Lee Pistol Factory Crimp Die

[utk]

I found this interesting article about the Lee Pistol factory Crimp:

http://www.mountainmolds.com/test_lee_crimp.htm

[1hole]

Lee crimpers; So, some don't like 'em. Some do. ????

I'm sure that writer reports correctly on his experience. But, is there anything on the market that solves any problem with total satisfaction in each and every instance?

I always listen to others but have never allowed others to do my research. It's best to test all things and see if they work for YOU, not for everyone else!

[buck1]

I kinda figured that would be the case. Thanks for the post...................Buck

[454PB]

I agree with the article. If you are using "standard" diameters (.357, .430, .452, etc.) they work fine. If you are using much over standard diameters, the factory crimp die will size the case and boolit to standard diameter. Another potential problem is thick brass. I LFC crimped some .452" boolits in some old miltary .45 ACP brass, and the sizer function was really making them drag.

[VTDW]

No problems with mine at all. I shoot a .432 hardcast boolit in my .44 Mag Redhawk. I believe it is all in the adjustments and the gorilla working the lever.:-D

Dave

[versifier]

I believe they were designed to "iron out" neck bulges when jacketed bullets don't seat in proper alignment and create chambering difficulties. You can do the same thing with a carbide sizer by removing the decapping stem, but the sizer won't crimp. I use the .357 mag version when loading 125 & 158 JHP's for my revolvers to insure smooth chambering. It might be nice if they were made in a range of sizes for each case, then they'd be much more useful for boolits. I'd also like it if they made the dies without the sizing ring like their rifle FCD's. If wishes were horses, the burgers would be chewy. [smilie=1:

[Harry O]

There are two completely different kinds of Lee Factory Crimp dies. There is the collet kind (this is NOT it). They REALLY crimp in a bullet. BTW, none of them have a carbide ring in them.

And there are the ones that have a carbide ring to size the case to the same size as maximum chamber dimensions (NOT the same size as the sizing die sizes it to). They crimp no differently than a taper crimp die. That is the kind he has here.

Sounds like he does't know what he has or how it is supposed to work.

[lar45]

I tried the Lee FCD on my 454 ammo and found that it reduced the extreme spread by around 20fps with no other changes. I did try both loads within a few days of each other. I seat and crimp with a RCBS die, then go into the Lee die in the 4th spot on my Dillon 550. This may make a difference in what Dan's results were?? He never did shoot any ammo crimped with it.
I was loading WC820 with bullets from 320-350gns. In cold weather I had to switch to a small rifle mag primer to get rid of the squibs.

I loaded a pile of 38 spl ammo a few years ago for a family reunion CAS shoot. Some of the rounds had bulged cases from the bullets and would not chamber. I bought a LEE FCD for 357 and ran the rounds through it with the crimp part screwed way out. It sized the loaded rounds down and now they chamber. I haven't gone out to shoot them and see if it made a difference, but atleast they chamber now. I was loading about 1000 rounds or more(CRS) in a few days so I didn't run the bullets through a sizer first, just swished in some Rooster Jacket.
The Rooster Jacket was a big mess in my RCBS seat die. I had to keep it loose and turn it out every couple of rounds as the lube was building up fast and would seat the bullets farther and farther into the case. I had to stop every hundred rounds or so and clean the die out. It was nice to lube a pile of bullets in a hurry, but I doubt I'll ever use it again.

[454PB]

The collet type are only for rifle cartridges. This author is talking about the FCD with carbide sizer insert. The crimp is not the problem, it's the carbide sizer that is the problem. On oversize boolits, it will size them as the case enters.

[lar45]

My pistol FCDs have the carbide sizer in them. The crimp sleeve insert on the dies steps down to a smaller ID for the crimp. If you run the round farther in then it will size the round down just slightly. Almost like a very shallow neck and sholder.
The carbide sizer was useful in getting my oversize 38 spl rounds to chamber. If the carbide ring is squishing your oversize bullets, I have to wonder how big the chamber is to allow them to fit?

It would be nice if Lee would make the collet crimp dies for pistol rounds. It would probably only be needed in heavy recoiling rounds like the 454, 475...

I picked some up for most of my rifle calibers, but haven't tried them yet.

[Dale53]

I find the Lee Factory Crimp die for pistols and revolvers to work well FOR ME. I had a quantity of .32 bullets that mic'd .314" and loaded rounds would not chamber in my revolver. I ran them thru the Lee Factory Crimp die for revolvers and they worked quite well and also shot well.

Using the FCD in the fourth hole insures that the rounds will chamber. I find that helpful especially when doing quantity loads (a thousand or better). I think that it is a brilliant design and very reasonable in price.

