How not to crimp

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2bfree

2bfree

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First dummy rounds setting up Lee dies for 357, I swear I thought it was very light :banghead:
 

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LOL!
I did that too, looked almost exactly the same only with nickle cases and lead bullets.
I ended up needing to back out the die a few turns. Fixed my problem.
I also eased the pressure on the lever and checked how it was going once in a while.
 
I prefer to seat and crimp as separate steps. I lightly straighten the bell in as I seat and then finish it at the next station.

Greg
 
GLShooter said:
I prefer to seat and crimp as separate steps. I lightly straighten the bell in as I seat and then finish it at the next station.

Greg
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THIS^^^
If loading on a single stage, seat all your bullets, then go back through and crimp in a seperate step. Just back off the seater stem and adjust the die down until you get the amount of crimp you want.
 
crimping is not difficult,but it's the most talked about,argued about,and most mis-understood topic on the face of the planet. And most of the time it's because they did not read the direcitions on setting up that die.ya gotta RTFM . lol
 
Measure a bunch of your brass, and figure out how long the longest ones are. Set up your crimp/seat with these ones. If you set it up with a shorter one, you will be sad.

With bullets with a cannelure or crimp groove, I have had little trouble with setup. Taper crimps are a little more complex, and I seat and crimp in two operations for consistent seating.

-J.
 
Ya, I normally seat and crimp on the Dillon with 2 dies but I hardly shoot the 357 so I decided to load on the SS and got the Lee 3 die set. It was a learning experience :eek:
 
Is crimping the most difficult thing for a novice, or does another joy await me?
Click to expand...

Nope, crimping is more an art than exact science.

By the way, I seat & crimp in separate steps too.
(And don't worry, we've all had rounds that looked like that we we were starting)
 
SASS#23149 said:
crimping is not difficult,but it's the most talked about,argued about,and most mis-understood topic on the face of the planet. And most of the time it's because they did not read the direcitions on setting up that die.ya gotta RTFM . lol
Click to expand...
Pretty much. :)
 
So far I have NOT done that on any straight walled cases...........bottle necks on the other hand, more than I care to admit, especially when seating a 60gr roundnose bullet in a 7.62X39 case.
 
Just a note. I did read the directions but the only directions that come with the Lee dies was for 38 spl, so I backed off a little and obviously not enough.
 
That's just what my first round looked like when I first started. And then again when I changed calibers. And again and again...... Got a Dillon and finally got all my calibers set. Well except for my rifles. I'll probably do it again there. lol
 
Me either. A shoebox full of proof that I have never, ever once done that. :)
 
There's a small statement on the other side of Lee instruction sheet that tells you how much to back off from 38. Not in an obvious place. I think I remember it's 1 3/4 turns, but don't have that with me.
 
Never happened to me! Nope, not me. Well, maybe once or twice.

I think if I were showing someone how to reload -- teaching my rudimentary knowledge to someone completely new -- I would demonstrate this as a teaching point and ruin some brass in the name of learning. It really shows how to crimp the wrong way!
 
you are not alone .run the ram up with the seated bullet then turn the die down to the case makes contact,then run the ram down, then turn the die a little bit at at time until your crimp is the way you like it ,pull bullets from crushed cases reload in new cases, shoot then reload........
CC
 
I've rode that horse also... Now I keep athe instruction paper on setting dies handy and look at it often when making changes to my die settings.
 
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