New guy and Lee FCD

[dzrtram]

Hi, new guy here. First message.
I thought I'd get your opinions on the Lee Factory Crimp Die.
I loaded my first round a couple of days ago using the Lee Factory Crimp Die on 9mm. WOW!, is all I can say. It sure do make a difference. I might have crimped it a little too hard, I don't know. But I'm here to tell ya that it does one sweet crimp.
I can see why people use the FCD with rifle calibers, and I can especially see why it's good in levers. I do wonder, though, if crimping it too much will affect velocity and accuracy. I just wish I could tell what is too much and what is too little. I have no chronograph.
Before I entered this message I looked around the site a bit. I noticed some talk on sizing. Don't most die sets size pistol ammo? Seems to me all that I have, using my Dillon 550, size in the first stage, using Dillon, Hornady, or Lee dies. Additionally, the Lee FCD "sizes" it again in the last stage, usually. I put "size" in quotes because the FCD smoothes out any bulges or imperfections like that. The result is truly ammo that looks factory.
The FCD seems to be controversial, however, it only seems to be controversial with people that have never used it. I followed directions (it's rare for me to even read directions) and got a "perfect" round the first time. Just wondering how many of you use the FCD. Would like input from those of you with hands-on experience.
Great site with a lot of knowledgeable people.
I'll try to keep the messages shorter in the future.
Thank you in advance for your input.

 

[Black Snowman]

Welcome abord!

I think Lee is clinging to the patents on their factory crimp dies, both the carbide straight-wall dies and the rifle neck crimp dies. I've read a lot of posts on multiple boards about people using a set of top-of-the-line Redding Titanium-Carbide dies plus the Lee FCD. No one else makes a product like it.

They really do seem to produce more consistant ammunition. I first got them because I was worried about bullet set-back in my .40 S&W loads and I'm a believier in them.

The rifle crimp dies work on a differant principle than the pistol ones do but still produce and excellent and uniform crimp.

 

[dzrtram]

Black Snowman,
Thanks for the welcome!
I don't have any Redding dies yet. I do use different dies for different calibers on my Dillon 550 and on my single stage or turret. For example, with the exception of the powder stage on my Dillon, I use all Lee dies because the FCD "perfects" the brass in the final stage.
In rifle calilbers, I have just decided to use a Redding turret press, the T-7. I will use the FCD with the .30-30 now instead of the Dillon. I also had to replace the Dillon .30-30 seating die with a Hornady because the Dillon kept crushing the brass no matter what I did, even with Dillon walking me through the process. Now, on the Redding I will be using a Dillon sizing die, for now, a Lyman M Die, then a Hornady seater, and "smooth it all" in the last stage with a Lee FCD. As soon as I have my .30-30 Ackley Improved, I will change the sizer to the Hornady neck size only. But I will still use the FCD in the final stage.

 

[Black Snowman]

The lee rifle crimp dies don't have the carbide collar that the pistol dies do. They have a "clamping" mechanism to crimp the top of the neck with helps make it more perfectly round and even tension. It's really very simple and quite effective. They forgo resizing the body because it's a rare rifle cartridged that is straight-walled or cares if the case is perfectly shaped.

 

[dzrtram]

Thanks for that info., Black Snowman. I haven't used the FCD on the .30-30 yet. Just getting set up. In fact, not all my equipment has arrived yet.