Yep if you buy the Lee Ultimate die set, and read the pamphlet, it specifically states you can use it on bullets with or without a crimp ring in the bullet
Thanks great video. I've googled and googled and this one was the first I found that actually showed what a good crimp should look like. I'm loading 30-30 so a crimp is even more important. I'll test them out in 2 days woo hoo =)
These dies work good for 30-30 cartridges because if you are running them in a tube magazine and they don’t have a crimp the recoil will shove the bullet in the case also good to crimp revolver bullets so they don’t tie up your cylinder
I crimp all of my .308 with non cannelure bullets because I want confidence the OAL is maintained during feeding. My sako had controlled feed. As for accuracy, it's all in the mind like 99% of shooting. Confidence is the key.
I have multiple LEE rifle die sets with the factory crimper. Based on what I recall in the instruction sheets, you can adjust for more crimp until the collect gaps completely close up. When the collect gaps are totally closed, you have reached maximum safe crimp. Do NOT try for more as it will stress the crimper, and the crimp on the bullet will be needlessly excessive.
@denisaaj It keeps the bullet itself from being pushed into the cartridge case from either heavy recoil or being forced into a chamber from a semi auto.
When it comes to .44 mag, when using H110 with a heavy bullet, I would argue that a heavy crimp is necessary to ensure proper ignition before the bullet leaves the cartridge case
@ammosmith Thank you! I loaded up my first batch of .45 Colt cartridges using the hand press and the Lee Factory Crimp Die. It worked great. Killed a 225-lb boar hog at 50 yards with my Ruger Vaquero. Worked like a charm. One comment through, a cannelure is not required with the Lee Factory Crimp Die. There was no cannelure on my lead bullets and Lee advertises it's not a requirement. I believe the cannelure guidance only applies to a roll crimp.
The short answer is yes. You can use them on non-cannelured bullets like Nosler Ballistic Tips or Sierra Game Kings. Most crimping dies use a roll crimp or taper crimp on the case mouth into bullet. This is done by running the round up into a die, and using the ram to apply pressure to the brass body, and force the case mouth to buckle / roll into place. The brass will go to the only open area it has, and that is the crimp groove or cannelure on the bullet. The issue that arises is when there is no place for the brass to go. If there is no crimp groove or cannelure for the brass to buckle into, the brass body buckles. Remember, in a normal type of crimping die; the ram of the press is putting pressure on the entire case body. Lee worked around this, and developed two new types of dies that do not use the brass to support any pressure at all. Those two being the Collet Neck Sizer, and the Factory Crimp Die. They both use a solid piece of spring steel that is milled to the correct dimensions, and rests on the shell holder. In reference to the FCD, it is formed into a four piece compression collet that fits the dimensions of the desired round. Since the collet rests on the shell holder, the brass does not do any of the work, and only sits there. As the ram comes up, it pushes the round up into the die's collet area. When the outside area shell holder comes in contact with the bottom of the collet, it begins to push the tapered collet together. The die body takes the bearing load of the pressure, and forces the tapered ends of the collet together. The collet then pushes inward on the brass, forcing it inward into the bullet. Since there is no stress or force put on the brass body, there is no chance of the brass to buckle. The amount if inward force applied to the brass / bullet can be adjusted as needed, so you don't over crimp when not needed. I would suggest ditching the LEE lock rings, and getting some RCBS ones. The LEE's work OK, but for best repeated results, get the black RCBS ones. These dies are very very sensitive. One turn can take you from no-crimp to complete over-crimp. So having a reliable return point is very desirable. I loaded some 300 Win MAG ammo over a few days. I ended up having three different crimp levels. The variance was just a little, but it caused my shots to string vertically by 4 1/2 inches. Now mind you that this is a sub 1/2 MOA load. So imagine my surprise to find three different groups (from the three different days I loaded), instead of one solid 10 shot group. All the groups were sub-MOA, but strung up and down about 4 1/2 inches from top to bottom. Now this issue may be less present in a semi-auto gun, where the gas is evened out some-what by the gas system. As far as the FCD itself. I like them. I have them for most of the calibers I shoot. There are some that are multi-rolled. The .308 Win will also work for 30 Rem. The 280 Rem will do the 7mm Express. Those that are having a hard time finding 450 Marlin stuff. The 45/70 GOVT. will work on the 450 Marlin. Also any of them that will fit an Ackley Improved (AI) round, will obviously fit the parent round. Like 6mm REM AI will do the parent 6mm Rem. 22-250 Rem AI will do the basic 22-250 as well. Well, I hope this covers your question.
