Wanna Join The Group But...

[miatank]

I have not seen any 39's new or used, at local (Tucson) gun shows. Guess a dealer would make the huge effort to order one - but at a price beyond belief. Dealers in this area are...(thumbs down icon)
I like to reload/shoot different calibers - have 357sig and 38super - would really like to add 45gap. Suppose we'll just have to keep our eyes open and hope a 39 surfaces some day.

dave - can I use 45apc dies?

[DannyR]

Yes, you can use .45ACP dies, but you have to screw them down a bit. I use a .45acp Redding bullet seating die and a .45acp Lee factory Crimp die on my Dillon 550B.

[chad745]

I second that. All I use is my old 45ACP hardware for reloading, and yeah, you gotta bring them down, but they seem to be working just fine...

[miatank]

Using my 45 dies - that's good news.
I understand that 45gap cases are stronger and use SP primers. OK, sounds reasonable for full power loads. But can I use cut down 45 brass for lower power loads?

dave - just gotta find a gun

[Tom Hill]

If you can't find one at your local dealer, order one from galleryofguns.com and have it sent to the local dealer of your choice.

[chad745]

Using my 45 dies - that's good news.
I understand that 45gap cases are stronger and use SP primers. OK, sounds reasonable for full power loads. But can I use cut down 45 brass for lower power loads?

dave - just gotta find a gun

I've heard this question before and it is frowned upon. Brass is easy to bend, but it seems that it would be really hard to cut away!

Anyone ever done this before? You'd need probably a lathe or something...

Even if it was possible, I wouldn't do it. Just get a few boxes of GAP and you're set. Besides, yesterday, I hit paydirt at the range as I found about 50 rounds of spent GAP rounds there on the ground....all for me!!!! I was happy! So now I have a pretty good supply in the hopper.

[BOGE]

Besides, yesterday, I hit paydirt at the range as I found about 50 rounds of spent GAP rounds there on the ground....all for me!!!!

There's a guy that shoots at the same range as me & he also has a G38 and he does not reload. Naturally, I am all over his brass like a fat chick on a doughnut! I've snarfed up about 300 or better of his cases so far.

[wlst101]

I bought mine at a Tucson gun show a little over a year ago but havent seen any recently. I did buy one from this forum also....a NIB 39 with 6 mags...SCORE!

I have not seen any 39's new or used, at local (Tucson) gun shows. Guess a dealer would make the huge effort to order one - but at a price beyond belief. Dealers in this area are...(thumbs down icon)
I like to reload/shoot different calibers - have 357sig and 38super - would really like to add 45gap. Suppose we'll just have to keep our eyes open and hope a 39 surfaces some day.

dave - can I use 45apc dies?

[miatank]

wlst101 -
Good that you had some luck. Always in short supply with me.
In case you were not at the last show, pima unfairgrounds are now charging a $3. parking fee. Not popular.

dave - not paved either, gotta love dust

[gary newport]

Using my 45 dies - that's good news.
I understand that 45gap cases are stronger and use SP primers. OK, sounds reasonable for full power loads. But can I use cut down 45 brass for lower power loads?

dave - just gotta find a gun

Cutting down .45 ACP brass for .45 GAP reloading is NOT recommended! Length is NOT the only difference between the two. Just order some real .45 GAP brass from Starline.

[WIG19]

Guess a dealer would make the huge effort to order one - but at a price beyond belief. Dealers in this area are...(thumbs down icon)
I like to reload/shoot different calibers - have 357sig and 38super - would really like to add 45gap. Suppose we'll just have to keep our eyes open and hope a 39 surfaces some day.

dave - can I use 45apc dies?First, keep an eye out at the GSSF website here (http://www.gssfonline.com/). The GSSF member gun-buy program is heard to be coming back and the low-prices are unbelievable. And once you're a member, you may as well enter a division or two and come shoot the nearest match when it comes to your part of the country.

My old 45 ACP Lee dies were done BG (Before GAP), and will not get down enough, so I'm just getting a dedicated set of GAP dies and leave them both setup how I want them. The Lee Carbide 4-die set is cheap enough & includes the FCD. I've recently come into a big coffee can of GAP brass so winter is going to be fun and may even produce a GSSF MajorSub load for my new G39.

Listen to what Gary said re cutting down the brass. Additional strength is in the case web at the base and eventually the brass are going to get mixed, and well... why give Murphy a chance to marry another first cousin?

Good luck finding a gun! :)

[PsychoKnight]

45ACP brass is easy to trim. Takes 4-5 seconds with a Lee cutter mounted to a power screwdriver to take it down to GAP length. Did about 500 of those. It don't work. Pulled a lot of bullets that weekend. Couldn't even sell off the brass.