Will Lee factory crimp .44 die work for .444?

[the_ursus]

I'm shopping for a Lee factory crimp die for my .444 marlin but am wondering if I should get the shorter .44 die and get double duty out of it for my revolver ammo. Would this work and is there enough adjustment on the die to accommodate pistol and rifle cases?

[Doc Highwall]

No because it is too short. I once cut down a 35 Rem for a 357 Herrett and it works great. The only way I could see to make it work is to put a spacer that is the difference in length between the two cartridges. It would have to be .940" long with a hole about .475" ID

[longrifle]

NOPE, the lee 44 special factory crimp die has a carbide ring at the base to final size the round and the 444 will get smooshed cause of the taper in the shell, the factory crimp for the 444 isn't that expensive, so get one. the 444 is a collet die that has a specified length and it only crimps at the end of the brass the 44 special or mag has a crazy roll crimp and that carbide ring go to lee's website and check it out the 444 will work like all there rifle factory crimp and the 44 special will work like there pistol's factory crimp, if your still lost I can come up with some pics i have the 44 special die set and a 45-70 die set but no 444 die set sorry
let us know and have fun shootin

longrifle

[ironhead7544]

It might work. The crimper is a sliding sleeve for the 44 cal pistols. If you have both get the pistol one first and try it. Be careful with the adjustment. You dont have to run the die all the way down on the 444 so it shouldnt hit the tapered part of the case. The FCDs arent that expensive so Id probably just get both.

[MtGun44]

Pistol FCD and rifle FCD have NOTHING in common in concept, method of operation,
dimensions, nothing.

Bill

[Four Fingers of Death]

Lee FCDs are inexpensive, even out her in Australia.

[no34570]

I agree with Four Fingers of Death
They are not that dear,get a proper one for your 44 and one for your 444Marlin
It(44FCD)is to short for the 444,I thought the same,got one and it don't do,so got stuck with the 44 FCD.

[the_ursus]

Thanks guys, I ended up ordering a FCD for the 444 after deciding I didn't want to keep reseting my rcbs .44 die between the two cartridges. I also thought the FCD for the rifle might/would give a stronger crimp for the old thumper.

The FCD should help my pistol boolits for the rifle since I needed to shorten my cases for proper feeding.

[the_ursus]

Ok, so the FCD for the .444 just showed up. Now, unless I'm missing something, the die is too long for my short Hornady LE brass. The reason I got the die was so I could crimp short cases since LEE advertises that case length isn't critical.
Do I need to get the grinder out and reduce the base of the die?

[longrifle]

I ran into that with 45-70 hornady brass from there lever rev line, I put those aside and used that lot for deer drives, the brass goes flying and I don't bother with it again. What I did to crimp was first seat all the bullets and then reset up the die with out the bullet seat and just roll crimped it with a second step useing the same die. you can use the lee die and just adjust it to seat and crimp at the same time but you will crush the brass like I have and get p*ssed and strugle, so do a two part first seat the bullet on all the hornady ones and then reset the die to crimp its a roll crimp but it holds good. and that is what you will have to do with hornady brass for that caliber till they fix the issue, i've been buying remington, and starline brass and the factory crimp die works great. hopes this helps