Do I need a dedicated Lee Crimping die?

[Lovesbeer99]

So this is getting confusing for us beginners.

Does the lee factory crimp die provide a roll crimp or a taper crimp? I'm supposed to use a roll crimp in revolvers and a taper crimp in Autos right? Ok so if the FCD is a roll crimp I will buy 1 for my 38spl, but not for my 9mm. Is this right?

Lovesbeer..

 

[Walkalong]

So this is getting confusing for us beginners

Lets make it simple.
Load straight ammo and you wont need to post size and screw up perfectly good ammo. :banghead:

Some will disagree with me.


Oh, nevermind, I went back and I see HSMITH already covered this.

NO, you don't need it, and triple especially not with a single stage press. You can do everything you can do with the 4 die set but smash out mistakes with the 3 die set.

I'm with you on this one, at least on pistol calibers. I don't even know what a 30-30 FCD looks like.

 

[ranger335v]

To each, his own. The Lee FCDs don't cover my mistakes, they are part of my load devlopment and normal loading processes.

As HSMITH very correctly points out, the "best" way to use the roll crimp shoulder in a standard seating die is to make it a two-step process. But that works well only if the cases are in fact the same length, some short cases may not be crimped at all and longer cases may actually bulge the case due to neck set-back. The only way to get consistant crimps with them is to trim cases regularly. The Lee FCDs, both types, are much less dependant on case length and I love 'em for that.

Jacketed revolver rounds usually don't "need" crimping unless the bullets are heavy (for caliber) and the charges hot enough to pull the pullets during recoil. Those hot/heavy revolver loads absolutely need to be crimped.

Lead bullet loads, both rifle and pistol, need much more case mouth expansion/belling than "normal" so the soft bullets can enter without cutting lead. Then, even if the load isn't hot enough to require crimping, it is imperative that the extra case flare be reduced to at least normal case diameter to insure proper chambering. The FCDs excell at that task without being length critical.

Many people, me among them, find we get best accuracy with FCD crimps IF the loads are developed with them. Just crimping an old established load may show no change or it may actually shoot worse!

 

[Lovesbeer99]

Ok - regardless of the philosophies, I'm just wondering about the tool itself.
Does the tool create a roll crimp or a taper crimp?

thanks
Lovesbeer99

 

[TEDDY]

crimping

most top target shooters shooting pistol roll crimp,having said that some taper crimp.45acp should have the swc shoulder ahead of the mouth of the case and roll crimp in to the lead.the shoulder headspaces then regardless whether one believes or not.the fc is generaly done to rifle and that is what the factory uses.I shot compition for 30 yrs.since I cant find a gun club near me in sc I havent and my eyes went.I roll crimp pistol and fc rifle

 

[BigJakeJ1s]

As HSMITH very correctly points out, the "best" way to use the roll crimp shoulder in a standard seating die is to make it a two-step process.

If as you said later, the brass is kept to uniform length, the "best" way to roll crimp a bullet with a cannelure is to correctly adjust the seat/crimp die, and do it all in one step, saving time and/or dies! I like Hornady seating dies best for this, with great, straight bullet seating, with excellent crimping.

Andy

 

[mek42]

I received a FCD for .45 ACP as part of a set of dies purchased very reasonably from a member of my rifle club who helped me learn to reload. I have a 3 hole Lee turret press and a single stage press that I believe is older than I am (I'm a youngster at 32). After completely mangling several .44 magnum rounds during my first attempt to reload pistol cartridges I decided to put the FCD in the single stage press and not crimp with the bullet seating die for .45 ACP. At some point I will sit down and learn how to properly setup the bullet seating die to crimp also, but for right now I want to work up loads and spend time on the range.

Whatever you decide to do, good luck and be safe.

 

[HSMITH]

LOVESBEER, the FCD will roll or taper crimp depending on which one it is and what you need. The revolver caliber dies roll crimp, the autoloader caliber die will taper crimp. You can get a bit of both types from both types of dies with creative die settings, but that really isn't important.

Revolver cartridge= roll crimp.
Autoloader cartridge=taper crimp.

 

[Deavis]

Awww, come on HSMITH, when are you going to tell them about the EGW dies? You know, nip that sizing problem in the bud on autoloading cartridges? It is about that time in this thread!

I bought an FCD, turns out my issue was sizing related. Fixed that, now the FCD just gathers dust. Someone here set me on the right path to fixing the problem, not covering it up. Man was it dumb too.

 

[Matt Dillon]

+1 BigJakeJ1s regarding seating revolver bullets and roll crimping them in one step. If your seater die is adjusted correctly, you should be able to place a perfect roll crimp on your .38 special and .357 Magnum cartridges. Of course, that necessitates trimming uniformly ALL revolver cartridges.
For the Semiautomatics, like .40 S&W, .380ACP I prefer to use Lee's Factory Crimp Die, so I seat and crimp in separate operations.

 

[HSMITH]

Deavis, sometimes it just feels like swimming against a current that is too fast to go anywhere but sideways........

Some people like to know the 'how' and the 'why', some just don't care.

Glad you found the U-die usefull, doing things right is a lot easier than not eh? Did you add the Redding Competition Seater yet? Talk about SWEET!!!!! It doesn't get any better than a U-die, Redding CSD, and any old crimp die of decent quality. With that die set and a Dillon powder measure I am getting single digit ES over the chrono with my new Major 9 Open gun. Life is good.