Lee Factory Crimp Die

[d_striker]

My Lee mold throws bullets that are .357-.358.

I loaded some dummy's and used the Lee FCD. I pulled a few bullets afterwards and they all measured .356".

I realize that I'm in the safe zone w/ both diameters but is the FCD's sizing ruining my bullet in any way?

[oneokie]

What cartridge? How hard is your alloy? Before crimping does the area where the boolit fits in the case look odd? Can you see outline of the lube grooves/boolit base?

[BABore]

Lee FCD's for pistol calibers have sizing rings in them to resize the case so they chamber easily. They do sometimes resize cast boolits as they're made for 0.357 jacketed bullets. I would ditch it and do a roll crimp.

[markinalpine]

...for revolver rounds will perform a roll crimp, and the Lee FCD for pistol rounds will produce a taper crimp.
You didn't say which.
Try loosening the adjusting knob a little.
Good luck,
Mark :coffeecom

[jcwit]

Forget the FCD and just readjust the seating/crimp die.

I had real bad luck with the FCD in 45 ACP. Kept resizing my lead boolets. And no I'm not bashing Lee, in fact I like amost all of their products. For the money spent I believe they offer excellant value.

[BCB]

Yep, they will size the cast boolit down as it sizes the brass to be certain it will fit any chamber designed for that particular cartridge.

You could have the sizing ring opened larger in diamter, but i suspect that could be expensive.

Just use your regular seating die as suggested and all should be O.K.

Good-luck...BCB

[montana_charlie]

I have never looked at one of those pistol-type FCD's...so I don't know how they are built. But that carbide sizing ring didn't grow in there from a planted seed.

If somebody put it in...somebody else should be able to get it out, if it isn't needed for your application.
CM

[DLCTEX]

Try pulling a boolit from a case after loading it without the FCD, it's surprising how much sizing can go on with the brass case if the sizer squeezes it down too much.

[swallytrip]

Never been a fan of FCD's I dont ever recall anything coming from any factory with a crimp that looks like they do.:drinks:

[Heavy lead]

Never been a fan of FCD's I dont ever recall anything coming from any factory with a crimp that looks like they do.:drinks:

What's a factory crimp look like?:-D

[JIMinPHX]

Sounds like the FC die is out of adjustment. Set it up in your press so that when your stroke bottoms out, you get just as much crimp as you want. Or you can do it by feel, but that makes it a lot tougher to keep things consistent.

I used to use a factory crimp die all the time on 30-30 reloads. I swore by the thing. I got good results & that notched crimp did prevent boolit set back in the tube mag quite well. The problem was, that after about a dozen reloads, the case mouth would be uneven & worn out. I'm a rather frugal reloader & if I don't get 30 reloads out of a piece of brass, I feel like I'm doing something wrong. Over the years, I've found that a gentle taper crimp was suitable for my 30-30 unless I was loading up something really hot. For the hunting loads, I still use the FC die sometimes, but that's not too often these days. They do work if you use them right & they do have a place in this world, but I'm not the rabid fan of them that I once was.

[PatMarlin]

I use a light factory crimp- crimp and turn about 1/3 and crimp again. Never saw any sizing effect, and accuracy is great. I don't think a heavy FC is a good idea.

[d_striker]

Bullets are for 9mm. FCD is for 9mm.

I ran some more through with the crimp setting turned WAY light to the point where a crimp is not even noticeable. Pulled the bullet out and it still is being sized.

Alloy is actually, pretty hard...Found out from Snaggdit that BHN is in the 20's. Way harder than I thought.

Before crimping, everything looks normal. No outlines visible through brass.

What's the negative aspect of the FCD sizing the bullet down to .356? Bullet deformation? The 40 samples that I loaded up all grouped well.

