45ACP and Lee Factory Crimp Die

[GBExpat]

Look, I'm not trying to bust your chops, guys. ...

For my part, I have never thought that. We are just sharing experiences/observations and having a bit of fun while doing it.

My first stab at loading plated bullets... I must have had some of the early thin plate bullets... did not turn out well.

While I have experienced a few skinned (thinly-) plated bullets during reloading-action, I have never been comfortable with the concept of the One Step Seat&Crimp.

The idea that the bullet is still moving while the mouth is pressed tightly around it just bothers me. Not so much bullets with full-thickness jackets but plated, powder-coated and bare-lead, absolutely.

 

[kmw1954]

To crimp separately in two steps or together in one step for me is just another example of whatever it takes to make you feel comfortable with what you are doing. The Lee Carbide FCD or the Lee stand alone Taper Crimp die will accommodate this just as the old original Seat/Crimp die.

Back in 1980 when I first started reloading for a 357 I don't think the Lee Carbide FCD had hit the market yet or at least I hadn't researched that and I don't recall ever seeing Plated pistol bullets. It was either Cast or Jacketed. Even the instruction that came with my 1st set of RCBS pistol dies directed setting up the 3rd die as one step. It's the way I learned and it's been hard to adjust to another way.

In the end I'm not going to tell anyone how to use their equipment or which equipment they should or shouldn't be using. As long as what you are doing is a safe practice all I can say is Enjoy Yourself!

 

[Walkalong]

This procedure has failed to correct the cartridge "plunk-ability" (plunk-ness? plunk-ocity?)

We will need to submit that to SAMMI for a proper ruling... and maybe that could be added to the glossary...

Agreed, I like it.

 

[Walkalong]

While I have experienced a few skinned (thinly-) plated bullets during reloading-action, I have never been comfortable with the concept of the One Step Seat&Crimp.

The idea that the bullet is still moving while the mouth is pressed tightly around it just bothers me. Not so much bullets with full-thickness jackets but plated, powder-coated and bare-lead, absolutely.

With .45 ACP there is such a small amount of movement, continued seating, of the bullet during a proper taper crimp, removing the belling only, it doesn't hurt anything, even with lead or plated.

I noted that here in an old post about crimping.

 

[GBExpat]

With .45 ACP there is such a small amount of movement, continued seating, of the bullet during a proper taper crimp, removing the belling only, it doesn't hurt anything, even with lead or plated. ...

Thanks, but too late (for me) ... I am spoiled by my pistol-caliber RCBS Seater Dies with assorted Plugs available for various bullet nose shapes.

 

[Charlie98]

With .45 ACP there is such a small amount of movement, continued seating, of the bullet during a proper taper crimp, removing the belling only, it doesn't hurt anything, even with lead or plated.

I noted that here in an old post about crimping.

In my Younger Days of reloading, I developed the patented Charlie98 Death Grip Crimp... that was, essentially, as much crimp as I could get on any round without buckling the case, because you needed that firm crimp for full ignition of powder, right? I'm sure I read that somewhere. Ahhh... the ignorance of youth.

Nowadays, I'm sure I could get away with a one-step die, but I just prefer two dies... it's actually why I bought the 5-station Hornady press in the first place.

 

[Laphroaig]

With .45 ACP there is such a small amount of movement, continued seating, of the bullet during a proper taper crimp, removing the belling only, it doesn't hurt anything, even with lead or plated.

That is true if all of your brass is close to the same length. Much of my 45 brass are range pickups and I could never adjust my die to prevent shaving lead on some of the longer cases. I suppose you could chamfer your brass or (ugh) trim to minimize that but I found crimping in a separate step to be the easiest solution.

 

[GBExpat]

... Ahhh... the ignorance of youth.

Hahaha ...hopefully, you were lucky/astute enough to avoid a Faster Is Always Better phase.

Not all of us did.

 

[Charlie98]

Hahaha ...hopefully, you were lucky/astute enough to avoid a Faster Is Always Better phase.

Not all of us did.

No, not really. Along with the Death Crimp phase, my brother and I entered into the More is Better phase with his .41MAG. We did find out how forgiving Unique powder is, and also what it takes to prematurely wear out a Smith & Wesson 57.

 

[35 Whelen]

Lee has absolutely mastered the art of marketing. They've done a bang-up job of making inexpensive reloading equipment for new loaders for whom "only new will do". Then they introduce the "Factory Crimp Die" and tell us that it actually makes ammunition more accurate.