The crimp keeps the bullet from being pushed into the case when being fed in from a magazine or from being pushed in from heavy recoil. It also keeps the bullet from backing out. I personally don't crimp any of my ammunition...it's not absolutely necessary and will eventually cause cases to split.
3 or 4 things you were not right on. .... 1 Most of the time we buy the die just by itself... because some of us already have RCBS or Lyman or other die set already... So we buy the Lee FC. 2. you can use it on any bullet, with or without a crimp ring. 3. If it is set right a small 5 lb push will put the exact crimp that a 150 lb push will, pushing harder will not make the ram go further, I set mine to do it right at the cam over & that is all.
@longsnipz I never crimp for my bolt action. I am experimenting with a new tool for crimping that may improve accuracy but I'm still evaluating it at the moment.
It does two things. Over works the brass and changes the value of the bearing surface. Your accuracy will suffer. You just need enough to allow the cannelure to do it's job. Anything more than that is too much. Also on pistol ammunition especially rimless like the 9mm you can change the actual headspace. The 9mm headspaces off the mouth of the case.
I followed the instructions for the .223 factory crimp and wound up deformiing the bullet. Didn't shoot any. The instructions never gave any warning about over crimp.
I crimp all of my ammo with a FCD non of which have a canulure..... I have tested crimped and uncrimped and I found that the ES and SD are slightly tighter with a little crimp
Ok a question thats been killin me. If you look at almost any factory rifle cartidge that has a bullet with a cannelure you will notice that the case mouth is barley past the bottom edge of the cannelure, and then crimped. But in my experience with crimping using a lee FCD it crimps much better and without the feeling of squishing the bullet if you seat your bullet to just barley below the top edge of the cannelure. Allowing the crimped portion of the case mouth to freely go into the cannelure. Of course this also drops your OAL a bit. There must be reason if factory ammo is usually like that. You can usually see the cannelure very well on factory ammo. Its usually sticking up quite a bit. Anyone understand this concept? Is it an OAL issue or a crimp placement issue?
Factory ammo a lot of the time I believe is using a tapered crimp or roll crimp depending on application of the ammunition, with a taper crimp you’re just barely pushing the top edge of case mouth in a bevel shape towards the Cannelure
when you are resizing cases that had been previously crimped do you need to use the chamfer and remove the old crimp marks left on the inside of the casing mouth ?
I chamfer every time because the case mouth can get a little ragged. This can score the bullet jacket when seating. Most of the time when you trim your brass most of the crimp is removed. It'll still have telltale signs of it but after a few firings and trims it'll go away. Remington brass is notorious for thin brass and neck crimps being overdone.
What happens if you crimp it too much, and deform the bullet? I have seen a bunch of Turkish Mil-Surp 9mm ammo, where they crimped it heavily, and it made a sort of groove into the bullet. I know what a cannelure is, it was not a cannelure. Does it decrease accuracy? Can it cause any safety hazards, like too much chamber pressure?
I have a quick question about this die. I just bought my first press. It's actually a Lee Hand Press. Can you use this Factory Crimp Die with the Lee Hand Press? The reason I ask is because it appears that you use a lot of "look" and "feel" with your more traditional press which doesn't appear to be possible with the Hand Press.
So I'm thinking, If you use a factory round to set your crimp, and your casings have been trimmed, you may not get a good crimp! You can and should trim cases back beyond the maximum length so you do not need to trim every reload! Right?
I have an RCBS press that my grandfather let me borrow to reload all my 223 and 5.56 for my AR. The die came with an integrated crimper, so I used that since I am using 55 grain cannelured soft point bullets. It appeared to make a roll crimp right towards the bottom of the cannelure, inside it, not below it. Should I have got a die that uses a tapered crimp instead?
I just started reloading pistol on a 3 turret press my Dad gave me. The Lee seating die has the crimp built in so why use the 4th factory crimp die? Seems like an extra step that isn't needed? If that's a dumb question i apologize
I think you need to adjust your information. You only ROLL crimp on bullets with a cannuler. You can still taper crimp jacked bullets that don't have a cannuler.
@ammosmith how? wouldent to much crush it in tighter? im new to this stuff i dont really understand it yet...so do i just not so so hard when crimping? also when i use the bullet seater the bullet gets stuck in the die even when lubed so i go right from putting in powder to crimping. :S
Whether or not you crimp depends more on the cartrige you are shooting and the firearm that you are shooting it in. If a crimp is suitable to your application and deformation of the bullet is a concern, then you should look for a bullet that has a cannelure. Your application dictates cannelure and not the type of bullet you are loading.
