German Jim Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 What dies are used to reload Cowboy .45 Special? Would .45 ACP dies work? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldog Brown Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 Yes, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 6 minutes ago, Bulldog Brown said: Yes, But need 45Colt smallholder. I also use a 45 Auto Rim roll crimp die. And 45 Colt carbide sizing die. (45 ACP over sizes them). Actually, now that I think about it, I don't use any ACP dies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Bullweed Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 I use .45 Colt for case holder and sizing. I use .45 ACP for expanding, seating and crimping. All Lee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 That will work. You'll see that most folks are putting together their own customized die sets based on their experience. I'm using a Hornady set up for the .45 Auto Rim/.45 ACP. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prairie Dawg, SASS #50329 Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 Here's a link to Adirondack Jack's post about the dies for his cartridge: https://www.prairiedawg.net/nick/cowboy45special.pdf --Dawg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colorado Coffinmaker Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 NO - - - YES - - - Sort of. 45 ACP die sets are not optimum. The ACP resizing die imparts a slight taper to the case, promoting Blow-By and long term over-works the brass. 45 Colt resizing die is a better choice. 45 Colt expander/Bell/Thru powder works best. ACP crimp die applies a taper crimp, not optimum. I'd recommend a Redding 45 Auto Rim Profile Crimp Die, especially if you run the round in a Toggle Link Rifle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripsaw Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 45 colt sizing die, 45ACP powder drop/belling die, 45 ACP seating die, 45 Colt crimping die, ground down to appropriate length to work properly. The ACP crimp die is a taper crimp so not ideal, though many use it to good effect. Did not try the auto rim die set. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene Slim SASS 81783 Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 I use Hornady .45 Colt die set. It’s the only standard set I know of where the seat/crimp die goes low enough to put a nice roll crimp on the C45S cartridge. if you already have another set of .45 Colt dies, you can get the individual dies others have mentioned. +1 to Coffinmaker on sizing and roll crimp vs taper Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 I'm real sure this is the RCBS roll crimp die I use. It's available and on sale at MidwayUSA. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1011377157?pid=169099 I load 454 diameter bullets because my old Colt SAA have BIG throats and My Marlin 1894 seems to make less blowby. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Springfield Slim SASS #24733 Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 I had to go look to make sure. I have a 45 Colt RCBS Cowboy sizer/decapper, a Dillon 550 expander/powder drop, a 45 Colt RCBS Cowboy bullet seater ran ALL the way down, and a 45 Colt Dillon roll crimp die that has been shortened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Null N. Void Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 I shot 45 Cowboy special for a couple of years using a Dillon SDB. I used 45 ACP dies for the resizing, belling, bullet seating and crimping. I used a 45 colt base plate. I shot them in Ruger New Vaqueros. No problem with shooting 160 grain bullets. I still use that setup for 200 grain reloads that I use for over the top loading on a 73. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Warden Callaway Posted December 12, 2020 Share Posted December 12, 2020 4 minutes ago, Null N. Void said: I shot 45 Cowboy special for a couple of years using a Dillon SDB. I used 45 ACP dies for the resizing, belling, bullet seating and crimping. I used a 45 colt base plate. I shot them in Ruger New Vaqueros. No problem with shooting 160 grain bullets. I still use that setup for 200 grain reloads that I use for over the top loading on a 73. I had two Ruger Vaqueros in 45 ACP that I could shoot C45S in if I loaded them with 451 bullets and use ACP dies to make very tight loads. Any flaw and they wouldn't chamber. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie MacNeil, SASS #48580 Posted December 13, 2020 Share Posted December 13, 2020 45 ACP including Lee Factory Crimp die. 45 Colt shellholder. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oddnews SASS# 24779 Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 On 12/11/2020 at 9:45 PM, Ripsaw said: 45 colt sizing die, 45ACP powder drop/belling die, 45 ACP seating die, 45 Colt crimping die, ground down to appropriate length to work properly. The ACP crimp die is a taper crimp so not ideal, though many use it to good effect. Did not try the auto rim die set. Can I ask what problem you had with the auto-rim set? That is what I was going to try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripsaw Posted December 14, 2020 Share Posted December 14, 2020 Never tried the auto rim die. Should work I think. I had the extra 45C die insert for my SDB press. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baltimore Ed Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 While we’re talking .45 Cowboy, my Marlin 1894 will run 200 gr rnfp Schofield loads fine but will it run .45 Cowboy? If not can it be made to run the short brass? Just curious. Thx. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripsaw Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 I don't know about the 94, but the Smith Shop has a carrier for the 73 for the C45S. Have been toying with trying it out. It's a direct swap with the standard 45C carrier, no other changes required, I'm told. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boolit Boomer Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 51 minutes ago, Ripsaw said: I don't know about the 94, but the Smith Shop has a carrier for the 73 for the C45S. Have been toying with trying it out. It's a direct swap with the standard 45C carrier, no other changes required, I'm told. I have two from the Smith Shop. One is for the C45S and the other is for 38 short colt in the 357. They work flawlessly with no other modifications. Just need to know your OAL and Bill will deliver what you need. Third one is on the way to work with the 38 long colt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Abilene, SASS # 27489 Posted December 15, 2020 Share Posted December 15, 2020 Info on the Smith Shop page says you need to file a flat spot on one side of the bolt head. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Boolit Boomer Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 On 12/15/2020 at 12:58 AM, Abilene, SASS # 27489 said: Info on the Smith Shop page says you need to file a flat spot on one side of the bolt head. You are correct. Guess I was just thinking about the carrier itself. You have to file 20 thousands off the left side of the bolt to help it slide pass the spring loaded stop plased inside the carrier. The bolt still barely contacts the stop, but it's the flat spot you filed on the bolt that's pushing by the flat area of the spring loaded stop. There is no resistance felt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 The best results will be with a 45 Colt sizing die, an appropriate bell/expander or if on a Dillon thru powder die, and a 45ACP roll crimp/seating die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black RZR Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 Yeah I just use my 45 Colt dies. I use the acp to expand is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyesa Horg Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 Using an SDB here. 45 colt shell plate and sizing die, 45 ACP seating die and made a crimp die from a 45 colt die as I just didn't like the taper crimp from an ACP die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 On 12/14/2020 at 1:11 PM, Oddnews SASS# 24779 said: Can I ask what problem you had with the auto-rim set? That is what I was going to try. As a newbie to the C45S myself I solicited info on the Wire as well. I am using the Hornady 45auto/AR/Win die set (part #546554) in combination with a Dillon 45 colt powder through die on my Dillon 550. Hornady sizer in position one, Dillon standard powder die with 45 colt expander funnel and Dillon powder measure at position two and the Hornady seater/crimp die in position three. Some were concerned about the seat/crimp in the same station but I have had 0 problems so far. None of the dies have been modified and the seater/crimp puts a very nice roll crimp on the finished cartridge as the Auto Rim die is short enough to reach the short C45S case. My choice of this die set was based on Wire info and the previously published recommendation of the cartridge developer. Works like a champ using Shooting Foxes 130 grain “Barnstormer” bullet in NM Vaqueros. YMMV Regards Gateway Kid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted December 17, 2020 Share Posted December 17, 2020 On 12/14/2020 at 9:58 PM, Ripsaw said: I don't know about the 94, but the Smith Shop has a carrier for the 73 for the C45S. Have been toying with trying it out. It's a direct swap with the standard 45C carrier, no other changes required, I'm told. I have two guns set up with the Smith Shop Carrier. Easy to install. Absolutely no issues. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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