Dies for .45 ACP?

Looks like time to gear up to load .45s.  Which dies do you like, and why?

I am currently using Dillon dies with an added Lyman taper crimp die. The Dillons have a good radius on the sizing die that guides the hull in easily plus the top punch in the seating die is easily changed from RN to SWC. 
Are they worth the extra cost. .???

Also the Dillon dies are easy to clean, remove a clip and the innards come right out, helps keeping your seating & crimp die clean, the sizing die isn't as easy to clean though.

Dillon here.

Kp321 wrote:Are they worth the extra cost. .???

That is always the dilemma.  For an hopeless hack like myself, are Lee carbide die sets good enough?  Probably...but I'm open to persuasion.

As soon as the gun reaches my FFL, I'll probably order a package of Wilson Combat 200 grain LSWC loaded ammo to get me started.  Is that stuff a good benchmark for accuracy comparisons?  Meaning: sufficiently better than the random hardball I might find at Sportsmen's Warehouse?

The lower velocity Wilson 200gr LSWC remans performed very well for me through the 2022 season. Accurate enough to call and very soft-shooting (I ran a 14lb recoil spring in my metallic sights gun). No unexplained flyers, alibis, or surprises across about a thousand rounds fired.

I use RCBS, but I’ve had mine for a very long time.  Dillon have a following, but I’ve never felt the quality of the ammo was equivalent to ammo loaded on other brands.  Same with Lee.  So to answer the question with what’s available now, I’d consider all to be acceptable and buy a set to get going. Then buy other sets that are used and try them to see if you like them.

I use a Reading long colt for sizing, a Lymann M die for expanding, a Dillon seating die with the SWC insert, and a Reading taper crimp die.

Bill

Any brand of dies will load good ammo for pistol at relatively short range.

I am amazed how inexpensive Lee makes things. They really focus on only the most important parts. I don't like them because they are... well... cheap, The finish is not very good, but they still load good ammo.

RCBS, Hornady, Dillon etc are all good products. The fit and finish will be better than Lee. Do they load better ammo? I am skeptical.

Specialty die brands and "Match Grade" dies will have better fit and finish and look cool. I'm still skeptical they load more accurate ammo.

All that said, I use the Redding Competition Seating die because it's awesome. Really nicely made and the adjustments are graduated in 0.001" increments so it's super easy to set up. Of course once it's set up you never touch it again, so how much is that really worth. It does seem to be a little more consistent than the RCBS seating die I used before, but I don't think an extra 1-2 thousandths of variability really affects 45ACP accuracy.

I use a Lee Factory Crimp die, mostly because a lot of people on this forum say it's great. I had no problem with the old RCBS or Dillon taper crimp die. I've had no problems with the Lee.

My sizing die is the RCBS or Dillon that came with the press when I bought it from another shooter. It sizes and deprimes and I don't think the pin has broken in the 3-4 years I've been using it, so I am happy.

I have an assortment from probably all the major brands, they all will do the job. Redding stuff seems to be of a higher machined quality than the LEE, but I have used both with equal success. Some features that I particular like in each particular die:
Sizing/decap
-easily replaced decaping pin, I like the Hornady/RCBS/Redding style more so than the LEE

Expander
-adjustment that is not the die body it self, I like the Lyman M style more so than the Hornady/LEE style

Seater
-SWC seating stem is needed for SWCs, I don't use the crimping functionality of the seating die, so my preference is that it just has single adjustment. 
 
Crimp
-I like having adjustment outside of the die body, I typically use a LEE die

I've got some for sale if your interested... redding and lee..Lee... or rcbs

I have Lee dies (including FCD - awesome), RCBS (my fathers from the 1970’s), Hornady, and a Redding competition seater die (love how easy it is to adjust). All work. Oh and on my Star press I have the lifetime dies (or whatever they’re called).

Good advice here, above, was to just get a set and get started.  Used is fine. As long the sizing die is carbide.  Life is better with carbide.

I want to chime in with a little bit different suggestion for OP.  I have four 45 ACP toolheads for Dillon 650/750 platform, plus one production toolhead for Super 1050, plus dedicated to 45 ACP shorts (#130 185gr & 160gr FB SWC) Star.  There is no common delimiter among all of the above from stand point of dies used, except all 650/750 toolheads use Redding Competition Micro adjustable seating dies.  However all these dies use different (custom) seating steams, so it can be considered a "platform" on its own.  It is also worth mentioning that I have modified Hornady Seater with micro adjustable thimble on Super 1050.  Some toolheads have Dillon dies, some have Lee's, and there are RCBS and Hornady in the mix. 

So, in nut shell as SteveT stated, and I am re-phrasing - brand names of the dies really don't matter.  They are commodities, that can be replaced if one isn't satisfied with results.  Results is what one should concentrate on.  Translating this into reloading, - you must concentrate on reloading technique and testing with your gun(s) as a first step.  You need to learn and understand results of your testing.  As a second step, - you can make adjustments with your existing hardware (dies, in particular), and test again.  Evaluate results, adjust again, test again.............. Do not expect that outcome of this thread will result in the recipe that would offer a prescription that will work for YOU!  Be ready to FAIL!  Try again, and be ready to FAIL AGAIN!  Try again, and .......... you got the gist, right?  If in the process, you come to realization, that hardware or some pieces of it need to be replaced, that is not very expensive.........  That's how 10sandxs, who's 2600+ shooter, has (as I assume) excess of hardware available.

