[Poot]

I will be taking the side road from rifle-only handloading and venture down the road of pistol loading, but only for .45ACP. Anyone have any favorite die sets for that caliber? I will be loading 230 gr. bullets for volume shooting, tactical/defensive pistol/3-gun, so accuracy is not paramount. I want more trigger time for my duty gun (Glock 21), and this is the way to do it.

Any suggestions? Any advice to give an experienced handloader, but first time pistol caliber reloader?
Thanks!
Pat

 

[armyrat1970]

I only have one and I like it. The Lee Carbide Speed Die. You just adjust the die body then add the sizer and size all the cases. Remove the sizer and add the decapper and decap. remove the decapper and add the bullet seater to seat the bullet. The only other adjustment you need after seating is, if you want to apply a crimp. Then you adjust the die body in a little for the desired crimp, while backing the bullet seater out the same amount.
Being a Carbide Die I don't have to mess with lubing the cases. I just tumble clean them and they are ready to go.
It's not as long of a process as it may sound. I am sure a turret press with other three or four die sets are quicker, but for a single stage press, it works well. BUT, it works best if you have an alternate way to prime the cases. Like a handpress or an autoprime tool.

 

[wrench]

I load 45ACP with Lee dies, just the regular carbide 4 die set. I use a Dillon 550, four stations are size/deprime, bell mouth/drop powder, seat bullet, and taper crimp. I use the plain taper crimp, not the Lee FCD. I only use a teensy amount of taper crimp, really only enough to take the bell out of the case mouth.
Carbide dies for straight walled cartridges are a must, in my opinion, lubing all those little tiny cases would cause me to go insane.
Good luck!

 

[Oldstuffer]

Carbide dies for resizing and a TAPER-crimp die, whose dies, I really don't care.

WARNING########

Beware of "multipurpose" sets like my Hornady .45 Auto/Auto Rim/Colt set. Though I have loaded over ten thousand good rounds with it, the crimp is a roll-crimp, and takes more "finesse" to use. I used to set it to "overcrimp" if the press went full travel and regulated the crimp by hand feel (brass length varies, this was the ONLY way to get uniform crimps without adjusting the die constantly).

The set in my Lee progressive press is taper crimped and works easily in that setup since handle/ram travel cannot be altered.

Single-stage I crimped while seating. 9mmP progressive is same. .45 progressive (dif. press) lets me crimp separately. IMO it's a wash, do it however you want to make yourself feel good about it.

 

[JeepsAndGuns]

Another vote for the lee carbide die set. I have it and just LOVE not having to lube the cases like I do with my other pistol calibers. You just cant beat lees price for the carbide set.

 

[armyrat1970]

Carbide dies for resizing and a TAPER-crimp die, whose dies, I really don't care.

WARNING########

Beware of "multipurpose" sets like my Hornady .45 Auto/Auto Rim/Colt set. Though I have loaded over ten thousand good rounds with it, the crimp is a roll-crimp, and takes more "finesse" to use. I used to set it to "overcrimp" if the press went full travel and regulated the crimp by hand feel (brass length varies, this was the ONLY way to get uniform crimps without adjusting the die constantly).

That is the only downfall I have with the Lee Speed Die. It applies a roll crimp and if you are not careful about backing the bullet seater back out, or turning the die body in to far it will crush the case somewhat around the case mouth. And you can only use it for bullets with a crimp groove. That's why I purchased A Lee FCD. It applies a taper crimp, and the bullets don't even need to have a crimp groove. And it sizes the case in the process, with no chance of crushing, or bulging the case mouth. Got it mostly for my cast bullets. Along with one for the 38/357. (which applies a roll crimp).

 

[AmmoSgt In Memoriam]

Just to clarify.. The Lee Speed die is a single die set ( I do not recomend the speed die).. The Lee Carbide Pistol dies are a 3 die set ( Good set but needs the Factory crimp carbide die IMHO ), and the Lee Carbide Deluxe Pistol dies are a 4 die set that has everything that you need and I highly recomend them.

 

[armyrat1970]

Just to clarify.. The Lee Speed die is a single die set ( I do not recomend the speed die).. The Lee Carbide Pistol dies are a 3 die set ( Good set but needs the Factory crimp carbide die IMHO ), and the Lee Carbide Deluxe Pistol dies are a 4 die set that has everything that you need and I highly recomend them.

AmmoSgt. Just wondering why you don't recommend the Lee Speed Die? I use them for the 357 and 45ACP. For a single stage press, they work great for me. What problems have you had with them? I have had good results.
If I, and at some point I hope to, get a turret press, (four turret) I will get a three or four die set, But for a single stage press, the speed die works well for me.

 

[AmmoSgt In Memoriam]

AmmoSgt. Just wondering why you don't recommend the Lee Speed Die? I use them for the 357 and 45ACP. For a single stage press, they work great for me. What problems have you had with them? I have had good results.
If I, and at some point I hope to, get a turret press, (four turret) I will get a three or four die set, But for a single stage press, the speed die works well for me.

I've not used the Lee Speed Die, so I can't recomend it. I have a turret press, so I didn't buy one, and I probably wouldn't have bought one anyway simply because I like the idea of a die for each step. I crimp everything for consistancy, and the warning about putting the wrong type of crimp,( roll, taper, or Factory) as stated above is very important.

Glad you can say something good about it.. I like Lee products

 

[armyrat1970]

I've not used the Lee Speed Die, so I can't recomend it. I have a turret press, so I didn't buy one, and I probably wouldn't have bought one anyway simply because I like the idea of a die for each step. I crimp everything for consistancy, and the warning about putting the wrong type of crimp,( roll, taper, or Factory) as stated above is very important.

Glad you can say something good about it.. I like Lee products

Understood as it does apply a rool crimp. Not the best for semi auto type pistols and you have to be very careful in the die adjustment when crimping, to avoid case bulging or crushing. That's one reason I bought the Lee FCD for both the 357 and 45ACP.
And as you, if I had a turret press, I would buy the appropiate die set.
A couple of weeks ago I had a delima. I had enough spare money to get the Lee four hole Turret. But needed a few dollars for other things. I decided to just keep my single stage Challenger in service and get the FCD to use with my Speed Die sets.
I really don't have a chance to shoot enough anyway to upgrade the equipment I have.

 

[John West]

I just bought a set of Hornady New Dimesion Dies with a carbide (titanium nitride) sizer. I have an old set of Herters and a set of steel RCBS dies, got sick of the lube and delube process. Carbide is great for very shiney cases and the seater with the sliding sleeve is great for keeping the lead bullets straight. I stop short of the roll crimp and then run the round in a RCBS taper crimp die which a friend gave me.
I have an old C&H 4 station H press which makes for quick setup for 45's.
Hornady dies seem well made and you get free bullets if you send them $6.35 for shipping. Well, close to free anyway.
Good luck
John

 

[Poot]

Thanks for the good info, guys-
Pat