[Bret4207]

Okay, I've thought about this. First- try pulling a few boolits from brass that's NOT FCD as someone said and see if the size is about the same as with the FCD. If so, it's your brass or seater resizing the boolit- it can happen. Beyond that, if you're getting good grouping then don't worry about it. It goes against the grain but what we want and what the gun want aren't always the same thing. IOW, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[PatMarlin]

-and I might add tolorances may very between die runs. All my FDC's are the very first that came out.

When you say crimp being noticeable, if you mean seeing a crimp on the case mouth I think that is way to tight. That's not the intention of the FDC as I understand it.

Look at the collet inserts in the crimp die as they come together when you bring your ram up and size. I just barely get them to come together and touch with a "kiss" on the cartridge.

If you bring your ram up, with the collets closing then feel a roll or crimp on the finish of the upstroke, that is way to much and would most likely size your boolit for sure.

For that heavy style of a crimp, better to go with the roll or taper. That's the feel that you may be seeking and trying to get with the FDC.

...

[PatMarlin]

Interesting that I just read Richard Lee on the FDC and in his book writes, "Veral Smith of LBT Industries sent a letter and observed, "Mouths of fired factory crimped cases are to small for a bullet to enter."

-He believes the reduced diameter guides the bullet into the bore for a more accurate start... Richard went on to say.

...

[BABore]

The proper way to check to see if the boolit is being sized, and where, is to split the case on each side with a Dremel, then remove the boolit gentle like. Just seating it and pounding it back out could be reducing the diameter. Seat a boolit, then remove it so you can measure it and see if the case/epander is too small. If you try another one in the Lee FCD, ink up the outside of the case so you can see how it's sizing it on the outside. Do a before and after micrometer check on the case OD.

IIRC, the Lee FCD for pistols is an aluminum body with a carbide insert ring at the botom for sizing the case down. The screw adjust top bears on a crimp insert that would be of either a roll or taper configuration. This insert is just loose in the die body and rides up/down in a close fit hole. I have 45 LC FCD that I took apart and removed the crimping insert. I use what's left over to neck size 45-70 cases.

The Lee FCD for rifle's, I have many. They are a spring collet based die that does not touch anything but the case mouth area. The base of the die indexes off of the shell holder. The die is screwed into the press with the ram raised fully. Once contact is made with the shell holder, the ram is lowered. The die is then turned farther in, between 1/4 to 1 turns, to give the desired amount of crimp. When in use, the die insert in contact with the shell holder is shoved upward when the ram is fully raised. This insert pushes the collet upward. The inside of the die body is cone shaped near the top. As the collet is pushed into this cone area it closes the collet.

[Cloudpeak]

Try pulling a boolit from a case after loading it without the FCD, it's surprising how much sizing can go on with the brass case if the sizer squeezes it down too much.

I pulled a couple of 124 gr Lee RN bullets from some dummy rounds the other day just to check on this. They measured the same as when I seated them, .357". The rounds were taper crimped with a Hornady taper crimp die.

[Down South]

I have never looked at one of those pistol-type FCD's...so I don't know how they are built. But that carbide sizing ring didn't grow in there from a planted seed.

If somebody put it in...somebody else should be able to get it out, if it isn't needed for your application.
CM

I have several of the FCD in pistol/revolver calibers. My .357 FCD was swaging Cast Boolits so I removed the carbide sizing ring and life has been grand since.

The sizing ring is easily knocked out with a good punch from the adjustment end.

[Heavy lead]

Been meaning to do that with my 44 fcd, that ring is way too tight. Rest of them I have are perfect and do a great job.

[d_striker]

I measured a few boolits at .358 before doing anything.

I loaded them up and pulled them after seating. They measured .357. I think my seating die may be swaging a little bit as well while removing the belling from the case.

I don't think I'm going to worry about it too much. As long as I'm getting good groups and my gun isn't going to KB, I'm not worried.

[ddeaton]

I use the factory crimp for 45LC and taper crimp set at .469 for 45acp. Light crimp on the 45LC's. I am still working things out and will keep up with this thread