Lee FCD hitting every round

[EddieNFL]

Not exactly THR.

I chuckle each time I read such comments.

 

[beatledog7]

Eddie, why is that? You laugh when someone declines to be dressed down?

918, you still insist on saying I "require" the FCD. That's what comes across as condescending.

I do not "require" it to make safe, accurate loads. I do sometimes find it useful for single step crimping and for getting the bulge out of .40 rounds. I have also found instances where it was of no use at all and even made something worse. That's life!

You strike me as being very good with your hands, mechanically inclined, as they say. So I bet you have lots of tools, many of which are no doubt designed to perform very specific tasks. But I would also bet that a lot of what you now do with a very specialized tool you used to accomplish--and still could--without that special tool.

Am I right? If I am, would you take kindly to someone who finds it "amazing" that people have for decades been able to perform the task without the special tool you have but guess it's alright if you "require" it?

 

[john wall]

When ammo MUST chamber, using today's price point brass and bullets, I depend on the FCD.

 

[Flintknapper]

Walkalong wrote:

Sure you are not talking about the FCD for rifles, which uses a collet, and is an innovative way to crimp rifle rounds?

The FCD for pistols, as being discussed, is totally different.

Yes, for rifle. I was unaware of the difference for the pistol FCD.

As such...I am forced to retract my statements as they do not apply to pistol cartridges. Learned something here tonight.

Thank you for clarifying, I didn't know.

Flint.

 

[psyshack]

I've been loading a fair amount of 10mm as of late. 155, 180 and 200gn XTP's. In new Starline and Winchester Brass. I also use a FCD in all my Lee Classic Turret's.

I do my bullet seat and crimp in the standard die. FCD is the check die. I have found the bump going in and out of the FCD is a tad harder with the Winchester brass. I've found the Winchester brass is a tad thicker and seems to also be a tad harder.

Of note using 10.6gn of BD under the 180 XTP's and firing the rounds out of the same Lone Wolf barrel the Starline brass dents on ejection. Where as the Winchester stays nice and clean. Neither dent or otherwise mess up the bullet jacket when inspected.

As for final check concerning gauge or barrel chamber/cylinder. I ALWAYS use the firearm in question as the final check when it comes to chambering and fit. I'm loading for the weapons in question. Not a default gauge.

 

[res7s]

these guys seem to like them. http://forums.1911forum.com/showthread.php?t=295257

 

[Walkalong]

The FCD can not make bullets fatter. You need a new sizer for your lubrisizer. Are you sure it is what you think, as in .452? Perhaps it is marked wrong.

 

[USSR]

If you want ammo to chamber and fire EVERY TIME, use it.

When ammo MUST chamber, using today's price point brass and bullets, I depend on the FCD.

Geez, and I (and many others) depend upon experience and common sense. As I said before, what on earth did we EVER do, before Lee made the FCD?

Don

 

[steve4102]

This thread took on a life of its own, thanks everyone for you input.

Hey Rob, back to your original issue if I may.
I load for the 10mm, 9mm, 45 ACP, 40 S&W and I use the LFCD. As your original post was about the 10MM with jacketed bullets I will stick with them.

My 10MM/40 S&W LFCD did the stick and click thing with XTP's and other jacketed bullets more so than with my other calibers. IMO this is due to the 10MM brass being a little thicker than other brass. I ran several accuracy tests with the LFCD vs Crimping with the seating die. I found no difference in accuracy with several different brands of bullets and brass in both of my 10mm pistols. Use it if you want to seat and crimp in different steps, it won't hurt a thing, it may even help.

If you do not like the post sizing ring and it's "stick and click" don't through the die away or waist money on a new tapper crimp die. Take a punch and drive out the carbide ring and "presto", a regular tapper crimp die free of charge.

 

[Seedtick]

showmebob said:

I have heard of people knocking out the carbide insert and using the die only as a crimp die without the resizing effect.

bds said:

you can opt to knock out the carbide sizer ring so you can seat/taper crimp in separate steps without post-sizing the lead bullet.

steve4102 said:

If you do not like the post sizing ring and it's "stick and click" don't through the die away or waist money on a new tapper crimp die. Take a punch and drive out the carbide ring and "presto", a regular tapper crimp die free of charge.

Yep, that's what I did to my 45 acp FCD. And let me tell you there ain't a whole lot to get a bite on with a punch in a 45 acp die. :banghead: I finally took a dremel cutoff wheel and cut about an 1/8" off of the mouth of the die. Then I stuck a screwdriver in the cut and one little twist and out popped that thin carbide ring.

Now I have a separate crimp die to use if I so choose and I don't have to worry about it sizing down my lead bullets that Brad has so carefully sized. I haven't had any trouble with the FCD in any other calibers I load for. YMMV

Seedtick

 

[cfullgraf]

Yep, that's what I did to my 45 acp FCD. And let me tell you there ain't a whole lot to get a bite on with a punch in a 45 acp die. :banghead: I finally took a dremel cutoff wheel and cut about an 1/8" off of the mouth of the die. Then I stuck a screwdriver in the cut and one little twist and out popped that thin carbide ring.

Maybe that is what the Lee handgun FCD should have been all the while.

 

[EddieNFL]

Maybe that is what the Lee handgun FCD should have been all the while.

...and we're back to a standard crimp die.

One thing we Americans are really good at...reinventing the wheel.

 

[jcwit]

I got one in the works right now, so far its almost round. This may open a whole new world in transportation.

 

[EddieNFL]

I would try to make it rounder. That will decrease drag and friction.

 

[LiveLife]

Although this pertains to moly coated lead bullets, the information may shed some light on the FCD discussion.

This is from Precision Bullets FAQ page (scroll down to Reloading Tips and Troubleshooting):

Do not use a roll crimp or Lee Factory Taper Crimp Dies.
The roll crimp will cut through the coating. You must use a taper crimp die.
The Lee Factory Taper Crimp Die will undersize the bullets causing accuracy and fouling problems.

If you are using the Lee Factory Taper Crimp Die, try switching to a standard taper crimp die ... Slug your bore, oversized bores will foul heavily and be inaccurate.