FC die for federal 327 magnum

[edadmartin]

do I need to use a FC die for the federal 327 magnum? with a lswc is there a lee P/N for this or will this one work. thanksLee Carbide Factory Crimp Die 32 S&W Long, 32 H&R Magnum #90067

[DeanWinchester]

Depends on what you're doing.
Lead boolits? You probably don't want a FCD for those.
Jacketed? Maybe, probably not.
What firearm? Are you having trouble chambering your current loads?

I ride the fence on the FCD debate. Some love, some hate, I use when appropriate. In all the years I've been loading I have yet to see a need for anything like it for a revolver. Autoloaders maybe. Revolvers never.

[dondiego]

The die set that you purchase should come with a roll crimp in the boolit seat die that will be fine for .327 Fed.

[Mk42gunner]

Need? No.

Want? Maybe.

I have never had any trouble using the roll crimp in a standard seating die for revolvers.

Robert

[edadmartin]

thanks YEA I was unclear weather to use the die roll crimp in the lee set I have or to add a 4th taper crimp die as I did on 45 acp, Im loading for a taurus .327 lswc.
Also unclear when to use a gas check for the federal 327 magnum loads, or if its even necessary at all. please advise.

[Rusty W]

Lee also makes a taper crimp die for the 32mag/long, I have one but can't find a part # on it. I've used it instead of a roll crimp and have good results w/it. I have since purchased a set of Redding dies for the 32mag/long and am using the profile crimp die (86162) just to see if there is a difference between the two. I've found best accuracy w/gascheck boolits & AA#9 powder. I'm waiting on some cooler weather before I start shooting again so it may be a while before I see any difference in the crimp. So far I prefer the taper to the roll crimp in the 327.

[bruce381]

if cases are similar in lenght and you do not over roll crimp you do not need a Lee FC die for anything.

[Rusty W]

A lesson I learned the hard way about a FC die & the 327mag. With boolits it caused me more harm than good. I had just shot up some factory loads in order to use the brass for reloading. I was having issues w/the case squeezing the boolit to a .311dia and was needing .313. I'd go through the steps to load a round, pull the boolit, it measured .313 before I seated & .311 after I pulled it. I went on a hunt for a bigger expander. A shop had what I wanted, 250miles round trip. I lit a trail to go get it & got back home ready to load some new rounds. Run through the steps & the FC die performed it's job to a T sizing the case & boolit back down to a .311dia. Out came the ring of the FC die. I learned 2 lessons through all that mess, the taper crimp is your friend &/or use a harder boolit.

[Green Frog]

Lee also makes a taper crimp die for the 32mag/long, I have one but can't find a part # on it. I've used it instead of a roll crimp and have good results w/it. I have since purchased a set of Redding dies for the 32mag/long and am using the profile crimp die (86162) just to see if there is a difference between the two. I've found best accuracy w/gascheck boolits & AA#9 powder. I'm waiting on some cooler weather before I start shooting again so it may be a while before I see any difference in the crimp. So far I prefer the taper to the roll crimp in the 327.

"You da man, Rusty!!" I'd love to hear all about that AA#9 load. I don't generally like to use gas checks, but I might make an exception in this case. The reason I'm excited though, is that in these tight times for buying powder I have about 20 lb of H-108 that has tested grain for grain identical to AA#9 and it would be great to be able to use some in 327s or even 32 H&Rs. I've just about standardized a 327 load with the big NOE 314008 PB that runs 125 gr, but a smaller bullet would be fun to work with too. I'd be happy to hear from you directly by PM if you don't want to post loads in public but will continue to monitor this thread as well.

BTW, are you using that old standard 311316 Ideal mould or something different? I think I've got that mould around here somewhere if I can find it. Do you like Lyman or Hornady gas checks, or make your own? Thanks in advance for any assistance!

Froggie

[Rusty W]

I use a NOE 313640 boolit. It was my 1st NOE RG4 mold and I had a time trying to learn how this thing liked to be used. Finally after lots'o reading what others have tried, cussin, fussin, stompin fits & nearly sending it to the opposite end of my shop, I calmed down. Said to myself, it's a mold...I'm not gonna let it out smart me. I cranked up the heat to 800 & cast like I was trying to fly. Quit fiddling w/the pins, quit looking at the rejects, pour, break sprue, empty, pour, break, empty, as fast as I could fill the mold, even let the puddle fill the plate & flow over the top to keep the heat. After about 10 pours as fast as I could fill it, the thing started dropping great boolits. Couldn't slow down much & had to keep the pace up but once things are right, the mold works great. The HP type drops right at 113gr & the solid right at 120gr w/check if memory serves me right. I haven't shot the 327 in a while due to so many other irons in the fire. I purchased a NOE 32-115 Keith mold a while back & haven't had a chance to load any to see how they shoot. It's a 3 cavity, 2pb, 1gc, and works great. I had a small issue w/the center boolit sticking but I used some Flitz on a cast boolit and polished that cavity, now the bullet drops right out.

I subscribe to Handloader magazine and read an article that Brian Pierce wrote about the 327. I believe he used the Ruger SP101, again going off memory, and had about 3-4 pages of data. I just started off that data w/what I had, I believe around 11gr of #9 and a small rifle primer, yep, small rifle. I was able to shoot 3-4 different loads & powders including WW296 & 2400. 296 gave the most fps, 2400 was also decent, but the #9 was a tighter cluster. I used some of Blammers checks, gator checks I believe. I have high hopes of working w/it some more this fall when it's cooler weather. Right now I'm clearing brush/trees on 10 acres and trying to get some grass & turnips planted for a winter food plot so I can have some deer chili over the winter. I don't deer hunt much but a friend of mine that lives in town does. I let him use my land to hunt & he gives me whatever part of the deer I want, less work for me that way. Sorta crazy cause I have a lifetime hunting license and haven't used it maybe 3-4 times in the last 4 years. Sorry for the thread drift. Here's some pics of the NOE boolits.

Recovered from a dead tree stump, traveling about 1300fps. Blammers cks still in tact.

[williamwaco]

Need? No.

The FCD works and does exactly what it says it does but in my opinion if your loads "need" that treatment, you did something wrong.

Your seating die will do an excellent job of crimping and if you have all your components sized correctly you will not need the carbide ring.

Want?

Maybe. If you just want to try something new, go for it.

I have one for a couple of rifles but I have never used one on any handgun cartridge. I simply do not "need" it.


All that said, I do not know if the die for the shorter cases will work with the longer case. I have always assumed that if the die maker does not list my exact cartridge on the die box label, it does not work.

I found this review on Midwayusa

this die works perfectly in crimping the .32 S&W long, .32 H&R mag, and the .327 Federal mag. highly recommended

[Green Frog]

Awesome looking bullets, Rusty. With those multiple tiny grooves on it, I'm sure they would never need a taper crimp or factory crimp, or any other special die... a standard roll crimp will do for sure. OP, as I look at and think about the various bullets I use in all of my 32s, I'm not sure I can ever justify the extra step with any of the "special" crimping dies (I don't load for 32 ACP.) Does anybody need a like new Lee FC die?

Froggie