@TexIndian I agree. I only crimp for my big 5 rifles. A good die set and good reloading techniques negate the use of the crimp. I wanted to show those who do crimp how to do it properly.
Cartridge over all length is not a factor using this Lee die. In regular dies that come with a die set (RCBS, Hornady, Lyman, Redding, etc...) the crimp is made by a shoulder in the die and case length will determine how much crimp will be applied.You must crimp ALL rounds being run in an autoloader! The Lee die can be used on bullets WITHOUT a cannelure. The Lee crimp die is so powerful, it will deform the bullet. I use it on ALL ammo I load! Some will tell you that you don't have to crimp rifle loads in a bolt gun. All the bench rest guys are now crimping for consistent start pressure. You should too. For my varmint gun and hunting rifle, I use a light crimp, just enough to make a very light impression on the case, autoloaders a little heavier. You should pull a bullet and check to see if it is over crimping.
***** Yes. Your pump action is the same as an autoloader so you must crimp. Remember, don't over crimp as you will deform the bullet and any hope of accuracy improvement you are going for will be ruined. Anyone that tells you not to crimp for maximum accuracy should be disregarded in all matters! If you have anymore reloading questions, feel free to email me.
got a question for anyone when i put mine threw the crimp die the bullet is in nice and tight wont come out but i can turn the bullet...rotate/spin it but its in tight enough i cant pull it out only spin it and i dont understand why this happons i try crimp very hard and easy use less and more powder im still doing somthing wrong and the bullet looks really short (308) think 160grain round nose i crimp half way on the bullet where the indent line is wut am i doing wrong?
Most semi auto pistols use taper crimp, Most new semi auto pistol die sets allready come with a taper crimp die, Most of the time if you dont taper crimp semi auto you will have feeding problems. Most of the time you should crimp revolver ammo, either with a roll crimp or lee factory crimp if your bullets have a cannelure. Regarding rifle ammo if you dont have a cannelure dont crimp, if it does you can roll crimp or lee factory crimp.
i have the very same die for my 30-06 and it dont crimp for nothing. i could probably stand on my press handle and it wont crimp. ive tride it every way i could possibly think of and you can still spin the bullet by hand. even my dad who has been reloading since the early 60s couldnt figure out why its crimping. all the other dies work great.. can you possibly think of what could be wrong with it? any advice would help.
i have the same issue sometimes. what i started doing is after using the full length sizing die, i set a bullet on the neck and see if i can push the bullet in the case neck with light hand pressure. if it goes in then i resize the case again. sometimes you need to check your sizing die from time to time. i actually like a heavy crimp. i set my crimping die till it touches the shell holder, then i rotate an extra half turn. i crimp one round. if i need more crimp then i rotate an extra 1/4 turn. you can actually gain more velocity without using more powder. i suggest people experiment with it. some powders it helps and some it doesnt. i use 20 grains imr4198. works great for me. 55g fmj bullet.
I am totally a noob at reloading. I recently loaded up 50 rounds of 223 Remington for my AR, I am using an RCBS black box 223 reloading die set. It states that it has a taper crimp in the bullet seating die. When I seated the bullets, it felt like I wasn't doing anything. I would have thought there would be some sort of resistance? I looked at the finished rounds and could not see any sort of crimp ring on the casing. Is that normal?
I have been reloading for a long time, I don't crimp my bolt gun ammo, I size the neck so that the bullet when seated is tight enough going into the case that it doesn't need a crimp , and I get better groups doing so, I used the Lee crimp die in both situations and the Ammo smith is right on the money, the bullet crimp is ever so slight and if you try to crimp a non cannelure bullet it just deforms the brass and doesn't really do anything that sizing the neck properly wont do, Just my experience with the crimp die,
No, Your bullet set die should have a crimp feature that will set it fine. If your bullet is a snug enough you may not need to crimp at all, but most people do to ensure the bullet stays straight on the casing. The Factory crimp is a more accurate crimping step. And is not a part of all die sets.
I haven't crimped a bottleneck case in 30+ years. It is not necessary even in the violent action of an M1A. The neck tension from a properly sized neck is all you need (usually more than you need) and eliminates potential problems from crimping.
slight issue...please,PLEASE PLLLEASEEE. stop referring to a loaded CARTRIDGE as a "bullet",bullets are the COMPONENT!!!! thank you for understanding my issue,I have the same problem with MAGAZINES versus..."Clips"
USING IT is not the issue…FINDING one available to buy is the problem. None, no where. Hasn’t been available in months! Come on, Lee, turn the machines on again.
