.45LC case neck sizing

[Federal Lawman, SASS #40004]

I load my .45LC on a 550B with the Dillon .45LC die set. Can I adjust the sizing die so that I can size only the neck and still decap the case? Or will I have to get a different die? Will the Redding .45LC/454 Casull do it.

Thanks, FL

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

You can usually extend the decapping stem quite a bit, and probably can decap with the sizer body only coming 1/3 of the way down the case.   But I've not tried to do that with a Dillon die.  I bought the 2-sizer CARBIDE-rings Redding die when they were making them 8 years ago or so and use that to neck size the top third and "body" size the lower 2/3 while decapping at the same time.  Works a charm.

 

good luck, GJ

[Boggus Deal #64218]

Like Joe, I use the Redding Dual Ring sizing die, but I will warn you about just neck sizing the .45 Colt. There is a wide variety of chamber dimensions out there in these guns chambered in the .45 Colt, you may find trouble using the carriages in more than one gun.

[Duffield, SASS #23454]

I have à Herter's die that only sizes the neck. So far the rounds work in two Rugers and a Rossi. It is not a carbide die so I haven't used it in years.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Why, do you only want to neck size? 

[Major Hazzard, SASS #23254]

24 minutes ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

Why, do you only want to neck size? 

Wondering the same thing myself.  Can't say as I've ever heard mention of a "neck" on a straight walled cartridge case.  If the idea is to extend case life by avoiding cracked mouths, just anneal them once in awhile.  

[Horace Patootie, SASS #35798]

I also use the Dillon 550 and have never annealed cases in 45 Colt. Using both brass and nickel cases (Starline), I have never had a problem. I do wonder if I lower the sizing/decapping die if I can bell the case mouth a little more to make inserting the bullet a little easier. I have had the 550 for 23 years and never had a problem with it until last week due to a primer system feed problem beyond my ability to fix. Dillon has it now.

Horace

[Reverend P. Babcock Chase]

Howdy Fed,

 

I can't speak to Dillon dies, But I have been neck sizing my .45 Colt brass for years (decades?) with case splits that I can count on one or two hands and I have never annealed any brass. Further, I taper crimp to work the brass the least possible. That has made my brass really last.

 

Rev. Chase

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

22 minutes ago, Horace Patootie, SASS #35798 said:

. I do wonder if I lower the sizing/decapping die if I can bell the case mouth a little more to make inserting the bullet a little easier.

On a straight-wall cartridge, you have to lower the powder-thru-expander die, not the sizer, to make a larger mouth bell for easier seating.  The minimal amount I find works well is if I can just set the base of the slug into the mouth enough to cover the bottom band on the bullet.  Too much overworks the brass, too little leads to shaving lead fingernails off the bullets as you seat them.

 

good luck, GJ

[Horace Patootie, SASS #35798]

1 hour ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

On a straight-wall cartridge, you have to lower the powder-thru-expander die, not the sizer, to make a larger mouth bell for easier seating.  The minimal amount I find works well is if I can just set the base of the slug into the mouth enough to cover the bottom band on the bullet.  Too much overworks the brass, too little leads to shaving lead fingernails off the bullets as you seat them.

 

good luck, GJ

Thanks, Joe !  I appreciate the info !

Horace

[Griff]

I have a Browning 1885 (Lowwall) in 45 Colt and have thought about just neck sizing cases... but with 4 hand guns & 5 other rifles so chambered, I don't want to limit a particular batch to just one gun. At my first Plainsman side match, I was called for 4 misses out of 5 shots, although the steel rang and vibrated with all 5 shots, there was only one lead smear... I'll call that accurate enough!   And BTW, of those 10 guns, only one is marked for "45LC"... but, I'll give some allowances for it, since it's of foreign origin, (and no, it ain't Italian).  But, since a lot of people seem to want to call the Cowboy45Special something else, calling a cartridge that's remained the same size since its introduction 151 years ago by something other than its proper name is illogical, to quote a famous Star Trek character.

 

And, yes, I know all about the 45Colt Government round.  Has anyone seen any of this ammo on their store shelf?  Hmmm... since I usually have to trim a few cases in a new batch 45 Colt cases to get uniform case lengths, maybe the manufacturer included some of these "so-called" 45 long cases in with my order... although all were head-stamped "45 Colt".

[Federal Lawman, SASS #40004]

14 hours ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

2-sizer CARBIDE-rings Redding die

Do you know why Redding quit making them?

FL

[Garrison Joe, SASS #60708]

Nope.  Seemed like a great product.  I like mine a lot.  Maybe not a lot of folks reloading revolver cartridges any more?  Bean counters do strange things to a company's product line sometimes.

 

good luck, GJ

[BenW]

I use an RCBS steel die for sizing, I think it works the case body less than sizing it like a straight-body case in a single-ring carbide die.  Personal preference, it does add a step.  I do the sizing before I wet-tumble them, they come out nice and shiny and ready for reloading!  

[Vail Vigilante]

Neck sizing on straightwalls is actually something I have done.

 

If you look at the reloading tools frontiers settlers were likely to have, neck sizing was the thing. 

 

 

 

[JackSlade]

Neck sizing 45lc is something to do with reduced loads, especially black powder. The brass on 45lc is much thicker compared to 44-40, so they rarely expand enough to seal the chamber and prevent excessive fouling. So just sizing the neck will keep proper tension on the bullet, but after multiple firings, the cases will seal chambers better over time.

[Preacherman]

I neck size 32 s&w long, 38spec, and 44 russian. It does work well. I use Lee carbide dies and you can set the decapping pin out farther to punch out the primer while catching the neck.

[Federal Lawman, SASS #40004]

Thank you all for your responses. This helps.

FL

[Lance A Lott Sackett]

For those using a Dillion 550, 650, 750 who want easier bullet seating I can recommend the Double Alpha Academy funnel at least in 45..