450Bushmaster.net

Would a die like that work for 450B? Could you back the die out so that the longer case contacted at the right point? I assume the tapers I put on the loads I did worked well with a separate die. Is the seating and tapering all at once for some reason other than convenience?

Smithjdsr wrote:Would a die like that work for 450B? Could you back the die out so that the longer case contacted at the right point? I assume the tapers input on the loads I did worked well with a separate die. Is the seating and tapering all at once for some reason other than convenience?

That there is the postulate.

Hoot wrote:I followed the link out of curiosity and saw their Taper Crimp Seater Die. I'd never heard of such a thing. In my mind's eye, I can't see how they pull that one off. Pushing the bullet in while the taper crimp is being initiated would seem counter productive in terms of neck tension. Guess you never really get done learning. If it somehow increases the neck tension, would it help the 450b???

Hoot

Hoot,
I've never actually used that set of dies for reloading 45ACP. I just put that link up there because OP was stating he couldn't find the Hornady Custom Dies and wanted to let him know Midway had them.

I have loaded thousands of rounds for my 45ACP 1911 but have only used RCBS dies. Those dies do a great job. Actually, only Hornady dies I use are the 450bm dies. Everything else is loaded using RCBS.

So, yes, my Hornady dies have a single step for seating and taper crimp.

You’re supposed to raise the case, then lower the die until it touches, then back it off. Don’t tighten the collar. Seat the bullet where you want it, then back the bullet seater off. Now screw the die down until the crimp is what you want, tighten the collar, then bring the seater back down to where the bullet is. Next time, it seats to the depth you want and crimps where you set it.

It feels like two pushes when you lower the handle. I think the bullet starts moving into the case, then the case contacts the taper for a second ‘stage’ of pressure. It must finish the bullet to depth while the taper is being squeezed. It seems to work. I put a pic of the target in my ‘Range Report’ post. I suppose you could just use the same die and do two separate operations; first seat the bullet with the die raised above the rim, then crimp the case with the seating ram raised above the bullet. That’s what GLShooter (AR15Armory.com) suggests.

It’s a little weird because y’all told me not to flare the BUSHY loads (perhaps someone should tell Hornady that that could really be a two die set?) and they seated very easily with just deburring and chamfering. (In fact, when I tried one with a little flare, the bullet almost dropped inside onto the top of the powder!) As much as BUSHY doesn’t need tapering, 45 ACP WAY needs tapering to seat the bullet. (I mean, not way tapered, but really needs a little taper.)

What’s my tolerance here?

Hornady book says C.O.L. 1.210” and, obviously I can get that, but it varies a little from cartridge to cartridge. Like, maybe, down to 1.207” (if I set the bullet seater so that the longest is 1.210”). How much variance from 1.210” can I tolerate, mostly for safety. (I’m not a competitive shooter, just punching holes in paper for fun.) Or am I doing something wrong with the press?

I use Hornady for my 45ACP and RCBS carbides for my 9mm & 357 Mag.

Hoot wrote:I followed the link out of curiosity and saw their Taper Crimp Seater Die. I'd never heard of such a thing. In my mind's eye, I can't see how they pull that one off. Pushing the bullet in while the taper crimp is being initiated would seem counter productive in terms of neck tension. Guess you never really get done learning. If it somehow increases the neck tension, would it help the 450b???

Hoot

On some of the old RCBS dies I’ve noticed the crimp is in the seater. What I’ve come to accept is that you run the seater well out in front of the crimp to do your seating. Then you back the seater all the way up and out of the way to do your roll crimp. If you want a taper crimp you have to buy a taper crimp separately unless it’s clearly stated that the crimp is in fact a taper type crimp in the seating die. This roll type seater is common with rimmed cartridges like the 38/357 Mag dies. At least that’s how mine are.

It’s a little weird because y’all told me not to flare the BUSHY loads (perhaps someone should tell Hornady that that could really be a two die set?) and they seated very easily with just deburring and chamfering.

I flare all of mine.(450 Bushmaster) Not much. Naked eye can barely notice it. But if I don’t, I destroy brass trying to seat my bullets.Then I get pretty cross and unbearable. Guess my sizer die has tighter tolerances.