You don't have to crimp a non cannelured bullet. If you deform the bullet especially a Sierra Match King your accuracy will deminish. I appreciate your point of view but for 28 years of reloading I never had a problem with not crimping a non cannelured bullet. I shoot them in my HK91, M1 Garand, and AR15 with no problems and superb accuracy.
Really, it is a great video. Very informative. But, you are killing me by saying "bullet" so much to refer to a cartridge. You know what you are talking about, and little errors in vocabulary like that makes it seem like you are not as knowledgeable as you are.
Why not make sure that you are truly saved by Jesus Christ and practice this way. Remorsefully confess with your heart your sins to Jesus Christ who is God and tell Him that you right now are repenting of your sins and you want to be born again of the Spirit from above. Tell Jesus that you are remorsefully sorry for breaking His commandments and that you are begging for forgiveness from Him. Allow His blood from the cross to wash away your sins. After this is done with your heart successfully the Holy Spirit will come to live within you and He will rebuild you from the inside out. Look for signs that you are saved. Things like spreading the good news from Jesus, getting other people saved, a craving for the word of God, reading the Bible, etc… These things are known as a calling and fruit bearing. If you're not bearing fruit then keep doing it. Sometimes it takes time to get saved. Read Matthew chapter 13 from the King James Bible. God bless!!!!!!!
Read Lee Reloading Book. He states it aids in start of powder ignition without having to be so precise about bullet seat depth. I’ve found it to be true. I am not a bench rest shooter though but my reloads are moa at 100 yds. .223, 30wcf, 308, 30.06, 45.70, 44wcf, and 45c. All bullet types with correct powder charge for my rifles. Overcrimping does not deform any bullet as he stated. Read the instructions for it if you buy one
This video was terrible. Not very informative. Always crimp auto feeding cartridges whether the bullet has a cennelure or not. You just said ooohhh thats a good crimp and your viewers cant even see what it looks like. That was bad.
You have given many people that have read and watched this video, VERY bad information. You are incorrect in most of what you said here. Look at Lee's website and learn the proper way and btw, why do you think most "factory" ammunition is crimped. Do some research and you will see why and then retract this totally incorrect video. dI think Lee knows way more about crimping than you do.
If you're going to make youtube videos about reloading, please learn the difference between a bullet and a cartridge. It may be a pointless, pedantic distinction in every other situation, but in reloading the distinction is very very real and not using the correct terminology makes you look ignorant.
Yep if you buy the Lee Ultimate die set, and read the pamphlet, it specifically states you can use it on bullets with or without a crimp ring in the bullet
Shout out to Boneville, GA and Pea Ridge BBQ
Thanks great video. I've googled and googled and this one was the first I found that actually showed what a good crimp should look like. I'm loading 30-30 so a crimp is even more important. I'll test them out in 2 days woo hoo =)
I could not distinguish the over crimp from the good.
These dies work good for 30-30 cartridges because if you are running them in a tube magazine and they don’t have a crimp the recoil will shove the bullet in the case also good to crimp revolver bullets so they don’t tie up your cylinder
I crimp all of my .308 with non cannelure bullets because I want confidence the OAL is maintained during feeding. My sako had controlled feed. As for accuracy, it's all in the mind like 99% of shooting. Confidence is the key.
I have multiple LEE rifle die sets with the factory crimper.
Based on what I recall in the instruction sheets, you can adjust for more crimp until the collect gaps completely close up. When the collect gaps are totally closed, you have reached maximum safe crimp. Do NOT try for more as it will stress the crimper, and the crimp on the bullet will be needlessly excessive.
I have a lee crimp die in 30-30win and after seeing your vid i realized i was over crimping my ammo. thanks for posting this vid.
@denisaaj It keeps the bullet itself from being pushed into the cartridge case from either heavy recoil or being forced into a chamber from a semi auto.
I already loaded 90.. pulled one and I swagged the bullet pretty good. These things are going to fly in all sorts of directions!
It's trial and error IMO with FCD. Brass case thickness has a big role to play the FCD. It differs from brass to brass.
When it comes to .44 mag, when using H110 with a heavy bullet, I would argue that a heavy crimp is necessary to ensure proper ignition before the bullet leaves the cartridge case
No problem we try to make the complicated understandable.
@ammosmith Thank you! I loaded up my first batch of .45 Colt cartridges using the hand press and the Lee Factory Crimp Die. It worked great. Killed a 225-lb boar hog at 50 yards with my Ruger Vaquero. Worked like a charm. One comment through, a cannelure is not required with the Lee Factory Crimp Die. There was no cannelure on my lead bullets and Lee advertises it's not a requirement. I believe the cannelure guidance only applies to a roll crimp.
