Leatherstocking
Member
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2012
- Messages
- 52
Hi,
After reading Richard Lee's Manual, I thought it would be a good idea to crimp my hunting loads for robustness (and accuracy?).
Lee claims that the FC die does not need a cannelure (in the bullet) to crimp satisfactorily, however this may apply to normal lead core jacketed bullets, and not to the Barnes solid copper ones. I am using the TTSX bullets, 150grn B.T., which like other Barnes bullets have a number of grooves machined into the bullet.
First, I tried the SAMMI coal, and found that the crimp die seated the bullets a bit deeper, i.e. they measured 3.24" before crimping, and about 3.21" after. This is caused by the crimp being just at the rear of the groove in the bullet, and the crimp pushes the bullet a bit deeper in the case.
Yesterday, I checked the length of the leade, (using Richard Lee's method), and found that to get Barnes recommended 0.05" bullet jump, I could set the coal at 3.33". Once again the crimp ends up at the rear of the next groove, so the bullets are seated a bit deeper by the crimp die.
What do you think? Is this normal/okay? Should I tinker around with the coal to find a length where the crimp does not involve a groove, i.e. where the crimp is on a full diameter area of the bullet? Will the crimp die form a crimp on the solid copper bullet? Should I just forget about crimping?
Any thoughts appreciated!
John
After reading Richard Lee's Manual, I thought it would be a good idea to crimp my hunting loads for robustness (and accuracy?).
Lee claims that the FC die does not need a cannelure (in the bullet) to crimp satisfactorily, however this may apply to normal lead core jacketed bullets, and not to the Barnes solid copper ones. I am using the TTSX bullets, 150grn B.T., which like other Barnes bullets have a number of grooves machined into the bullet.
First, I tried the SAMMI coal, and found that the crimp die seated the bullets a bit deeper, i.e. they measured 3.24" before crimping, and about 3.21" after. This is caused by the crimp being just at the rear of the groove in the bullet, and the crimp pushes the bullet a bit deeper in the case.
Yesterday, I checked the length of the leade, (using Richard Lee's method), and found that to get Barnes recommended 0.05" bullet jump, I could set the coal at 3.33". Once again the crimp ends up at the rear of the next groove, so the bullets are seated a bit deeper by the crimp die.
What do you think? Is this normal/okay? Should I tinker around with the coal to find a length where the crimp does not involve a groove, i.e. where the crimp is on a full diameter area of the bullet? Will the crimp die form a crimp on the solid copper bullet? Should I just forget about crimping?
Any thoughts appreciated!
John