Problem with Redding's Taper Crimp Die for .30 Carbine

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jski

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I recently purchased Redding's taper crimp die for .30 Carbine. It came with no instructions, so I tried inserting the cartridge into the die where I had resistance in the final 1/2" of the downstroke on the RCBS press. The resulting cartridge had a decided ring around the case mouth that was pressed into the bullet, looking all the world like a roll crimp.

Sure enough 1/2 of them wouldn't fire out of either my Carbine or my Blackhawk, which is usually very unpicky. The obvious problem is that the rounds were seated too far into the chamber and the firing pin was unable to get a sufficient hit on the primer. The primers had very small, shallow dimples in them.

Anyone use these Redding taper crimp dies? How should they be used? How far into the die should the cartridge be inserted?
 
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My recommendation is to go to the Redding website for information. Short of doing that, I would start with just enough crimp to make the case mouth straight, then add a bit at a time until I got the desired crimp.
Lafitte
 
Yeah the dies I own from the other makers (RCBS/Lee) will put a hefty roll crimp on the brass IF you turn them down too far. I am somewhat lazy and just set my RCBS seater die with a military round for the taper crimp portion as that would work in both my carbine and Blackhawks. To adjust without, follow Lafitte's directions checking often until it will catch on the lip while being able to feed. For the Blackhawk mine need to be trimmed every second firing or they will be too long and seize up the cylinder when loaded FYI.
 
Well here's an if-and-maybe, would I have been better off with Lee's factory crimp die?
 
Probably it won't change the case length.
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The taper crimp die you have will work but you have to adjust it right.

The lee die crimps with a collet that closes when the ram pushes the shell holder into the bottom of the die.
I use the .30 carbine die with a couple spacers to crimp the top of my 7.62x38r gas seal rounds.
 
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Don't know about the blackhawk but the M1 carbine headspace off the case mouth. This is why case length and a minor crimp are critical for the 30 carbine round. The Lee seating die I use has a built in crimper which is set up by feeding a case on the down stroke into an empty press and lowering the seating die until it makes light contact with the case mouth. Lower the ram then turn the seating die 1/8 turn a time, load a charged case and bullet into the die until you get the amount of crimp desired. This principle should be the same for a crimping only die.

Oh and as a PS, I only apply enough crimp on jacketed rounds to remove the bell from flaring. I apply a very small amount of crimp on cast bullets as they have a canelure.
 
You should have a case dimension to taper crimp to. Screw the die down in the press until you obtain that dimension. There is no more to it than that.
 
Don't know about the blackhawk but the M1 carbine headspace off the case mouth. This is why case length and a minor crimp are critical for the 30 carbine round. The Lee seating die I use has a built in crimper which is set up by feeding a case on the down stroke into an empty press and lowering the seating die until it makes light contact with the case mouth. Lower the ram then turn the seating die 1/8 turn a time, load a charged case and bullet into the die until you get the amount of crimp desired. This principle should be the same for a crimping only die.

Oh and as a PS, I only apply enough crimp on jacketed rounds to remove the bell from flaring. I apply a very small amount of crimp on cast bullets as they have a canelure.
Both the Carbine and the Blackhawk headspace on the case mouth.

It was pure serendipity that I happened upon the Redding die.
 
As FrogFurr says, adjust the die to get 0.336" on the mouth. Stop.

BTW, Use the 32-30 case in the Blackhawk and crimp all you want.
Headspace on the rim.
 
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