Yes. It can shift the core and it does deform the bearing surface.
I think I read that lee factory crimp die can be use on bullets that doesn't have crimping grooves/ cannelure is this true and why.
this is correct
The short answer is yes. You can use them on non-cannelured bullets like Nosler Ballistic Tips or Sierra Game Kings. Most crimping dies use a roll crimp or taper crimp on the case mouth into bullet. This is done by running the round up into a die, and using the ram to apply pressure to the brass body, and force the case mouth to buckle / roll into place. The brass will go to the only open area it has, and that is the crimp groove or cannelure on the bullet. The issue that arises is when there is no place for the brass to go. If there is no crimp groove or cannelure for the brass to buckle into, the brass body buckles. Remember, in a normal type of crimping die; the ram of the press is putting pressure on the entire case body.
Lee worked around this, and developed two new types of dies that do not use the brass to support any pressure at all. Those two being the Collet Neck Sizer, and the Factory Crimp Die. They both use a solid piece of spring steel that is milled to the correct dimensions, and rests on the shell holder. In reference to the FCD, it is formed into a four piece compression collet that fits the dimensions of the desired round. Since the collet rests on the shell holder, the brass does not do any of the work, and only sits there. As the ram comes up, it pushes the round up into the die's collet area. When the outside area shell holder comes in contact with the bottom of the collet, it begins to push the tapered collet together. The die body takes the bearing load of the pressure, and forces the tapered ends of the collet together. The collet then pushes inward on the brass, forcing it inward into the bullet. Since there is no stress or force put on the brass body, there is no chance of the brass to buckle. The amount if inward force applied to the brass / bullet can be adjusted as needed, so you don't over crimp when not needed.
I would suggest ditching the LEE lock rings, and getting some RCBS ones. The LEE's work OK, but for best repeated results, get the black RCBS ones. These dies are very very sensitive. One turn can take you from no-crimp to complete over-crimp. So having a reliable return point is very desirable. I loaded some 300 Win MAG ammo over a few days. I ended up having three different crimp levels. The variance was just a little, but it caused my shots to string vertically by 4 1/2 inches. Now mind you that this is a sub 1/2 MOA load. So imagine my surprise to find three different groups (from the three different days I loaded), instead of one solid 10 shot group. All the groups were sub-MOA, but strung up and down about 4 1/2 inches from top to bottom. Now this issue may be less present in a semi-auto gun, where the gas is evened out some-what by the gas system.
As far as the FCD itself. I like them. I have them for most of the calibers I shoot. There are some that are multi-rolled. The .308 Win will also work for 30 Rem. The 280 Rem will do the 7mm Express. Those that are having a hard time finding 450 Marlin stuff. The 45/70 GOVT. will work on the 450 Marlin. Also any of them that will fit an Ackley Improved (AI) round, will obviously fit the parent round. Like 6mm REM AI will do the parent 6mm Rem. 22-250 Rem AI will do the basic 22-250 as well.
Well, I hope this covers your question.
I do on all of mine. I use the "light" crimp setting for them. I don't want any projectiles moving up or down in the case neck with vibrations.
Lee factory crimp die does not require a cannelure.
Hey ammosmith, once again - thanks for the information, anytime I have a question, here you are with all the answers!
The crimp keeps the bullet from being pushed into the case when being fed in from a magazine or from being pushed in from heavy recoil. It also keeps the bullet from backing out. I personally don't crimp any of my ammunition...it's not absolutely necessary and will eventually cause cases to split.
3 or 4 things you were not right on. .... 1 Most of the time we buy the die just by itself... because some of us already have RCBS or Lyman or other die set already... So we buy the Lee FC. 2. you can use it on any bullet, with or without a crimp ring. 3. If it is set right a small 5 lb push will put the exact crimp that a 150 lb push will, pushing harder will not make the ram go further, I set mine to do it right at the cam over & that is all.
@longsnipz I never crimp for my bolt action. I am experimenting with a new tool for crimping that may improve accuracy but I'm still evaluating it at the moment.
@Magnageek It can be used on a pregressive 4 station press.
"They shouldn't be squeezed together where you dont see no daylight through them."
😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭
Very good description.
@ammosmith oh ok thanks :) im going to have to learn a ton of these terms whenever i starts doing my own gun smithing and reloading lol
@GregorDelvalle Thanks!! I keep it on here for those who are just starting out.
Good, clear video....
It does two things. Over works the brass and changes the value of the bearing surface. Your accuracy will suffer. You just need enough to allow the cannelure to do it's job. Anything more than that is too much. Also on pistol ammunition especially rimless like the 9mm you can change the actual headspace. The 9mm headspaces off the mouth of the case.