Dale53

[utk]

...It sized the loaded rounds down and now they chamber. I haven't gone out to shoot them and see if it made a difference, but atleast they chamber now...

Can you determine if the boolits are loose in the cases now, or if the brass still has a good grip on them? Bullet puller - how many whacks to remove boolit?

[Lloyd Smale]

ive heard may people claim they hurt accuracy by swadging the bullets down but ive used them for years in handguns and have had some of my best accuracy using them. Im a believer.

[Charley]

Intersting, though kind of pointless reading. I'm a lot more intetrested in how a load shoots. As long as the bullets stay put under recoil, I don't really care how many whacks it takes from an inertial bullet puller to pull the bullet. Seems to me consistancy would be more important than brute crimping power.

[Rod B]

ive heard may people claim they hurt accuracy by swadging the bullets down but ive used them for years in handguns and have had some of my best accuracy using them. Im a believer.

+1 I use them for 9mm, .38/.357 & .45ACP. I find they enhance accuracy & ensure reliable chambering of my reloads.

[utk]

If your reloads don´t chamber reliably with the regular dies, then there is something wrong with your dies or your way of using them. Or you have too fat boolits.
IMHO the only use for the Factory Crimp Die is as a separate crimper. And then the boolits must have "nominal" diameter or close to it, or they will be sized down... IMHO

[dmftoy1]

I wonder if someone could slightly enlarge the carbide ring like I read about people doing for the sizer dies? (don't know if it's a carbide vs steel thing or ?)

FCD's are cheap enough (relatively) that I could see having an oversize .45acp version for slightly bigger boolits.

[utk]

If you use your regular dies correctly, you shouldn´t need a Lee FCD at all.
A separate crimp die is very useful though, and that is what I use my FCD for. But I only use it for nominal-diameter boolits, and where the ctg goes effortlessly through the carbide insert (i.e. no downsizing of the boolit).

[kywoodwrkr]

There is more to it than just using it to resize a bullet.
I have a P1 whose chamber seems to be exceptionally tight.
Feeding has always been a problem except with factory ammunition.
The Lee FCD seems to eliminate this problem (That is with a FMJ bullet).
A regular 9mm P taper crimp leaves too much of a oversize case.
FWIW.
DaveP kywoodwrk

[BluesBear]

But, is there anything on the market that solves any problem with total satisfaction in each and every instance?
Of course there is.
[smilie=1:
Use quality, in spec dies and good handloading technique to produce ammo that is in spec.


It never ceases to amaze me the number of people who manufacture their own ammo who don't own a single cartridge gage to determine if they are making in spec or out of spec ammo. It's staggering the number that don't even own a simple caliper.


I really like my Lee Collet type crimp die for .44-40. Since the .44-40 was designed with such thin walls it's hard to get a good roll crimp.
However more modern cartridges use much thicker walls and roll or taper crimping is much easier when your dies are properly set.
And there's the rub. Too many people have no real idea how to properly set a crimp die. (hint RTFD)

In my not so humble opinion (here's where I'll piss off a couple of you) the only thing the carbide type Lee FCD is good for, is covering up sloppy production techniques.

[Bad luck Bill]

You know, I use a Lee FCD for my .45 rds in my 1911 and it will only post-size a case IF IT IS OUT OF SPEC. The last poster is correct, you should have calipers and learn how to properly set up your dies (Not pointing fingers or judging anyone on this forum in any way, shape, or form). I also have an RCBS crimp die I haven't used yet. I'm going to do a comparison and see which one produces the better, more accurate ammo. I will say I haven't had a problem with the LEE FCD as of yet. I'm just curious if it is equal to or of lesser quality then standard taper/roll crimping dies.

I bought the Lee Deluxe set which comes with the FCD. I also own a set of RCBS dies (In the same calibur) and the RCBS dies seat and crimp in one station. I've been told by many that it is better accuracy wise to crimp in a seperate station. Any comments or opinions on this claim? I bought a seperate taper crimp die at a gun show (RCBS) so I can crimp seperately using my RSBS dies if I need or want to. But to be honest I haven't even used the RCBS dies or the taper crimp die since using the Lee dies. THe Lee dies seem to be working fine and accuracy is great, so I haven't had any need to switch to the RCBS dies. I just like to have the option available.

I'll eventually compare the two and report on the differences, pro and con.

BLB.

[felix]

BLB, put in your mix to try as well: little or no crimp while using a neck id smaller than usual, and seating the boolit such that it is as close to the lands (or leade in) as possible. ... felix