.45 Colt with .45 ACP dies

DustinB · #1

Does anyone use .45 ACP dies to load .45 Colt or know if it's possible? I know you can use the sizer/depriming die, but I'm not sure if you can use the expander or seating die as well.

Lonegun1894 · #2

you could, but the lenght difference between the cases might be a headache, especially at first. Also, you gotta consider that .45 acp almost always uses .451 diameter bullets, and the .45 colt, depending on manufacturer and age of weapon, varies from .450 to .455, at least the ones that friends and i have that we measured. The bullets should seat fine, but the expanding die and the crimping die might be another headache. So possible, yes, easy, maybe, maybe not. Last i checked Lee dies were about $20 a set and mine haven't given me any trouble at all in the last 5 yrs or so of loading both calibers.

DustinB · #3

Thanks for the reply. I ended up trying it out after talking with a few people and it seems to work fine. I just can't do a full resize repeatedly without damaging the case slightly. The cases are from my gun so it all works out. Crimping die seems to work ok, but I will get a set of .45 colt dies before long.

Lonegun1894 · #4

would have answered sooner but havent had much time to spend on here lately but hopefully i can fix that. Glad you got it worked out. Best of luck and good shooting.