Will the Lee 357 COLLET crimp die (not the carbide FCD!) work for 38 special?

[Silvercreek Farmer]

I'm wanting to separate my seating and crimping stages. Options include breaking the carbide ring out of a FCD so it doesn't size down boolits, or the 357 Collet die if it works with 38 special. What say ye?

[DougGuy]

You would likely have to order a 38 SPL collet style die as the slits cut in the collet may be too close to the end of the collet by the time you shorten the 357 collet and the 357 die body to work with 38 SPL cases.

The collet die works really well on heavy for caliber big bore boolits, it works well for heavy 357 boolits, but not sure how well it would open with a lighter, less than magnum level load. This is a serious crimp best served for large bore dangerous game loads in handcannons or pistol caliber rifles.

[Silvercreek Farmer]

Thanks Doug! I saw some of your collet crimp pics in another thread. I forgot I had one for 44 mag. Studying it, I don't see any way one collet die could work for two different length cartridges like the mag/special, so carbide removal it is. Just for kicks, I took the FCD and applied the most crimp possible to a 38 cartridge. Maybe not as substantial as the collet die, but still pretty substantial, plenty for anything I'd want to do. Mainly, I just want to simply die set up when testing multiple boolits and swaping between 357/38. I may look into a spacer as well. The Sp101 will pull boolits with stiff loads, so I'll keep the collet die in mind if I'm ever stupid enough to shoot a bunch of them!

[DougGuy]

If you have one for 38 SPL, you just need a spacer equal to the difference in the 38 SPL and the 357 cases and it will work for both calibers.

You could even make a special shell holder with a "C" spacer tacked to it with TiG welding wire.

[Bzcraig]

Why not just use a taper crimp die?

[JimB..]

Actually for 38 special my question is why not just roll crimp? Using a bullet without a crimp groove?