Amount of pressure required for crimping

[MarkV]

When the case mouth first hits the die a lot of pressure is required to get the case into the die. Is this normal? As far as I can tell everything is set properly.

 

[JoeHatley]

Kinda sounds like you may be flaring your case mouths a bit too much.

Joe

 

[dodgestdshift]

The way I determine the amount of belling of the case to easily seat a bullet is to barely flair the case. The using the bullet see if it will balance on the case. If it won't balance, a little more flair is necessary. When the bullet balances it is the proper amount. You should barely be able to see the flair of the case. Remember less is good.

 

[JDGray]

Are you using a factory crimp die? A straight case will have a little resistance at first, than it goes easy until you crimp. A tappered case,9mm, will only touch when you get to the end of the stroke. I use Lee dies, others may not have the post sizing ring. I do agree with the others, probably to much flare.

 

[MarkV]

Kinda sounds like you may be flaring your case mouths a bit too much.

Please bear with me I'm still really new at this, but how do you adjust case flaring?

Are you using a factory crimp die? A straight case will have a little resistance at first, than it goes easy until you crimp. A tappered case,9mm, will only touch when you get to the end of the stroke. I use Lee dies, others may not have the post sizing ring. I do agree with the others, probably to much flare.

I'm using factory Lee dies.

 

[JDGray]

Run a sized case all the way up, and hold the lever down.At the same time,screw your flare die in until it firmly touches the case. Remove the case, and see if the bullet will just start into the flare. If it stays, you can tighten the lock ring, if not, keep turning the die in, in 1/4 turn incriments, until the bullet will start. Some times if your brass is to short, you may not get a good flare, just have to adapt & overcome Good luck!

 

[MarkV]

Okay I think I solved my own problem. I didn't have the expander die set properly. I had it run all the way down to the case holder I forgot to back it out one turn.

Thanks for the help.

 

[LHB1]

MarkV,
You may be overlooking something in the setup of your belling/flaring die. There are TWO adjustments on the belling die. The critical adjustment for belling/flaring is with the CENTRAL STEM in top of die which must be done AFTER the die body is screwed down and locked. The central stem must then be backed off until clear of case when case is fully inserted into die body. Screw central stem down 1 turn and test by running the sized case into die. Repeat UNTIL new bullet will just balance in the case mouth flare. Good luck.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

 

[fulloflead]

Lee's factory crimp die is also a final sizer. It sizes the round, again, as it crimps. I love these dies and I commonly feel some resistance going into and out of the crimp die - even on rounds that I didn't bell the mouth of at all.

Not a LOT of resistance, mind you, the round doesn't stop and I don't have to pull hard on the handle or anything, but I can certainly feel that the die is squeezing the round a bit.

.

 

[Rockstar]

LHB1: I have a bunch of Lee handgun dies. Don't have any where the bell is adjusted by a "center stem." I'd strongly suggest that the guy read the instructions that came with his dies. How about posting some pics of those "center stem" Lee belling dies? Maybe I've been missing something all these years. The only "center stem" of which I'm aware on a Lee belling die is with the powder-through die where the powder-through feature is not used, and the belling piece is secured by a "center stem". However, the bell, I believe, is still adjusted by raising or lowering the die body.

 

[LHB1]

Rockstar,
Oops. Thanks for bringing this difference in Lee dies vs RCBS, Hornady, Lyman, etc. to my attention. I don't use Lee dies and did not realize they omitted this separate part/adjustment. My mistake was in thinking they were designed like other dies.

Good shooting and be safe.
LB

 

[TooTaxed]

I've replaced my RCBS and some other makes of dies with Lee dies. I think they are the best quality on the market...and at a bargain price as well! The factory crimp dies are excellent.

 

[YellowLab]

Lee has a built in expander in the powder die (for the Pro Auto Disk Measure) and a seperate expander die for expanding without charging.

Basically read the directions, or go to the Lee web site (www.leeprecision.com) and watch the online video's.