Lee .45 ACP Taper Crimp Die?

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Ala Dan

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Greeting's Again All-

I'm looking to purchase a .45 ACP taper crimp die. Has any
body here had any experience with the one from Lee? I
just missed one on auction at e'bay that was made by
R.C.B.S. At least the price is right on the Lee die; as it
sells for under $10 plus s&h. Looking for the pro's and
con's of this die in particular? Any and all assistance will
be appreciated.

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
I like to use there Factory crimp dies it also makes sure to squeeze the round to make sure it will chamber according to there paperwork..

But if you go with just a taper die for the same price they work just as good as the dies from lyman or rcbs.
 
Ala Dan-I have been using one for years and they are really nice for post sizing the case and for taper crimping as well. Just raise the ram until it touches the die, finger tighten the lock ring and turn the aduster out. Load a round in the shell die and raise the ram.

Turn the adjuster until it touches the case, and back the round out so you can turn it 1/2 turn in for a regular crimp or one full turn for a heavy crimp.

Doesn't get any easier than that. It will also let you know if you are expanding your case mouth too much.
 
Don't buy the regular taper crimp die...go ahead and get the factory crimp die for 45acp....it has the same taper crimp plus a carbide ring at the bottom of the die to size your loaded round...once you get it you'll never have another 45 that will not chamber due to oversize lead bullet swelling out the sides of your case...you can even load Amerc with them (But i still throw those cases away)......plus all you have to do to adjust the crimp is to screw down the knob on the top....no more loosening lock rings to adjust the crimp....those dies are addictive....you'll have to have one for all your pistol rounds.......i'm addicted, needlessly to say....DICK
 
hey Wingman....i've got all those plus 38 super and 38/357........i was just thinking that i forgot to get one for my cowboy 44 loads
 
Hey guy's, many thanks for the information and quick
responses! :) Looks like a lot of positive input on
Lee dies period. ;) I most definitely will give them
a try; and I didn't know about the factory crimp die. :uhoh:
Again, I'm anxious to get started; so let me flip over
to their website and make a purchase. :D

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
I use a carbide Lee set in .45 ACP that has a taper crimp die. It is very easy to use and durable. I have never had a feeding problem with rounds loaded using this die. But buy some lock rings somewhere that have a hex nut or something to really lock the ring in place, like the Lyman dies have! Those Lee lock rings are worthless. I bought some lock rings for about two bucks apiece that were worth ten times that in saving me aggravation.
 
Ditto on recommendations for the Lee Factory Crimp Die.

Previously, I found many rounds which were crimped with my regular die would not pass the Go - NoGo test with a cartridge case guage. The Lee Factory Crimp die automatically sizes the assembled cartridge and has solved my problem.

- Bob
 
O.K. Folk's How About This Number? :banghead:

I just ordered the .45 ACP factory crimp die from Lee Precision.
Paid with the plastic, so what kind'a service should I expect?
Will they ship UPS, or U.S.P.S. snail mail, or how? Just in a
hurry to get started, thats all! :uhoh: :D

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
too late now but i've always thought they were kind of slow....i've usually gotten my Lee stuff from Midsouth shooting supply but they have a minimum order of 40 bucks or so.......their prices are better than Lee direct but what to hell we're not talking about any money to speak of on one of these things anyway.....as a matter of fact i was at my local indoor range a few minutes ago and had them order me one for the 44 that i was lacking....i pay slightly less than retail but no shipping......Dick
 
thanks for the info Dick. Unfortunately, I don't know of
a range here in Bombingham. AL that does that? The
F.O.P. range located out in Pleasant Grove, AL might;
but I'm not for sure? I'm not a member anyway, so
they probably wouldn't!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
Say Dan,
Glad to hear your loading that .45 brass. I just posted a thread asking if S&B brass is ok to load. I'm finally getting into hand loading myself and have a lot of S&B brass, but I heard the primers were difficult to seat. I'll see what develops.
Hope all is well. Now get out the Ben gay and start pumpin that handle my friend. Your daughter is waiting to go to the range.
Good Luck, and Be Safe


SILENT ONE
 
Hey Ala Dan.....man i wish i were closer to alabama....home of Valiant Bullets....i just talked to them today to put together a group buy for a couple of hundred thousand or so....good folks to deal with if you ever need any lead bullets......As far as the S & B brass goes...i use it all the time and yes it's a little harder to seat the primers but not so bad that i avoid it...especially since the indoor range down the road sells it for their range ammo.....i think i'll stop by and get a 5 gallon bucket full of brass in a little while.......a bucket full yeilds about 1500 45's 800 40's and nine millon 9mm's, 22's, blazer, wolf....Dick

PS phone # for Valiant is 256-748-3333 talk to Rene or Reece....Damn fine folks.....
 
