Titan ReloadingInline FabricationMidSouth Shooters SupplyLee Precision
Load DataWidenersRotoMetals2Repackbox
Reloading Everything
Results 1 to 9 of 9

Thread: 357 sig crimp dies

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
    Join Date
    Feb 2009
    Location
    hawaii
    Posts
    129

    357 sig crimp dies

    I am about to start loading for this cartridge and was hoping to get some opinions. are they two different dies for crimping from lee? I have seen reference to a short bottleneck crimp die, and a factory crimp die, is just semantics and really the same die?
    Last edited by rrob692326; 08-28-2018 at 02:24 AM.

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy billyb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    okmulgee county oklahoma
    Posts
    456
    do not know about Lee, when I was loading the 357 sig I bought a Redding taper crimp die that worked! until I started using it I run into some bullet setback.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master dkf's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2013
    Location
    Pa
    Posts
    1,555
    The Lee factory crimp die is what you want for .357sig. It is a collet die with no carbide ring in it. You won't collapse the shoulder of the case if you accidentally apply too much crimp like you can do with a taper crimp die. It is large enough to be able to use larger diameter cast bullets, I have no problem using .358" bullets with mine.

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Houston TX
    Posts
    761
    The Lee factory crimp bie is what I use. The cast bullets are powder coated with a gas check glued on with Locktite. The crimp is very small so as not to damage the powder coating. It takes a while to get the crimp so that it not to deep.
    Have shot a lot of the cast bullets in the 357 SIG.
    The bullets are sized to 357 so the same bullet can be loaded in a 38 Special.
    To test the amount of crimp the bullets were pulled with the hammer type inertia bullet puller.
    When the bullet had no damage to the powder coat the proper crimp level was determined.
    The locktite is the red color stuff,after a day the gas checks are glue on to the bullet very tightly.
    When pulling the bullets to test for the crimp amount the gas checks stayed on the bullet after the bullet was pulled.
    Have tried many glues and the locktite works the best.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master

    Moonie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Thomasville North Carolina
    Posts
    4,695
    I have the lee fcd for 357sig that is the collet crimp die, works very well.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy McFred's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    I'm sure they'll listen to "Reason"
    Posts
    341
    I would verify that you even need a crimp for your particular load. I have never needed one (though I have the lee collet design) when using suitable projectiles with appropriate neck tension.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master

    Moonie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Thomasville North Carolina
    Posts
    4,695
    Because of the short neck and the bottle neck case the 357 Sig is one of a few that I would recommend always crimping at least a little bit. Bullet setback is a serious concern in the 357 sig.

  8. #8
    Boolit Buddy McFred's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    I'm sure they'll listen to "Reason"
    Posts
    341
    IME it's a non-issue with proper projectile selection and enough neck tension, just like every other cartridge. A crimp changed nothing for me regarding velocity or accuracy and the the most setback without a crimp I could ever measure was ~.010", which is no concern for me. Not crimping also saves me a step in the loading process.

    If it makes you feel safer then do it, but personally, I do not think it matters if you do the due diligence.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master

    Moonie's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Thomasville North Carolina
    Posts
    4,695
    http://www.massreloading.com/357sig.html

    Be safe, not sorry. Lots of articles about the setback issues like this one around.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check