@brychevy No. It depends on the cartridge and bullet type.
I followed the instructions for the .223 factory crimp and wound up deformiing the bullet. Didn't shoot any. The instructions never gave any warning about over crimp.
An excellent video! But isn't crimping necessary in all guns and powders for consistent ignition and velocity as well?
Not usually. It would be a problem if the case were not trimmed after a few firings.
I crimp all of my ammo with a FCD non of which have a canulure.....
I have tested crimped and uncrimped and I found that the ES and SD are slightly tighter with a little crimp
Yep, you don't need a canulure with the Lee FCD
cool video bro ,i was wondering how to use that
nice vids. one suggestion is a bit brighter especially around the bullet/case when crimping etc..
thanks
Ok a question thats been killin me. If you look at almost any factory rifle cartidge that has a bullet with a cannelure you will notice that the case mouth is barley past the bottom edge of the cannelure, and then crimped. But in my experience with crimping using a lee FCD it crimps much better and without the feeling of squishing the bullet if you seat your bullet to just barley below the top edge of the cannelure. Allowing the crimped portion of the case mouth to freely go into the cannelure. Of course this also drops your OAL a bit. There must be reason if factory ammo is usually like that. You can usually see the cannelure very well on factory ammo. Its usually sticking up quite a bit. Anyone understand this concept? Is it an OAL issue or a crimp placement issue?
Factory ammo a lot of the time I believe is using a tapered crimp or roll crimp depending on application of the ammunition, with a taper crimp you’re just barely pushing the top edge of case mouth in a bevel shape towards the Cannelure
You can either or actually. I do not crimp jacketed bullets unless it's a .375 H&H or larger
Is this operation always performed separately, or can the crimp die be done on a turret or progressive press as well?
Thanks, great video!
when you are resizing cases that had been previously crimped do you need to use the chamfer and remove the old crimp marks left on the inside of the casing mouth ?
I chamfer every time because the case mouth can get a little ragged. This can score the bullet jacket when seating. Most of the time when you trim your brass most of the crimp is removed. It'll still have telltale signs of it but after a few firings and trims it'll go away. Remington brass is notorious for thin brass and neck crimps being overdone.
What happens if you crimp it too much, and deform the bullet?
I have seen a bunch of Turkish Mil-Surp 9mm ammo, where they crimped it heavily, and it made a sort of groove into the bullet. I know what a cannelure is, it was not a cannelure.
Does it decrease accuracy? Can it cause any safety hazards, like too much chamber pressure?
Pacesetter set comes with it too
I have a quick question about this die. I just bought my first press. It's actually a Lee Hand Press. Can you use this Factory Crimp Die with the Lee Hand Press? The reason I ask is because it appears that you use a lot of "look" and "feel" with your more traditional press which doesn't appear to be possible with the Hand Press.
So I'm thinking, If you use a factory round to set your crimp, and your casings have been trimmed, you may not get a good crimp! You can and should trim cases back beyond the maximum length so you do not need to trim every reload! Right?
I have an RCBS press that my grandfather let me borrow to reload all my 223 and 5.56 for my AR. The die came with an integrated crimper, so I used that since I am using 55 grain cannelured soft point bullets. It appeared to make a roll crimp right towards the bottom of the cannelure, inside it, not below it. Should I have got a die that uses a tapered crimp instead?
do you need to crimp pistol brass? i shoot 380, 10mm, 40 if that matters. all is for plinking, range use except some 10mm for hunting
I just started reloading pistol on a 3 turret press my Dad gave me. The Lee seating die has the crimp built in so why use the 4th factory crimp die? Seems like an extra step that isn't needed? If that's a dumb question i apologize
Does the Lee .223 bullet seating die have a taper crimp shoulder built in? If so, will that provide enough crimp?
I think you need to adjust your information. You only ROLL crimp on bullets with a cannuler. You can still taper crimp jacked bullets that don't have a cannuler.
@ammosmith how? wouldent to much crush it in tighter? im new to this stuff i dont really understand it yet...so do i just not so so hard when crimping? also when i use the bullet seater the bullet gets stuck in the die even when lubed so i go right from putting in powder to crimping. :S
Not problem. Ask us if you have any questions.
Thanks for the vid, I use the Lee FCD but on pistol ammunition where crimipng is much more important. It does an outstanding job.
what is your COL before crimp? Is the Col correct for your rifle's Throat? What Case length are you cutting at?
Oh no! Were you able to pull them down?
