Lee factory crimp die issues

[Ccctennis]

I have a dillon 550b press and have been having such a challenge getting rounds that will drop into my case gauge.

Here are the details:
Loading 9mm. 115 grain plated round nose.
First setup was rcbs 3 die setup. Size/deprime, flare, then seat and taper crimp one step.

First issue half my rounds came out with a small lump due to bullet base denting inside case mouth during seating. Someone suggested lee factory crimp die

Second issue now using LEe fcd. I resize the case it will drop freely into case gauge. Once I run it through the fcd it won't go but half way or two thirds into case gauge. I set the die as instructed and even tried less depth on the die and then more depth on the die. Either way it didn't help. I mic'ed the cases mouths and it is crimping but can't tell if it is bulging the case furthe down or what. With the dillon I initially set die touching the shell plate. Then tried a turn or two further down and finally a turn off the shell plate. No matter how I adjusted the crimp stem not a single round would chamber. I know I'm a rookie to progressive reloading but damn I tried every possible adjustment to no avail???

 

[jwalts27]

Forget the FCD, many others on here will agree. If you need to the use the FCD your doing something wrong in setting up your dies in the previous 3 steps. Double and triple check your die adjustments. I would focus on the first 3 dies, has to be something with them adjustment wise. I personally have never used a case gauge. I just plunk test them in my barrel.

 

[joem1945]

Mic the diameter of the bullets. They may be .356 dia. like many cast lead. To get them to fit the case gauge; charge case: back out the seat and crimp die and with the ram up, screw in the die until it contacts the case. Turn in 1/2 turn. seat bullet to correct depth: Back out seater stem. Loosen loc nut and turn in 1/4 turn, tighen loc nut. Raise ram then try round in case gauge. If it doesn't fit loosen loc nut and turn in 1/8 turn. Repeat this until you get the crimp right and it fits the case gauge. It's much easier to load FMJ's which mic at .355. Good Luck!

 

[Ccctennis]

Plunking them in a barrel would be fine if they were for my gun. I use the gauge as I make ammo for various family members guns. They will probably plunk in my gun as I have a larger chamber than the gauge. The bottom line is the fcd feels awkward and not a single round came out correctly. I went back to the rcbs taper crimp die and at least the rounds drop into the gauge. A few still aren't perfectly flush kind of like the case head is a fraction larger than others?

 

[steve4102]

Once I run it through the fcd it won't go but half way or two thirds into case gauge

Fits before but not after crimp = to much crimp.

 

[Ccctennis]

Or it doesn't take the case belling down enough. I tried the fcd where it barely even touched the case mouth.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Forget the FCD, many others on here will agree. If you need to the use the FCD your doing something wrong in setting up your dies in the previous 3 steps. Double and triple check your die adjustments. I would focus on the first 3 dies, has to be something with them adjustment wise. I personally have never used a case gauge. I just plunk test them in my barrel.

There is nothing wrong with the Lee FCD for "most" jobs. I'm not a fan for revolver ammo and especially lead bullets but for rifles and semi-autos it can be a good tool.

Like said above, if the brass fits before loading and doesn't after crimping most likely you are applying too much crimp. It's not the FCD itself causing the problem and for the most part makes crimping easier because case length is less important.

 

[Walkalong]

Make sure you are sizing completely, then re-adjust the FCD for minimal "crimp". It should remove the bell and maybe .001 more. Sounds like you are way over crimping.

 

[ulflyer]

CCC: I just began loading 9mm and am using Lee dies in my 550D along with the FCD.
I consider it just a "final touch" and probably not needed but since I had it, I'm using it.
Just now checked mine and heres what I'm doing. After seating the bullet to the depth I want and giving it a crimp (it mic's at .381), I move it to the FCD which is screwed down so that most of the bullet goes up into the die. I have the stem screwed only down enough to barely touch the bullet. It then mic's at .380. These function fine in my Kahr and Ruger LC9s.

As mentioned above, the FCD is prob not needed if you seat and crimp right, but how does one know what is enough? Make sure the FCD does not round off the case edge...run your finger across the edge before and after the FCD and you can feel a slight diff, but theres still an edge so that it seats well in the gun chamber.

 

[LiveLife]

Plunking them in a barrel would be fine if they were for my gun. I use the gauge as I make ammo for various family members guns. They will probably plunk in my gun as I have a larger chamber than the gauge.

Loading 9mm. 115 grain plated round nose

I also load for multiple pistols of my family and all of my "general plinking rounds" must reliably feed, chamber and cycle different pistols' slides. Whether I use Lee or Dillon press with Dillon or Lee dies, I do not use the FCD unless the bullets are out out spec/out of round. Because 115 gr plated RN has shorter bullet base, I tend to load them no longer than 1.135" OAL/COL with light taper crimp (around .376" - .377") so as to not cut into the plating or over crimp and squish the bullet. These final dimensions have worked in all the pistols I have shot them in.

Most factory barrels are cut to SAAMI max dimensions and as long as finished rounds are within SAAMI max specs, they should work in pistols even though they don't "pass" the tighter gauge.

I resize the case it will drop freely into case gauge ... half my rounds came out with a small lump due to bullet base denting inside case mouth during seating.

