Reloading 45-70 with Hornady dies

[franco802]

So It's been taking me days to set up the damn dies on my Dillon 550b. I already bent the deprime pin on the sizing die. But I repaired it and a new zip spindle is on order. The directions say to let the pin stick out only 3/16" out of the die. But there is no way, because the 45-70 case is way too long and the pin won't reach. So I had to zip it way down to reach. I have it set up to where it deprimes and re-sizes already. But of course this is without the handle on the press being able to go completely down to the bottom. It's all by feel. I hear the primer pop out and a little extra push for re-sizing.

Big question is the seating die. It also crimps supposedly. I finally have the die set to where it's within specs on seating and length of the whole round after it's been seated. Hard to tell if it's crimped though.

Is anyone using these dies to reload 45-70???

[liber]

Sounds like you're not using a FL sizing die.

Which sizing die are you using?

[JagerDog]

If the die is contacting the shell holder/plate, then 3/16" is about right.

If your cases are consistent length then crimping can be done at the time of seating, but many like to make it a seperate operation.

Your bullets should have a groove or cannelure. There should be a noticeable roll crimp into that groove. If not, and you want one operation, back off on the seating stem and turn the seating die in bit by bit until you get a good crimp. Then run the seating stem back down to contact the finished bullet.

Interstin use of a 550. 45-70 is typically done on a single stage since few shoot much volume.

[Divernhunter]

I only load 45-70 on a single stage so I cannot help you.

[pacrat]

So It's been taking me days to set up the damn dies on my Dillon 550b. I already bent the deprime pin on the sizing die. But I repaired it and a new zip spindle is on order. The directions say to let the pin stick out only 3/16" out of the die. But there is no way, because the 45-70 case is way too long and the pin won't reach. So I had to zip it way down to reach. I have it set up to where it deprimes and re-sizes already. But of course this is without the handle on the press being able to go completely down to the bottom. It's all by feel. I hear the primer pop out and a little extra push for re-sizing.

Big question is the seating die. It also crimps supposedly. I finally have the die set to where it's within specs on seating and length of the whole round after it's been seated. Hard to tell if it's crimped though.

Is anyone using these dies to reload 45-70???

First things first. 45-70 is a straight tapered case. And requires a three die set. 1st die sizes and deprimes. 2nd die expands neck. 3rd die seat and or crimps.

If FL sizing the die should be set to kiss the shell holder firmly. If partial FL sizing, you set the die to allow firm hold of bullet by neck. Either way setting the depriming pin is secondary, after height adjustment of die is set. Then you screw the depriming stem in far enough for reliable depriming. Usually quite a bit more than 3/16" is below die. To allow for thickness of shell holder or plate plus a bit more for primer ejection.

Standard shell holders are 1/8". That would allow only 1/16" for depriming. Not enough, primers are about 1/8" thick by themselves.

Plate thickness on a Dillon? I don't know.

2nd die expands neck if needed.

3rd die, seats/crimps.
Which is a balancing act of height adjustments between die body and seating stem. Whether crimped or not depends totally on height of die body from shell holder. Seating stem is independant of die body height. You have to balance the heights of both body/stem to seat/crimp properly. Takes a bit of tinkering to set up properly.

Shortcut to adjusting such a combo die that I use. Is to start with a sized/expanded case but no bullet or charge. Adjust the die down until you just barely feel the case contact the crimp step in the die. But no farther.

Remove the case and charge it.

Then adjust the seat stem to just a hair long of the OAL you want. Or cannelure, as the case may be. Then screw the die in to make the crimp you want. As the die lowers to crimp, it also brings the seating stem with it and finishes the seating operation.

Like I said "bit of a balancing act" to get right.

Jm2c

[franco802]

First things first. 45-70 is a straight tapered case. And requires a three die set. 1st die sizes and deprimes. 2nd die expands neck. 3rd die seat and or crimps.

If FL sizing the die should be set to kiss the shell holder firmly. If partial FL sizing, you set the die to allow firm hold of bullet by neck. Either way setting the depriming pin is secondary, after height adjustment of die is set. Then you screw the depriming stem in far enough for reliable depriming. Usually quite a bit more than 3/16" is below die. To allow for thickness of shell holder or plate plus a bit more for primer ejection.

Standard shell holders are 1/8". That would allow only 1/16" for depriming. Not enough, primers are about 1/8" thick by themselves.

Plate thickness on a Dillon? I don't know.

2nd die expands neck if needed.

3rd die, seats/crimps.
Which is a balancing act of height adjustments between die body and seating stem. Whether crimped or not depends totally on height of die body from shell holder. Seating stem is independant of die body height. You have to balance the heights of both body/stem to seat/crimp properly. Takes a bit of tinkering to set up properly.

Shortcut to adjusting such a combo die that I use. Is to start with a sized/expanded case but no bullet or charge. Adjust the die down until you just barely feel the case contact the crimp step in the die. But no farther.

Remove the case and charge it.

Then adjust the seat stem to just a hair long of the OAL you want. Or cannelure, as the case may be. Then screw the die in to make the crimp you want. As the die lowers to crimp, it also brings the seating stem with it and finishes the seating operation.

Like I said "bit of a balancing act" to get right.

Jm2c

Thank you much for the detailed explanation! Sounds like I need to make a few more adjustments to the seating/crimp die. This can be so frustrating.

[Tom-ADC]

I'm using a 550B to load 45-70 but Lee dies, I also use these to load black powder in 45-70. The advice given by pacrat is right on. I also full length resize for smokeless but not for BP since they are only shot in my Sharps.
Good luck.

[JagerDog]

If you want to only resize the portion holding the bullet, I'd suggest a Lee universal de-capping die for the de-capping. That's what many use for crimped primer removal. Very sturdy

[rubbman]

I do an extra step reloading 45/70! I have 2 crimp/seat dies where I seat the bullets then in another step I crimp!

[Tom-ADC]

I do an extra step reloading 45/70! I have 2 crimp/seat dies where I seat the bullets then in another step I crimp!

I do the same thing, the 550 just seems to like that set up.