Question of the Lee factory crimp die

[CQB45ACP]

I agree

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

The only problem I have with Lee's FCD for handguns (post crimping sizing die) besides the one I tried on my 44 Magnum handloads, is that quite often a newer reloader will ask about a chambering problem and instead of getting replies on a remedy for the problem, they are told to just use an FCD. Rather than suggesting the newer reloader research and find out why his problem is happening and how to fix it, he is told to "hide" the problem by resizing the cartridge. I have been reloading for quite a while and if a cartridge doesn't chamber, I find out why, when it happens, and fix it. Works for me reloading 9 different handgun calibers; revolver, semi-auto and single shot, for 15 different handguns...

That’s not a problem with the die, it’s a problem with the people who respond to posts on the forum. As a programmer I’ve got pretty good at recognizing the difference between a technical problem and a people problem. What you’re describing is a people problem.

 

[Blue68f100]

If one is using it for a crimp die I have not problem with it. But i one is using it to correct a problem, IT"S A PROBLEM. One should be able to load ammo with in spec without using it. If not they need to learn how to trouble shoot the problem and fix it prior to using the FCD. Like said Post sizing a round to fix a problem is not good. As far as the rifle FCD it's an option. But if your crimping a bullet not design to be crimped, your damaging the bullet and hurting accuracy.

I don't use them. Every time I tried one it hurt accuracy. Handgun and rifle. I have never bought any. I've had several give to me which I tried, then quickly return it, since it hurt accuracy. Not for me. But I learned to hand load before there was a internet, so the only options I had was to diagnose the problem and make a correction.

 

[irishlad]

That’s not a problem with the die, it’s a problem with the people who respond to posts on the forum. As a programmer I’ve got pretty good at recognizing the difference between a technical problem and a people problem. What you’re describing is a people problem.

I agree. The FCD does exactly what Lee says it does. I like them. I also agree with Walkalong that if you're feeling resistance, figure out why.

 

[LiveLife]

I like mine in 38/357 because it gives a good roll crimp

The FCD does exactly what Lee says it does.

Good points and I think it's important to point out FCD for straight wall semi-auto pistol calibers that apply taper crimp to headspace on case mouth is different from FCD for rimmed revolver calibers that apply roll crimp and furthermore, FCD for bottleneck rifle calibers is different as well.

agree with Walkalong that if you're feeling resistance, figure out why.

Post sizing a round to fix a problem is not good ... diagnose the problem and make a correction.

quite often a newer reloader will ask about a chambering problem and ... they are told to just use an FCD. Rather than suggesting the newer reloader research and find out why his problem is happening and how to fix it, he is told to "hide" the problem by resizing the cartridge.

Also very good points.

 

[EricBu]

Hi all:
When using the Lee factory crimp die, are you supposed to size the round with another die before using the Lee crimp die. In other words, is the Lee crimp die just used to put a final squeeze to an already crimped round to render it just as if it came from the factory as a means to insure that the dimensions are like that from the factory?

What I have been doing up till now is seating the bullet and then just using the Lee die for final sizing but I notice that the bell on the case comes in contact with the hardened sleeve in the Lee die and it seems that this may not be the way to do it.
I've looked at videos on this and never saw any comments or instructions to do this any other way.

Thanks for replies

Yes, you have to size the brass first, always. You can either seat with a standard seating/crimp die backed out to not crimp, and use the FCD as the crimp in the last step, or seat/crimp in one step with a standard seating/ crimping die, and then run through the FCD as a final step. Myself, I always seat and crimp in two steps, so back the standard seat/crimp die out so as not to crimp, then crimp in last step with Lee FCD or a Redding Profile Crimp die. The Lee FCD is best used on jacketed bullets, and it's best use case is when loading for a semi-auto pistol.

 

[dawei]

I use the Lee® FCD on my 7-30 Waters, 30-30 Winchester®, 444 Marlin® levergun rifle ammo, and 38 Special, 357 Mag, & 41 Mag revolver loads. It has become an indispensable tool for me! I highly recommend it!

