prs
12-18-2011, 01:31 PM
Maybe I am a genious, but nobody else seems to be telling me such:oops: But I have not noticed this alternative to knocking out the sizing ring in the CFCD before, then again, maybe I am blind (even my eye doc tells me that).
I have reloading/hand loading since 1976, but only been loading 40 S&W for a short time on a progressive reloading machine. I use my own cast lead boolits exclusively and I prefer to seat at one station and crimp on the next. But, as others have found on this cartridge and other cartridges with lead pills, the Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die (CFCD) can and often does size the seated lead bullet as it crimps, then the brass that was previously very tightly stretched over the boolits rebounds a bit leaving that previously very nice retention grip greatly compromised. That retention or case to boolits grip is very important to efficient powder ignition and burn and thus consistency of performance of the round.
So, I noticed some of our members mentioning having knocked the carbide sizing ring out of their CFCD so that they can just use it to crimp without the post sizing. That is OK if you don't mind sacrificing the ring and if you never intend to rum copper condom pills. But this morning that little light bulb came on over my head. Why not use the body of a 45 Colt Lee CFCD with the crimp insert for the 40 S&W? The 45 Cold sizing ring will not come even close to sizing the brass or boolit and the crimp insets are the same exterior diameter. So that is just what I did and it workded perfectly.
I imagine, but have not yet verified the same concept will work with .357/.38 and other straight walled cartridges.
prs
I have reloading/hand loading since 1976, but only been loading 40 S&W for a short time on a progressive reloading machine. I use my own cast lead boolits exclusively and I prefer to seat at one station and crimp on the next. But, as others have found on this cartridge and other cartridges with lead pills, the Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die (CFCD) can and often does size the seated lead bullet as it crimps, then the brass that was previously very tightly stretched over the boolits rebounds a bit leaving that previously very nice retention grip greatly compromised. That retention or case to boolits grip is very important to efficient powder ignition and burn and thus consistency of performance of the round.
So, I noticed some of our members mentioning having knocked the carbide sizing ring out of their CFCD so that they can just use it to crimp without the post sizing. That is OK if you don't mind sacrificing the ring and if you never intend to rum copper condom pills. But this morning that little light bulb came on over my head. Why not use the body of a 45 Colt Lee CFCD with the crimp insert for the 40 S&W? The 45 Cold sizing ring will not come even close to sizing the brass or boolit and the crimp insets are the same exterior diameter. So that is just what I did and it workded perfectly.
I imagine, but have not yet verified the same concept will work with .357/.38 and other straight walled cartridges.
prs