Problems with new Lee .38 die set

Howdy James, and welcome to the board. I think I can help. Which Lee die set are you using - the three die set or the four die set? With the four die set, the fourth die crimps and resizes the case for easy feeding and chambering. The Lee directions call for adjusting the die so that it just touches the shell holder. (Adjusting screw on top must be backed off a turn or two.) Then, place a loaded round in the shell holder, raise it up into the die, (full stroke of press) and turn the adjusting screw down until it just touches the round. Then give the adjusting screw 1/2 turn for a light crimp, and 1 turn for a heavy crimp. I use 5/8 turn for my cast bullets. One possibility for the brass shavings may be that the expander die is adjusted too deep and is putting too big of a flare on the case, which may not crimp correctly. The die itself may indeed be defective. The crimp die puts sort of a roll crimp on the case, and should leave a uniform crimp completely around the case, without gaps. Lee customer service may be able to help too. I have dealt with them in the past and they are usually pretty helpful at trouble shooting setup problems. Hope this helps, and good luck. NailGun

Go to www.leeprecision.com and look at the help videos. There is one for setting the seater/crimper die under the Turret Press that explains the best way to set the die properly.

Sorry, it's under "Die adjustment on Single Station Presses". There is one under the Loadmaster too but it requires a dummy round.

Sounds like you're over crimping.

I shoot many thousand's of 148HBWC'S a year, and I use Lee die's.

I use a light TAPER CRIMP on a separate station, after seating bullet on previous station.

I have seen the condition that you are describing when using a roll crimp to crimp flush seated wadcutters.

It is because of the slight mis-alignment of the die in the top of the press, and the ram, in the press. Combined with the die tightened slightly mis-aligned with the cartridge being crimped. You can take most of it out by adjusting the die with a round in the ram, fully extended and the lock-rings slightly loose. After achieving the desired level of crimp, then lock the rings in place. But, because of the play of the case in the shell holder, you'll not be able to get ALL of it out.

In pursuit of the highest possible level of accuracy, I finally got the taper crimp die.
It made all the difference in the world. Picked up ~7pts in PPC 1500 matches.
(low to mid -1480's to 1490's !). All at the 50yd line.

The taper crimp die is machined such that it uses the mouth of the case to center it (with above mentioned play) and uniformly reduces the diameter of the mouth, which is just slightly less (or more, depending on you perspective) than flush with the leading edge of the bullet.

Lee revolver dies that were made since 1986 have an improved roll crimp and a seperate taper crimp die isn't needed. Lee dies for cases that headspace on the case mouth use an improved taper crimp but if they are turned into the press to far, there is a crimp shoulder in the die and you'll eventually get a roll crimp which isn't good for that type of cartrdige. Factory crimp dies for revolvers give a roll crimp and for cases that headspace on the case mounth, taper the top .060 or so of the case against the bullet.