Crimp die

[SkookumJeff]

Normally I crimp in a separate operation and station after seating my bullet, instead of seating and crimping in the same station. I've hand loaded this way for a long time, but that was with jacketed bullets. Lately I've read so much about taper crimp dies swaging cast boolits undersize that I have decided to go back to a roll crimp for my 444 Marlin and 45/70 rifles (instead of using a taper crimp). Since I don't want to seat and crimp in the same station with the same die, that means I need to buy a second crimp die to roll crimp. Is that what you all do, buy a extra seating/crimping die to crimp only?

[btroj]

I always crimp as a separate step. I also always use a separate crimp die. I have had good luck with both the Lee factory crimp die, in rifles, and the Redding profile crimp die.
The Redding is almost a combination taper/roll crimp. I have never pulled a bullet to see if itis reducing the bullet diameter in the crimped portion but it has always given loads that were accurate so I don't question it.

I wonder if the fear over a taper crimp reducing bullet diameter is real for a rifle cartridge. In a handgun the bullet is very short in compairison to the crimp length. A rifle bullet is far longer than the crimp length.

What crimp die have you been using up to now for 45-70? I would try your existing crimp setup for cast before deciding it is a problem. Most likely it will be just fine. I would certaiinly try it before I spent money on another die you may not need.

[SkookumJeff]

I wonder if the fear over a taper crimp reducing bullet diameter is real for a rifle cartridge. In a handgun the bullet is very short in compairison to the crimp length. A rifle bullet is far longer than the crimp length.


I've wondered the same thing. Seems to me IF the crimp die is swaging the boolit diameter it's limited to the crimp groove area and it's probably not going to affect the driving bands further down the length of the boolit.

[btroj]

Even if it goes an 1/8 inch down from the crimp groove. With a rifle bullet it leaves lotsof full diameter bearing surface. A pistol bullet may lose 1/2 of its full diameter bearing surface.

The Redding profile crimp is almost a cross between a taper and a roll crimp. It does squeeze in on the sides of the neck but also does roll crimp too. I use one in 30-30.

[jtaylor1960]

I would check with Ranch Dog on that crimp die thing.I use a Lee Factory Crimp Die and in 45/70 I don't think that is a problem.I use a single stage press so I use. the same die for both steps when doing a roll crimp.

[Reload3006]

personally I like the lee FCD in my 30-30 but I dont use it on lead i roll crimp my lead. Not an issue. at least not for me.

[JJC]

I seat and crimp in seperate operations, and have a seperate dies for each step. I think it's just easier once you have them set to leave them alone.

[Char-Gar]

I seat and crimp in seperate operations, and have a seperate dies for each step. I think it's just easier once you have them set to leave them alone.


Yep, that is me also.