45lc brass

taurus · March 1, 2002, 04:28 AM

I read that to resize 45lc brass. one should use steel dies and not carbide as carbide will straighten out the tapered straight wall case of the 45, which will shorten the life of the case! True ?

**Mal H** · March 1, 2002, 05:16 AM

Not true, AFAIK. Mainly because 45 Colt brass isn't tapered. It's .480" OD for the full length. Where did you read that?

taurus · March 1, 2002, 09:31 AM

I read it in a G&A magazine! When I get home tonight I will look the article up again in case I mis-read it. I wonder if they were talking about a different 45 caliber[ acp?] I will post back! !here!

Steve Smith · March 1, 2002, 11:36 AM

What a bunch of Maroons!

tonyz · March 1, 2002, 11:45 AM

Also check out what you've read, especaly when it comes from a gun mag!

Tony

C.R.Sam · March 1, 2002, 12:13 PM

Second source all important stuff.
As you did here.

Sam

Johnny Guest · March 1, 2002, 05:28 PM

- - - on my first set of .45 Colt dies (purchased used,) using their un-Carbide die. After that, I used my .45 ACP carbide die for the next umpty-thousand rounds, until I traded for a newer set with carbide sizing die.

Agreed: .45 Colt is a straight-wall case.
(at least when I get through loading 'em.

Best,
Johnny

taurus · March 1, 2002, 05:59 PM

Okay here it goes! Maybe I was mis-interrupting the sentence but here is the quote! NOT from Guns and Ammo but from Hodgdon no.27 manual---"The disadvantage of the carbide die is it transforms a straight"tapered" case like the 45 Colt into a perfectly straight case,except for the cosmetic bulge that is left in front of the extractor groove. "It goes on to say that carbide dies can cause premature retirement of the cases." Page 4.2 under handloading and handguns.

**Mal H** · March 1, 2002, 06:21 PM

Velly interesting!

I just measured some unfired/never-reloaded Win .45 Colt loaded rounds. They measure .476 top to bottom.

You might notice that there are two errors in the excerpt you quoted: 1) the tapered case bit and 2) "...bulge left in front of the extractor groove." 'Scuse me! Extractor grooves on .45 Colt cases? I suspect they meant .45 ACP brass which is supposed to have a slight taper but never ends up that way in real life. In that case there was only one error.

That's not the last error you'll find in reloading manuals if you read enough of them. Fortunately, they're a lot more careful in the data sections, but I have found errors there as well. If you ever have a doubt about a load or it just doesn't look right, check another source.

Steve Smith · March 1, 2002, 06:45 PM

As Mal H said, "Extractor groove" ???? That's a first for me on the 'ol .45 Colt.

BTW, in order to make them last longer, just neck size them. Just below the bottom of the bullet is good enough.

riddleofsteel · March 1, 2002, 10:14 PM

For most of my .45 Colt target and plinking reloading I do not have to full length resize until the case has been fired 3 or 4 times. In between I just open the mouths enough to seat the bullets without scraping them to much. I put a rather firm crip on my .45 stuff so I do not want to work the brass anymore than I have to.

DISCLAIMER; For hunting or self defense rounds always full length resize or you may find that a cartridge will not fit in the cylinder when you really want or need it to.

March 3, 2002, 11:43 AM

It would not be the first time someone called 45 acp "45 Colt" and it is not that unusual to hear of a Colt 1911 referred to as a "Colt 45". That is why I often refer to the cowboy cartridge as "45 Long Colt" even though it is theoretically ambiguous. Wait! No one jumped on taurus for referring to it as 45lc !

Even if carbide dies straighten out tapered 45 acp cases, my carbide-die reloads work fine in my guns (10,000+ rounds, counted by how many cases of large pistol primers I used). I do not yet reload 45 colt, and that can of reloads I bought with my S&W 25 (last year) has not run out. Soon, soon.

Lee

March 1, 2002, 04:28 AM	#1
taurus Member Join Date: January 30, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 45	45lc brass I read that to resize 45lc brass. one should use steel dies and not carbide as carbide will straighten out the tapered straight wall case of the 45, which will shorten the life of the case! True ?

