Too Much Flare? Too Much Crimp?

[chagasrod]

I started loading my first rounds after almost 7 months of Reading, Watching & Buying equipment.
I'll be loading .45 Auto with 200g LCSWC with 7.0g of True Blue @ 1.267 recommended by Ramshot loading data.

The first 10 rounds would not fit in the chamber at all (Too Much Flare i guess), so i took them back to the single stage and applied more crimp to them. They fit in now.
It just feels like i'm using too much crimp as the resistance on the press raises.

I'm using the 3 set carbide dies from RCBS. Some of the bullets lube are being scraped into the crimping die. Is this normal?

What's the best way to adjust the seating/crimping function of this die?

I'll be taking some pictures to show you my progress.

Thanks guys

 

[chagasrod]

The problem i'm having is when seating the bullet to the proper COL (1.267) the crimping is apllied at the same time and if the bullet is not deep enough i can't seat it anymore because of the tight crimp. How can i adjust the seating & Crimping in a separate process? Possible?

 

[rcmodel]

Not without two die adjustments & two trips through the press..

You can back off the die body and adjust the seater down to where you want the bullet to end up.

Then back the seating stem out and adjust the die body down to apply the crimp.

You might try chamfering the inside case mouths so they aren't scraping the bullets as much during seating & crimping first though.

It's normal to get a little bullet lube scraped off during seating. Just not lead off the bullet.
Sharp edges on unchamfered case mouths are more likely to do that.

rc

 

[lykoris]

How can i adjust the seating & Crimping in a separate process? Possible?

you buy a separate die to apply the crimp.

Crimp is the wrong term for .45acp though as it is really only about removing the flare to enable the bullet to be seated.

As you appear to be loading lead it depends on how much flare, if you have bevel base bullets they require less flare whereas flat base can require more to avoid shaving lead as the bullet is seated.

Welcome to reloading

 

[MachIVshooter]

I do exactly as rcmodel described for all handgun cartridges. Seat in one step, then crimp in another. Much easier on bullet noses, especially semi-jacketed stuff that'll get squashed if you try to seat and crimp in one step..

 

[MachIVshooter]

duplicate post.

 

[Walkalong]

The crimp on .45 auto is so light there is no reason to crimp separately unless one just wants to.

 

[David Wile]

Hey RC,

If I understood you correctly, then this is probably the first time I ever disagreed with what you said.

I have loaded .45 ACP for many years on single stage presses, and I have been loading them since 1997 on a Hornady LNL AP. I use a regular RCBS 3-die set with a carbide sizer die. I mostly use cast bullets, and all my cases are the same length. The case mouths are all carefully chamfered which helps with seating bullets without shaving lead and with a minimum of case mouth belling. When I bell the case mouth, you can hardly see any flare on the case mouth. However, the rear of the bullet will fit inside the minimal flare.

When seating the bullets, I have always been able to adjust the seating/crrimping die to seat the bullet and remove what little case mouth belling I applied earlier. When looking at a finished round through a magnifying glass, I can see there is no flare on the case mouth and perhaps just a hint of an inward taper.

When helping others over the years, I found a lot of folks who were having problems because they were applying far too much case mouth belling. This is most evident when the big belled mouth then does not want to enter the seating die.

On both single stage and progressive press use, I make two adjustments to the seater/crimper die to get the final seating/crimping adjustment, but from that point on, it is just one operation to seat and crimp the bullet whether it is single stage or progressive.

I will also repeat that seating and crimping successfully in one operation depends on all cases being the same length as well as the case mouth being chamfered (especially on the inside).

Please do not interpret this post as some sort of challenge to a duel. Like I said earlier, I always seem to find your writings to be pretty much the same as my experience over the years (note our similar experience with chamfering case mouths). In this case, however, my experience in seating and crimping these rounds is different from yours if I read your post correctly.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

 

[243winxb]

Make sure your bullet diameter is .452" or .451" for jacketed.

The seating dies inside diameter is to small in front of the crimp. Metal needs to be removed. To test this, bell a case, adjust your vernier calipers so the case will not drop thru it, case hanging by its mouth. Run the case up into the die a small amount. See if the bell is being removed and when.

 

[rcmodel]

In this case, however, my experience in seating and crimping these rounds is different from yours if I read your post correctly.

No offense taken, but what did I say you disagree with??

I just answered the OP's question that if he wanted to seat & crimp separately, he could do so, by adjusting the die twice and running the rounds through the die twice.

I do not do it that way, nor did I suggest he do it.

What I thought I suggested he do first was to chamfer the cases and try it again.
It should work just fine seating & crimping in one operation.

rc

 

[David Wile]

Hey RC,

I guess I read your post, added 2+2 and came up with 5. When you said, "Not without two die adjustments & two trips through the press..", I thought you were suggesting that when one reloads .45 ACP and other semi-auto cartridges one had to seat the bullet in one step and then crimp (remove the belling) in a second step.

I know a lot of folks suggest seating and crimping in two steps is a must, but from what I thought I remember you writing in the past, I did not think you agreed with that point of view. When I read your post though, I jumped to the wrong conclusion about what you were saying.

Usually when I read something you post I get the feeling you may also be on the older side like myself and that we seem to have walked down a lot of the same roads in our reloading experience.

Best wishes,
Dave Wile

 

[918v]

You can seperate the seating from crimping by backing out the die and screwing in the seater stem to seat the bullets, then crimping by backing out the seater stem and screwing in the die.

 

[buck460XVR]

The only handgun cartridge I seat and crimp in two steps is for the .460 S&W. All others(with both roll and taper crimp) get it done in one step with standard RCBS dies..

What's the best way to adjust the seating/crimping function of this die?

For the .45 ACP, with RCBS dies, I run a case up into the press and after touching the case with the die, I turn it back a few turns. I then adjust the seating plug and seat the bullet til I get the COL I want. With the seated bullet and case still in the press, I then back off the seating plug several turns, loosen the large locknut on the die and turn it down on the case firmly by HAND till it wont go any farther. This generally is all I need to take the flare outta the case without adding unwanted crimp. I'll check the case either with a calipers or a straightedge, and if the flare is gone and the case is straight, I'll run the case back in and turn the seating plug down firmly on the test cartridge and then lock it in place.