Crimp 44 mag?

[Ruckmanite]

I am new to casting,and I have a Ruger Blackhawk 44 mag and I have the lee 240 grain mold. I was wondering if I should factory crimp when I sea these? Any thouvhts? I dont have the factory crimp die, buti guess I can get it.

[462]

Caveat emptor.

Read the numerous threads pertaining to the Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die -- lots of interesting comments.

Also, read Lee's description of why they make the die and how it works.

[Jim Flinchbaugh]

If yer shootin light plinker loads, I dont crimp, Heavy loads yes, other wise the boolits have a way of escaping the brass while your firing, then the cylinder wont rotate no more

[Larry Gibson]

I believe Lee's regular seater for pistol cartridges still roll crimp?

Read the instructions on how to set the seating die to roll crimp into the crimp groove. Many of us prefer to crimp as a seperate operation from seating the bullet. However, I do roll crimp when seating with many handgun cast bullets if the crimp broove is largee enough that lead is not shaved off the side of the bullet when done.

With my .44 SPL and Magnum loads I use a mild roll crimp with loads up to 1100 fps with faster burning owders like Bullseye - Unique burning range. I use a heavy roll crimp =P loads with soft alloys and with magnum and loads with slower burning powders of Blue Dot through H110/296.

Larry Gibson

[bobthenailer]

I have 3 different crimp dies for the 44 mag . that way my crimps are allways the same
Taper crimp-- for loads up to 1000 fps
Med roll crimp-- up to 1200 fps
Redding pro crimp for loads over 1200 fps
The lee factory crimp die is not recomended for cast bullets only jacketed

[ku4hx]

I am new to casting,and I have a Ruger Blackhawk 44 mag and I have the lee 240 grain mold. I was wondering if I should factory crimp when I sea these? Any thouvhts? I dont have the factory crimp die, buti guess I can get it.

During the '70s and '80s I loaded and shot thousands of .44 Magnum mostly ~240-250 grain cast SWC. I used (and still use) the same Lyman set of dies I bought circa 1969.

If the load was light to mild I basically used no crimp at all relying on neck tension to hold the boolit. Heavy loads at or near max I applied a roll crimp. The only problem I had was case necks began to split after half dozen or so roll crimped loadings. Those I sometimes trimmed back to .44 Special length if I could and extended their useful life with mild loads.

If you want to use Lee's FCD, then do so. I just always had the opinion it was a solution hunting for a problem to solve.

[Ruckmanite]

I thought I had read the FCD could actually cause leading? Is this a fear or am I nuts?

[Reload3006]

in rimed revolver cartridges I fail to see what the Lee factory crimp die provides. In Bottle neck cases Ok if you believe Lees spiel about accuracy go for it. As far as auto cases like 9mm 45acp 40s&w 10mm any die can swage down the boolit and make it undersized and cause leading.
on 357 and 44 mag probably 41 mag (never loaded 41mag) using WW296 H110 a heavy rolled crimp is recommended to ensure good powder combustion.

[44man]

I thought I had read the FCD could actually cause leading? Is this a fear or am I nuts?
Most have an insert that sizes the boolit.
A .44 does not need super crimps, just roll to the bottom of the groove. Case tension does the work.
Soft lead and case tension do not go together and if you think crimp will fix it you have funny dreams.
I just shot today with my .44 and the brass has reached 44 loadings without a single case split. Since 1956 I have never had a .44 case fail. I flare and roll crimp only to what it needs.

[paul edward]

What kind of dies do you have?

[stubshaft]

Save your money and roll crimp them.

[evan price]

If the boolito has a roll crimp groove I Roll crimp it regardless of velocity. Lee fcd is not needed if your co components are in spec. and your dies are set up right. FCD is good for guns with tight match chaambers or out ofcc spec situations.

[44man]

What kind of dies do you have?
Started with RCBS, went to special BR dies and now use Hornady.

[stubert]

Do not use the lee die. Roll crimp it.

[runfiverun]

if it's the t/l swc type.
seat one thats all ready to load, then try to get it back out of the case.
that should answer your answer.

[MtGun44]

Regular roll crimp. You risk sizing down the boolit inside the case and then you can
have an undersized boolit, which will lead the bore.

Bill

[Multigunner]

A heavy .38 Special load would work fine without a crimp in my old Officers Model Target, but when fired in my S&W Model 37 lightweight bullets would be bumped forwards and tie up the cylinder. Basically the much lighter Model 37 was recoiling sharply back with the heavy lead boolit trying to stay in the same place due to inertia. The heavier Colt didn't kick much so unfired bullets stayed put in the case.

Later when I made a homemade sizer, after follishly selling the Lyman 310 Nutcracker I'd previously used, I sized the cases alot tighter and did not use an expander button. Those loads never tried to bump forwards, way more pull strength than was needed.

So it depends a lot on your equipment, with power level and weight of the revolver being major factors. Generally an uncrimped load is a hair more accurate, but only if pull strength is sufficient to insure complete ignition before the bullet clears the chamber mouth.

[MT Chambers]

I see no earthly reason for a collet anything die.

[nicholst55]

I really like the Redding Profile Crimp dies for straight wall revolver cartridges. You do have to trim your brass to a uniform length in order for it to crimp properly, but they don't stretch much once you do that.

[mpmarty]

The LEE FC die for straight wall pistol cartridges is not a collet die. It is comprised of two carbide rings the one at the mouth of the die will and has sized boolits too small on withdrawal from the die.

[462]

Based on my experience, the Lee rifle collet crimp die is a very effective tool, as is their rifle collet neck sizer die.

The handgun carbide crimp die, according to members' feedback, has created magnitudes more problems than fixes. It was never designed nor intended for use with cast boolits.

[Ruckmanite]

My dies are Lee dies, the ones that can be used for 44 mag or 44 sp, and I believe the instructions on the seating die said it could not crimp 44 mag when seating, but I could be wrong on that, not near them at the moment.