I've not reloaded in some years so I'm rusty and have probably forgotten some things, so I need some help

I want to reload 45 Colt (long colt, not acp).

Nobody local has Dies. I need some dies.

I've looked online and prices are all over the map and certainly not cheap.

Should I prefer a particular brand of Dies? And would I need any other additional Die, such as a different crimper, or whatnot?

I have all the other equipment and primers that I will need as well as Powders that I can use.

If anyone wants to share a favorite load recipe, I'd like that. I just want to plink with it, and I'm not sure but I think I'd be happy with the so-called Cowboy Action type loads, I think.

Thank you all.
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Just get a set of Lee carbide dies for around $35. Carbide, so no case lube required, and they include a crimp die. Both Midway and Graf's have them in stock.

What reloading manual/load data are you using? They all list loads that meet your requirements. If you want data from some guy on the internet, tell me what powders and bullets you're using and I'll try to oblige. Hopefully you're smart enough to check any data you get from me or anyone else against published references.

Another vote for the Lee Carbide dies. Some of the best dies you can buy, and they aren't troubled by broken decapping pins like some other brands are.

^^^^^^^ Thanks, I will order the dies.

I have not bought bullets yet, I need to slug the barrel and measure first.

Several years ago when things turned to crap and supplies dried up, I was able to buy a lot of 1 pound bottles of all kinds of powder, and using the reloading books I know I have several choices of powder on hand. I have the Hornady 8th edition, the 2nd edition of Modern Reloading by Lee, and another recent book as well as the yearly ones on the magazine rack that look like and are sized like a magazine (Hogdon?) I have a Dillon 550B but will use my RCBS Rockchucker for the 45 Colt.

The powder is stored away securely and I can't get to it right now, but I have multiple bottles each of Blue Dot, Titegroup, Bullseye, Unique, Win 231, Power Pistol, A5, Trail Boss and Clays, plus others, so I have plenty of choices to start out with. I'll happily buy any other Powders I might need, and hopefully can find, if I should try them.
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I load them on my 550B with Dillon dies.

Good luck getting Dillon dies these days though. I looked on their site the other day trying to find 10mm dies and it appears that all of their pistol dies are backordered 36-60 weeks.

As far as recipes go, I shoot 250gr bullets with 8.0gr of Unique. It gets a very pleasant 1100ft/sec out of the Marlin and IIRC around 900 from the SAA. Very pleasant to shoot.

I think with Unique, 231, & A#5 you have plenty for a variety of midlin loads.

An easy bullet choice is 200-250 grain plated .452” bullets, in stock very recently, Midway or Grafs.

My middle loads are with Unique or H Universal. I have a Redhawk & Blackhawk in 45 Colt, most of my loads are modest though.

Besides the common websites, eBay usually has a few dies for sale. As long as you cover all the steps, could be 4 different die makers.

Gustofer nails it That is a good load
When I loaded it it was on the 550.

I have been loading and shooting 45LC since 1972....I love this round. I own a number of handguns in this caliber, and two(2) with Ti frames(super lightweight). As I get older, I enjoy hard recoil less and less. I developed a 45LC load with Trail Boss powder and 185gr plated bullets that is just what my joints want these days. I used to load this brass to near 44 Mag levels, and thought it was great.....those days are gone.

It is a shame that you can't get Dillon dies and use your 550 press. I load all of mine on my 650 Dillon, but if I am working up a new load or two, I use my old Lyman turret press.

I have Lee dies for the .45. RCBS, Lyman or any other name brands should work just fine. I use 7.5 or 8.0 of Unique with a cast 250 gr swc.

I use Lee carbide dies, and have been very happy with them. I know people pooh pooh Lee a lot, but I've churned out literally thousands of trouble-free rounds with their dies...there's nothing wrong with them. They cost less and they work.

The load I use has already been mentioned a couple of times in this thread...8 grains of Unique under a 250gr powder coated bullet. It's not a powder puff load, but it won't beat you up, either, and it's extremely accurate out of my Blackhawk and my 1894.

Quick story...I tried loading some lighter bullets (200gr) and was having trouble getting enough pressure with Unique to get the brass to seal the chamber, and I was getting blowback to the face with my Marlin. I had to increase the charge to a place that I was uncomfortable with before they would seal consistently, and they were not accurate.

I had switched to the 200gr bullet because it was a RNFP profile that fed better in my 1894 than the SWCs. Ultimately, I ended up finding a mold for a 250gr RNFP and went back to my 8gr of Unique. Now the gun feeds fine and pressures are right where they need to be. IMO that loads hits the sweet spot for .45 Colt.

From my notes:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 50ea 45 Colt 10th reload - Deeper Case Mouth expansion - no slivers
12/03/2020 45 Colt 250 GR. CAST LRNFP .452" $9.20 Box 18.3 cents
Hodgdon Titegroup COL 1.600" 1.595"
5.7- 716~ FPS 9,700 PSI - 5.0 > 6.2 - May take it back to 5.5grs+
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 50ea 45 Colt 10th reload Blk Dot on Case.

I use Lee 4 Die set.

In stock at Midway. https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...011201072?pid=159803

When I had a 45 colt, I used lee dies and they worked fine.

I used Lee Carbide dies for my Colt SAA & Ruger New Vaquero for over 25 years...no problems. I currently use Dillon's version as they are a bit fit with my Dillon 550B press. No problems with the Lee Dies and I've used them in half a dozen other calibers as well. Rod

I too have used Lee carbide dies for years in numerous calibers and never had a problem.

It always amazes me that anyone would pay hundreds more for other dies.

+1 for the Lee carbide dies. I use them in my Dillon 550 with good results. They're available at several places online and from Lee Precision direct.

Lots of good info, I'll 2nd the Unique & True Blue. Going back to old school you can get some Winchester 296 It's a ball Powder like TB but I think TB uses the word 'Spherical' both meter very consistently out of a progressive reloader.

Lee does all the way. Also, seat and crimp in two stages. You’ll be happy you did. I have a 4” Redhawk with cylinder throats honed by Hamilton Bowen. My pet load is Win 296 or H110 with Bob Palermo’s (RIP) 270 grain Thunderhead. Pretty much the perfect 45 Magnum.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: jonrem,

Right now: https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...011201072?pid=159803

https://www.midwayusa.com/prod...101119737?pid=706882

I use 6.4 grains of HP-38 with a 250gr .452 hard cast rnfp bullet. The COL I use is 1.59”.

Works well in my Ruger Blackhawk and S&w 25-5.