Taper Crimp 9MM 380

[Cajun CB]

I am having difficulty in setting the taper crimp on 9 MM and 380 cartridges. Where do you measure the cartridge to determine the amount of crimp? Do you measure at the top of the case and the middle.

On the 380, I am seeing .371 at the top and .370 on the middle. You can see where the bullet ends.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Marlin 45 carbine]

I use a factory cartridge to set my seat/crimp die. then a LFCD. just a light squeeze. no problems and I load some +P 9mm's for friends and family's pistols.

 

[Cajun CB]

LFCD?

 

[Walkalong]

No need to measure anything. Adjust the crimp die so it just does remove the bell, and maybe a teeny bit more. I need magnification to see my taper crimps on 9MM, .40, & .45. I haven't loaded any .380 in quite some time, but the same goes for it.

Sample .45 Pic

 

[loadedround]

LFCD=Lee Factory Crimp Die

 

[rcmodel]

Most reloading manuals have a SAAMI cartridge drawing at the beginning of each caliber chapter.

It shows the maximum case mouth measurement of a loaded round.

It is .373" for the .380 ACP, and .380" for the 9mm.

Your taper crimp should be that or very slightly, .001" - .002" less.

rc

 

[lgbloader]

Most reloading manuals have a SAAMI cartridge drawing at the beginning of each caliber chapter.

It shows the maximum case mouth measurement of a loaded round.

It is .373" for the .380 ACP, and .380" for the 9mm.

Your taper crimp should be that or very slightly, .001" - .002" less.

rc

Yup.

LGB

 

[zxcvbob]

No need to measure anything. Adjust the crimp die so it just does remove the bell, and maybe a teeny bit more.

That's what I do too in 9mm and .380, and I load them *hot* with no problems.

 

[Cajun CB]

Thanks for your help.

 

[Steve C]

For jacketed bullets I increase my crimp until there is no more bullet setback when the nose of the bullet is pressed against the edge of bench using thumb pressure. This insure no bullet set back in feeding. Never bothered to measure anything.

 

[alfack]

The thing is, those calibers headspace on the rim of the case. It's pretty obvious if you have too much crimp. The bullet will look deformed. If you have too little crimp and are over the SAAMI spec, your bullets won't chamber. An easy way to check is with a case gauge. On one side you can check the headspace. On the other you can check to see if it will chamber or is over OAL. I usually will drop a few in a gauge to make sure at first, then go to town when I'm confident the dies are set right.

 

[TigerBight]

+1 lfcd

+1 for the lee factory crimp die I have even run my factory ammo threw it and helped my factory feed problems on a couple of auto I have.

 

[rfwobbly]

Most reloading manuals have a SAAMI cartridge drawing at the beginning of each caliber chapter.

It shows the maximum case mouth measurement of a loaded round.

It is .373" for the .380 ACP, and .380" for the 9mm.

Your taper crimp should be that or very slightly, .001" - .002" less.

rc

Exactly.

To which I can only add that if the round is carefully disassembled using a kinetic hammer, there will be no trace of a crimp ring on the bullet, even if it's a plated lead bullet such as Berry.

 

[Walkalong]

lee factory crimp die

is still the wrong solution 99% of the time. Fix the problem so that you don't have to squish the rounds into shape.