44 Magnum Crimp

[ssyoumans]

Do you put the same amount of crimp on all of your 44 Magnum loads? When loading 240 gr Hornady XTP's with W296, I put a pretty good crimp on them, but do I need to do this when loading say 10gr of Unique?

Can I get by with just using a Lee FCD and taper crimping these instead of roll crimping? Seems like it would result in less wear on the brass, which for 44 Mag is expensive and I rarely find any range pickups.

 

[Walkalong]

A good firm taper crimp with Unique will work just fine. You may have to experiment a little with the amount of crimp. Even if you use a heavy taper crimp it will be easier on the brass.

I have done the same thing with .357, and a good heavy taper crimp works just as well.

 

[k4swb]

I quit roll crimping years ago. I use a taper crimp on all my handgun ammo including heavy .44 magnum. You don't really get much of a roll on JHP bullets and the taper crimp works fine for me even with lead.

 

[murf]

yes, i crimp all my 44mag loads the same. the reason i do it is to prevent the bullet from pulling out of the case and tying up the cylinder. your unique load should not have this problem (relatively low power) and should be fine with a slight taper crimp. (all my 44mag loads are "stiff").

murf

 

[ssyoumans]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I just got done loading up (20) rounds for the range tomorrow. I forgot to mention, these are for a Marlin 1894. I ended up giving them just a slight roll crimp during seating to bring the case mouth in, and then a pretty firm taper crimp with the Lee FCD. The darn weather isn't cooperating to shoot them outdoors across the chrono to see how consistent they are, but I'll give them a go at the indoor range (35 yards).

First time shooting the Marlin 1894, just picked it up a few weeks ago. I love lever guns, and I figure, 44 Mag is a lot faster & easier to reload than my Marlin 336 30-30. If I like the way it shoots, then I think I'll try some of the MBC 240gr Smashers for plinking loads.

 

[Walkalong]

Do yourself a favor and get a Redding taper crimp die for doing this.

 

[buck460XVR]

Do you put the same amount of crimp on all of your 44 Magnum loads?

yep....pretty much.


There's a reason God created the roll crimp and cannelured bullets for revolvers and tube feeds.

 

[CraigC]

I do a lot of shooting with .44 rifles and sixguns alike so I pretty much roll crimp them all the same. Though I may put a little more on them when loading the heavyweights at maximum velocities.

 

[murf]

thought you were talking revolvers. roll crimp is necessary in a tube magazine rifle to prevent cartridges above from pushing the bullet down into the case. not necessary in the revolver imo.

murf

 

[CraigC]

No reason to have to crimp differently for different bullets, loads or revolver vs. rifle use. I've also never seen a reason to seat and crimp in separate steps or to go to extra effort to use the FCD.