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How to Reload a Cowboy Action Bullet

Cowboy Action Shooting is a shooting competition where participants dress in cowboy-era garb and shoot guns from the Old West. Calibers include .38 Special, .45 Colt and.44-40., loaded with lead bullets for pistol or rifle shooting. CAS cartridges are loaded as slow as possible to minimize recoil. This allows quicker shot-to-shot recovery times and stages, consisting of multiple targets, can be run much quicker. However, loading too low a charge may be dangerous, as the bullet may become stuck in the bore. The next bullet fired may raise chamber pressures enough to destroy the gun and injure the shooter.

Things You'll Need

Reloading manual
Reloading press
Reloading dies
Cartridge cases
Priming tool
Primers
Powder
Powder measure
Flashlight
Reloading scale
Cast lead bullets
Vernier calipers

Instructions

- 1
  Install the sizing die in the press and set the depth according to the manufacturer's instructions.
- 2
  Clip the case into the press's shell holder and raise the ram to size the case and remove the spent primer. Lower the ram and remove the case. Remove the sizing die.
- 3
  Clip the case into the priming tool and load the tool's tray with new primers. Squeeze the priming tool's lever to seat the new primer into the case's primer pocket.
- 4
  Install the flaring die in the press according to the manufacturer's instructions. Clip the case in the ram and raise it. The case mouth is flared as the ram nears the top of the stroke. The mouth only needs just enough flare to set a bullet on top without falling off. Too much flare splits the case mouth. Not enough flare shaves down a lead bullet as it is loaded in a future step.
- 5
  Consult your reloading manual and select a load for your cartridge. Most newer reloading manuals have a Cowboy Action Shooting data section. These loads and powders have been tested to work best at CAS velocities.
- 6
  Pour the powder into the powder measure. Set the powder measure to dispense the correct amount of powder with each throw of the lever. Verify the powder charge on the reloading scale. Powders that are case-filling, such as IMR Trail Boss, are excellent choices. Other powders such as Universal, Clays, Titegroup or Unique are also popular in CAS.
- 7
  Use the powder measure to dispense the correct amount of powder into the case. When all cases are charged, use a flashlight to verify all cases have powder, and no case has a double-charge.
- 8
  Install the seating die in the press according to the manufacturer's instructions. The die body should be set so it barely touches the case mouth when the ram is raised. The seater plug, located in the center of the seating die, is used to set the depth the bullet is seated.
- 9
  Set a bullet on top of the case mouth and raise the ram. The bullet is seated as it enters the die. Use the vernier calipers to verify the cartridge's case overall length. Adjust the seater plug and re-seat the bullet as necessary.
- 10
  Back off the seater plug several turns. Screw the seating die body one-quarter to one-half deeper (lower) into the press. Raise the ram to push the loaded cartridge into the die. As the ram nears the top of the stroke, the die removes the case mouth flare and crimps it into the bullet's cannelure (crimp groove).

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