Lee fcd

[dverna]

After doing a lot a reading, I decided not to add the Lee FCD to my procedure.

I see no advantage in loading pistol cases and potentially problems when using cast....and the bulk of my pistol shooting is with cast bullets. So why do It?

It may be valuable in some rifle applications using jacketed bullets.

Don Verna

[rsrocket1]

The Lee taper crimp die for autoloading pistol cartridges is a much better idea for cast bullets than the FCD. I size my 40 cal bullets to 0.401" and my 9mm to 0.358" and the FCD will swage the seated portion of the bullet down. That negates the whole idea of sizing the bullet to fit your barrel.

I do lightly flare the case mouth with the Lee PTX die so the bullets don't get shaved down during seating. This will cause a plunk problem with some brass so the taper crimp die will close the mouth to just beyond vertical and no more. Lee claims that you don't need the taper crimp die because all modern Lee seating dies have the taper crimp built into the body of the seating die. However, I prefer to seat and crimp in separate stages and I have an extra station open in my LnL AP so why not use it?

Look at the sizing ring at the bottom of the cutaway view of the handgun FCD

Lee taper crimp dies link

[dkf]

The collet FCDs work well on pistol and rifle cases, I use them myself. The FCDs with the carbide ring work fine after you knock out out the carbide ring and smooth the sharp edges on the inside.(what I do with them)

[typz2slo]

I took a roll pin punch and removed the carbide ring out of my Lee FCD. It was sizing the boolit as it went in the die just as stated above.

[original]

Thanks for all of the replies. I will try and knock the carbide ring out and see how that works.

[Lloyd Smale]

9mms are where I use them. There just so susceptible to bulging the side of the case when not starting bullets perfectly straight loading progressively. Its not a target round anyway so I don't worry if I swage the bullet a tad. Truth be told even after a run through a full length crimp die they still shoots as well (or as bad) as factory ammo. I start at 358 so its still even if swadged down a bit big enough for most 9s. I have no need for a crimp in a rifle round. Ive loaded 10s of thousands of 223 and 308 for ars and have never had a bullet slip other then when using the real long 75s and 80s in the 5.56. Tried it and it did nothing either way to effect accuracy. Waste of time and the expense of a die imo.

[Gohon]

You can just take a wooden dowel and drive the carbide ring out. Its just a snug press fit. And you can tap it back in later if you want, not sure how many times, but no need to cut it out.

Easiest way is to remove adjustment stem from the die and drop a empty cartridge mouth first into the die. The rim of the brass will catch on the top portion of the ring and then you can easily drive it out with a dowel or metal punch. This method puts even pressure on the ring making it easy to punch out and lessens the chance of scratching the inside of the die.

[Soundguy]

Easiest way is to remove adjustment stem from the die and drop a empty cartridge mouth first into the die. The rim of the brass will catch on the top portion of the ring and then you can easily drive it out with a dowel or metal punch. This method puts even pressure on the ring making it easy to punch out and lessens the chance of scratching the inside of the die.

What adjustment stem are you talking about.. they aren't talking about a decap/resize die, but a fcd die with a sizer ring... they are hollow... up to the collet fingers., or if the non collet ones, up to the shoulder for the roll, or simply tapered , etc.

[Gohon]

What adjustment stem are you talking about.. they aren't talking about a decap/resize die, but a fcd die with a sizer ring... they are hollow... up to the collet fingers., or if the non collet ones, up to the shoulder for the roll, or simply tapered , etc.

The LFCD for the straight wall cartridges is either a roll crimp for such as the 357 mag or 45 Colt or it is a taper crimp for auto pistol rounds. These dies have a adjustment stem for the amount of crimp one desires and have a carbide ring in them. Only this year did Lee start producing a die that was of the collect type for straight wall cartridges but I doubt the OP has that one. I have both but my collect type dies were bought from Ranch Dog since Lee was not producing them at the time. Here is the normal LFCD sold by Lee... http://www.midwayusa.com/product/251...ial-357-magnum

[DougGuy]

The Carbide Factory Crimp Die features a carbide ring that sizes the cartridge while it is being crimped so every round will positively chamber freely with factory-like dependability. The adjusting screw quickly and easily sets the desired amount of crimp while a factory-like crimp is added to more firmly hold the bullet in place.

LOL so now we have a known identified separate 4th style of Lee FCD.. Had to go back and edit my previous post!

Actually there are a grand total of FOUR separate, different, Lee Factory Crimp Dies. There are the collet style FCD dies for rifle, there is the carbide ring style FCD for straight walled pistol cases both rimmed and rimless, there is a different carbide ring style FCD for straight wall pistol cases that has an adjuster in the top of the die, and there are also collet style FCD dies for straight wall pistol cases.

