I am getting set up for loading my 45-70. I want to shoot cast bullets. I see a lot of people use rcbs cowboy dies because it bells the case mouth. But the dies are about $70 and then I'll need a crimp die as well. Is there any other way to go about belling the case mouth or is that it?

Sir, FWIW I don't recall how much the RCBS die set that I have for this cartridge cost, but I agree with Mr. Dryflash, the belling die is the second die in the set of three.  I reload this cartridge for two different rifles, one a Win '86 and the other a Sharps 1874.  The Win, does just fine with 300 gr cast bullets with gas checks and seating and crimping simultaneously with die 3 of the set.  With the Sharps I use FFG black powder and I use a wad seating plug with die 2 to compress the charge before seating a 525gr cast bullet.  I do not crimp the cartridge neck for use in a single shot rifle, but black powder likes to be compressed and it's better to use a seating plug to compress the powder and wad instead of the bullet during the seating process.  JMHO, 7zero1.

Thanks for the replies. This is for a marlin 1895 so I definitely want to crimp. I was under the impression the Lee die set came with a sizing die, a seating die and a crimp die, where the rcbs only came with a sizing die and a seating die.

Nope, 3 die in 45-70 same with the cowboy dies

Should be able to get a Lyman M-die for $20.

have you ck your slug size yet for that marlin .....I size mine to 459 and 460 ...watch that fcd dosent size down the boolit .

My standard RCBS set has a case mouth expander.

My Lyman set had the case mouth expanding die included as part of the three die set.  You control the degree of belling by adjusting the depth of the belling stem.  Adjust it just enough to not shave lead when seating the bullet.

I used the seating die adjusted to do a roll crimp as well.  It's not difficult to set up.

45-70 FCD is a stab crimp die. Unless you are doing it REALLY wrong it will work great and won't size your cast bullets down. I use a Lee seating die with the seating stem removed in station four for a roll crimp in my setup.

OP, I have the standard RDBS 3 dies set and it comes with an expander as others have stated. No need to spend the extra on the cowboy dies unless you just want them for the looks.

I run my cast bullets at .460 in my Marlin 1895 SBL in the above setup and they work great.

To explain more clearly: The 45-70 FCD DOES NOT have the post sizing carbide ring like the pistol FCD. It uses a collet like the bottle neck FCD.

OP: The standard neck expander / mouth flair may work ok for your cast bullets but the Lyman "M" die is better. The standard expander only expands for optimal fit of jacketed bullets. Your cast bullets will very likely be a little larger and may get inadvertently squeezed down seating them in tight necks.

I suggest you read up on the "M" die.

Lee universal case expanding die, $12.73 or so.

titanreloading.com
http://www.titanreloading.com/specialty-reloading-dies/universal-expanding-die

Lyman M die is perfect for this application.

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Over at castboolits
NOE expander plugs

   We have added a line of expander plugs.

   Use with Lee Universal Neck Expanding Die.
   Turns it in to a true neck expander like a Lyman M-die.



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   http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=88

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   http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=89

   Hope to offer custom sizes in the near future.

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