[kennedy]

going to start reloading .223 for my armilite ar-15, using M193 bullets do I need to crimp?

[ftierson]

You will get different opinions on this...

Personally, I always use a Lee Factory Crimp Die on any rounds that will be fired in autoloading rifles...

Forrest

[Sagetown]

Hey kennedy:
I did a little research on the need to crimp or not, and got mixed reactions from those that are supposed to know. I bought a crimp die anyway, and tried it out on some dummy loads a couple of hours ago. Must have it set too light because I couldn't tell any difference. I'll keep working at it.:)

[schnarrgj]

+1 on crimping. Just for a test, load one round without powder or primer and drop it on the bullet. Chances are the bullet will be driven into the case a little which is not a good thing for either pressure or accuracy.

[nicholst55]

I've loaded and fired thousands of rounds of ammo for military-style auto-loaders - AR-15s, M1s, M1As, FALs, etc. I've never crimped a single round, and never had a problem with functioning, accuracy, etc.

You'll get different opinions from different people, but you'll also notice that Lee is the only company that sells a 'factory crimp die' with their die sets. Are they smarter than RCBS, Redding, Dillon, Lyman, Wilson, Forster, Hornady, etc? Or is it a solution in search of a problem? You decide.

[schnarrgj]

double post

[kelbro]

Takes about an extra 2 seconds per round. Why not? I only crimp bullets with cannelures. My AR rides in a rack on the side of my quad. Pretty rough rides between sets. The confidence of knowing that my bullets are still right where I seated them is worth it to me.

[Steve in PA]

No crimp for rounds in my Bushmaster or M1 Garand. Both rifles function just fine and accuracy is top notch.

Bullets aren't going to shift from riding on a quad unless the neck tension is very, very loose.

[Sport45]

I don't crimp rounds for my AR.

Are they smarter than RCBS, Redding, Dillon, Lyman, Wilson, Forster, Hornady, etc?

Maybe their patent hasn't expired? All of the manufactures offer a way to crimp rounds.

[Bullet]

I say for the M193 bullets go ahead and crimp. After all they have a crimp groove and are not match bullets (probably not very accurate). For my SMK's I don’t crimp.

[snuffy]

+1 on crimping. Just for a test, load one round without powder or primer and drop it on the bullet. Chances are the bullet will be driven into the case a little which is not a good thing for either pressure or accuracy.

If you can move a bullet THAT easily, there's something very wrong with you sizer die! Either the neck portion is not sizing the neck small enough, or the expander button is too big.

A properly set up sizer die should provide enough neck tension to prevent a bullet from being driven further into a case by dropping it, a rough ride on an ATV, or when it rides up the loading ramp out of the magazine on it's way to being chambered.

You'll get different opinions from different people, but you'll also notice that Lee is the only company that sells a 'factory crimp die' with their die sets. Are they smarter than RCBS, Redding, Dillon, Lyman, Wilson, Forster, Hornady, etc? Or is it a solution in search of a problem? You decide.

That's because Lee saw a need, came up with an idea, patented it, and made it available for less than the others would have charged IF they had been smart enough to figure it out themselves.:D

To the OP, no. I never have crimped for my AR ammo, but recently bought a Lee FCD for .223. My plan is to test crimped VS uncrimped for velocity and accuracy at the same time.

I'm also going to test the .223 Lee collet neck sizer and Lee FCD for accuracy and velocity.

[Wildfire]

Hey there:
I am shocked that there are not more arguing for the crimp. I have never crimped any rifle rounds including my AR. Never had an issue .
Yes it is possible to push the bullet back into the brass if dropped on it's nose.
I don't do that , so it's not a problem. It is not a problem if you do want a crimp. Just not a must.