Been loading 45's with no factory crimp . Chambers and ejects perfect. Got my 40 dies in today, will set them up tomorrow. Will the 40 be the same, no factory crimp ?
factory crimp on 40 cal.
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gahunter12
Member
Just use a taper crimp just enough to remove any flair, or bell in your case. .40s&w head spaces off the case mouth just like your .45acp.
.40 S&W should be taper-crimped in the seating die so the finished rounds case mouth measures .421".
That's what factory loads measure.
And that is what your reloads should measure, if properly taper-crimped in the seating die.
rc
That's what factory loads measure.
And that is what your reloads should measure, if properly taper-crimped in the seating die.
rc
Lennyjoe
Member
I always add a Lee FCD for my autoloader rounds (9mm, .40 cal and .45 ACP). Since I use a Lee press with 4 hole heads, the FCD is a normal part of my reloading package.
trooks said:
Does this mean you are not crimping at all, or does this mean you are not using your LFCD, but still crimping by other means?
Always remove the flare(crimp), always. Either with the seating die or with a dedicated crimp die.
Grumulkin
Member
When I load for my 40, I flare just enough so the bullet goes in and I don't crimp. I've never had a problem of any kind with this technique.
I prefer to crimp with the LFCD, not for the post-sizing, but for the manner in which the die applies a crimp and the way one adjusts the crimp.
I don't like to seat and crimp with the same die, but lots of folks do. Those guys at Dillon seem to know a little something about reloading, and they recommend seating and crimping separately.
I never have chambering problems with my reloads. I'm a class 06 manufacturer, and it's important to me that my ammo works.
I don't like to seat and crimp with the same die, but lots of folks do. Those guys at Dillon seem to know a little something about reloading, and they recommend seating and crimping separately.
I never have chambering problems with my reloads. I'm a class 06 manufacturer, and it's important to me that my ammo works.
LiveLife
Member
+1. I also seat and crimp in the same step and do not have issues with various jacketed/plated bullets where I apply slight taper crimp or no taper crimp. With lead bullets, I do not apply taper crimp as the flare is just returned to flat and shaving of lead from side of the bullets is usually not an issue.
Lee FCD is a good tool for fixing out of round/spec bullets. Out of round/spec bullets will result in finished rounds that won't fully chamber in tighter barrels. If you are using factory barrels with looser chambers, you probably won't notice this issue but I have tight chambered 40S&W Lone Wolf and 45ACP Sig 1911 barrels and have come across some bullets that would not fully chamber while most other bullets in the same box/lot would chamber. FCD would correct the roundness/spec of the finished rounds' case necks and allow them to fully chamber in the tighter barrels (the same rounds would fully chamber in looser M&P/Glock/RIA barrels).
Although I use tighter chambered barrels for 9mm/40S&W/45ACP (KKM/Lone Wolf/Sig 1911), normally I do not need to use the FCD for various jacketed/plated bullets unless to fix them on rare occasion. For must work (feed and fire reliably) match and defensive rounds, I chamber check every finished round in the tightest barrel as my QC check but I could see ammunition manufacturers needing to use finishing dies like FCD to ensure they will work in every barrel as QC checking every round would not be feasible.
But if you are using larger lead bullets sized .401"+, you may post size the finished rounds and the brass spring back of case neck may lead to decreased neck tension which will result in bullet setback. If your barrel's groove diameter is oversized at .401"+, you may also experience increased leading problems as reduced bullet base diameter will decrease bullet-to-barrel fit and leak more high pressure gas.
Compared to lower pressure 45ACP, 40S&W is a higher pressure round and more sensitive to powder burn rate, powder charges and seating depth changes. Regardless whether you use FCD or not, you should incorporate checking of neck tension/bullet setback. My QC check is measuring OAL/COL before and after feeding the test round from the magazine and releasing the slide without riding it. If you measure significant decrease in OAL/COL, your bullet is seating deeper when the bullet nose bumps the feeding ramp and this will increase your chamber pressure (not good if you are already at near max/max powder charges).
Probably.trooks said:
Lee FCD is a good tool for fixing out of round/spec bullets. Out of round/spec bullets will result in finished rounds that won't fully chamber in tighter barrels. If you are using factory barrels with looser chambers, you probably won't notice this issue but I have tight chambered 40S&W Lone Wolf and 45ACP Sig 1911 barrels and have come across some bullets that would not fully chamber while most other bullets in the same box/lot would chamber. FCD would correct the roundness/spec of the finished rounds' case necks and allow them to fully chamber in the tighter barrels (the same rounds would fully chamber in looser M&P/Glock/RIA barrels).
