Yet another thread about crimping..

[Mr. Creosote]

I've been reloading for over a year now and still consider myself in the learning curve. I was reading the threads on crimping tonight. Im loading .45acp. In the course of trying to keep it simple and acheve a consistant and repeatable crimp I have been, after seating bullet, runing the seating die down till it touches the case mouth then giving it a quarter turn and setting the lock ring. Now is this an acceptable way of setting your crimp?

 

[Drail]

It's really a matter of feel. Try this, look down the side of the case after it's been flared while pointing it towards a good light source. Can you see the flare at the mouth? Crimp the loaded round just enough to remove the flare. Then give it just a little bit more. Drop the round into the barrel (removed from the gun). It should drop in and seat and fall out from its own weight when you point the barrel up. Try to flare as little as possible to start a bullet so you don't have to crimp a great deal to remove the flare. It is not really possible to achieve consistent crimps unless all of your cases are exactly the same length (they won't be).

 

[loadedround]

Drail is correct. You may want to read my reply to Jibbs one post below yours. Similar crimping information on the 45 ACP.

 

[Walkalong]

Now is this an acceptable way of setting your crimp?

No. You must adjust it down a little at a time and check your amount of crimp under magnification. Then when you think you have it right run a few cases though and check them all. Since your brass will vary a little in length from cases to case our setting must be a good "average" that is acceptable with all cases of reasonable length.

All you need to do is remove the bell and just a hair more.

Sample pic

 

[Deavis]

Get a set of calipers and set your crimp die using them. .003" under the max will give you a nice firm crimp but some manufacturers actually crimp harder than that.

Simply measure what you need to chamber in your gun, take a sample using your load brass, and set the crimp die so that it never exceeds that diameter. Write it down and be done with it.