Reloading Crimping Dies

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ASG

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Hi Everyone,

I have a question regarding crimp dies that I need to purchase. I am considering purchasing a set of Redding Titanium Carbide Dies in .45 ACP. Now in doing a search, it seems that most everyone feels that the crimping process should be done separately from the seating process. I was thinking of getting a separate taper crimp die for this. Now Redding makes a taper crimp die, but I have heard that the LEE Factory Carbide Die is quite good (lot's of folks like these). Which one do you prefer and why? Thank you.

ASG
 
I go back a little way with reloading 45 ACP so I take it that crimping these days means ironing out the belling on the case mouth so that the cartridge can headspace on the mouth as it is designed to?

Crimping in the old sense meant rolling the end of the case over the bullet cannelure, which is never done in a 45 ACP. A std bullet seating die from Lyman, RCBS, Lee, etc. will seat the bullet and iron out the case mouth to proper dimensions without the need for a separate crimping die. If it won't do that, it is defective and should be replaced by the mfr.

For other crimping needs like a revolver cartridge or a bottleneck rifle cartridge I would buy a Lee die as they have convinced me that their products are every bit as good as the other brands, if not better, but are reasonably priced. I've tried them all and Lee works.
 
Apparently the die makers have learned a way to market a new die to auto pistol reloaders. :eek: I've gotten along without one for oh, 30 or 35 years with no failures to chamber yet. :scrutiny:
 
In a .45 ACP where you're taper crimping anyway, I could never understand why people think seating and crimping are better done with two dies. A case could be made when you are Roll crimping and you don't want the case mouth pushing into the bullet while it is being forced down, but with a taper crimp - I don't get it.

A lot of people like the Lee factory carbide crimp die - it makes the finished cartridge look better (more uniform in diameter), because it resizes it to some extent.

Redding dies are great, but the older kind didn't work all that well in some progressive machines because the bottom of the dies were a little too tight. Give them a call.

Elliot
 
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