Riomouse911
Member
Yup, that works too!
Does the lens help to show you any impending fatigue cracking or other signs of wear in the case before it becomes obvious to the naked eye?
Lee Factory Crimp Die
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Does the lens help to show you any impending fatigue cracking or other signs of wear in the case before it becomes obvious to the naked eye?
I saw that bullet listed in three places in my Lyman 50th; 380, 9mm and 38 Special. I figgered it was a 380 designed bullet being used in the other two...
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Mr_Flintstone
Member
I understand the process. The way I generally do it is:
1. screw the adjuster all the way in and seat the bullet to the correct depth
2. back the adjuster out far enough, and apply the appropriate crimp
3. with that round still in the holder and the round raised into the die, lower the adjuster screw until it just touches the top of the bullet
4. it's now set for the remainder of my reloads.
I usually check a few during production to ensure they are keeping the correct COL.
These didn't want to completely cooperate, so I switched to a two-step seat and crimp.
It can show defects not seen by my can't see so good anymore eyes, but I don't usually see any.Yup, that works too!
Does the lens help to show you any impending fatigue cracking or other signs of wear in the case before it becomes obvious to the naked eye?
Riomouse911
Member
Ya, my eyes are slowly fading as well.
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Mr_Flintstone
Member
I like the idea of the lens. I can pick up a watchmaker's monocle @ 5x or 10x for about $10 from Amazon. It might be worth it.
If the seating die is pressing the bullet further into the case while crimping, it isn't set correctly.
I crimp in two steps because I use different bullets which require different seating depths, but use the same amount of crimp
The lack of a crimping groove has nothing to do with the shaving, it is due to the continual downward pressure after the crimp has been applied
Some crimps on some bullets can be done in one step with no issues, while some cannot. If there is no crimp groove or cannelure for the case mouth to roll into and the bullet is still moving downward in the case as the crimp is applied, it will scrape bullet material/coating/jacket.
As posted, if it is one of the applications where you can crimp/seat in the same step, and you get shaving, it is likely just adjusted incorrectly.
As posted, if it is one of the applications where you can crimp/seat in the same step, and you get shaving, it is likely just adjusted incorrectly.
A guide to crimping:
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-and-crimp-in-two-stages.623417/#post-7699828
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-and-crimp-in-two-stages.623417/#post-7699828
SSN Vet
Member
Lee's terminology is pure marketing and can often be confusing...
The "secret ingredient" to the LFCD is the post sizing ring... which some love and some hate.
Other than that, they are just normal crimp dies. For auto-loading cartridges, the LFCD provides a taper crimp, and for rimmed revolver cartridges, the LFCD provides a roll crimp. Yah... two different types of dies with the same name... typical Lee confusing nomenclature (and this from a guy who runs a lot of red gear).
Lee's bottle neck rifle cartridge dies have the collet crimp, but I don't recall whether they are refered to as a LFCD or not.
The "secret ingredient" to the LFCD is the post sizing ring... which some love and some hate.
Other than that, they are just normal crimp dies. For auto-loading cartridges, the LFCD provides a taper crimp, and for rimmed revolver cartridges, the LFCD provides a roll crimp. Yah... two different types of dies with the same name... typical Lee confusing nomenclature (and this from a guy who runs a lot of red gear).
Lee's bottle neck rifle cartridge dies have the collet crimp, but I don't recall whether they are refered to as a LFCD or not.
Toprudder
Member
FWIW, Lee does make collet crimp dies for some of the magnum revolver cartridges. I have ones for 357mag, 44mag, and 460 S&W.
For what it's worth, it's not possible to stop the movement of the seating stem when the die is moving/crimping. Unless there is some built in linkage or spring set up, as long as the die is moving, the seating stem is moving, pushing the bullet yes even as the case is being crimped...
ArchAngelCD
Member.
I used to seat and crimp in one step but when I got a 4 hole turret press over 12 years ago I separated the processes. There is nothing wrong with either method except for those times where the bullet doesn't cooperate like Walkalong spoke about. My only current exception is my 45-70 dies. I bought a set if Hornady dies years ago that had a seating/crimping die and since it works well with the bullets I'm using, if it ain't broke .........