My two pennies.....
AP

That's how 10sandxs, who's 2600+ shooter, has (as I assume) excess of hardware available. wrote:
My two pennies.....
AP

He ain't wrong

But in this case, it's part of the retirement sale... ive got enough "extra" 45 dies to make a few mixed sets, that's for sure.

I have a couple thoughts here.

For jacketed, the bullet is smaller in diameter. Most commercial dies are set to resize so they retain the smaller bullet but inadvertently swage down softer lead like the Zero lead HP. Then people complain about leading. It's their fault.

Good dies have to size close to the rim so big mouth radeii don't cut it. You get case bulges or wasp waist shells.

Dies for lead should either be larger diameter like Hornady custom 454 Casull OR you get the right expander powder through die from Alex (AP). A solution that you got for free was the use of hardcast Bevel base bullets

I have been reloading for over 40 years.  When I started loading metallic cartridges both pistol and rifle, money was tight and Lee dies were my best option.  I still have all of those Lee dies and still use them.  In fact, I had one of the original Lee Challenger presses.  At that time I kept a log on my reloading.  At 35,000 rounds the press develped a crack on the aluminum linkage.  I sent the press to Lee and they replaced it with a steel part that became the new revision for production.  I have since upgraded to an RCBS Rockchucker and have been very happy with it for the past 30 years.  One set if Lee dies I have happens to be 45 ACP.  I have never felt the need to upgrade it.  Over the years I started buying RCBS dies and finally Redding Dies.  If money was no object, I would buy Redding dies for everything.  Do I think it makes a difference.....not really.  The Redding dies show high quality and excellent workmanship and make me feel better but in reality, I'm not sure the accuracy is much difference than the Lee or RCBS dies.  I can tell you that mentally I feel much better with Redding dies.  Many years ago, my brother was living in the South for awhile.  He lived very close to a high volume manufacturer of remanufactured ammunition.  While visiting their shop one day, my brother was observing one of their fully automatic 9mm set-ups.  He asked them about the dies.  They told him they use Lee sizing dies and get about 1 million round before they have to replace it.  That always made an impression on me and one of those things I never forget.

Redding comp seater for 45. I'm not sure the floating bit is doing anything, but the insert is a dead simple lathe part. Easy to make my own for each bullet profile. The 9mm die is the 'cheaper' micrometer version, no floating insert. I cut the end off, drilled/tapped it, and made tips to match the bullets I have.

I also made powder drop inserts for the LNL measure that are comp'd for case length, so no adjusting for caliber changes, 9mm, 38 Sp, 45, and 40 SW just in case.

And a +xx for the PE expanders. I made a 'micrometer' cap for the SS die so there's no fiddling around with that either.

Now, if I could just get out and shoot ...

The finished round must be reliable and accurate. To that end, any quality dies will do. More important is the quality of the bullet, powder selection and powder charge. Loading quality pistol ammo isn't nearly as difficult as loading for benchrest rifle. At the end of the day, the skill of the pistol shooter trumps everything. If you have a pistol that will consistently hold a one inch, ten shot group at 50 yards, but keep throwing the majority of shots outside the black, the gun/ ammo combo accuracy is a moot point.

Shockbottle 100x 45acp case gauge! Made to flip right into the MTM 100 case flip boxes. JIMPGOV recommended and I love these 100 cartridges-at-a-time gauges. Whichever dies you use (the Redding dual ring sizer did actually get rid of my case scorching issue for $120 vs my Lee and Dillon sizers), these gauges make checking every round actually practical.

Edit: for reference my setup:
For all bullet types
Deprime brass with Harvey hand de-primer
Touch up primer pocket for any new or new-to-me (doesn't have my mark) brass with Hornady hand reamer (also identifies any small primer brass for culling)
Ultrasonic cleaning and dehumidifier drying (doesn't make the outside of the cases shiny, but insides are)
Onto the Dillon 750XL with CNC tool head tapped and bolted to press (vs locating pins, done with UniqueTek kit)
Redding dual ring carbide sizer with decapping pin removed
Dillon priming on press (UniqueTek brass primer tube tips - haven't had an issue since adding those)
Dillon powder die and powder measure (polished internals w/ dramworx hopper) with PhotoEscape powder funnel/PTU
Hornady powder cop (visual powder level check)

Then if Jacketed
Redding comp bullet seater
Dillon crimp die (.470)

If swaged Zeros
Move from 4th position on Dillon to Redding T7
Dillon seating die with UniqueTek shoulder seating plug (press on shoulder vs Dillon's provided SWC side insert which still pushes the cone on my bullets)
Redding comp (adjustable) crimp die (.467)

Never had a case not fit the gauge after dialing in the crimp. I love the Sheridan engineering gauges with the cutout to see the crimp etc when working with a new projectile, and then the shockbottle as mentioned when ready for production.

Well said Alex!

JIm

SAA said "Shockbottle 100x 45acp case gauge! Made to flip right into the MTM 100 case flip boxes. JIMPGOV recommended and I love these 100 cartridges-at-a-time gauges. Whichever dies you use (the Redding dual ring sizer did actually get rid of my case scorching issue for $120 vs my Lee and Dillon sizers), these gauges make checking every round actually practical."


I'll second that - I love my Shockbottle.

I know that AP considers Aluminum "unsuitable" for any kind of gauge, but as a practical means of weeding out cracked cases and odd headstamps, whilst effectively doing a "plop test" on every loaded round, the Shockbottle is perfect.