Lee Factory Crimp Die

[pidevildog07]

When trying to set it up, the die it contacts the shell holder crooked. Is this normal?

[TheDoctor]

Not on mine. Have various rifle and pistol FCD's, and they all contact flush.

[farmallcrew]

My dies all touch the shellholder flush.

[Moonie]

Is this a pistol or rifle FCD? If its the rifle, take it apart and make sure all the parts are inserted properly and nothing is damaged.

[zuke]

Is this a pistol or rifle FCD? If its the rifle, take it apart and make sure all the parts are inserted properly and nothing is damaged.

Yup, have a look and a quick lube job inside.

[pidevildog07]

Its a pistol FCD. Im waiting to hear back from Lee on this issue. Moonie, could you clarify what you mean by lube job as they are carbide dies.

[200swc]

How do you know they touch crooked? Are your cases trimmed square?

[Moonie]

Its a pistol FCD. Im waiting to hear back from Lee on this issue. Moonie, could you clarify what you mean by lube job as they are carbide dies.

I said nothing about a lube job, I mentioned only working on the rifle version. I don't use the pistol version as they tend to size down loaded boolits causing leading.

[mdi]

Personally, I have no use for a FCD, but all you gotta do is look at the shell holder and the mouth of the die as they come together, to see if the die/holder is misaligned...

[1maxhunter]

have not had one be off of the shell holder.

[noylj]

I ALWAYS have a case inserted in the die before I ever lock the die. I set-up making two inert rounds and always have the case or case and bullet in the die for alignment.
Never had one misaligned. If you do and the die is not tightened down but free to wiggle and it doesn't align, contact Lee. They want to give you a good produce and they sure don't want a batch of bad dies getting out.
I find two uses for the Lee FCD, in cases where my over-sized bullets get swaged down:
1) with the bulge buster kit
2) as a "moderate" resizing die. If the case chambers easily with just the body of the FCD used for sizing, that is all the sizing I need.

[200swc]

Attach a photo of the case.

[o6Patient]

:???:My factory crimp die 30-o6 is not symmetrical as to the the cuts in the actual crimping fingers/collet
Factory rep says this is ok and will not effect accuracy....ok he's probably right but why couldn't
they be cut symmetric, do they use Kentucky windage and a compass when they cut them?

[I'll Make Mine]

As long as the hole is circular, the cuts being a little off center won't hurt anything. Cheaper to make it "by eye" than to have some fancy fixture to center the cuts perfectly; that's how Lee can make stuff that works right and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

[o6Patient]

As long as the hole is circular, the cuts being a little off center won't hurt anything. Cheaper to make it "by eye" than to have some fancy fixture to center the cuts perfectly; that's how Lee can make stuff that works right and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

Unfortunately they are way beyond "a little off" ..see no reason for it.
But in all fairness to Lee the rep did say "if I sent them in they would
replace them w/ another set"

[zuke]

Unfortunately they are way beyond "a little off" ..see no reason for it.
But in all fairness to Lee the rep did say "if I sent them in they would
replace them w/ another set"

So send them in and be done with it.

[r1kk1]

As long as the hole is circular, the cuts being a little off center won't hurt anything. Cheaper to make it "by eye" than to have some fancy fixture to center the cuts perfectly; that's how Lee can make stuff that works right and doesn't cost an arm and a leg.

I don't buy this. A jig or fixture makes repetitive work consistent and faster than "eyeballing" something. Costs are kept down numerous ways such as material choice, bulk buying, etc.

Sorry brother.

Send it back. I have a couple of rifle factory crimp dies that are custom with more being ordered in the spring when they can take orders. I haven't had a problem with custom stuff or direct order.

Take care

r1kk1

[nhrifle]

Sounds to me the sliding insert in the die body may not have had the bottom edge (part that touches the shell holder) machined perpendicular to the C/L of the die body. The part that touches the shell holder will determine when the crimp happens and can be adjusted, but if it bothers you, send it to Lee. They will make it right.

[Casting_40S&W]

What type/model of press is this screw into?

[zuke]

It would screw into any press with 7/8-14 thread's.

[Westwindmike]

Maybe it's your shellholder?

[o6Patient]

So send them in and be done with it.

Wish I'd thought of that.:drinks:
Seriously: I'm not giving up on Lee crimp dies, I plan to send it in along with
couple of dummies to have custom ones made for the 30-o6 Improved and
the 350 rem mag. I think they're some of the best innovation, for the cost
that's come along in the industry in a long time- Engineering new stuff is there
forte'. Implementing it ...???