You're wrong about only crimping a cannelure bullet.....it will crimp any bullet.....it doesn't bend into the cannelure, It squeezes.
Whether or not you crimp depends more on the cartrige you are shooting and the firearm that you are shooting it in. If a crimp is suitable to your application and deformation of the bullet is a concern, then you should look for a bullet that has a cannelure. Your application dictates cannelure and not the type of bullet you are loading.
@TexIndian I agree. I only crimp for my big 5 rifles. A good die set and good reloading techniques negate the use of the crimp. I wanted to show those who do crimp how to do it properly.
@idsman75You should be able to.
Cartridge over all length is not a factor using this Lee die. In regular dies that come with a die set (RCBS, Hornady, Lyman, Redding, etc...) the crimp is made by a shoulder in the die and case length will determine how much crimp will be applied.You must crimp ALL rounds being run in an autoloader! The Lee die can be used on bullets WITHOUT a cannelure. The Lee crimp die is so powerful, it will deform the bullet. I use it on ALL ammo I load! Some will tell you that you don't have to crimp rifle loads in a bolt gun. All the bench rest guys are now crimping for consistent start pressure. You should too. For my varmint gun and hunting rifle, I use a light crimp, just enough to make a very light impression on the case, autoloaders a little heavier. You should pull a bullet and check to see if it is over crimping.
***** Yes. Your pump action is the same as an autoloader so you must crimp. Remember, don't over crimp as you will deform the bullet and any hope of accuracy improvement you are going for will be ruined. Anyone that tells you not to crimp for maximum accuracy should be disregarded in all matters! If you have anymore reloading questions, feel free to email me.
Your welcome!
any issue crimping a ftx 30-30 round with this die?
why do you need too crimp this might sound crazy but i am new too this.
thanks for all your great vids keep them coming!!!!
Would it be possible to neck size cases with this die set? Just by crimping down on the cartridge neck with no bullet seated?
Kyle Meier Outdoors no
got a question for anyone when i put mine threw the crimp die the bullet is in nice and tight wont come out but i can turn the bullet...rotate/spin it but its in tight enough i cant pull it out only spin it and i dont understand why this happons i try crimp very hard and easy use less and more powder im still doing somthing wrong and the bullet looks really short (308) think 160grain round nose i crimp half way on the bullet where the indent line is wut am i doing wrong?
Most semi auto pistols use taper crimp, Most new semi auto pistol die sets allready come with a taper crimp die, Most of the time if you dont taper crimp semi auto you will have feeding problems. Most of the time you should crimp revolver ammo, either with a roll crimp or lee factory crimp if your bullets have a cannelure. Regarding rifle ammo if you dont have a cannelure dont crimp, if it does you can roll crimp or lee factory crimp.
think of the crimp die as a radiator hose clamp,no clamp....pressure is lost.
i have the very same die for my 30-06 and it dont crimp for nothing. i could probably stand on my press handle and it wont crimp. ive tride it every way i could possibly think of and you can still spin the bullet by hand. even my dad who has been reloading since the early 60s couldnt figure out why its crimping. all the other dies work great.. can you possibly think of what could be wrong with it? any advice would help.
i have the same issue sometimes. what i started doing is after using the full length sizing die, i set a bullet on the neck and see if i can push the bullet in the case neck with light hand pressure. if it goes in then i resize the case again. sometimes you need to check your sizing die from time to time.
i actually like a heavy crimp. i set my crimping die till it touches the shell holder, then i rotate an extra half turn. i crimp one round. if i need more crimp then i rotate an extra 1/4 turn. you can actually gain more velocity without using more powder. i suggest people experiment with it. some powders it helps and some it doesnt. i use 20 grains imr4198. works great for me. 55g fmj bullet.
what exactly does crimping do ?
I am totally a noob at reloading. I recently loaded up 50 rounds of 223 Remington for my AR, I am using an RCBS black box 223 reloading die set. It states that it has a taper crimp in the bullet seating die. When I seated the bullets, it felt like I wasn't doing anything. I would have thought there would be some sort of resistance? I looked at the finished rounds and could not see any sort of crimp ring on the casing. Is that normal?
I have been reloading for a long time, I don't crimp my bolt gun ammo, I size the neck so that the bullet when seated is tight enough going into the case that it doesn't need a crimp , and I get better groups doing so, I used the Lee crimp die in both situations and the Ammo smith is right on the money, the bullet crimp is ever so slight and if you try to crimp a non cannelure bullet it just deforms the brass and doesn't really do anything that sizing the neck properly wont do, Just my experience with the crimp die,
@USRimfireShooter It's for appearance in some respects.
i reload for my .308 bolt action rifle. is it realy a must to crimp? does it help with accuracy to crimp? i only reload for my bolt action.