Hey Silent One & Dick W. Holliday-

Yep, if the temp ever climbs above 32F, I will be trying
out several new settings. First off, I received my very
first Lee Precision die this afternoon; its a regular .45
ACP taper crimp die, but it will do for now. I just got
off an order for a Lee .45 ACP factory crimp die today;
so it should be here in the next couple of days. Also,
I was the high bidder on a fairly old set of Redding
.38 Special dies over on e-bay. They arrived today
and are in excellent shape for their age. I will use
them for feeding my daughters favorite revolver; a
6" Smith & Wesson 686-5. Been loading on a set of
R.C.B.S. .38/.357 dies with a TC sizer. Will these
Redding dies spoil me?

While we are talking about dies in general; what is
the deal with the lock ring on Lee dies? How well do
they work with that type of set-uo? I'm in agreement
with the poster that said he bought extra sets of lock
ring's; cuz it sure as hell looks like they might need it?
Also, I was the winning bidder on 2X very old, vintage
wooden handle primer pocket reamers made by Lyman.
They will definitely see more use in my hands; than in
those of the original owner, Finally, I bought a "Pot-O-
Luck" range brass (like I really needed them) mixed
head stamps, and mostly .38 Special, 9m/m, and .45
ACP for $1.99 + s/h to zip 35020. Total was $12.84
and the package weighed in at 7 lbs. on the dot. So,
it looks like I'm going to be extremely busy during
the next few days friends. Now, what I would give
to have some HEAT and artifical light in my 8'X10'
handloading work shop! Actually, it's a free standing
building in which I still do things the "old fashioned
way"; one step at a time, on an RCBS "Rockchucker".

PS: Hey Dick- where is Valiant Bullets located from me,
as I'm 16 miles SSW of Birmingham, AL? I'm familiar
with Magnus Bullets out of Toney, AL; but I've never
heard of Valiant.

Best Wishes To All-
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
For the most part "Dies are dies" for the 38 spec it really doesn't matter whose dies yu use.....as long as they are carbide....some dies may have some small feature you like....like yesterday i was giving a reloading class to a new reloader ( he has a square deal on the way)and as it turned out he asked me about whose dies to get ( i also told him the the square deal has proprietary dies).......well we were using my 5 station piggyback and on it was an old Lyman carbide sizer, an RCBS expander die, an RCBS seater, and a Lee FCD.....if i were buying a new set of dies for a pistol caliber i probably wouldn't get the Lee dies just because i personally don't like their expander die.....it will only expand so much and if you over do it or have a case that's slightly long,,,it will put a wrinkle in the case wall.....

As far as Lee lock rings go....they are too big to use on most progressive loaders and everytime you take the die out you have to reset it because they don't permanently lock in place with a set screw or something similar....i generally use the RCBS ones....because once i get a die close to where i want it i lock the ring in place on the die which makes set up easier the next time....if someone wants a bunch of the Lee ones just let me know and i'll send 'em to you for only the postage....


i csan't remember where Valiant is but call Rene and ask her to mail or fax you a price sheet.....their prices haven't changed in at least ten years.....but i do know that i can buy 9mm and 38's for around 20 bucks or less per 1000...as you may guess the heavier bullets cost more......Tell Rene that Ray in NC says hey and to put my order in front of yours......

i've got some of those wooden handled primer pocket reamers/cleaners or whatever but i don't use'em.....if you run into any military crimp cases get the RCBS pocket swager....cheap and fast....primer pockets don't need cleaning in my shop.......Dick
 
Hey Dick-

I just talked with Rene over at Valiant (near Heflin, AL)
and she is putting a price sheet in the mail ASAP. Thanks
very much for the information; as it looks like I might can
save a few $$$$ by dealing with them?

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
I use a Lee taper crimp die in 45 acp in the last stage of my Dillon. On the revolver rounds, I use the Lee Factory Crimp Die. Will be thru Birmingham in April, let me know about those bullets. Max aka Oscar
 
10-04 there Max, we will do. Only problem, Heflin Alabama
is about 60 miles NNE of Birmingham towards Hot-Lanta.
Rene said that Valiant had been in operation for about
19 years; funny thing, I've been handloading since 1973
and I had not heard of them!

Best Wishes,
Ala Dan, N.R.A. Life Member
 
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