45 ACP die sets

[jdickson397]

I have nothing but good things to say about Dillon dies. I use them in 45acp and 9mm on a Dillon 550 progressive press. They are easy to clean and I have never had a problem.

 

[zeke]

For 45 acp, including rem brass. A lyman carbide sizer die with bottom lip folded over. A lee undersize die to below base of bullet (for jaketed bullets mostly, or all rem brass). A reduced dia expanding plug die. A Redding comp seater. Lastly a LFC.

Certainly over kill for some .452 lead and good brass practice loads.

All done on a rock chucker

 

[BE Mike]

For the most part they are a standard size thread unless you come across some ancient odd die set.

I sent the Lee dies back I purchased, can't remember what I didnt like about them, we have two sets of RCBS dies for 45acp for the 3 RCBS presses we have setup.

Just never found anyone to impress on how the progressive loaders are faster or better or I would have them.

You must be kidding! Have you ever used a progressive press?

 

[Andy Griffith]

You must be kidding! Have you ever used a progressive press?

There are instances when a single stage is just as fast.

Usually, if you are one that will deprime and size and then polish all your brass- that can be done on a single stage just as fast as a progressive (unless you have a brass feeder). Also many people want to hand prime- and wouldn't do it one the press, so that would be mute.

So, if you are accustomed to doing batches or are very, very finicky about your reloads, a progressive press would be of little use- you'll just wear out the press and be out lots more $$$ for equipment that will be used just like a single stage.

Pistol and carbine shooters get the most out of progressives, whereas target shooters aren't concerned with speed, but with accuracy.

A progressive can indeed load much, much faster if all steps are performed on the press at once.

 

[BE Mike]

There are instances when a single stage is just as fast.

Usually, if you are one that will deprime and size and then polish all your brass- that can be done on a single stage just as fast as a progressive (unless you have a brass feeder). Also many people want to hand prime- and wouldn't do it one the press, so that would be mute.

So, if you are accustomed to doing batches or are very, very finicky about your reloads, a progressive press would be of little use- you'll just wear out the press and be out lots more $$$ for equipment that will be used just like a single stage.

Pistol and carbine shooters get the most out of progressives, whereas target shooters aren't concerned with speed, but with accuracy.

A progressive can indeed load much, much faster if all steps are performed on the press at once.

Actually, there are quite a few NRA high power rifle shooters who load on progressive presses and nearly all serious target pistol shooters (including bullseye pistol shooters) load on progressives. I load on both a single stage press and Dillon progressives (550 and 650). The argument that a single stage press is just as fast is very weak IMHO. Really accurate ammo can be produced on a progressive.

 

[SMSgt]

Almost all my dies are RCBS (a couple of sets of Herter's; yeah, that old) and I've never had an issue with them. I bought Lee dies for my 9mm Makarov (nice price) but do not care for the o-ringed lock rings. I prefer a setscrew to lock the rings in place.

 

[Andy Griffith]

Just to be clear, I load nearly everything on a progressive. Even .410 brass/steel shotshells can be loaded on a progressive press.

I just thought that some of the "precision" guys- at least I've heard a few talk that the few thousandths of "play" in the ram on a progressive press might make a difference.

I can't tell a difference myself- I guess I can't shoot too good.

 

[TSQUARED]

I use a Dillon 550 and use their dies for piostol calibers where I load or have loaded lead bullets -9mm, 38 Special, 44 Special, and 45 ACP. The Dillon seater can be easilly removed, cleaned and returned to use without disturbing die alignment. I also use RCBS, Hornady, Lyman and Lee dies.

 

[Bugs Bunny]

You must be kidding! Have you ever used a progressive press?

Nope been reloading since the early 80's & never seen one in action nor understood how it would be quicker?

I have 3 RC presses & a chargemaster, I don't see how it can go faster? cost is not the issue.

 

[BE Mike]

Nope been reloading since the early 80's & never seen one in action nor understood how it would be quicker?

I have 3 RC presses & a chargemaster, I don't see how it can go faster? cost is not the issue.

I started reloading using a Lee Loader. I loaded good ammo by pounding the brass in and out with a wooden mallet and tapping the primer in and scooping up the powder, tapping in the bullet and crimping. I couldn't see how things could get any better until I got my first single-stage press. As my interest in competitive shooting grew and therefore my consumption of ammo at the same time, I thought that possibly a Dillon RL 450 could make life easier and it did. Things went well until the RL 550B came along and eclipsed the RL450. Now in addition to the Dillon RL 550B, I have a Dillon XL 650 with case feeder and I'm loading even faster. If you can't see how a progressive can be faster, then my friend, you just don't want to see. Whatever floats your boat!

 

[EricInAZ]

Amazing how folks get offended when opposing opinions don't agree that Progressive isn't the shiznitz.

I live across town from Dillon & at one time had interest in a progressive press.

Unfortunately, I would have to rearrange my established and proven reloading procedures, so progressive just didn't fit my way of life. Also, EVERY squib load encountered at my range, requiring a shooter to go in search of a stout rod to pound out a stuck bullet, was loaded on a progressive press. I've only seen one instance of where that missing charge went, and it was costly to the shooter.

I can GUARANTEE 100% of my cases are charged with powder via visual inspection. You can't say the same with a progressive.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I have a few RCBS die sets and a set from Hornady. The majority of die sets I have are from Lee and to tell you the truth, you can't tell the difference between the ammo they all push out. So, why not save money with the Lee dies?