I've always used a roll crimp for crimping bullets in rimmed handgun cartridges, but was reading up on loading the persnickety 32-20, one of which I had just acquired, and Brian Pearce recommended the use of a Lee FCD to keep E.S.'s in check, so I got one. In my estimation it accomplished pretty much the same thing as a roll crimp die, only in a different way, and with more moving parts, but it works fine, I like it, and it doesn't collapse those fragile little cases. So, when I dove into the world of the 45 Auto Rim, I ordered a Factory Crimp Die, thinking it would provide a firm crimp on the heavy SWC's I load, much like my 32-20 FCD does. It did not, and it was then I discovered that Lee is also quite adept at taking something as dirt-clod simple and rugged as a one-piece steel taper crimp die, and making out of three pieces, one of which is soft aluminum and threaded into the steel die body. (Can anyone guess what eventually is going to happen here?) So what I did was fall for the marketing of a product that does nothing more than the 45 ACP taper crimp die that my father was using in the 1970's and that I have used for the last 35+ years.

This is a disassembled Lee 45 ACP/AR FCD next to my RCBS taper crimp die-



This is the inside of an RCBS taper crimp die and shows clearly that this is all any taper crimp die need be-



SO.... taper crimps are good things in magazine fed pistols and a good taper crimp die will iron out imperfections. And FWIW, I used the built-in roll crimp in the old RCBS 45 ACP die set to crimp the bullets in my 45 Auto Rim cartridges.

35W

 

[RealGun]

Lee has absolutely mastered the art of marketing. They've done a bang-up job of making inexpensive reloading equipment for new loaders for whom "only new will do". Then they introduce the "Factory Crimp Die" and tell us that it actually makes ammunition more accurate.

I've always used a roll crimp for crimping bullets in rimmed handgun cartridges, but was reading up on loading the persnickety 32-20, one of which I had just acquired, and Brian Pearce recommended the use of a Lee FCD to keep E.S.'s in check, so I got one. In my estimation it accomplished pretty much the same thing as a roll crimp die, only in a different way, and with more moving parts, but it works fine, I like it, and it doesn't collapse those fragile little cases. So, when I dove into the world of the 45 Auto Rim, I ordered a Factory Crimp Die, thinking it would provide a firm crimp on the heavy SWC's I load, much like my 32-20 FCD does. It did not, and it was then I discovered that Lee is also quite adept at taking something as dirt-clod simple and rugged as a one-piece steel taper crimp die, and making out of three pieces, one of which is soft aluminum and threaded into the steel die body. (Can anyone guess what eventually is going to happen here?) So what I did was fall for the marketing of a product that does nothing more than the 45 ACP taper crimp die that my father was using in the 1970's and that I have used for the last 35+ years.

This is a disassembled Lee 45 ACP/AR FCD next to my RCBS taper crimp die-

View attachment 892033

This is the inside of an RCBS taper crimp die and shows clearly that this is all any taper crimp die need be-

View attachment 892034

SO.... taper crimps are good things in magazine fed pistols and a good taper crimp die will iron out imperfections. And FWIW, I used the built-in roll crimp in the old RCBS 45 ACP die set to crimp the bullets in my 45 Auto Rim cartridges.

35W

45 AR was intended to use ACP bullets, which were taper crimped. It is only a happy circumstance that some 45 AR dies will produce a roll crimp, if adjusted far enough, enabling 45CS or use of .452 dia. 45 Colt bullets. Redding Profile Crimp die is the ticket for me to achieve a nice roll crimp. It is dedicated to AR though.

 

[Blue68f100]

The early Hornady dies had a roll crimp for there 45 acp/colt set. Back then if you wanted a TC you had to buy a separate die. Now, you can buy the set with the TC or RC

 

[35 Whelen]

45 AR was intended to use ACP bullets, which were taper crimped. It is only a happy circumstance that some 45 AR dies will produce a roll crimp, if adjusted far enough, enabling 45CS or use of .452 dia. 45 Colt bullets. Redding Profile Crimp die is the ticket for me to achieve a nice roll crimp. It is dedicated to AR though.

The dies I'm using to load my ACP's and AR's are 45 ACP dies and stamped on the dies and the box ACP with no mention of AR. Interesting that they built it a roll crimp into an ACP die. Perhaps it was intended for those who use moon clips and bullets with cannelures or crimp grooves.

35W

 

[jaguarxk120]

Please note RCBS list's Taper crimp die for 45ACP part no. 18962
and a roll crimp die part no. 18942

 

[RealGun]

Please note RCBS list's Taper crimp die for 45ACP part no. 18962
and a roll crimp die part no. 18942

Hard to make sense of that for "45 ACP" unless using 45 Colt bullets and crimping in a groove or soft lead for use in a revolver. RCBS is the only source I saw that included 45 Auto Rim in the description.

 

[Charlie98]

The early Hornady dies had a roll crimp for there 45 acp/colt set.

I have that set... it's a complete waste. I'd love to know what Hornady was thinking when they came up with the idea of a .45ACP/COLT combo...