.45 Winchester Magnum

[renaissance]

Can we talk about .45 Winchester Magnum...........

Where I shoot, I am restricted to "Pistol Calibers"
I have a TC Contender in Carbine configuration and am constantly on the look for "Long" (16"+) barrels for it in "Pistol Calibers".

Had an opportunity to pick up one in ".45 Winchester Magnum".
Couldn't resist.

Intend to handload of course......

I understand IT is a "beefed up" .45 acp case, stretched about .3 inches.
I need suitable dies of course.
Can only find a listing in "Lee" - Not Carbide- with no appropriate FCD.

Will anything else do?

Because it is autorim and headspaces on the case mouth, I don't think anything except the intended ".45 Winchester Mag" will work.

45 acp will "fall in" - .45 Colt is rimmed - and .45Gap I don't think is an apropriate length either. I think .458 Winchester is an entirely different round.

( My 357 Maximum being rimmed will take .357 Mag and .38 spl)

I know I can get the Brass from "STARLine"
Anybody make dies besides Lee?

Anybody have any experience with this cartridge?
Loads?
Bullet Weights?

Did I jump in too fast ? >> (Probably - but - how can I have fun with this)

 

[DogBonz]

check Forester

They make really nice dies in odd ball sizes... but they will be expensive. I found out long ago that when you want to shoot odd ball calibers, you will usually pay odd ball prices... I know, I used to shoot a 41AE.

PS. Also, it looks like Reeding makes them in 45 Win mag, but I am at work and cannot get onto their page.

 

[ReloaderFred]

You can find the die sets at CH/4D for $72.45. Here's the link: http://www.ch4d.com/ Just go to the list of reloading dies and scroll through the pages until you find them.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Norm Lee]

.45 Win Mag

I can't imagine that .45 ACP dies wouldn't work just fine.

Cheers,

Norm

 

[Sunray]

Hornady, RCBS and Redding all make dies. The RCBS sets are expensive though.
"...when you want to shoot odd ball calibers..." Yep. Buy at least 500 cases. Bought 500 .41AE cases when I bought the barrel. Midway lists Starline .45 magnum at $99.99 for 500.

 

[cheygriz]

.45 ACP dies should work fine. Just need to be readjusted.

 

[crowbuster77]

45 acp will work just adj. them out. look in lymans 48th and you'll find all load data you need. you will be impressed with this round. milk jugs @ 100yds all day long with super14 contender and a violent reaction at that.(milk jug)

 

[highlander 5]

45 acp dies can be used to load 45 Win Mag they can be used to load 45 Colt and Schofield if you can't get 45Colt dies.
The nice thing is the dies are CARBIDE so no lubeing is needed.
Just for giggles call Dillon and ask if their 45 dies can be used to load 45 Win Mag.

 

[Idaho Sharpshooter]

I use my Dillon SDB in 45LC with the acp shellholder. Works great, check the cases oal, the old warhorse is .087" longer is all.

Rich

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Has anyone ever seen the .45 Remington-Thompson cartridge?

It was used in the Thompson 1923 SMG that was an attempt to
compete with the BAR. IIRC bullet 250 gr, velocity 1450 fps.

How would that compare with .45 Win Mag?

Other than bullet weight and velocity, I have seen no other
spex on the .45 Remington-Thompson and hope that someone
familar with the .45 Win Mag may have heard sonething.

 

[brickeyee]

I used .45 ACP dies till I got tired of adjusting them back and forth and just got a set of .45 Win mag.
Starline still makes the brass, and you can always cut down .308 headed brass that is long enough (may require reaming).

 

[ReloaderFred]

Carl N. Brown,

The .45 Remington Thompson used a smaller diameter case than the .45 acp.
The .45 RT used a case .472" in diameter and the .45 acp uses one .476". The bullet was also smaller in diameter, at .447", while the .45 acp/.45 Win. Mag. use a bullet .451" in diameter.

The 250 grain bullet was rated at 1,450 fps from the longer barrel version of the Thompson SMG, with 1,165 ft. lbs. of energy. That's quite a bit from a full auto shoulder fired firearm. I've put quite a few rounds downrange from the Thompson SMG, and I don't think I'd want to try to control one firing the .45 RT round.

Hope this helps.

Fred

 

[Carl N. Brown]

Reloader Fred,

a belated thanks for the info

Carl