Redding Profile Crimp Dies

[enfieldphile]

I load all my pistol ammo on a Lee Classic Cast 4-hole turret press. I bought the Lee 4-die sets for each caliber. I have never liked the Lee factory crimp carbide handgun die.

I like the Redding Profile Crimp die design. It's a combination of taper crimp and roll crimp with an interesting crimp angle. Anyway, I replaced all the Lee crimp dies with Redding Profile Crimp dies. For .45acp, I bought a Lee taper crimp die.

Does anyone else here use the Redding Profile Crimp die? If so, Why do you feel it's a better die?


TIA

[Char-Gar]

I use them from time to time but don't think they are superior to roll or taper crimp dies. When they first came out, I bought a full set, but don't use them often any more.

[r1kk1]

They are my goto die for heavy recoil stuff. It's a combo die.

Better die???

Can't answer that as I use what works for me.

Take care

r1kk1

[btroj]

I have some, they work well. I use Lee factory crimp dies for rifle stuff and Redding crimp dies for some handgun rounds. Then again, I use other crimp dies for some handgun rounds too.

Get a good, consistent crimp and the die used doesn't matter.

[mdi]

My .44 Magnums and .357 Magnums get a profile crimp. While I haven't compared a standard roll crimp to a profile crimp , side by side, the profile crimp seems to "hold" better with a lighter/less crimp than a roll crimp. Anyway, I prefer the profile over the roll crimp...

[nicholst55]

I use one for my .45 Colt loads, and will probably buy one for .44 Mag/Spl as well. Is it "better" than anything else available? I dunno; it works, and that's all I care about.

[Idaho Mule]

I use one for most of my 32-20 stuff. The LEE and Hornady dies that I have do a crappy job of crimping in my opinion. The Redding die not only leaves a better looking crimp but it has also proven to be more accurate for my use. JW

[enfieldphile]

Perhaps the use of "better" was a poor word choice on my part.

I have them all installed. I like how the Redding die not only leaves a better looking crimp, but no noise or "clunk" feeling (like the Lee crimp die) as the round enters or exits the die.

Actually, I first got a Redding Profile Crimp die specially for .45AR a few years back. I really like the way it worked and how it finished the rounds. Recently, I decided to upgrade all my sets (w/ the exception of .45ACP, which I got a Lee Taper crimp die) to the Redding Profile Crimp dies.

Actually, I don't know why Lee doesn't package a Taper crimp die with .45ACP die sets. :???:


I use one for my .45 Colt loads, and will probably buy one for .44 Mag/Spl as well. Is it "better" than anything else available? I dunno; it works, and that's all I care about.

[Firebird]

Redding Profile Crimp die is all I use on handgun ammo, I buy the Redding Pro Titanium sets and add a Lyman "M" die for case mouth expansion. Never have any problems with my crimp letting bullets move under recoil.

[bobthenailer]

YES ! i have the redding PCD for 357&44 mag & 454 casull

[MtGun44]

I have one for .44 Mag, but can't really see a whole lot of difference between it
and the regular roll crimp.

Bill

[fourarmed]

I was always under the impression that the PCD was primarily intended for crimping jacketed bullets.

[r1kk1]

I was always under the impression that the PCD was primarily intended for crimping jacketed bullets.

I used mine back in the 80s. Used one for heavy for cast boolit applications where the cylinder could tie up if it jumped the crimp

[gondwana]

I have them for 357, 44 and 45 Colt. Honestly though, having to lube them with a q tip every few rounds put me off them and now I just use Lee carbide crimp dies. I would really like to hear if anyone has long-term experience with them without lubing them.

[gpidaho]

I have the Redding profile die for .357 an like it. Better? When I'm crimping lubed boolits I don't worry about any more lube than what just gets on there naturally. If I'm crimping Powder coated boolits I dab a little Imperial wax lightly on the crimp area of the case about every five or six rounds. Works for me. GP

[gondwana]

I have one for .44 Mag, but can't really see a whole lot of difference between it
and the regular roll crimp.

Bill

Do you lube it Bill?

[MT Chambers]

While Redding are my fav. dies hands down, I don't believe anyone needs a special die to crimp when a standard die set has a seating die that crimps as well. Progressive presses may require some such but I stay away from progressives as I believe that they are the main cause of double charges and/or kabooms.

[Cherokee]

I have several Redding Profile Crimp dies and like the resulting finished product for 32-20, 38, 357, 45C. That make them better for me, YMMV. The other dies did not work as smoothly and the crimps were harder to adjust. Never tried the Lee handgun dies.

[mdi]

Honestly, I have never lubed a Profile Crimp die, nor heard of any need to do so...

Later; I reread all the previous posts and two "hinted" at lubing a Profile Crimp Die, with no explanation. So, who lubes their crimp die and why?

[gloob]

having to lube them with a q tip every few rounds put me off them and now I just use Lee carbide crimp dies.
All crimp dies are steel. The Lee FCDs have carbide rings, only for the post-sizing part of what they do. The part that puts on the crimp is steel, like any other die.

So far, I have never had to use lube for any crimp die, but the RPCD might benefit because of the larger surface area? I would maybe try polishing the die with some buffing compound to see if that helps.

[fatnhappy]

I use one in .44 mag for heavyweight boolits, 300 grains +.
I have no means of quantifying boolet pull so I can't say for sure it provides any advantage. I can say I like how the die is finished and the appearance of uniformity in the finished product. In the overall scheme of things there are so many other variables contributing to bullet pull that I'd be hard pressed to justify the cost to someone on that basis alone. Please don't take that to mean I dislike the die, quite the contrary. I simply can't prove it's worth.

[Firebird]

I only use the Profile Crimp Die. My First reloading mistake was not getting the powder into a set of 5 cases as I was working up a load for my 41 Magnum Redhawk. I pulled the trigger on the first one, and the cylinder locked up. I finally got the cylinder open at the range and found the primer had backed out and was pressing against the recoil shield hard enough that the cylinder was very difficult to open by hand. Removed the fired cartridge and had the same thing happened with the next shot. I stopped and took things home to investigate and found the cartridges were light, opened one up with a Kinetic puller and found no powder. But when I measured the fired cartridges I found that the crimp was sufficient that the bullets never moved. So I have to think that the Redding die provides a better crimp than other dies as most people I have heard of who failed to get the powder in their cartridge and set it off had the bullet move out into the cylinder throat and lock up the revolver or even all the way into the barrel; again my bullets never moved out of the case at all.

[greenjoytj]

Honestly, I have never lubed a Profile Crimp die, nor heard of any need to do so...

Later; I reread all the previous posts and two "hinted" at lubing a Profile Crimp Die, with no explanation. So, who lubes their crimp die and why?

I know this is and old post but someone else may find it just like I did if researching for Redding Profile die info.
Redding instructions for use of the Profile Crimp Die (PCD) say to apply a little case lube around the case mouth because there is sliding action between case and die during application of the crimp. I have tried it with and without lubing. The crimp applies easier with the lube and does less scuffing off brass particles. The down side is you have to wipe off the small ring of lube which takes time. To speed things up I lube with a Q-Tip every case for the first 5 then every third case. Next time I try the PCD I am going to try lubing with Imperial Sizing Wax instead of the Redding/Imperial Bio-Green case lube, the Bio Green is a little hard to wipe off.

[kryogen]

I use the regular lee or dillon taper crimp dies and the work fine, I dont see any issue.