 

[ADKWOODSMAN]

I only have one FCD. it is in 45 acp. I won a 45 acp and of the 4 I have loaded for this chamber just have been a little tighter as a round would occasionally fail to seat in the chamber. I went with the FCD to solve the problem and it worked. Now no matter which gun I am using the rounds will chamber. I use it as the fourth die after the seating die.

 

[Theinkman]

I have RCBS, Redding and Hornady die sets and when I started loading 9mm I thought I would try Lee dies. I found I kind of liked the FCD. I use a Hornady die set for 10mm and getting the seating depth and the crimp just right took too much futzing around. Now I use the FCD for the 10 and it works well. I'm not a high volume loader so having to pull the handle one extra time for each round doesn't trouble me.

 

[CQB45ACP]

I’ve gone back through this thread and the scores of others on precisely the same topic and here’s what I’ve learned about the Lee FCD:

1. It’s the best crimp die on the market
2. It’s the worst crimp die on the market
3. It doesn’t cause problems unless you use it incorrectly
4. If you need it, you don’t know how to reload properly
5. At 1000 yards it hurts accuracy…groups have increased beyond 1”
6. I’ve noticed my accuracy has greatly improved beyond 2500 yards
7. I had a buddy…
8. No, I had a buddy…

edit: 9. It’s perfect! All you have to do is cut off the carbide ring.

 

[Kaldor]

Hi all:
When using the Lee factory crimp die, are you supposed to size the round with another die before using the Lee crimp die. In other words, is the Lee crimp die just used to put a final squeeze to an already crimped round to render it just as if it came from the factory as a means to insure that the dimensions are like that from the factory?

What I have been doing up till now is seating the bullet and then just using the Lee die for final sizing but I notice that the bell on the case comes in contact with the hardened sleeve in the Lee die and it seems that this may not be the way to do it.
I've looked at videos on this and never saw any comments or instructions to do this any other way.

Thanks for replies

I use the FCD for a taper crimp on my pistol rounds. I had this issue with my 45 ACP crimp die, where the carbide ring with contacting the bell on the case, and squeezing the HiTek coated bullet slightly as it went into the die. I simply took a grinder and cut the carbide ring off the die and that solved the problem. 9mm is less of an issue as the case is slightly tapered so the carbide ring will never size the bullet.


Pic of 45 ACP crimp die after being cut off. Its not pretty as I dont have a lathe at home, but it did help.

 

[mdi]

That’s not a problem with the die, it’s a problem with the people who respond to posts on the forum. As a programmer I’ve got pretty good at recognizing the difference between a technical problem and a people problem. What you’re describing is a people problem.

Yep, a "forum suggestion" problem. As a tool, I have no need to use one, and with a bunch of experience reloading without the need for one, I do not recommend it. Many use an FCD as "insurance" for 100% reliable feeding/chambering, many who compete of just wanna "make sure" for SD loads, but again, I have no need (I had one handload FTF in all my 9mm loads and I determined that the gun I was shooting had a "tighter" chamber and needed the bullets seated about .010" deeper, and zero in all my 45 ACP handloads).

Regardless, I still tell newer reloaders with a chambering problem; check each cartridge after each step to see when the problem happens determine why it is happening, and fix it...

 

[EricBu]

OP asks if he has to crimp before using the FCD, or if he can use it to crimp after just seating a bullet.

15 people reply with how horrible the FCD is, and tell OP he doesn't need it.
15 people reply with how great the FCD is and how it does everything from mowing the lawn, to bringing you a cold beer in your easy chair.
15 people go on how they've reloaded for XXX years and have never needed one themselves.
Maybe 2 people actually gave the poor guy a relevant answer.

Pretty typical Lee FCD thread all in all. We should throw in something about using small rifle primers in place of small pistol, or maybe something about the new primer plants that are getting ready to start up.

 

[CQB45ACP]

OP asks if he has to crimp before using the FCD, or if he can use it to crimp after just seating a bullet.

15 people reply with how horrible the FCD is, and tell OP he doesn't need it.
15 people reply with how great the FCD is and how it does everything from mowing the lawn, to bringing you a cold beer in your easy chair.
15 people go on how they've reloaded for XXX years and have never needed one themselves.
Maybe 2 people actually gave the poor guy a relevant answer.

