45 Schofield in 45 Colt

[Trailrider]

I can't fit any of the .45 cartridges in my OMV's. Of course, the reason for that is that mine are .44-40 and .44 Mangle-em cylinders (interchangeable)!   

[treebeard]

  Hey Treebeard   

A thought.  If your not wrapped around the "Authentic" axel, there is an even better option.  Cowboy 45 Special.  Cute Lil cartridge.  Absolutely perfect for reduced smokeless (gag, choke, puke) loading and absolutely the Beez Kneez for BP (what it was designed for).  160Gr bullets are nice indeed and 130Gr Barnstormer bullets are just SUPERB!!  Just a Thought in passing.  Same Rim diameter as 45 Colt.

Hide and Watch

Coffinmaker—- so can 45 Cowboy special be loaded with 45 Colt?? Does it need a special crimp die?? Schofield''s work in my particular OMV's but the 45CS does intrigue me.

[pony express]

most likely you would not be able to crimp them. All other operations should work. My .45 Colt dies won't crimp Schofield rounds, I use a .45ACP die for them. That should work for the CS cases, since it's basically a rimmed .45ACP.
, but without the extra thick rim of the "Auto rim" version.

[Baltimore Ed]

My one Dillon is set up for 45acp all the time, i just swap the shell plate out and do autorim. I do use an old lee seater die as it's easy to adjust if i change bullets.

[Dave T]

My fairly new RCBS "Cowboy" dies would not crimp my 45 S&W cases, despite being labeled as suitable for both. My only 45 ACP dies are in my SDB Dillion so that isn't an answer.

Fortunately I have an older (25-30 years) set of 45 Colt dies on the back one loading bench. I got out the seating die and tried it with no success, so...I clamped it in my vice upside down and with a file dressed off about 1/8"-3/16" off the bottom of the die. It now ends right about where the outside threads start so it still screws into the press easily. I also took a round file and put a little more taper to the inside of the die mouth as I had filed most of its factory taper away.

The modified (shortened) seating and crimping die works perfectly with the 45 S&W cases so I marked the die box as "45 S&W" and now use it for that cartridge exclusively. The newer "Cowboy" die set is reserved for the 45 Colt.

YMMV,
Dave

[Marshall Matt Dillon]

Dave, if i bought a set of rcbs cowboy dies in 45 colt that would not work for 45 schofield,,l would get my money back. Schofield is 98% of my shooting in 45, and my rcbs cowboy dies work perfectly.

[Coffinmaker]

  BATTER UP !!!   

OK boys and girls, I are UP again.  Firstest, I agree with "others" if my 45 Colt dies won't crimp 45 Schofield, I would be talking harsh with the manufacturer.

Treebeard    And now for Treebeard's questions.  First, there are a bundle of folks out there claiming to "crimp" Cowboy 45 Special with a 45 ACP crimp die, a Taper crimp isn't the "best" method.  A separate crimp dies is recommended.  My personal recommendation is a Redding 45 Auto Rim Crimp die.  Applies a wonderful roll crimp to C45S.  All of the other loading operations can be done with standard 45 Colt dies.  Whoops!! Wait !!  Forgot bullet seating.  Short stubby little case.  I use a 45 ACP seater die with the plug turned around (Different bullet shape).  the other bugaboo is the resize die.  An ACP resize die imparts a slight taper to the case.  Cheats blow-by that does.

[Mustang Gregg]

If I got this right, your Schofield crimp/seat dies are too long to crimp the brass?
Can you cut it down?

[LongWalker]

I might still have a 45 AR seat/crimp die in my box o' misc dies--want to give it a try before shortening a die?

[Baltimore Ed]

I've shortened dies on a bench belt sander for reloading projects. Don't mess up a good one though, use a lee.

[Baltimore Ed]

Only issue I've had was with my wife's Marlin 1894 carbine [my Trapper build] not wanting to chamber Schofield loads without a fight. After turning the rims down a little they chamber and run great. Shot 30 today. My Cowboy Ltd runs unaltered Schofield fine. Go figure.