9mm is a tapered case (base larger than case neck) and even when using .355" diameter bullets, you may see slight bulge from bullet base forming a "Coke bottle" shape and this is normal. Picture below shows 115 gr Winchester FMJ with 1.135" OAL and .375" - .376" taper crimp with "Coke bottle" effect.

If the plated bullet is sized larger than .355", the bulge may be more pronounced. Tilted bullet during seating will also cause pronounced bulge but usually on one side. Also, check to see if the bullets are out of round (Measure the bullet diameter at 3-4 different positions). Many plated bullet manufacturers will "double strike" to ensure more consistency of their bullets but I have found out of round bullets from time to time that caused chambering issues in tighter barrels.

 

[joem1945]

There is another way to make them fit. Remove the decap pin from your size/decap die, then resize the loaded case. Go slow and easy then try the round in your case gauge.

 

[LiveLife]

If you post size your loaded rounds, I would suggest you test neck tension as brass will spring back more so than lead alloy bullet core. Most reloaders won't suggest you post size your finished rounds. The carbide sizer ring on the FCD will act as a "finishing" die to ensure the finished rounds are within SAAMI max dimensions and "fix" out of round/spec loads but if you are post sizing, you may be reducing neck tension enough to cause bullet set back.

My QC for checking neck tension is to measure the OAL/COL before and after feeding and chambering the round from the magazine and releasing the slide without riding it (I used to push on the bullet against the bench but this check did not duplicate the impact force the bullet nose experiences during feeding).

You should not see any decrease in OAL or less than a few thousands. If the OAL reduction is more than a several thousands, you have neck tension issue that should be addressed.

 

[Walkalong]

The sizer is too tight to use after the round is loaded. The carbide ring in the FCD is sized correctly for this. It can "iron out" bulges etc. I am of the thought we should adjust things to avoid that in the first place, but that is what the FCD was designed to do, squeeze em down to make them chamber. Like the idea or not.

 

[1KPerDay]

Stupid question: you sure your case gage is in spec? Is it a SAAMI minimum? Maximum? Chamber gauge? What type is it?

 

[Ccctennis]

case gauge

It is a lyman case gauge. I dropped some factory ammo and it drops in fine.

Crazy part is i measured a factory round versus one of mine and they were the same?

I mic'ed the case mouth, the bullet neck, the middle of the case, the case bottom. All the same.

It literally looks and feels like the case rim is on certain brass cases is just bigger.

 

[LiveLife]

As rcmodel usually suggests, paint the finished round with marker and see what part of round rubs the gauge.

Perhaps it's damaged case rim from extractor?

 

[Potatohead]

Forget the FCD, many others on here will agree.

I have a feeling some might disagree too.

Do you think everyone who uses the FCD does so because they dont know how to crimp with the seater? Because it sounds that way.

 

[68lemans462]

Remove the factory crimp die and setup the press/dies properly. problem solved.

Using those junk lee dies in the smurf blue press? Perhaps a set of high dollar dillon dies would solve the problem??

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Remove the factory crimp die and setup the press/dies properly. problem solved.

Using those junk lee dies in the smurf blue press? Perhaps a set of high dollar dillon dies would solve the problem??

So anyone who uses Lee dies and a FCD is stupid on 2 counts? We are too stupid to adjust a die correctly and we are stupid for buying junk?

Not very High Road IMO!

 

[RussellC]

Or it doesn't take the case belling down enough. I tried the fcd where it barely even touched the case mouth.

Just Screw the die in until it meets the shell holder. No other up or down adjustment is made. Then unscrew the top dial so that the bullet will go all the way in. Then turn it down until it stops against bullet. pull lever until bullet is out. Then screw dial 1/2 turn further. All adjustment is done with the top knob, not setting the die further in or out. The Lee FCD works perfectly if used correctly. I use it on 9mm, (more rounds than I care to think about) and .45 with absolutely no issues.

Russellc

 

[jcwit]

I agree with Walkalong.

 

[RussellC]

So anyone who uses Lee dies and a FCD is stupid on 2 counts? We are too stupid to adjust a die correctly and we are stupid for buying junk?

Not very High Road IMO!

Correct. It is an excellent unit. Works perfectly for me. Wouldn't reload 9mm or .45 without it. I don't load .40, but if I did I would use it there as well.

Russellc

 

[vaalpens]

I also use the Lee FCD and I don't have any issues. It is very simple to set up and the process is very repeatable which prevents those oops moments. I use it for 9mm and 40S&W and operate it exactly how RusselC explains it. I made on modification to my FCD by painting a thin line on top of the adjusting screw so I can easily see when it had been turned in (clockwise) by 1/2 a turn.

 

[Lman57]

I have the Dillon RL550B and the 4 die set from Lee I had a little problem at first but it was all adjustment. I did the Adjustments in very small increments and once everything was set right I have not had one problem loading 9MM. I am using Berry's 9MM 124GR. (.356) Hollow base flat point preferred thick plated. I have the Full Length Sizer die in this set.

 

[jcwit]

As has been said many, many times before.

It's amazing how many rounds of pistol ammo were loaded prior to Lee coming out with this, and all those rounds worked perfect by those who knew what they were doing.