[Soundguy]

Yup, I've never seen the adjuster type either...

[Gohon]

LOL so now we have a known identified separate 4th style of Lee FCD.. Had to go back and edit my previous post!

I think you identified one type twice. I know of only three types of FCD's.
1 = Rifle Collect type for a bottle neck case, no carbide ring.
2 = Pistol/Revolver roll/taper type for straight wall case, with carbide ring.
3 = Pistol/Revolver special run or custom Collect type for straight wall cases, no carbide ring.

Lee identifies the dies with the carbide ring as a Carbide Factory Crimp Die and the other die as simply a Factory Crimp Die. Only once in the past have I seen Lee list a collect type factory crimp die for pistol/revolver straight wall cases and I suspect that was a over run from Ranch Dog closing shop. Looking today I could find none listed.

[dragon813gt]

The collet style for revolver cartridges are standard items. They are listed on the site right now. They've were available after RD closed shop but they were small runs and you had to get them while they had them.

I have not seen a non-collect FCD where you adjust the crimp w/ a stem. The crimp is adjusted by screwing in the die more.

[dkf]

My .44mag FCD has a sliding collar in it that applies the crimp. There is an aluminum knob on top that adjusts the amount of crimp by stopping the collar. Carbide ring is gone on that one too. It came with a carbide 4 die set I got as a gift Xmas of 14'.

[dragon813gt]

Amazing what you can learn when you read the instructions. I never use that die even though I have a bunch of them. They even show a nice cutaway of it on their site.

HANDGUN FCD

CARBIDE FACTORY CRIMP DIE




SHORT BOTTLE NECK COLLET STYLE FCD



COLLET STYLE CRIMP DIE



RIFLE FCD

FACTORY CRIMP DIE


They have a matrix at the bottom of this page w/ the dies that are available by cartridge. They are listed under two different columns; Factory Crimp Die & Collet Style Crimp Die: http://leeprecision.com/reloading-dies/hand-gun-dies/

[Soundguy]

Amazing what you can learn when you read the instructions.

IMHO, that's a slightly rude, uncalled for comment.

Many of us have never seen the 'short bottleneck collet style FCD' thus we've never seen the directions for it.

The arogance here is astounding.

[dragon813gt]

IMHO, that's a slightly rude, uncalled for comment.

Many of us have never seen the 'short bottleneck collet style FCD' thus we've never seen the directions for it.

The arogance here is astounding.

I find your post rude because my comment was about myself. After dkf posted about his 44mag dies I went to Lee's site and read the instructions. Feel free to apologize at your earliest convenience.

[Gohon]

I never use that die even though I have a bunch of them.

Dragon, I'm curious as to why you would own a bunch of these dies but never use them? With 357 mag and 45 Colt cast bullets I prefer a roll crimp if there is a crimp groove and the Lee die in my opinion is superior over a standard seating and crimping die. Especially when shooting in a lever action.

Lee's claim that if there is no crimp groove on lead bullets that the Carbide Factory Crimp die will make a crimp groove because the lead is soft is more or less bogus in my opinion. Sure it will form a sort of indented groove but that lead has to go somewhere and in my experience what one winds up with is a coke bottle shape bullet with 30 calibers and below. Having said that, it will work if one is ever so gentle with a very light crimp...just enough to hold the bullet from setback.

BTW...I took your post for what you said in that you had learned something. I would say though that the last picture you posted of short bottle neck FCD really belongs in the custom section as that really is what they are. Don't suspect you will find them on sites such as MidwayUSA, Cheaperthandirt or others. Could be wrong though.

[Tackleberry41]

The FCD are basically meant for jacketed bullets, just as all of Lee dies. The carbine ring in the pistol ones, doesnt do a whole lot when I load jacketed, you do notice it when trying to use it on cast. I have to go buy one of the NOE expanders for my 357, the lee set up swages down cast bullets. That and the factory lee is a bit short, it was only expanding the case maybe half the length of the bullet. Needless to say accuracy is horrible.

[dragon813gt]

The FCDs come w/ the four die pistol sets. I like tools in general and have a habit of buying the set w/ the most pieces. Who knows, one day I may want to use them.

I posted all the different styles on Lee's site so they were all listed in one place. I don't see the short bottle neck as custom because they're a cataloged item. Just because Midway or other retailers don't carry them doesn't make them a special order. Lee currently has limited numbers of the collet style crimp die in 357 Herret, 41 Rem Mag and 45 Blaser. Those are custom since it was a limited run.