he likes and respects. If I didn't like you I wouldn't do that. Some folks even go so far as to tell me NOT TO LIKE THEM SO MUCH! I consider you my friend, and like Josh, we know that down deep inside you really love LEE DIES. Brisk even thinks you are a "Closet LEE Lover"! By the way, Brisk says to tell you HI!