hoekster
Member
Over the years, I've seen various suggestions aimed at helping folks reload their elderly .38 S&Ws when they are not able to come up with a regular set of caliber-specific dies. One of the most popular suggestions is to use a 9mm Factory Crimp Die to provide a suitable crimp on the old cartridge.
I recently started loading for my old Owl Head, and realized, to my horror, that I do not have a FCD with my 9mm setup. However, I found something that works almost as well and thought that I would pass it along, as I have never seen it suggested on this forum. What I used with pretty good success was the crimping function of my old basic Lee Loader (for .357) that I first started reloading with almost 45 years ago.
I seat the bullet to depth with my 9mm seating die (with the crimper backed off). Then, I transfer the cartridge to a shell holder sitting on my workbench top, slip the Lee Loader crimping die over it, tap it down to where the case rests against the crimping shoulder, and then whack it three light raps to get just enough of a roll crimp to hold the bullet snugly. The reason I use a shell holder on my bench top is because the decapping base from the Lee Loader set is designed for a .357 case and is too deep for the stubby .38S&W, and obviously you need something under the case to protect the primer while you are "whacking" on it.
I hope this is a help to someone cheap, like myself, who might balk at the thought of buying an expensive die they probably won't get that much use out of, but who also might just have an old set of Lee Loaders in .38 or .357 sitting around. Good luck!
I recently started loading for my old Owl Head, and realized, to my horror, that I do not have a FCD with my 9mm setup. However, I found something that works almost as well and thought that I would pass it along, as I have never seen it suggested on this forum. What I used with pretty good success was the crimping function of my old basic Lee Loader (for .357) that I first started reloading with almost 45 years ago.
I seat the bullet to depth with my 9mm seating die (with the crimper backed off). Then, I transfer the cartridge to a shell holder sitting on my workbench top, slip the Lee Loader crimping die over it, tap it down to where the case rests against the crimping shoulder, and then whack it three light raps to get just enough of a roll crimp to hold the bullet snugly. The reason I use a shell holder on my bench top is because the decapping base from the Lee Loader set is designed for a .357 case and is too deep for the stubby .38S&W, and obviously you need something under the case to protect the primer while you are "whacking" on it.
I hope this is a help to someone cheap, like myself, who might balk at the thought of buying an expensive die they probably won't get that much use out of, but who also might just have an old set of Lee Loaders in .38 or .357 sitting around. Good luck!