March 1, 2002, 05:28 PM	#7
Johnny Guest Moderator in Memoriam Join Date: August 28, 1999 Location: North Texas Posts: 4,123	I may have loaded about a hundred rounds - - - - - - on my first set of .45 Colt dies (purchased used,) using their un-Carbide die. After that, I used my .45 ACP carbide die for the next umpty-thousand rounds, until I traded for a newer set with carbide sizing die. Agreed: .45 Colt is a straight-wall case. (at least when I get through loading 'em. Best, Johnny

March 1, 2002, 10:14 PM	#11
riddleofsteel Senior Member Join Date: January 18, 2000 Location: above ground Posts: 1,558	For most of my .45 Colt target and plinking reloading I do not have to full length resize until the case has been fired 3 or 4 times. In between I just open the mouths enough to seat the bullets without scraping them to much. I put a rather firm crip on my .45 stuff so I do not want to work the brass anymore than I have to. DISCLAIMER; For hunting or self defense rounds always full length resize or you may find that a cartridge will not fit in the cylinder when you really want or need it to. __________________ For him there was always the discipline of steel.

March 1, 2002, 05:16 AM	#2
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 17,066	Not true, AFAIK. Mainly because 45 Colt brass isn't tapered. It's .480" OD for the full length. Where did you read that?

March 1, 2002, 09:31 AM	#3
taurus Member Join Date: January 30, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 45	I read it in a G&A magazine! When I get home tonight I will look the article up again in case I mis-read it. I wonder if they were talking about a different 45 caliber[ acp?] I will post back! !here!

March 1, 2002, 11:36 AM	#4
Steve Smith Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 1999 Posts: 4,131	What a bunch of Maroons!

March 1, 2002, 11:45 AM	#5
tonyz Senior Member Join Date: January 29, 2000 Location: Wa Posts: 922	Also check out what you've read, especaly when it comes from a gun mag! Tony

March 1, 2002, 12:13 PM	#6
C.R.Sam Senior Member Join Date: October 30, 1999 Location: Dewey, AZ Posts: 12,858	Second source all important stuff. As you did here. Sam

March 1, 2002, 05:59 PM	#8
taurus Member Join Date: January 30, 2002 Location: Illinois Posts: 45	Okay here it goes! Maybe I was mis-interrupting the sentence but here is the quote! NOT from Guns and Ammo but from Hodgdon no.27 manual---"The disadvantage of the carbide die is it transforms a straight"tapered" case like the 45 Colt into a perfectly straight case,except for the cosmetic bulge that is left in front of the extractor groove. "It goes on to say that carbide dies can cause premature retirement of the cases." Page 4.2 under handloading and handguns.

March 1, 2002, 06:21 PM	#9
Mal H Staff Join Date: March 20, 1999 Location: Somewhere in the woods of Northern Virginia Posts: 17,066	Velly interesting! I just measured some unfired/never-reloaded Win .45 Colt loaded rounds. They measure .476 top to bottom. You might notice that there are two errors in the excerpt you quoted: 1) the tapered case bit and 2) "...bulge left in front of the extractor groove." 'Scuse me! Extractor grooves on .45 Colt cases? I suspect they meant .45 ACP brass which is supposed to have a slight taper but never ends up that way in real life. In that case there was only one error. That's not the last error you'll find in reloading manuals if you read enough of them. Fortunately, they're a lot more careful in the data sections, but I have found errors there as well. If you ever have a doubt about a load or it just doesn't look right, check another source.

March 1, 2002, 06:45 PM	#10
Steve Smith Senior Member Join Date: December 9, 1999 Posts: 4,131	As Mal H said, "Extractor groove" ???? That's a first for me on the 'ol .45 Colt. BTW, in order to make them last longer, just neck size them. Just below the bottom of the bullet is good enough.

March 3, 2002, 11:43 AM	#12
Lmccrock Guest Posts: n/a	It would not be the first time someone called 45 acp "45 Colt" and it is not that unusual to hear of a Colt 1911 referred to as a "Colt 45". That is why I often refer to the cowboy cartridge as "45 Long Colt" even though it is theoretically ambiguous. Wait! No one jumped on taurus for referring to it as 45lc ! Even if carbide dies straighten out tapered 45 acp cases, my carbide-die reloads work fine in my guns (10,000+ rounds, counted by how many cases of large pistol primers I used). I do not yet reload 45 colt, and that can of reloads I bought with my S&W 25 (last year) has not run out. Soon, soon. Lee