Pretty typical Lee FCD thread all in all. We should throw in something about using small rifle primers in place of small pistol, or maybe something about the new primer plants that are getting ready to start up.

Excellent analysis

As for mowing though rotary blade or reel mower?

 

[EricBu]

Excellent analysis

As for mowing though rotary blade or reel mower?

Well, I've found that welding a Lee FCD onto the end of each of the blades on my 6ft Brush Hog sizes the brush, weeds, and grass much more consistently, and has reduced projectile (rocks, etc) jump dramatically.

 

[crstrode]

When using the Lee factory crimp die, are you supposed to size the round with another die before using the Lee crimp die.

JKR!
RTFM

(Jeesus K. Ryst! Read the Fookin Manual

 

[Walkalong]

Maybe 2 people actually gave the poor guy a relevant answer.

I hope I was one of them.

 

[Up North]

I only use fcd on the few rounds that won't seat in lyman case checker after taper crimping. Some brass is thicker than others and I seat my rmr 124 hp deep at 1.060 to work in all my 9mm guns. deep seating and some makes of brass cause some to not chamber without post sizing. I'd rather do that then pull bullets.

 

[Walkalong]

Check just to make sure those are not "stepped" cases.

 

[The Glockodile]

We should throw in something about using small rifle primers in place of small pistol, or maybe something about the new primer plants that are getting ready to start up.

Kinetic Energy.

And Momentum.

 

[ballman6711]

I’ve gone back through this thread and the scores of others on precisely the same topic and here’s what I’ve learned about the Lee FCD:

1. It’s the best crimp die on the market
2. It’s the worst crimp die on the market
3. It doesn’t cause problems unless you use it incorrectly
4. If you need it, you don’t know how to reload properly
5. At 1000 yards it hurts accuracy…groups have increased beyond 1”
6. I’ve noticed my accuracy has greatly improved beyond 2500 yards
7. I had a buddy…
8. No, I had a buddy…

edit: 9. It’s perfect! All you have to do is cut off the carbide ring.

OP asks if he has to crimp before using the FCD, or if he can use it to crimp after just seating a bullet.

15 people reply with how horrible the FCD is, and tell OP he doesn't need it.
15 people reply with how great the FCD is and how it does everything from mowing the lawn, to bringing you a cold beer in your easy chair.
15 people go on how they've reloaded for XXX years and have never needed one themselves.
Maybe 2 people actually gave the poor guy a relevant answer.

Pretty typical Lee FCD thread all in all. We should throw in something about using small rifle primers in place of small pistol, or maybe something about the new primer plants that are getting ready to start up.

Well, I've found that welding a Lee FCD onto the end of each of the blades on my 6ft Brush Hog sizes the brush, weeds, and grass much more consistently, and has reduced projectile (rocks, etc) jump dramatically.

Brilliant posts, almost spit my beer out laughing! Almost!!!

We should throw in something about using small rifle primers in place of small pistol, or maybe something about the new primer plants that are getting ready to start up.

Will this work instead?

You could get a box of these and try them out backwards…

View attachment 1095443

https://nereloading.com/38 caliber .357 bulk 148 grain hollow base wadcutter lead bullets for reloading free shipping in stock.html

chris

 

[jmorris]

chris

Confused, that’s not even from this thread.?

 

[ballman6711]

Confused, that’s not even from this thread.?

The intent was to show how these things devolve. Hope I didn't offend you by quoting your post. In fact I quite liked the idea of loading those hollow base wadcutters backwards in that other thread.

Apologies to all for the sidetrack on this thread.

chris

 

[.45Coltguy]

OP asks if he has to crimp before using the FCD, or if he can use it to crimp after just seating a bullet.

15 people reply with how horrible the FCD is, and tell OP he doesn't need it.
15 people reply with how great the FCD is and how it does everything from mowing the lawn, to bringing you a cold beer in your easy chair.
15 people go on how they've reloaded for XXX years and have never needed one themselves.
Maybe 2 people actually gave the poor guy a relevant answer.

Pretty typical Lee FCD thread all in all. We should throw in something about using small rifle primers in place of small pistol, or maybe something about the new primer plants that are getting ready to start up.

Mine does indeed bring me cold beer. Why do you think I bought it? Scheese!