reloading straight walled cases (45-70)

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Workin Man

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I have been loading bottleneck rifle cartidges for a while now, I know how to size, trim, prime, weigh charges, seat bullets etc. I recently bought an H&R single shot in 45-70, then some RCBS dies and brass from Flinchlock (great guy). After checking out the dies, I realized the process was a bit different than I`m used to (3 dies instead of 2). I get that one is a sizing/decapping die (but has no expander button like on bottleneck dies), one is an expander to `bell`the case mouth and the last one seats the bullet and crimps the case mouth. What I`m not sure about is how much to `bell`or expand the case mouth, and how to crimp (didn`t find this info on the RCBS sight either). Is crimping and seating done in one step or is it easier or better to seat, then crimp?

Thanks, Jim
 
When loading jacketed bullets you don't need to "bell" the case mouth at all. You still use that die, but set the die to just expand the case to normal diameter. If you are using cast bullets, set the die down a bit further, and put just a small bell in the case mouth to aid seating. Less bell is better, if you can get away with it. Easier on the brass.
Not enough, and you will shave lead off the sides of the bullet.
 
Bell them the very least that you can. Too much belling and your brass will have a very short life.
Cast bullets without a gas check require the most belling, in order to keep them from shaving lead as they are seated. However, the belling required will be just enough that when you run your fingers over the finished case, you can just barely feel that it is expanded. Experiment, using the least belling that you can.
Jacketed bullets may require no expansion of the neck, just run the case into the expander die, but stop short of belling, may be OK.
Your single shot you will not require crimping. Just get the belling out of the case, so it will chamber.
 
I have always gone on the side of caution and not belled the case very much. For me it's slow and a little difficult with soft cast plain base bullets at .460" but the GC ones are easy. I think my expander ball is only .458" (whatever the original one is) for jacketed bullets. I have not tried a larger sized one specifically for cast. The inside chamfer has to be done maybe a bit more than normal to help not shave a thin bit off when seating.

I have loaded some of my brass now 4 or 5 times and I haven't had any splits.

Before this rifle I had never reloaded any straight walled cartridge but now I think they might be easier.

But then I have only loaded about 500 rounds for it now, so there are others here with many times the experience.
 
Like everyone else has said, bell as little as necessary. But having said that, the edge of the base of a cast bullet should touch the inside wall the case, not the top of the case mouth, before you attempt to seat it. If the bullet sits on top of the case mouth it will shave lead as it is seated.
 
Boomer said:
Like everyone else has said, bell as little as necessary. But having said that, the edge of the base of a cast bullet should touch the inside wall the case, not the top of the case mouth, before you attempt to seat it. If the bullet sits on top of the case mouth it will shave lead as it is seated.
Click to expand...

X2. In addition remember the deburring, in particular on the inside of the case mouth.
 
Damn, there was just the question here when I replied. Had I seen John Y Cannuck's answer, I would not have written mine, which is virtually the same. By the same token, John had not seen mine before he posted, either.
Anyway, there is lots of agreement!
 
Thanks guys, for now I'm starting with Hornady 325 gr FTX's which have a pretty good radius on the base of the jacket. Just out of curiosity, how do you crimp with these dies, in case I do switch to a lever gun in the future?

Jim
 
You back the bullet seating screw out a bit and move the die down in to the press a little. There's a ridge inside the die to do it. Go a little at a time until you get it.

Alternatively, there is a lee crimp die that I have been waiting for Del's to bring in for what feels like a year. He's probably rush and give it to me for free if I bought the sharps 45-70 he's got but I have had cars that cost less :)

Ryan
 
Ryan, I sure hate to say so, but I quit using my Lee factory crimp die for the 45-70. I know, everyone says it's the best, and I can't get along without it. But all I see by using it is one more step in the reloading procedure! I just set the Lee seating die to give the crimp I want and that's it. As far as I can see, at least in my case, one crimp is as good as the other.
Cheers, Bruce
 
The reason I got away from seating and crimping in a single pass is because of slight variations of brass length resulting in the bullets being crimped out of the groove. Admittedly though, case length variation is a greater issue with bottle neck cartridges than with a straight wall cartridge, but the result is that I am in the habit of crimping as a seperate step from seating the bullet. Also, I usually give the cartridge a half a turn in the shell holder and run it up a a second time to ensure the crimp is even.

The Lee Factory Crimp Dies for handgun cartridges are great becasue they ensure the loaded cartridge is sized correctly and will chamber without any issue, but I would only buy the rifle version if my primary die set did not have a crimping die, such as my .308 Redding Competition Die Set.
 
If you are loading for a Marlin lever action using the 325 Hornady FTX the Lee crimp die will not work as the cases must be trimmed shorter than standard minimum length.
 
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