45 acp and 9 mm crimp dies

[OLDE RETIRED COASTIE]

I have brand new 45 acp factory crimp die and 38 super/38 auto factory crimp die.

I also have brand new 45 acp taper crimp die, and 9mm/38super/38auto/380 taper crimp die.

I have been told for the auto cartridges I need the taper crimp dies.

can anyone shed some light on which die I need or are they really one and the same?

 

[nettlle]

I have brand new 45 acp factory crimp die and 38 super/38 auto factory crimp die.

I also have brand new 45 acp taper crimp die, and 9mm/38super/38auto/380 taper crimp die.

I have been told for the auto cartridges I need the taper crimp dies. -That is correct

can anyone shed some light on which die I need or are they really one and the same?- One in the same as what?

 

[fxvr5]

What brand is the factory crimp die?

 

[243winxb]

factory crimp die

Are made by Lee There are 2 types. Carbide & Collet. These 2 types are only made by Lee. No other die makers has them. This should tell you something.

A standard taper crimp die is all thats needed.

 

[fxvr5]

Lee factory crimp 9mm/38 Super/45 Auto dies apply a taper crimp, as per information posted on their website.

 

[bihj]

I believe that the Lee FCD is a taper crimp die.

 

[OLDE RETIRED COASTIE]

so I do not need both as they are the same thing cause yes they are all made by Lee

 

[fxvr5]

so I do not need both as they are the same thing cause yes they are all made by Lee

Correct. Pick one and get loading!

 

[243winxb]

https://support.leeprecision.net/en/knowledgebase/article/identifying-pistol-dies

 

[Highland Lofts]

I crimp everything I load.
On the 45acp and 9mm i just crimp enough to remove the flare. I don't over crimp.

 

[Walkalong]

I have brand new 45 acp factory crimp die and 38 super/38 auto factory crimp die.

I also have brand new 45 acp taper crimp die, and 9mm/38super/38auto/380 taper crimp die.

I have been told for the auto cartridges I need the taper crimp dies.

can anyone shed some light on which die I need or are they really one and the same?

The .45 crimp die will do .45 ACP.

The next ones are all the same, just adjust for the case length.

"Crimp" can be misleading, all a taper "crimp" die should do is remove the belling, or a hair more. Adjust it so the shortest cases get the
bell/flare removed, which means the longer ones will get a hair more, think .001 more.

.45 ACP

 

[lordpaxman]

can anyone shed some light on which die I need or are they really one and the same?

The Lee 45 and 9mm Factory Crimp Dies (FCD) will taper crimp but they also size the outside dimension of the cartridge so if there were a bulge it would smooth it out. Some swear by this, some swear at it.

The Lee 45 and 9mm taper crimp dies just taper crimp.

As mentioned above, the taper crimp is just to remove the bell or flare, it’s not like a roll crimp and more of it will not add neck tension. These cartridges headspace on the case mouth so you want that fairly sharp but in-spec case mouth.

Sounds like you might have bought the Lee 4 die pistol set?

 

[Soonerpesek]

Some swear by this, some swear at it.

 

[.45Coltguy]

lordpaxman answered before I got in. He's correct.

 

[Jim Watson]

One more time:
The Lee CARBIDE Factory Crimp Die has a carbide insert that post-sizes the loaded round as it crimps.
This will iron out lumps and bumps caused by inconsistent brass thickness, inconsistent bullet diameter, and misaligned seating and let you shoot ammo that might not otherwise chamber.

Its detractors say it will deform the bullet and destroy accuracy or loosen it in the case neck causing bullet setback. It will also cause symptoms in the user indistinguishable from a disgusting social disease.
Well, I made up that last part but you would think it would from what I have seen posted.

I use it on 9mm. You can see the rub marks over the bearing bands of lead bullets and near the casehead where the Dillon sizing die's wide radius does not touch. I have not Ransom tested but handheld accuracy is fine for lively stuff like IDPA and practice with a hideout gun. Jacketed bullets are seldom touched but you could still see that rub mark near the head.

I don't have one in the progressive for .45 ACP but will use it in a single stage to "clean up" rounds that don't gauge.

The Lee COLLET Factory Crimp Die is an entirely different thing, mostly for bottleneck cartridges, only a few of the long straight taper rounds.

 

[Charlie98]

It will also cause symptoms in the user indistinguishable from a disgusting social disease.
Well, I made up that last part but you would think it would from what I have seen posted.

It absolutely does... I read it on the internet, so I know it's true.

Some swear by this, some swear at it.

I think it's more of a 'solution in search of a problem,' or, perhaps, a band-aid covering up a problem that really requires a solution, not a band-aid. I don't swear at them, I just scratch my head and wonder...

 

[vaalpens]

The Lee FCDs should work fine, depending on what you are loading. Are you planning on loading jacketed/plated or lead/coated bullets?

The Lee FCD has a sizing ring, so jacketed bullets are perfect. Lead bullets could be an issue due to the sizing ring. I use the Lee FCD all the time, but only load jacketed bullets.

