Neck sizing straight wall cases

[Flintlockrecord]

I have read the thread on neck sizing, but as that refers specifically to bottle neck cases I don't wish to derail that thread with this question.

I am reloading 45/70 cases and have read on various forums that neck sizing can help accuracy.

What tools are available to neck size 45/70 cases? The Lee collet neck die is only available up to .375 dia.

Backing out the normal size die wont work as the case is tapered.

Thanks for any help.

Flintlockrecord

[oneokie]

I have read the thread on neck sizing, but as that refers specifically to bottle neck cases I don't wish to derail that thread with this question.

I am reloading 45/70 cases and have read on various forums that neck sizing can help accuracy.

What tools are available to neck size 45/70 cases? The Lee collet neck die is only available up to .375 dia.

Backing out the normal size die wont work as the case is tapered.

Thanks for any help.

Flintlockrecord

Tapered cases are easy to neck size with the FL die. Just back it out of the press a turn or two.

That is how I neck size for 38-55 win, and it has less taper than the 45-70.

[Guesser]

i neck size my 45-70 cases using the "back out" method and my Lee 45-70 full length sizing die. Works well in my #1.

[Bent Ramrod]

Lyman makes a "short" and a "long" .45 cal necksizer die. The "short" one works for .45-70 to .45-100; the "long" for .45-110 and .45-120. They have no expander button, and so do not do as extreme a sizing job as the standard die, but it is enough to grip the boolit. The sized portion on the shell only goes down 1/2" or so.

[August]

I use a Lyman "neck sizing" die for precision loading 45-70.

It works really well.

[c.robertson]

I used to neck size 45-70, but quickly learned that one of the 9 .45-70 rifles would not chamber a neck sized round. Appearently the Garrett Arms Sharps Carbine has a tighter chamber than the others.

Also, I load .45-90 with .45-70 Lyman dies using a proper size ring machined to fit & work like the spacer rings that come with .44 Mag./44 Special & .357Mag./ .38 Special.
Since there is only one .45-90 they get neck sized only. I can tell zero difference in accuracy between neck sized and full lenght sizing. Same goes for shooting .45-70 ammo in the .45-90.

[krag35]

I am using a Lee Carbide 44 mag sizing die for my 444 marlin. Seems to work well, maybe a carbide 45 colt die for you 45-70?

[Flintlockrecord]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Some things to work on .

Ian

[Tim357]

Lyman 310 tong tool. Pricey, but dambetcha works sweet for 45-70 necksize!
Tim sends

[oneokie]

Thanks for the replies guys.

Some things to work on .

Ian

Does your rifle have an oversized chamber?

Look at www.CH4D.com. They make bushing type sizers.

Or one could open up a steel 45 acp sizer die by honing.

[Buckshot]

...........After getting a Savage M10FP in 308 I also decided to get a complete setup for reloading that cartridge. Part of that was a Redding FL die with neck insert, and a neck size only die that uses the same inserts.

I also reload the 45-70 (3 rifles), 45-90 (1 rifle), 40-65 (1 rifle), 38-55 (2 rifles), and the 32-40 (1 rifle). All these are tapered cases, also so called 'straight' cases. I had been using the regular size die backed out to eliminate FL sizing. I keep my brass segregated for each rifle where I have more then one. Sometime after getting the Redding insert die I was getting ready to prep a hundred 40-65 cases and got to thinking of that insert type die, and wondered why I couldn't make one for these so called 'straight' cases?



As an experiment I used a Lee push through sizer blank as I keep a bunch on hand. I sat down and figured some dimensions and came up with the insert size (5/8" OD) and the insert depth stop with 3/4-16 NF threads. I didn't think about a de-capping rod at the time. I should have as the experiment worked well. In the right photo the die body was drilled and then bored to accept the .625" OD sizing insert, then bored and threaded 3/4-16 NF for the insert depth adjustment stop.



The insert was made using 5/8" OD O-1 steel, and the picture was taken before hardening, and left a thousandth undersize for honing to size.



The insert was honed to provide a casemouth ID 0.002" under the sized boolit OD (.410"). Since the case is truly tapered, backing off the FL die to size the casemouth still sizes more of the body then is required if you intend to hold the boolit it's full length. I then made a new 'M' type expander plug which guides on the inside of the casemouth without expanding anything. All it does is at the top 0.100" of the case it creates a step of that depth for the boolit to enter the case so it starts square.

That's a 400gr RCBS slug in the photo but I shoot lots more of the 300gr boolits then the 400 gr, so use of the insert for those is a simple matter of backing out on the insert depth stop. The case pushes the insert up in the die body until it hits the stop. At that point the case then is forced up into the insert for that sizing length. As I said it works really well so I made an insert sizing ring for my 38-55's and will also make one for the 45's and the 32-40. The .625" OD of the insert may not be large enough to allow use with 50 cals as that would have the insert walls less then a 1/16" thick.

..............Buckshot