by fatbastard » Fri Apr 19, 2019 10:25 am
Update:
I took the plunge and modified both the 450 BM and 460 S&W factory crimp dies and I can't say it went as I planned but the results are satisfactory.
I only modified the teeth of the 450 BM. I cut them down to a little less than half of the original width. My plan was to leave the length alone and use this die for the .45 Raptor. Then, I cut the base off of the 460 die to use on the 450 BM and I didn't exactly take hoot's advice. No going slow, no taking my time and I used a 4" grinder with a cutoff wheel instead of a dremel. Long story short, I cut it shorter than I had planned to. I go digging around for a washer to see if that happens to move the crimp up to a better working location and I ended up in my bike parts bin. I found a set of bottom bracket spacers that measured .035 thick and I have 6 of them. Playing with the spacer combinations I discovered that I can use this die on either cartridge and put a crimp just about anywhere I would want. I even played around and crimped a .458 Lott round I had sitting on the bench.
So many possibilities.
One word of caution I have to anyone doing this. In my case, the only thing I could find to press the collet out of the die body was a 3/8" nut driver bit for an electric impact. After I cut the teeth on the collet to a certain point, I can no longer press it out of the body because the upward facing taper made by the grinding stone I used forces the teeth to bite the body when pressed. You only get one shot to cut the width of your teeth once you get past a certain point, so get them right before you re-assemble the die. I wouldn't mind cutting a little more off of mine but it's too late now.