No, Your bullet set die should have a crimp feature that will set it fine. If your bullet is a snug enough you may not need to crimp at all, but most people do to ensure the bullet stays straight on the casing. The Factory crimp is a more accurate crimping step. And is not a part of all die sets.
Damnit.... I've been over crimping mine.
I haven't crimped a bottleneck case in 30+ years. It is not necessary even in the violent action of an M1A. The neck tension from a properly sized neck is all you need (usually more than you need) and eliminates potential problems from crimping.
slight issue...please,PLEASE PLLLEASEEE.
stop referring to a loaded CARTRIDGE as a "bullet",bullets are the COMPONENT!!!!
thank you for understanding my issue,I have the same problem with MAGAZINES versus..."Clips"
Only use a taper crimp on automatic pistol brass. That way you don't change the bullet headspace.
It's called a "cartridge", not a bullet.
USING IT is not the issue…FINDING one available to buy is the problem. None, no where. Hasn’t been available in months! Come on, Lee, turn the machines on again.
You don't have to crimp a non cannelured bullet. If you deform the bullet especially a Sierra Match King your accuracy will deminish. I appreciate your point of view but for 28 years of reloading I never had a problem with not crimping a non cannelured bullet. I shoot them in my HK91, M1 Garand, and AR15 with no problems and superb accuracy.
oh ok thanks man
Doesnt come with the RGB die set either.
I bought mine separately on some calibers. It's a really handy die.
Really, it is a great video. Very informative.
But, you are killing me by saying "bullet" so much to refer to a cartridge. You know what you are talking about, and little errors in vocabulary like that makes it seem like you are not as knowledgeable as you are.
@PTEredmond You're using too much crimp.
whats the point of crimping? (i hope thats a real term haha)
Wrong. Both the Lyman and Sierra Manuals (the one's I checked most recently)both state that you should not crimp if there is no cannelure present.
Why not make sure that you are truly saved by Jesus Christ and practice this way. Remorsefully confess with your heart your sins to Jesus Christ who is God and tell Him that you right now are repenting of your sins and you want to be born again of the Spirit from above. Tell Jesus that you are remorsefully sorry for breaking His commandments and that you are begging for forgiveness from Him. Allow His blood from the cross to wash away your sins. After this is done with your heart successfully the Holy Spirit will come to live within you and He will rebuild you from the inside out.
Look for signs that you are saved. Things like spreading the good news from Jesus, getting other people saved, a craving for the word of God, reading the Bible, etc… These things are known as a calling and fruit bearing. If you're not bearing fruit then keep doing it. Sometimes it takes time to get saved. Read Matthew chapter 13 from the King James Bible. God bless!!!!!!!
What's Jesus Christ got to do with crimping ammo?
Have to wonder why you're crimping at all? I know that 223 has tremendous recoil, but really guys, tell me why you crimp?
If you have a bolt action, I could see not crimping. If your shooting an ar-10, it’s so the bullet doesn’t shift.
Read Lee Reloading Book. He states it aids in start of powder ignition without having to be so precise about bullet seat depth. I’ve found it to be true. I am not a bench rest shooter though but my reloads are moa at 100 yds. .223, 30wcf, 308, 30.06, 45.70, 44wcf, and 45c. All bullet types with correct powder charge for my rifles. Overcrimping does not deform any bullet as he stated. Read the instructions for it if you buy one
This video was terrible. Not very informative. Always crimp auto feeding cartridges whether the bullet has a cennelure or not. You just said ooohhh thats a good crimp and your viewers cant even see what it looks like. That was bad.
Yep... Wish I would've watched this BEFORE I over crimped 90 rounds of 300 Blk!
Good intentions. Horrible delivery. Need better lighting and actually show it being done. Not three bullets and that’s it.
You have given many people that have read and watched this video, VERY bad information. You are incorrect in most of what you said here. Look at Lee's website and learn the proper way and btw, why do you think most "factory" ammunition is crimped. Do some research and you will see why and then retract this totally incorrect video. dI think Lee knows way more about crimping than you do.
@longsnipz
If you are not shooting a semi auto, there is no reason to crimp. if you are shooting a semi auto you should crimp
If you're going to make youtube videos about reloading, please learn the difference between a bullet and a cartridge. It may be a pointless, pedantic distinction in every other situation, but in reloading the distinction is very very real and not using the correct terminology makes you look ignorant.
I never crimp a non cannelured bullet. It will deform it and loss of accuracy will be the result.