Critique my crimp!

[bluekouki86]

They are .357 diameter 158gr. Suter's Choice is the brand name.

 

[joneb]

I would agree with the consensus here, more case tension and less crimp would be my preference, but if works.....
I use RCBS dies with good results, the crimp you show seems excessive for 38spl.
I would avoid R-P brass as it is thin at the case mouth.

 

[fiftybmg]

Your crimp is more than necessary.

A crimp measured in 1/8th turn of the crimping die is enough.

 

[Walkalong]

.38 Spl - Really more than needed to stop bullet creep. Play with crimp to see if lighter shoots better. This amount of crimp has not hurt case life.

.44 Mag - Enough to stop bullet creep for a 240 gr @ 1300ish FPS (5.5" barrel) Note all important neck tension on both calibers.

 

[Mark NM]

Ordinarily you want .358 bullets rather than .357 when shooting cast-is there a reason you sized down?

 

[bluekouki86]

Thanks for the pictures Walkalong, the batch I loaded have a very similar looking crimp as your .38. I do think I need to scale back on expanding as well, mine do not have the case bulge. They did pass the push test though, so I do have adequate tension.

I may be mistaken on the diameter, I am at work and going from memory.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I guess I must be doing something wrong since I have never actually measured the crimp I put on a .38 Special case.