Although I use tighter chambered barrels for 9mm/40S&W/45ACP (KKM/Lone Wolf/Sig 1911), normally I do not need to use the FCD for various jacketed/plated bullets unless to fix them on rare occasion. For must work (feed and fire reliably) match and defensive rounds, I chamber check every finished round in the tightest barrel as my QC check but I could see ammunition manufacturers needing to use finishing dies like FCD to ensure they will work in every barrel as QC checking every round would not be feasible.
But if you are using larger lead bullets sized .401"+, you may post size the finished rounds and the brass spring back of case neck may lead to decreased neck tension which will result in bullet setback. If your barrel's groove diameter is oversized at .401"+, you may also experience increased leading problems as reduced bullet base diameter will decrease bullet-to-barrel fit and leak more high pressure gas.
Compared to lower pressure 45ACP, 40S&W is a higher pressure round and more sensitive to powder burn rate, powder charges and seating depth changes. Regardless whether you use FCD or not, you should incorporate checking of neck tension/bullet setback. My QC check is measuring OAL/COL before and after feeding the test round from the magazine and releasing the slide without riding it. If you measure significant decrease in OAL/COL, your bullet is seating deeper when the bullet nose bumps the feeding ramp and this will increase your chamber pressure (not good if you are already at near max/max powder charges).
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General rule of thumb.
Revolver rounds need a roll crimp (this keeps recoil from backing the bullets out).
Pistols (Semi autos) use a taper crimp.
Revolver rounds need a roll crimp (this keeps recoil from backing the bullets out).
Pistols (Semi autos) use a taper crimp.
The Lee FCD is a form of a taper crimp die by looking at the pictures of it and how it squeezes. No?
I only use the FCD on my 10mm with the Lone Wolf bbl. None of my other pistols need it. The LW is a very tight tolerance and I replaced my factory barrel in my G20. Works great but from time to time I have a round that is not perfectly round and it will jam. It is just easier to crimp with the FCD and be done with them.
LiveLife
Member
Lee FCD for semi-auto calibers like 40S&W is a taper crimp die with a carbide sizer ring meant to taper crimp and run the carbide sizer on finished rounds to ensure the finished rounds will feed/chamber reliably in all barrels.hostjunkies said:
For bullets with diameters close to .400", the carbide sizer ring on the FCD won't squeeze/post-size the finished rounds unless the bullets were out of round or out of spec (irregularly shaped). The problem with post-sizing finished rounds is that brass spring back of case neck will decrease neck tension and increase bullet setback.
If you feel significant post-sizing of your finished rounds, I would check the neck tension by measuring the OAL/COL before and after feeding the rounds from the magazine. If your OAL/COL decreases significantly, your chamber pressure could significantly increase (especially if you are using near max/max powder charges).
I measured four different commercial rounds. .4205 to .4210. I average .420 with .421 being max, .419 begin minimumm. Case length variances in taper-crimp dies will give a range of crimp diameters
Edfardos
Edfardos
Captaingyro
Member
For the sake of accuracy here, let's use the correct terminology. Lee makes two types of "factory crimp" dies.
The one for bottleneck rifle cartridges is called the "Factory Crimp Die", or FCD.
The one for pistol cartridges is called the "Carbide Factory Crimp Die", or CFCD, because it incorporates a carbide sizing ring to swage the finished round down to a nominal diameter.
I used to use Carbide Factory Crimp Dies on my pistol rounds; however, I was convinced by the rational arguments of reloaders here on THR that the swaging feature can only accomplish one of two things: a) swaging down a cast bullet that you don't want swaged, or b) correcting mistakes you've made in other parts of your reloading operation. In either case, you don't need it.
I still use the FCD's for my rifle loads, but I don't use CFCD's for pistol. Either crimp (gently) during the seating step, or use a simple taper crimp die (cheap!) as the final reloading stage.
The one for bottleneck rifle cartridges is called the "Factory Crimp Die", or FCD.
The one for pistol cartridges is called the "Carbide Factory Crimp Die", or CFCD, because it incorporates a carbide sizing ring to swage the finished round down to a nominal diameter.
I used to use Carbide Factory Crimp Dies on my pistol rounds; however, I was convinced by the rational arguments of reloaders here on THR that the swaging feature can only accomplish one of two things: a) swaging down a cast bullet that you don't want swaged, or b) correcting mistakes you've made in other parts of your reloading operation. In either case, you don't need it.
I still use the FCD's for my rifle loads, but I don't use CFCD's for pistol. Either crimp (gently) during the seating step, or use a simple taper crimp die (cheap!) as the final reloading stage.
Hondo 60
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