Seating & crimping

[Hondo 60]

I have a Pro 1000 press that sits in the corner because it's only a 3 holer.
All this talk on here lately about progressives has me hankerin to put it to use.
I have used it in the past & crimped on my single stage.

Since I started reloading, I've always had a crimp die. So I've never had to setup a seating/crimp combo.

In the 4 die sets, does the seating die also crimp if you set it up right?
If so, how do you set it?

If the answer is to crimp on the SS, then I might as well just leave it in the corner & continue with my 4 hole turret press.

Thanks in advance

 

[LiveLife]

In the 4 die sets, does the seating die also crimp if you set it up right?
If so, how do you set it?

The 4 die set is the 3 die set with the addition of the Factory Crimp Die (FCD). Both have the same bullet seat/crimp die.

I don't use the FCD for straight walled pistol calibers. I adjust the bullet seat/taper crimp combination die by adjusting the taper crimp (die body adjustment) and the bullet seat depth (center knob). I have setup several Pro 1000 for new reloaders and have them use the FCD only after their 3 die adjustments are done for proper feed/chambering in their pistols.

If you want to use the FCD, you could use the FCD only in the 3 hole turret station #1 and with the case feeder, you should be able to run 100 rounds through the FCD in just a few minutes.

 

[Walkalong]

It is really quite simple to set a seater to seat and crimp in the same operation.

Three holes are all you need.

1. size/deprime

2. expand

3. seat/crimp

Skip #2 for rifle

Piece of cake.

Set it up for one of your calibers and try it out.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

Part of your answer will depend on case prep and the crimp.

Getting the proper crimp needs the cases to be close to the same length. So the variation in length needs to be under .005 = .010. More critical for a roll crimp. You can either trim cases to identical length or sort by measuring.

The combined seat/crimp die is usually easier to use for a roll crimp. The tapered crimp is more forgiving with cases of varying length, but harder to set properly in the combination die, but it can be done in most cases.
I mainly use a roll crimp for revolver rounds, a taper crimp for semi-auto. But I have used the taper for revolver ammo when the case length varies more than I like.

None of this is written in stone rules, but depends a lot on personal preference.

 

[Hondo 60]

Ok, I don't think I worded the op quite right.

First, I'm doing this for straight walled pistol cases (.38spl/.357mag.)
I understand what dies go into the press.
What I'm asking is How do you set the seat/crimp die so that it seats & crimps.
In the past I've only used 4 die sets so I never learned how to set the (third) seat/crimp die so it does both operations.


Turning the center down to seat is easy, but do set the crimp?

 

[casian]

Seat/Crimp Die

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth a million words.

http://www.leeprecision.com/html/HelpVideos/videos/Pistol/pistol bs die-1.wmv

You have to watch the whole thing until towards the end for setting the crimp. I realize that he is setting it up on a single stage press, but I reckon a fellah would do the same for a progressive, except it would have three other dies next to it.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

My method.

With an empty case and the nuts loose, turn the body down to where it just touches the case. Then back the body up a full turn.

Then I usually make a dummy, no powder or primer. Size & bell the case, drop in the bullet. With the seating plug screwed out, start turning it down until you feel it hit the bullet. Continue screwing down the plug until the bullet is at the needed depth.

Back the seating plug out a few turns and screw the die body down until you get the desired crimp.

With the dummy in the die, tighten the lock ring. Then screw the seating plug down until it touches the plug and lock the plug in place.

You can now remove the dummy and save it for later use when you need to reset the die.

 

[1SOW]

I do exactly as bds suggests.

My 9mm taper crimps are amazingly consistent (to 4 dec pts) with the LEE 4-holer.

My son uses the Pro 1000 for 45 acp, and he's happy with it--and so is his XD. He sure turns out cartridges waaay faster than I do, but it's said I'm anal.

 

[evan price]

I am going to assume these are Lee dies? The Lee dies will taper crimp if screwed in most of the way, or roll crimp if screwed in a bit further.

I set up a dummy cartridge. First, expand a case, don't put a bullet in it. Unscrew the seater stem so it's not pushing on anything. Then raise the ram all the way up with the die unscrewed. Start screwing in the die until you feel it hit the case. Then lower the ram a bit, screw the die in about a half a turn, and raise the case all the way. Examine the case. If it is pretty much taper crimped (flare removed) you're set for now. If not, keep screwing the die down by half turns until you can see, feel, measure that the flare is gone, but no more. Once you have that, set the locknut, then back the whole die/nut out about two full turns.

Next, resize and flare the case again. Put the bullet of your choice in the case. Raise the case to the top of stroke. Start screwing down the seater stem knob. Stop when you feel the stem touch the bullet. Now start screwing it down, stopping to check the OAL of the bullet/case combo. When you are within about 1/16" or so (about to the cannelure) stop.

Now turn the entire die back in those two turns you backed it off to- where you set the locknut. Run the shell into the die. It will probably taper crimp and seat a bit deeper. Adjust the crimpe first- more crimp, tighten the die down. Less crimp, loosen the die up.

Once you have the crimp 100% spot on, lock the nut down tight. Now, you can adjust the seating depth to where you want it.

Alternately, you can put a dummy round, or a loaded factory round, into the press and set the seating depth/oal to be the same. I keep a set of dummy rounds that are preset for OAL of the major bullet/case combos I load in case I make a change.

Remember that if you move the die to set crimp (unscrewing it or screwing it in deeper) you are also changing the OAL and will need to adjust the seater stem after you have the crimp how you want it.

 

[Walkalong]

Adjust the body of the die to crimp & the stem to seat. Just remember that when adjusting the body the stem comes with it and must be readjusted. That is the simple part that seems to give folks trouble.

 

[Hondo 60]

OK- thanks for the posts. This is exactly what I was looking for.

Casian - thanks for the video link. You're right - a video is worth a million words (or 1,000 pictures, which every comes first) .

 

[Hondo 60]

Just wanted to say thanks once again.

I reloaded four boxes last night on my Pro 1000 & I think they look just as good as if I'd used all 4 dies in my turret press

 

[Walkalong]

Excellent!

 

[elderken]

If you just can't get your new crimp/seating die to work right--especially if it's getting bullets stuck in the die--listen to what I learned Friday:
"Some of our Crimp dies came back from hardening out-of-round." This from Lee Precision.

The test for a bad crimp die is to take it apart and try to push a bullet through. I was told it should go through easily with a push from a pencil eraser.

Well, mine needed a hammer!

New die and the bullet pushed right through. Setup was a breeze!

I have to give LP credit, as he said he would send a replacement out that same day. I had to have 150 rounds loaded by morning for an event, so I picked up a new one at Cabela's. Didn't want to re-set the other two dies, so next week I'll return the defective die with the others from the new set to Cabela's, and I won't be out anything but a little time and frustration. Glad they are so good about standing behind their products.

Ken
"Practicing Christlikeness."