"Crimping" (bell removal) Confusion

[NTD]

I think I have most of my basis covered and am almost ready to do my first run of .45 acp but one issue I'm not sure about and research on this forum has only confused me more.

I've read a lot of controversy over using the Lee FCD to remove the bell from .45's (with cast boolits) and feel like I should avoid that route from all the mixed opinions I'm seeing. So considering I won't be using that, what die do I want to use to remove the bell from my cases?

Thanks for any help.

[Reload3006]

if you are using the bullet seat die from most die makers it will taper crimp your bullet for you. so to get the proper seat and crimp take the barrel of your gun out and set it so when you seat and crimp the round will fit in your barrels chamber just flush or slightly below the end of the barrel lug.

You can use the FCD die too if you like and will maybe give you better OAL control. but do the same for fit. once it is set up keep at it it should stay .. .check every 10 t o20 to make sure they are still seating and crimping the same.

IF you don't use the FCD use a Taper crimp die. But as I said most RCBS, Hornady,Lee I know have a taper crimp built in the Seat die.

[454PB]

The Lee FCD has it's uses, you just have to be sure it's not sizing the boolit when it's used.

However, in my opinion it's not needed for auto loaders if the ammo chambers as it should.

As Reload3006 has said, the seating/crimping die that came with your die set should work fine in most cases.

[NTD]

Awesome info guys. Thanks for clearing up the issue for me!

[462]

To eliminate the possibility of the case mouth shaving lead from the boolit, as it is being seated, seat and crimp in two seperate opertions.

Start with a dummy round -- no primer, no powder -- seat and crimp a boolit, then pull the it and measure it to make sure that the die didn't swage it smalller.

[milprileb]

On most die sets, the seating die can be adjusted so you seat only and then adjust die body down and taper crimp (or roll crimp for revolvers). Some die sets can be had with a separate seating and crimp die in them or you can buy crimp die separately. I do these functions separate with success.

There is a FCD and a Carbide Crimp Die from Lee. FCD is rifle, CCD is pistol. I tried the CCD in 9mm and 45acp and find no love with cast bullet loads. However that may be entirely unique results for my pistols. If I wanted all my rounds to feed for a match like IPSC where tight groups are meaningless, the CCD will have every round the same for flawless feeding.

Lots of folks here crack out the carbide ring on CCD and use it as a normal taper crimp die.

I bought the CCD for 9 and 45 because I was chasing rainbows and I found the pile of gold I sought to be a pile of poop painted with gold paint

[NTD]

Since I'm using a progressive would it be a good idea to get an additional seating die and use that as my dedicated crimping die? I'd like to avoid having to continually adjust the die to seat and crimp separately.

[Breadman03]

It wouldn't hurt at all, except for a couple dollars.

[462]

I reload using two single-stage presses -- seating die in one press, crimp die in the other. I have seperate crimp dies for each handgun cartridge and each boolit design. If I cast more than one boolit design, for a particular cartridge, I use seperate seat and crimp dies. Example: For the .45 ACP, I cast two different boolits and use dedicated seat and crimp dies for each one. That way, each boolit has a seater for its nose profile, and a crimp die adjusted to apply the right amount of crimp at the correct location.

[milprileb]

For progressive presses, I have a separate seating and crimp die for each die plate on my Dillon 550 / 650 presses.

I do the same for 9mm in my Lee Turret. Its not hard to adjust bullet seating depths but once I get crimps set, I leave them rock steady as they are.

[NTD]

You guys sure are helpful, I appreciate it!

I definitely think I will use a separate die then. Just so I'm clear, the Lee Seat and Feed Die also crimps?

[Char-Gar]

For handgun rounds, I use a Redding turret press and have separate seating dies and crimping dies. It is easy to spin the turret from seating to crimping and my hand never leaves the press handle.

Most folks around here know that I am not a fan of Lee equipment in general and the FCD in particular. We have lots and lots of folks showing up here with problems that can be traced back to those gizmos.

Be very, very careful with that progressive press and don't allow yourself to become distracted or let your mind wander. Bad things can happen if you do.

[Reload3006]

You guys sure are helpful, I appreciate it!

I definitely think I will use a separate die then. Just so I'm clear, the Lee Seat and Feed Die also crimps?

yes it will crimp also

[Saint]

I have the lee 4 die set for .44mag and although it came with a separate crimp die I can also crimp with my seating die if i back the seating plug out and turn the die in. I actually have been extremely happy with my lee dies but i am still quite partial to the Hornady New Dimension dies.

[jimkim]

If you want to taper crimp in a separate step Lee makes a regular taper crimp die.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/244052/lee-taper-crimp-die-45-acp

[MtGun44]

+1 on SEPARATE TC die.

About 80% of .45 ACP failure to close type 1911 ammo problems are no or inadequate
TC.

Dismount the barrel and use it as the gage to set the LOA (keep boolit from jamming into
throat/rifling) and amount of TC. Loaded round should drop all the way in flush with hood,
no more than 1 lb fingertip push to seat flush or you need a deeper seating distance or
more TC. I visually push about 1/2 of the thickness of the brass into the boolit when TCing.
Noticable crimp.

Bill

[Mike Kerr]

"+1 on SEPARATE TC die."

"About 80% of .45 ACP failure to close type 1911 ammo problems are no or inadequate TC."

"For progressive presses, I have a separate seating and crimp die for each die plate on my Dillon 550 / 650 presses."
__________________________________________________ _______________
All of the above are valid comments in this thread and really important for new reloaders. If we tell a new reloader to crimp in a separate step we should know we gave good acheivable advise.

regards,

:grin::grin::grin:

[NTD]

This forum is great! Thanks for the help guys.