Die Sets and Use

Lee Precision

• Lee #90564

This set is best used with the .427" lead bullets but can be used with Winchester and Remington 44-40 SP (JSP) bullets. The reason being is because the resizing dies resizes the case neck to the smallest of all dies I have tried and expand as little as possible for tight neck retention of the small....4255" to .426" jacketed bullets. For use with lead bullets, I would stay with bullets measuring .427" or less. Caution must be taken to make sure there is good neck retention and a good crimp if this is all that is to be used (i.e. no case Cannelure below the base of the bullet) on these small diameter bullets. If retention and crimp is poor, the bullet can telescope down into the case from the mag tube spring pressure while inside the rifle mag tube. 

Trying to force a .430" diameter bullet in a case using these dies may result in crushing of the case mouth or shaving the lead. The cases mouths are very thin. Although the bullet will seat, the case mouth may try to shrink back down and shave the next driving band. I have photos, I will try to add them later.

Lee FCD

• Lee Factory Crimp Die (LFCD) #1016833587

The LFCD can certainly be used but is best used with .427" lead bullets. If used with larger diameter soft lead bullets, the collet will not be able to fully close, leaving a gap causing the brass to push through. This can weaken this area and leads to case mouth splits as well as leaving a "ring" around the case mouth. The LFCD has been cut in order to see the operation. Notice, second photo, the collets are not fully closed on this large diameter bullet.

The Accurate Mold 43-219M was specifically designed for the LFCD crimp design, but again yield to the .427" to .428" diameter limits.

Accurate Mold 43-214A .428" bullet

• .428" Bullet on left crimped with a Redding Profile Die

• .428" Bullet on right crimped with a LFCD

The line around the radius can be seen as well as the small bulge on the case mouth. Caused by using an over sized bullet and the collet not closing all the way during the crimp.

RCBS

• RCBS "Cowboy" #18851

These dies work best with .429" to .430" lead bullets, popular with "Cowboy Action Shooting", but can be used with other 44 special or Magnum design bullets of the same sizes. The roll crimp works very well with lead bullets that have a nice deep crimp groove such as the Magma design. Use caution for neck bulges just below the crimp.

Lyman

• 44-40 - Lyman Expander "M" Die #7342102 (44P)

• 44 Spc/Mag - Lyman Expander "M" Die #7340820 (44MP)

Although the housing is cut off on this die so I can visually see the operation, the M die expands the case mouth in a step larger to better line up the bullet for seating. This helps prevent side bulges 99% of the time.

• 44-40 .4225" expander Plug with .427" step

• 44 Spc/Mag .4255" expander plug with .430" step

Redding

• Redding 44-40 Profile Crimp Die #611760861888
  Far superior to all non roll crimps, the Redding Profile Crimp offers two crimps, one for lead bullets that do not offer a crimp groove (roll or flat) and one for SP (JSP) bullets ("U" Shaped). Even when using a roll crimp from another die, followed by the profile crimp, it will take out that crimp bulge that many roll crimps leave behind. However, it will not work on large diameter bullets, .429" or larger.

Example 1;  .428" 215gr Accurate Mold 43-214A

For progressive or single stage press, 

• Decap and resize with the RCBS Cowboy Resize Die in a single stage press

• First die is the "M" expansion die (44 Mag may work better)

• Second die is the Lee powder though die but no expansion is used

• RCBS Cowboy seating die to seat the bullet, no crimp

• Redding Profile Crimp

Example 2; .4255" 200gr Winchester JSP

For single stage press,

• Lee Resizing Die

• Lyman "M" expansion Die (44-40)

• Lee Bullet Seating Die, No Crimp

• Redding Profile Crimp