Help in reloading 45 auto semi wadcutters

[BC1]

I"ve always reloaded my 45 auto with round nose bullets but now would like to try semi wadcutters. I use RCBS dies. Is there a way to replace the seating part of the seating die and if so where can I get the part?

 

[41mag]

Your seating die should be able to perform taper crimp as well as roll crimp. Why would you want to replace it , what are you trying to do ?

 

[Freshly Minted Georgian!]

Yes, there are different seating stems for different bullet shapes so you don’t deform the bullet tip. Call RCBS and tell them your bullet type and die - they’ll point you towards the proper seater stem. Not a huge difference in 45 acp between LRN seater and SWC seater but you’re right, best to not cause any strange rounding over of the SWC tip by using a seater that doesn’t well conform to the bullet shape. It’s also not a high stress part so in a pinch I’ve just made custom seater stems on the 3D printer and they work for a couple thousand rounds before showing stress signs, which is when I trash it and just print another because they only take a few minutes to print.

 

[Freshly Minted Georgian!]

If you have access to a lathe you can also just turn your own custom stem out of aluminum and it’ll last many years. Fastest and most reliable is to just call RCBS though, they’ll get you squared away

 

[Freshly Minted Georgian!]

Alternate Seater Plugs - 1/2" -20 | RCBS

Alternate Seater Plugs for various types, calibers, and grain weight/shot size to be used with RCBS reloading dies.

www.rcbs.com

 

[Freshly Minted Georgian!]

RCBS
Alternate Seater Plugs - 1/2" -20 .44/.45 SWC
Model: 90033
UPC: 76683900333
Type: Semiwadcutter
GrainWeight: -
Caliber: .44/.45 SWC
Availability:
4
In Stock
1
X
$7.99
$7.99

 

[1006]

Make sure you do not already have one in the box. Mine came with two seating stems.

3 Die Carbide Popular Pistol Die Set | RCBS

This RCBS 3 die set for pistols includes a carbide sizer die sizes and de-primes the case, an expander die to expand the case, and taper crimp seater die.

www.rcbs.com

 

[alexs2006]

I always used a taper crimp die and taper it in right where the cone stops and bullet becomes full size.

 

[BC1]

Thanks for the info. I visited the RCBS website and found a 2019 catalog.
I found an entry for the 45 acp die set and it seemed to say that the seater was for round nose and semi wad cutters. I tried using the existing seater using light pressure and found it didn't deform the lead so I just loaded a box of the 45 auto rims. This was before I saw all your suggestions. Since this was just for plinking (actually for a friend and he agreed that I could try it)
we went ahead with the loading. I will contact RCBS to see about getting a proper seating die.

 

[EMC45]

For a side note - all my RCBS pistol die sets came with both a RN and FN seater stem.