RCBS Carbide Seat/Crimp Die Question

[Jlr2267]

I bought RCBS dies for 44 mag reloading (everything else I have are Lee dies) and the seat/crimp is done in a single die. I've read the instructions (not very good) but I cannot seem to get roll crimp at the bullet cannelure (240gr XTP). Adjust the crimp, the seat depth moves and vice versa :banghead:

Anybody know any tricks they can share to help get this die set up before I lose my mind? Any advice is appreciated.

 

[sexybeast]

The Lee dies are the same. Crimp and set with the same dies.
Set the crimp first and then set the depth. Then you are ready to roll.
Obviously if you set the bullet set and then set the crimp the bullet set will have to adjusted again.

 

[Walkalong]

Adjust the die body up enough so that no crimping will happen with the case all the way up in the die. Get a bullet seated so that the case mouth is in the middle of the cannelure. Now run the seater plug way up so you can adjust the die body down until the crimp is just right. Lock the ring on the body. Now you can run the seater plug back down to make contact with the bullet. Turn it 1/4 turn more down and lock it. Try this, and it should be awfully close. Tweak if needed.

 

[Jlr2267]

The Lee dies are the same. Crimp and set with the same dies.
Set the crimp first and then set the depth. Then you are ready to roll.
Obviously if you set the bullet set and then set the crimp the bullet set will have to adjusted again.

My Lee dies have a separate crimp, which makes things much easier to set up.

 

[Rule3]

The Lee dies work the same way, You can seat and crimp with just the seating die, or set the seating die to not crimp and then use the crimping die as an extra step.

The trick is to set you OAL (seating depth just a bit lower than what you want as a final OAL). After you turn the whole die in a 1/4 (or more of a turn it will also seat the bullet a few thousands deeper as well as crimp. So you need to allow for this. Try by setting the OAL to the middle of the crimp groove then turn the whole die in a 1/4 turn. The crimp should then be at the top of the groove.

As Walkalong stated some tweaking is needed.

 

[greenmtnguy]

+1 what Walkalong instructs -- or, simply adjust the die up so that no crimping occurs, and just adjust it for bullet seating depth with the case mouth in the cannelure. Seat all bullets to the desired depth. Then get a Lee Factory crimp die and adjust that to creaate as much of a crimp as you want.

I use a separate Lee Factory Crimp Die on my 45 Colt and 45/70 loads - it does add an extra step, but I like taking my time and being meticulous about things, and with the Factory crimp die I can crimp any bullet anywhere I like (within reason of course). This is especially useful on some of the 45/70 bullets that must be crimped in places other than the cannelure due to bullet construction and cartridge OAL

 

[joneb]

Seat and crimp in one step can be a pain, if one can afford seat and crimp in two different steps with two different dies is ideal.

 

[Walkalong]

It isn't all that bad, and once done, you don't have to worry about it anymore. If you change bullets all you have to adjust is the seater plug, not the body again.

Seating and crimping in one step is just fine for many application, but that doesn't mean we can't do it in a separate step of if we wish to. Some applications do need crimping done in a separate step, and then we have no choice if we want a quality round.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=7699828&postcount=14

 

[Steve in PA]

Seating and crimping is not a pain if you set up your dies correctly. I've been doing 9mm , .45acp (taper crimp) and .357, .44 Magnum (roll crimp) for 20 years now in conjunction with seating.

 

[Jlr2267]

OK, walkalong's instructions were very helpful (and clear, unlike the RCBS literature, lol). I think I got it now, thanks.

 

[BYJO4]

Glad you got the die set. RCBS makes excellent dies.