 

[Walkalong]

If they are in spec……

 

[OLDE RETIRED COASTIE]

I was wanting to load both. I have both types of bullets.
I load 38/357 and 45 colt and we do not have this kind of problem with those cartridges. But they are straight wall cases and load very similiar to my 45-70

 

[gwpercle]

so I do not need both as they are the same thing cause yes they are all made by Lee

You don't Need both ... but with both you can set your seat / crimp die to just seat the bullet in one step and use your FCD to crimp the bullet in a seperate step ... this is how I seat and then crimp bullets in handgun loading ... Seating in one step and crimping in a second step seems to give a better round with less bullet distortion ... Since you have both dies ... try it !
Gary

 

[CQB45ACP]

Hey, in your OP, you said you've been told you need to taper crimp. Maybe not.

Depending on your brass & bullet combination you may not even need to expand/flare to seat the bullet. Thus, no need to crimp/remove flare much less worry about whether the FCD ring of death touches something.

My experience:

For 9mm, when I use Extreme plated & Berry's plated 115gr RN. I don't crimp 99% of the time. Not needed. I always use Winchester cases. The 1% I attribute to an out of spec (oversized) bullet or thicker case wall or combo of the two. Don't usually even have to expand with Extremes. They're .355" vs Berry's .356"

For 45acp, when I use Extreme & Berry's plated 230gr RN and also almost always Winchester cases, no crimp is needed 99% of the time. The 1% again an oddball bullet or case wall.

I have extensively fiddled with two 45acp FCDs, different bullets (plated, jacketed, and lead) and various cases and posted pictures on THR. My findings are the FCD taper crimp die is first and foremost a simple and effective taper crimp die. Not much different than the Redding. Often It's not even needed.

But now and then for no obvious reason, it'll turn into Yeti and kill your pets and family. That's when you or you components are likely at fault, not Yeti.

 

[Tcruse]

I crimp everything I load.
On the 45acp and 9mm i just crimp enough to remove the flare. I don't over crimp.

For my 9mm, I check each one with a size gauge and only use crimp die on "marginal" ones. 99% of the time the crimp die is unnecessary in that the flar is handled by the load die. BTW, I also use undersized 9mm sizing die to handle the Glock bulge found on some range pick-up brass.

 

[CQB45ACP]

For my 9mm, I check each one with a size gauge and only use crimp die on "marginal" ones. 99% of the time the crimp die is unnecessary in that the flar is handled by the load die. BTW, I also use undersized 9mm sizing die to handle the Glock bulge found on some range pick-up brass.

As I said I don’t have to crimp either but my Redding seating die doesn’t have a crimp function.

 

[LiveLife]

45 acp factory crimp die and 38 super/38 auto factory crimp die ... 45 acp taper crimp die, and 9mm/38super/38auto/380 taper crimp die.

''factory crimp die" ... No other die makers has them. This should tell you something.

A standard taper crimp die is all thats needed.

The Lee 45 and 9mm Factory Crimp Dies (FCD) will taper crimp but they also size the outside dimension of the cartridge so if there were a bulge it would smooth it out. Some swear by this, some swear at it.

Let me shed a bit more light on the FCD discussion (NOTE: This is for semi-auto PISTOL):

• Factory Crimp Die for rimless straight wall semi-auto pistol calibers that headspaces off case mouth apply taper crimp (FCD for rimmed revolver apply roll crimp and FCD for rifle apply 4 section collet indentation of case mouth to increase neck tension/bullet hold).
• FCD is "finishing die" - "Finishing dies" are used by ammunition manufacturers to ensure finished rounds are within SAAMI specs to chamber in all SAAMI spec barrels
• Lee FCD for straight wall semi-auto pistol calibers is essentially taper crimp die with SAAMI spec carbide sizer ring to ensure finished rounds are within SAAMI spec
• When loaded rounds are within SAAMI spec (I believe SAAMI Max spec), carbide sizer ring won't do much
• When loaded rounds are beyond SAAMI spec due to tilted bullet during seating causing oblong/oval shaped case neck, bulging of case neck due to use of larger sized lead bullets especially with thicker walled headstamp cases (And inconsistent case wall thickness along with out-of-round bullets), expanded range brass not fully resized, etc., carbide sizer ring can post size loaded round (reducing bullet diameter); and due to brass spring back, can reduce neck tension.
• Some reloaders use FCD to taper crimp separately from bullet seating die
• Some reloaders, especially match shooters, use FCD as "finishing die" to ensure finished rounds fully chamber in tighter match barrels

When I was taught to reload match rounds by seasoned bullseye match shooting mentor, I asked about Lee FCD (I was shooting 45ACP/9mm then 40S&W). He said to toss the FCD in the drawer and use bullet seating/taper crimp combo die but to chamber check finished rounds with the match barrel. I was using Montana Gold jacketed bullets for match rounds and Berry's plated bullets for practice rounds. During around half a million rounds shot for USPSA matches/practice, I had ONE stoppage during a match stage where slide failed to return back to full battery (About 1/4") which turned out to be not fully resized range brass that wasn't caught during barrel chamber check (Maybe I was rushing and didn't notice ). Had I been using the FCD, the round would have been "fixed" by the FCD to fully chamber.

So you only need the bullet seating/taper crimp die to load 45ACP/9mm/.38 Super/.380Auto but since you have FCD, can use it to separately taper crimp and/or as "finishing die".

 

[Jim Watson]

Us Real Experts knock the carbide out and just use the crimp. Then we gets us a hundred buck MICROMETER crimp die.

Early on, there was a story that Lee originated the CARBIDE factory crimp die to use up the "closet full" of carbide inserts that came out just a little oversize for a sizing die.