Lee Factory Crimp Die Problem

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Chuck Perry

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I'm having an issue with this die while loading 45ACP. I am loading on a Dillon 650. Brass is sorted by head stamp, loading a 230g LRN. My OAL is increased, consistently, by .001 after the round has been through the Lee crimp die. Has anyone else had this happen? When the round cycles through the die, I feel resistance on both the up and down strokes. I've cleaned the die thoroughly, I don't see any burrs or anything inside it. And, it is applying a good crimp. But why is it increasing my OAL?
 
It may be squeezing the round enough to lengthen it by .001, which isn't very much and not really anything to worry about. The bigger worry is why is the FCD contacting your rounds so much.
 
Chuck -
With all due respect sir, I'd be hard pressed to call a .001" growth in length a "problem" since each run probably varies within the lot by .005". IMHO it's more appropriately labeled a "mysterious event".

Still, it's an interesting phenomena. Great observation on your part.
 
If you suspect a "creeping action" caused by the collet motion, you might try a Lee "Taper Crimp Die" which has no moving parts. The TCD is basically a one-piece tubular die with a slight internal taper. There is a one-time adjustment to get the correct crimp diameter by adjusting the die up/down and then you lock-nut in place. They cannot be gummed up or jammed by excess bullet lube or sizing wax. This is what I use on all my auto calibers on my 550b.
 
Just a guess, but I think it maybe from thick brass. Try a different brand and see if it stops growing. I ran into a problem with the FCD sizing cast bullets because I needed a fatter than usual diameter. GFL brass was the brand that was giving me fits. It was sizing the bullet to a .430 dia. and I needed a .432. I had a bunch of mixed headstamps and the Win, & R/P didn't do this.
 
There are pressure anomalies with brass and bullets, especially with mixed brass. Different brass will react to the same pressure differently.

The .001 OAL variance isn't a concern, it's why is the FCD post sizing almost every round.
 
The bigger worry is why is the FCD contacting your rounds so much.
Click to expand...

Is the case nickle coated by any chance? When I loaded up a bunch of 357s I noticed resistance on every nickle case, presuming the nickle plating made them slightly larger in diameter. Seating lead bullets gave a fair amount of resistance in the die. Once I finish shooting all these, I will likely not use the FCD anymore.
 
I was playing around with various things last night, and I think that I am expanding the case mouth too much. I ran a case through the sizer and then through the FCD. No resistance was noted when the case entered the FCD. I measured the case diameter after sizing, and then again after it ran through the FCD; no difference. I then sized and expanded a case, then ran it through the FCD. The resistance (like a bump) was there again, both as the case entered the die and again as it was removed on the down stroke. More, the FCD did not completely remove the case mouth flare; it could still be felt with a fingertip. The case mouth mesaured about .003-4" greater than the rest of the case diameter after it was run through the FCD.

I'm going to have to reset my powder expander die and see what that does for me.
 
Maybe you should just chuck the Lee FCD and taper crimp with the seating die.

If all else fails, go back to what has worked perfectly for a lot of years before the FCD was conjured up as an Ingenious Solution to a Non-existent Problem.

rc
 
First, 001" in OAL is not a problem at all. Check spread on factory ammo - it is way more than this.

OAL may increase if you overcrimp, and bullet is swaged out of the shell.

It may also increase if somewhere your round is thicker than maximum diameter for the caliber at the level. While the FCD fixes the excessive diameter, it is still better to find where the diameter is excessive, and fix your setup so the FCD would not need to size your round at all. Run a dummy all the way through a press until FCD, then smoke it, run through the FCD and check by marks where the die touches the round.
 
My Lee turret press 9mm FCD does the exact same thing, and I actually allow for it in my OAL check after bullet seating.. It DOES do it more on heavier cases (WIN-PPU) less on thinner cases(FC-CCI).

I had several hundred 9mm CCC ( Collins Cartridge Company-good company) reloads that weren't chambering reliably. I just ran them through my FCD and they ran perfectly. I like the FCD.

Mine are usually .0005 to .0001 longer after the FCD.
 
I was playing around with various things last night, and I think that I am expanding the case mouth too much.
Click to expand...

Chuck -
This is very common on the Dillon presses because the powder drop/ expanders work almost too darn well. In the Dillon machine notes it says the belling should be around .010" and that works for me. If you purchase only Berry bullets (or similar) with their radiused base, then you can get away with a lot less than that.

Not sure that's the cause of the issue, but minimizing belling will help save your brass, so it's well worth the time spent on adjustment.
 
I have been using the Lee FCD for years, and it works quite well for me. My 9mm does contact almost all the time, but I haven't measured any appreciable "growth" of the round. On the other hand, the 38 Special FCD rarely contacts the case walls, and still delivers a perfect crimp.
Just like Glocks, some like them, some hate them. I like my FCDs.
 
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