Lee Die Set Question

IIRC auto rounds like the 45ACP, 9mm, ect headspace on the mouth of the case so roll crimps interfere with that. Taper won't. I'm sure you'll get more replies from others up on semi autos..

Roll crimp is usually for revolvers and there are some chambered in 45 ACP that use moon clips. For an autoloader, use a the tamper crimp.

A lot of folks would be surprised how many semiauto pistol cartridge dies are actually roll crimp, as many of them were standardized as roll crimps with SAAMI. I compiled a list a few years ago of common brands and their respective crimps, I’ll see if I can dig it up.

Personally, the only real disadvantage of taper crimping with the seating die is the fact you’re doing both functions simultaneously - the seater fights the crimp, and vice versa. The Factory Crimp dies, as well as the seaters are inexpensive - find one or the other and seat and crimp in separate steps.

Pretty much all of my Dillon 650 caliber heads are setup with seperate seating and crimp dies. I usually use RCBS dies because I can buy replacement de-priming pins locally. Most all of my crimp dies are Lee. If a Lee collet crimp die is available for the caliber I am reloading that is what I use.

There is no lee collet crimp die for 50ae so I just ordered a second RCBS seat crimp die. First one seats with pretty much no crimp, the second die crimps to how Ilike it.

I also have a smattering of Dillon, Redding, Horniday and Foster dies. They all pretty much work the same. (Except the Dillon Carbide sizing dies for .223 and .308 ARE worth their big price tags).

The Lee 45acp carbide set will do a great job for you. What kind of press are you using? Single stage, turret or progressive?

The 4 die set comes with the crimp die. But you can still do it with the 3 die set.... Follow walkalong's post and you'll be all set.

It depends on how many "stations" your press has.

• If you have a single-stage press, or your press has only 3 stations, then you'll want to apply a taper crimp at the last die, as your Seating Die is fully capable of doing.

• If you have a progressive press with 4 or more stations, then you'll want to set the body of your Seating Die just high enough so that no crimp is imparted to the cartridge. Then you'll want to buy the Lee product #90785, which is the plain Taper Crimp Die, and place that in your 4th station. If your press has the 4th die position, it is generally considered "best practice" to crimp in a separate station so that your die adjustments for seating doesn't interfere with crimping.


Simply put, using a separate crimp die in a single-stage or 3-position press would mean a labor intensive extra pass through the press for every cartridge. That's going to require a lot of additional extra effort, with very, very little increase in ammo quality.

The Lee 90785 is presently on sale at Midway for under $13.

Hope this helps.

Mr_Flintstone said:

I was unaware until today, when I was reading up on the .45 dies, that the seater actually has two shoulders; one for a taper crimp, and a second for the roll. That actually makes things much simpler on my single stage press.

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Looks like you now have it under control. Yes the third die in the Lee set is a Seating and Crimping die. Just set it up per the Lee directions that come with them and you will be just fine. I load 380 auto, 9mm and 45acp with Lee 3 die set dies. Since you are loading on a single stage press you can actually seat and crimp in two steps if you like. Just back out the die body a couple turns and then set your seating depth. After that step just back out the seating stem and then set the die body to the desired crimp.

When I first started with 9mm I loaded many rounds for one gun, then I got a second 9mm. The rounds would not chamber in the new XD Mod2 until I turned the crimp down 1/3 turn and then everything was hunky-dory!

I seat and crimp in one step for hand guns. My shooting ability doesn't show a difference.
I load single stage though and am not going to set and reset my die.

Walkalong said:

Some thoughts on crimping in one or two steps.

https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-and-crimp-in-two-stages.623417/#post-7699828

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Oly Cow, that was a mistake. Just read that whole thread in the link and then another thread that was linked in that thread and now my head hurts! I didn't think or realize that crimping was so difficult... I do use a Lee FCD for one caliber, 45acp, and that is a pistol specific problem with one pistol only. 380, 9mm and another 45acp I can load all while just using the standard 3 die sets with no difficulties.

9mmepiphany said:

Pretty much.

I have a friend who turned my on to the Redding Dual Ring Sizing dies...,45ACP for him, .38Spl for me...and tried to convince me that I needed the Redding Competition (micrometer) Seating and Micro-adjust Crimping die too.

While I love the Competition Seating die, I've drawn the line at the companion Crimping die

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How’s that die working out for you?

I'll stay out of this as Walkalong has already answered the ops question. For what it's worth I use the lee three die set for .45 ACP and have no problem with removing just the bell.

The only problem is if you are using mixed brass of varying lengths. Crimp will be either too little, just right, or too much depending on case length. That is if there is lots of variation. I prefer a separate crimp station but if you can get it to work in one, great.

I don't think that set will get it done, if you are loading lead bullets with the larger diameter than the standard for which the dies are made. I would expect good results with FMJ and set carefully. The gun might actually accept lead rounds, but a gauge might reject them.

Please, critics, don't get excited, but Lee's advertising and product descriptions remind me a lot of George Leonard Herter's ads and product descriptions in the wonderfully entertaining catalogs of the fifties, sixties and seventies. Who can forget the Herters Model Perfect...whatever. Or, the Herters Guide Association Approved ...something. I have, use, and enjoy many Lee products and still think the late Richard Lee was influenced by George when writing copy.

9mmepiphany said:

It is so much easier than seating, measuring, guessing at the amount of adjustment (loosening and tightening to make adjustment), seating, measuring, ...raise and repeat.

I seat one bullet, measure the OAL, and dial in the needed adjustment; in .001" increments. On my LNL AP, I can set the seating depth without filling the shellplate. When I start loading and the first round comes around, I can measure the OAL and adjust for the offset of the full plate...and done.

What is really cool is that the sleeve aligns the bullet with the floating seating plug...so support and alignment

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Any die can be made a "micrometer" die by measuring the stem with the back side of a dial/digital caliper.
Logging the reference measurement allows you to return to the exact setting without any trial and error, seating, measuring, guessing.

Once adjusted I just put a piece of tape over the stem so it can't turn, no need for a lock nut.
You can turn a powder measure into a micrometer measure the same way

9mmepiphany said:

It is so much easier than seating, measuring, guessing at the amount of adjustment (loosening and tightening to make adjustment), seating, measuring, ...raise and repeat.

I seat one bullet, measure the OAL, and dial in the needed adjustment; in .001" increments. On my LNL AP, I can set the seating depth without filling the shellplate. When I start loading and the first round comes around, I can measure the OAL and adjust for the offset of the full plate...and done.

What is really cool is that the sleeve aligns the bullet with the floating seating plug...so support and alignment

Click to expand...

What about the sizer?

Wow did this thread wander away!

At one time nearly all pistol dies were sold as 3 die sets. No FCD and many rounds were loaded that way.