 

[310Pilot]

I have dies from Lyman, Hornady, Pacific, RCBS, Betters and Lee. In recent years I have bought mostly Lee dies, and find them to be of excellent quality. Specifically to 45the ACP, I use the Lee dies, and find their factory crimp die to be nearly indespensible when loading this caliber. Once set up properly, I have never had a round fail to feed or chamber properly. Yes, the Lee dies will work flawlessly in your RC, they have standard 7/8-14 threads, as does your press.

Regarding progressive presses, they are much faster than a single stage, no matter how one sets them up. I have an old Hornady Pro-Jector, the predecessor to the Lil AniP, and this is how I use it: I normally deprive/resize (after tumbling the brass) on my single stage press, inspect the brass, clean primer pockets, trim, etc., then hand prime the cases. I set up the progressive press with the expander die at station 1, the powder drop in station 2, a powder check in station 3, the seating die in station 4 and the FCD in station 5. The Hornady powder measure and case-activated powder drop has been very consistent, eliminating the possibility of a double charge or dropping powder on an empty station (if a case was not inserted or removed for some reason), and the check die shows immediately if the case has been properly charged or not. You just have to pay attention and there will be no squibs or double charges. I take my time, not rushing the process, and still turn out at least 4-5 times as much ammunition than could be done using the single stage press with batch production in the same time. The ammo is as of good quality, as well. I still do small runs on the single stage, though, and max charge ammunition is also on the single stage, weighing each charge.

 

[EricInAZ]

I have a few RCBS die sets and a set from Hornady. The majority of die sets I have are from Lee and to tell you the truth, you can't tell the difference between the ammo they all push out. So, why not save money with the Lee dies?

I bought much of my stuff back when Lee was mainly powder dippers & Lee Loaders, so I didn't have much need for any new dies until recently.

The sale price on a 7.62x35mm die set from Midway was really all I wanted to pay, since I didn't plan on cranking out gazillions of the ammo. The "cheapo" Lee die set is suitably impressive - well made & quite functional. It does the job every bit as well as something more expensive.

Next time I need to get some new dies, I'll definitely look at Lee first.

 

[Skip Sackett]

I usually buy locally. That being said, I usually buy Lee BUT have a few other brands too. Mainly because the supply house didn't have the caliber I needed in Lee.

Like ALL reloading equipment available today, it works just like it is designed. Most of it works just fine. Lee equipment is economical. It is one reason I use it. I spend less here, get good results, so I can spend more other places!

(I think I need a new gun! )

 

[Lou_NC]

I can GUARANTEE 100% of my cases are charged with powder via visual inspection. You can't say the same with a progressive.

First of all, let me say "to each his own", and that I own both a single-stage and progressive (Dillon 550B) press.

However, I must take exception to your statement regarding visual inspection in a progressive. I have no problem seeing into the handgun cases I load on my 550B as the cases pass from the powder station to the bullet seating station. I make it my business to ensure that every case has powder in it, and it's really not a problem. I don't load bottleneck cases on my 550B, but if I did, it might be more difficult to see down into those cases (I haven't tried it yet).

Anyway, in the interest of sharing as much information as possible with my reloading brethren, I wanted to point out that it is definitely possible to visually check the powder level in at least one progressive press, if you make it your business to do so.

Lou

 

[Skip Sackett]

Eric,
My XL650 is set up so I am looking down into the cases. I have a light set up on it too. A small flashlight that has a "snorkel" end on it. It lights the area of the shell plate GREAT, and I can see in each case. Now, what I have in station #3 is the "cat's meow" just in case I ain't lookin' too close. It is a die with a buzzer if the powder isn't at the correct level. Something an "eye" cannot do. It can be as much as .2gr off but still, that is pretty close and it won't make one difference in handgun range ammo, which is what the progressive presses are designed to feed!

Gotta watch out for those all inclusive statements. Some folks are smarter than the average bear and want to be safe even with a progressive press!

 

[I'm3rd]

My only advice is that if you buy Lee dies for a straight case handgun caliber be sure to get the 4-die set with the taper crimp die. My .45acp 3-die set that I bought probably 20 years or more ago didn't crimp the case mouths firmly enough to keep SWC lead bullets from creeping slightly deeper in the cases from recoil while in the magazine, but the later addition of a taper crimp die (which BTW Lee sells by itself if you already have a 3-die set) took care of that problem. I also load .45 Colt with the .45acp dies and they work as well as well in a Ruger Blackhawk as the .45acp's do in a 1911. Likewise, I also load both .357 mag and .38 spcl with Lee .38 spcl dies and both .32 H&R mag and .32 long with .32 long dies. Of course that requires resetting the dies in the press to proper depth for each caliber, but that's easy enough to do and the different calibers all function equally well, at least they do in my guns.

Some reloaders I know will only use the more expensive brands of tools, and I have to agree that those look sturdier and more professional than Lee tools. But I don't see that their reloaded ammo is any more accurate or reliable than mine, and after all these years it seems like my Lee tools will go on forever with no breakage or noticeable wear, so why pay more?

 

[BE Mike]

I find it funny that some folks who have never used a progressive, seem to know that they aren't fast and are "unsafe". If someone wants to use a single-stage or even a Lee Loader, for whatever reason, then fine. A reloader may not get into progressives for a variety of reasons. Maybe their volume of shooting doesn't require them to produce large volumes of ammo quickly. Maybe they are too poor to afford a progressive, or too cheap, or not mechanically inclined or too clumsy. I just don't know why anyone feels like they need to justify their going slow and cheap by knocking the progressives.