I think what I'm saying with some of the others, use the process that works for you. Seat/crimp with one die or use the same die in two steps. Buy a second die and seat in a separate step. Buy a Lee FCD and use it as made or remove the post sizing ring if you wish. Buy a collect crimp die or an expensive profile crimp die from Redding. All are good choices, find the one that works best for you.
I think what I'm saying with some of the others, use the process that works for you. Seat/crimp with one die or use the same die in two steps. Buy a second die and seat in a separate step. Buy a Lee FCD and use it as made or remove the post sizing ring if you wish. Buy a collect crimp die or an expensive profile crimp die from Redding. All are good choices, find the one that works best for you.
But when you have a crimp groove or cannelure it doesn't matter that the bullet is still being seated as the crimp is applied because the case mouth has a place to go. Assuming it is adjusted correctly and the cases are very similar in lengths. Preferably trimmed.
Check the link:
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-and-crimp-in-two-stages.623417/#post-7699828
Check the link:
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-and-crimp-in-two-stages.623417/#post-7699828
Toprudder
Member
Absolutely agree about the crimp groove, but crimping into a cannelure can sometimes be a little more of a challenge, depending on the cannelure (especially with plated bullets). Also, with a cannelure, it is more important to have all the brass trimmed to the same length. The normal FCD is pretty good with cannelures, but with a crimp groove bullet I actually prefer to seat/crimp together as it is one less step.
Yes, I normally say "a proper cannelure", which roll marks on a plated bullet are not, and even some jacketed bullets have a very shallow cannelure that can cause issues. The normal FCD does fine with crimp grooves as well IMHO. It crimps like any other roll crimp die, and actually, due to the flex in the o-ring on the crimp insert, is a hair more forgiving. I do still mostly crimp in a second operation these days, but not always. I am loading up some Missouri coated bullets in .45 Colt right now and they will be seated and crimped in one step. When I load plated in .45 Colt they get a separate taper crimp. When I load jacketed in .45 Colt they also get seated/crimped in the same step.
And there's the rub. I got tired of trying to get the adjustment "perfect", and felt I had more "control" separating the steps (I am never is a hurry when reloading so an extra step, or another die in my turret, is of no consequence)...
RealGun
Member
Trying to make sense of something that should have worked, I wonder if you had excessive O-ring compression, which was inconsistently relieved during seating..
FWIW, I stopped using the Lee FCD for pistol rounds for fear of swaging down fat bullets. I started buying Lee taper crimp dies which are similar to the seating dies without the stem. I used them in the 5th station of my LnL AP as the final step.
Since I started powder coating I have sized all my bullets to miniimum diameters (0.356" for 9mm, 0.401" for 40 S&W and 0.451" for 45 ACP). I'm back to using Lee FCD's in the 5th station because even if the bullets are of minimum barrel groove diameter with zero oversizing, there is no leading in my barrels. I used to make sure I had about 2 mils of "fatness" in my lead bullets to ensure a good gas seal, but now 1 or zero is adequate.
Since I started powder coating I have sized all my bullets to miniimum diameters (0.356" for 9mm, 0.401" for 40 S&W and 0.451" for 45 ACP). I'm back to using Lee FCD's in the 5th station because even if the bullets are of minimum barrel groove diameter with zero oversizing, there is no leading in my barrels. I used to make sure I had about 2 mils of "fatness" in my lead bullets to ensure a good gas seal, but now 1 or zero is adequate.
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Mr_Flintstone
Member
It could be because they are really soft, or because they seat so near the end of the bullet that there isn't much meat left, or both, or neither. I don't know. I only do about 50 at a time, and in a single stage press, so it's not that big a deal to run them two-stage. It only adds a few minutes to an already long process. If I were really trying to crank them out fast I'd spend a little more time trying to figure it out.
An O-ring doesn't limit the travel (slop) in a thread "locking" situation. The O-ring is a cushion applying pressure to the threads and will keep the male threads snug up against the female threads. If there is any movement of the stem, "locked" with an O-ring it will be the same every time pressure is applied...
Yes, for the locking o-ring, but the FCDs I had also had the crimp adjustment stem riding on an o-ring. Since that stem is the "stop" for the sleeve that does the crimp, it gives it more flexibility as far as case lengths go. Not a lot, but some compared the the crimp ledge built into the die body like most are. Trim length is not quite as critical.
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