I tried an FCD once, out of curiosity and it ruined my perfectly sized 44 Magnum cast bullet loads.
I went ahead and ordered me one. Got it off ebay for 17$. Im hoping I can get a good load worked up for it this weekend. Got a hunt coming up soon. Be nice to have this marlin ready for them long hikes in. Thanks for the information.The standard pistol FCD from Lee is a roll crimp with a bulge buster ring to iron out the casing. Works great with jacketed bullets and is a good tool to ensure consistent ammo that feeds in any gun, though generally I don't feel any benefit over the standard seating/crimping die.
There is however a separate 44 mag Lee FCD made for rifle rounds which is a collet crimper. That one will give a nice consistence crimp as a separate step and won't resize your case or bullet.
I was lucky... I caught them right when they kicked out the FG's. I wish I would have bought 10 of them... I could retire.
That H110 needs not only a Magnum primer, but a good roll crimp... it should look like this...
View attachment 956245
Those were done with my 30 year old RCBS set.
IMR4227 is a good powder, it's my favorite flavor to load for the Marlin... it does excellent with the long barrel, and doesn't require Magnum primers. It also goes well with a nice Pilsner...
View attachment 956246
but hodgon calls for LP on their website.
Hodgdon specifies 'Winchester LP,' which is a standard or Magnum primer (Winchester's designation.) H110/W296 is a ball powder, to ensure reliable ignition of big charges of them, it's smart to use Magnum primers, particularly for cold weather, etc., same-same with rifle ball powders.
The standard pistol FCD from Lee is a roll crimp with a bulge buster ring to iron out the casing. Works great with jacketed bullets and is a good tool to ensure consistent ammo that feeds in any gun, though generally I don't feel any benefit over the standard seating/crimping die.
There is however a separate 44 mag Lee FCD made for rifle rounds which is a collet crimper. That one will give a nice consistence crimp as a separate step and won't resize your case or bullet.
I have been reloading since 1969, and never needed to post crimp resize any cartridge, or "bulge bust" a finished handload. I have been reloading semi-autos for only 22 years and have never needed to post crimp size any handloads... Perhaps I know how to adjust my dies so I don't bulge any cases...
Well I found some winchester LPP the box says for Standard or Magnum pistol load's
They guy at the store told my they would work fine for Magnum loads so I bought what he would let me have 200 primers.
Now!! Will this work with H-110 powder
In my experience and opinion, using an FCD is to cover up mistakes (poor reloading techniques/methods). If a cartridge doesn't fit any gun I own I will find out why, and remedy the situation. In all my reloading I have found only one gun that was a problem; a new 9mm pistol that has a chamber .008" shallower than my other 3 pistols, so I had to change my techniques, my handloads. Any other reason for a round not chambering would be my fault, either poor choice of components or sloppy reloading, bulging cases. I may have reloaded "Glocked" cases as I have purchased a lot of "once fired" brass and every case that was full length sized chambered OK. The crimping feature on an FCD is OK, but also being a post crimping, full length resizing die is just a band aid/cover up...As I said I've never seen a need for it personally, but obviously someone thought it was important enough to design a die for it decades ago. I get the impression these days this issue is more one of starting with bulged cases from unsupported ramp pistols which are going though a progressive and may not consistently get a full length sizing down to the base, or the use of oversized coated/plated bullets.
The standard pistol FCD from Lee is a roll crimp with a bulge buster ring to iron out the casing. Works great with jacketed bullets and is a good tool to ensure consistent ammo that feeds in any gun, though generally I don't feel any benefit over the standard seating/crimping die.
There is however a separate 44 mag Lee FCD made for rifle rounds which is a collet crimper. That one will give a nice consistence crimp as a separate step and won't resize your case or bullet.
Yes, more than one Lee crimp die.There is more than one type of Lee FCD,
Concerning the kind with the carbide size ring in the base people tend to like them or hate them, does not seem to be much middle ground.
That H110 needs not only a Magnum primer, but a good roll crimp... it should look like this...