andcam
Member
I emailed Dillon about a question I was having, and I thought I would post it here as well to get any other opinions:
ME: "I just bought your 3 die set for 45ACP/45GAP and I have one question about them: While loading (Singlestage: Rockchucker JR3), I noticed that when I run a round through the taper crimp die, there is very little resistance on the handle. I measured and my crimp was coming out as .469 FROM THE bullet seating die. The bullets were seated out of my seating die firmly and it seems that the taper crimp die was unneeded. Is this normal?"
DILLON: Using our dies on a single stage press is a problem as there is no expander die, which you must have. That is why the crimp is unneeded, but it is a miracle the you haven’t’ been crushing cases of wrinkling up the bullets.
Thank you, Dillon Precision Products, Inc."
ME: "I asked a friend of mine who's been reloading for years and have been doing some research/taking measurements as well, and I think I figured it out: I measured the thickness of the brass I reloaded (Remington 45ACP) and compared it to some brass from other manufacturers that I had and the Remington brass is thinner. When I run them through the sizing die, they resized enough to place my bullets and seat them with enough tension. I pulled a couple rounds apart and found no case deformation or bullet shaving. My case length was .890" and my overall length was 1.270", with crimp at .469". (I tried this with some CCI brass, which was thicker and shaved some rounds.) The rounds shoot fine, no signs of overpressure or keyholing, and they are about as accurate as any factory ammo. Would it be an issue if I do not use an expander die with my Remington brass (45ACP)?"
The ammo was shot with an FNP45 and a USP45, my load was as follows:
Brass: RP
Primer: CCI 300
Bullet: 185gr HBRN Berry's Plated
Powder: 5.4gr Hogdon HP-38
ME: "I just bought your 3 die set for 45ACP/45GAP and I have one question about them: While loading (Singlestage: Rockchucker JR3), I noticed that when I run a round through the taper crimp die, there is very little resistance on the handle. I measured and my crimp was coming out as .469 FROM THE bullet seating die. The bullets were seated out of my seating die firmly and it seems that the taper crimp die was unneeded. Is this normal?"
DILLON: Using our dies on a single stage press is a problem as there is no expander die, which you must have. That is why the crimp is unneeded, but it is a miracle the you haven’t’ been crushing cases of wrinkling up the bullets.
Thank you, Dillon Precision Products, Inc."
ME: "I asked a friend of mine who's been reloading for years and have been doing some research/taking measurements as well, and I think I figured it out: I measured the thickness of the brass I reloaded (Remington 45ACP) and compared it to some brass from other manufacturers that I had and the Remington brass is thinner. When I run them through the sizing die, they resized enough to place my bullets and seat them with enough tension. I pulled a couple rounds apart and found no case deformation or bullet shaving. My case length was .890" and my overall length was 1.270", with crimp at .469". (I tried this with some CCI brass, which was thicker and shaved some rounds.) The rounds shoot fine, no signs of overpressure or keyholing, and they are about as accurate as any factory ammo. Would it be an issue if I do not use an expander die with my Remington brass (45ACP)?"
The ammo was shot with an FNP45 and a USP45, my load was as follows:
Brass: RP
Primer: CCI 300
Bullet: 185gr HBRN Berry's Plated
Powder: 5.4gr Hogdon HP-38
