bob
Member
I'm too old to be nice but never too old to learn!
Posts: 1,457 
Location: Northern California
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Post by bob on Nov 4, 2014 20:34:06 GMT -5
Not trying to start something here . This is an I want to learn question. What is the advantage of crimping as a separate step in the loading process? I can understand it for a target shooter but for a casual shooter/hunter I don't see it. I have been loading revolver cartridges for a long time and have always crimped them. I do it with the seating die as I seat the bullet to the desired OAL and have yet to have a problem.
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Post by hacker54 on Nov 4, 2014 20:56:58 GMT -5
Bob,
The one advantage of the separate step is to not seating the bullet any further. If one has their dies adjusted properly this should not be an issue with a seat and crimp die. Now for my revolver rounds I do seat and crimp with the same die. My reason is that I have the area of the crimp grove to work with. My semi handgun rounds are done separately using a Lee FC die. Now for rifle in my bolt guns no I don't crimp in a lever with tube magazine yes and in an AR platform like my son-in-law's yes I do crimp and they are done in separate steps. What I'm trying to say is use what works best for you and the given application. Depends what for firearm I load for is what steps I use for the application.
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dangun
Member
I love the smell of burnt gun powder.
Posts: 517
Location: SW Florida
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Post by dangun on Nov 4, 2014 23:20:33 GMT -5
I roll crimp revolver rounds, Taper crimp semi auto pistol rounds and never ever ever crimp any none nada not even one rifle round. Why? Bad juju!
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Post by erjdriver on Nov 4, 2014 23:40:59 GMT -5
Mr. Bob,
In my VERY limited experience in reloading, I'm currently (and still) a proponent of using my seating/crimping die for both my revolver and semi-auto loads. With the recent "scare" I got with this bulge in my semi-auto brass, I considered going to a separate step. Springfield, however, saved the day by passing along the Bulge Buster info from Lee. So I bought the Lee Factory Crimp Die along with the Bulge Buster Kit; once I ran the cases through the Bulge Buster, I had a LOT more confidence in my seating/crimping die, which I took GREAT pains to dial in to perfection. I've loaded right at 1,000 rounds of BEAUTIFUL .40 S&W.
As to your question, I believe the MAJOR advantage of seating and crimping in separate steps (at least from what I've read) is that your brass can be inconsistent in length and you'll still get a fairly consistent crimp if you crimp in a separate step, especially with the Lee Factory Crimp Die.
Mr. dangun,
Thanks for your comment on crimping (or lack of) rifle rounds. I'm certainly going to remember that when I start working with .223.
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Post by springfieldxdm on Nov 5, 2014 5:33:01 GMT -5
Erjdriver As to your question, I believe the MAJOR advantage of seating and crimping in separate steps (at least from what I've read) is that your brass can be inconsistent in length and you'll still get a fairly consistent crimp if you crimp in a separate step, especially with the Lee Factory Crimp die. Listen to him, he's smart. |
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bob
Member
I'm too old to be nice but never too old to learn!
Posts: 1,457
Location: Northern California
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Post by bob on Nov 5, 2014 9:37:16 GMT -5
Devil's advocate here now!(Still interested in learning) When the case lengths are not consistent, how does the seating die react differently and how does the separate crimp die know to change it's position to accommodate the slight difference as the OAL is still the same? The problem I have is whether a one die or two die operation the dies are in a fixed position. Dan, You must have read my mind in general about crimping rifle= no, revolver= roll, semi auto pistol= taper, glad we agree!!
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dangun
Member
I love the smell of burnt gun powder.
Posts: 517
Location: SW Florida
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Post by dangun on Nov 5, 2014 10:04:37 GMT -5
Bob,
Not all dies will effectively crimp cases that are at different lengths. All of my handgun dies are Lee and with all I use the separate Bullet seater die and the Lee factory crimp die. The Lee factory crimp die uses a floating collet that allow for different case lengths to be crimped consistently regardless of case length. I'm not sure about other brands as the Lee crimp die has worked so well I never explored using other brands.
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bob
Member
I'm too old to be nice but never too old to learn!
Posts: 1,457
Location: Northern California
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Post by bob on Nov 5, 2014 20:56:46 GMT -5
Thanks Dan, a floating collet type of die make sense in the separate crimping scheme of things especially for taper crimp what about roll crimp?
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Post by krwada on Nov 5, 2014 22:33:07 GMT -5
I have the LEE factory crimp die for every rifle caliber that I load for.
I have not used it yet however.
The idea is to see whether or not the LEE FCD dies have any effect on the 100+ year war horses I own.
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dangun
Member
I love the smell of burnt gun powder.
Posts: 517
Location: SW Florida
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Post by dangun on Nov 9, 2014 22:52:38 GMT -5
Bob, Check out this link. |
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bob
Member
I'm too old to be nice but never too old to learn!
Posts: 1,457
Location: Northern California
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Post by bob on Nov 10, 2014 0:06:57 GMT -5
Thanks Dan, The more I learn...........
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Post by erjdriver on Nov 10, 2014 0:23:36 GMT -5
Thanks for all this discussion. I am now THOROUGHLY convinced that I will be seating and crimping in two separate steps when loading .223 Remington. I just added the Lee Rifle Factory Crimp Die to my wishlist on Midway.
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dangun
Member
I love the smell of burnt gun powder.
Posts: 517
Location: SW Florida
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Post by dangun on Nov 10, 2014 0:25:03 GMT -5
Yep it's the only way I do it.
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Post by hacker54 on Nov 10, 2014 0:43:50 GMT -5
ERJ,
I crimp using the Lee FC die for my son-in-law's AR .223/5.56. I seat then crimp as a separate step. I try to make sure all are trimmed to a uniform length also.
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Post by erjdriver on Nov 10, 2014 1:00:58 GMT -5
ERJ, I crimp using the Lee FC die for my son-in-law's AR .223/5.56. I seat then crimp as a separate step. I try to make sure all are trimmed to a uniform length also. Roger that. I bought the Hornady Case Prep Center to make sure everything is uniform before it even hits the Pro2000. The last thing I need is snags in the middle of reloading rifle rounds because I got lazy and didn't trim after resizing. |
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My daughter came from Missouri, my son and grand son, my wife and I had a nice dinner of grilled "porter house" pork chops, corn on the cobb, my son, G'son and I share 10/5. G'son is 4 minutes early though @ 10/4.
Pooh I hope you find to right house . 
