Lee 9mm dies

[Don Fischer]

Ordered a set recently, got the three die set. Got here today and now I find that unless you get the four dis set, you can't crimp! Anyone else run into this? just ordered the factory crimp die by itself. I'm bummed out right now. My other handgun dies are RCBS and Lyman, seating die crimps.

[slughammer]

From expanding and then seating the boolit the case mouth should be about .004 larger than the size die. Being tapered you might be able to take out the decapping stem and use the size die to put a crimp on the case (remove the bell). Something to try until you get your FCD. (Are you sure your seating die doesn't also crimp? Try backing out the die body 1 full turn, adjusting the seating stem in and seating the boolits, then back out the seating stem and see if you can adjust the die body for crimping).


Edit to add that I have used a 9mm size die to taper crimp a boat load of 38's without a crimp groove.

[Don Fischer]

Nope, doesn't do it. Wish I had known when I ordered it. The set I got plus the FSD are gonna end up costing a bit more than the RCBS and add one step to loading. But, really nice looking dies!

[Moleman-]

Wonder when they changed it. I have the 9mm luger 3-die set and the seater die also crimps.

[VHoward]

http://leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/Pistol3.pdf
According to these instructions, the 3 die set bullet seating die also crimps.

[WebMonkey]

Same here. The 3rd dies seats and crimps.
The fcd crimps and post sizes but doesnt seat.
:)

[Finster101]

Gee I've loaded thousands with my Lee 3 die set.

[garym1a2]

I use a lee 3 die set also. Plus I changed the expander to one from a 38S&W.

[rancher1913]

the three die set does crimp but it does a lousy job on the 9mm, had several boolits get all buggered up trying to get it right, gave up and was lucky enough to get a fcd from a member here, what a difference. had a chance to pull some down and the fcd's have a nice little indention where they grabbed the boolit and the don't have any play, the regular crimp you could push the boolit in(with some force). I think you will be happy with the fcd so it's not a waste of money by any means.

[Texas by God]

Another 3 die no problem guy here. Fixing to use them again to load Mama some nines! Best, Thomas.

[bigolsmokebomb]

ive probably reloaded close to 20,000 rounds in my dies without any issue. I just adjust the seat die to where it just closes the flared bell back to normal dimensions and I don't crimp. ive maybe had 20 or so rounds not be right this way and im a high volume loader. (300 or so in one sitting)

[claude]

Wonder when they changed it.

=$, the dead length seating die, rather than a seating crimping die is cheaper to tool up for, and, we have to spend an extra $10 or $15 to get the crimp die.

I like many of Lee's products, but this decision to hose the public has put me off their die sets. Luckily, I only got gouged on one set, which customer service basically said "to bad for you". That is not to say I won't purchase some of their specialty dies, but I've had enough of their "innovative change".

I'm glad I've been blessed with the opportunities this site afford and have purchased many of my reloading and casting needs here, at a better price, and with patience getting what I truly want.

Lee did allow me to get a good foot in the door years back because of pricing, when things were tougher, I could afford their products and for the most part they are good quality, for that, I thank them.

[toallmy]

The 3 die set works for me , I just take the flair out when seating the boolits , try screwing the die in a little more on a piece of brass it will probably reduce the size .

[tazman]

I Used the Lee 3 die set for quite a while. When I added the FCD my function problems went away. Apparently I wasn't getting enough of the bell removed. The FCD does this for me and is easily adjusted.

[Don Fischer]

http://leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/Pistol3.pdf
According to these instructions, the 3 die set bullet seating die also crimps.

I missed that. I'll give it a try!

[mdi]

Yep, real men do read instuctions...:bigsmyl2:

[Fordcragar]

Yep, real men do read instuctions...:bigsmyl2:
There should be a notice on the box, "when everything else fails, read the instructions".:mrgreen:

[gwpercle]

Both of my Lee , three die 9 mm sets , one is an older set that came in the round red plastic box and the other is newer, came in a flat box, have a taper crimp / seater die....
In fact, I have to be careful not to screw it all the way down to the shell holder or it will crimp too much and make a cast boolit loose in the case. Check that die again .
Gary

[bradley.moss72]

Even my Lee Deluxe die set that comes with the FCD, also says in the instructions that the bullet seater will crimp.

BW

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[Don Fischer]

Yep, real men do read instuctions...:bigsmyl2:

Damn!

I did try it last night and it did crimp. But I've got the better answer coming. I wonder if it's worth the extra step?

[WebMonkey]

really depends :)
the 4th die also "post sizes" the case.
so if you're feeding a really tight chamber, the 4th die might be useful to smooth the case so it will fit easily.

if the cartridge chambers easy after the 3rd die, then no, not really.

is it worth it? it's an issue if you have a 3 hole turret, not much of an issue with a 4 or more turret.
:)

[bradley.moss72]

It all really depends. As was said earlier, it does post size the case for reliability. Also it will give you the extra capability of crimping in a separate step. This is especially useful if your dies are mounted in a progressive tool head or turret and you change the tool head instead of each individual die. That way you adjust for the bullet seating on one die and crimp on the other. Sometimes it can be a pain to adjust for bullet seating and then readjust for crimp, then fine tune the seating again.

BW

Sent from my SM-G900V using Tapatalk

[1hole]

Don, "Is it worthy the extra step?" You get "I do this" and "I do that" and usually with no justification for what they do. Obviously both methods work so what is "best" depends on how YOU prefer to do things - and THAT is your best choice.

Hand guns are not bench rest accurate no matter how you reload, the biggest difference in accuracy will be your own shooting skill, not the crimper. The advantage of Lee's FCD for hand guns is the 100% reliable chambering in any gun it's used in because it insures the diameter won't exceed chamber tolerances. IF your ammo is isn't too large to chamber - and that can happen - the post seating carbide sizing ring will do nothing and the crimp itself will be everything you'll need.

Depth of crimping depends on case length, it would be great if we case trim every case every time (but I won't ever do that) for handgun ammo! A shorter case will be lightly crimped and a longer case can easily be over crimped. Rimless (autoloader) ammo head spaces on the case mouth so all you really need do is remove the mouth flare. Lee's crimp ring is sufficiently large to accept any cartridge and crimp it lightly no matter if the case is long; I like that so I added a FCD to my conventional 9mm/.45 ACP die sets and I put up with doing the extra step to get it done the way I want to do it.

[james nicholson]

One thing on 9mm. European guns tend to have looser chambers / throats than American guns. My old Brownings, Walthers and Sig like .358 to .3585 boolits, using the FCD die post sizes them down to .356. This causes inaccuracy in the Brownings and tumbling in the Sig. Although I use the Lee 4 die set in my turret press, I crimp with the seating die and leave the FCD out of the turret when loading for Euro guns. The FCD die is definitely easier to use and I use it for my Glock.

[Don Fischer]

I been thinking about it and maybe it was that lock ring that screwed it up. My other handgun dies have a hex nut drilled through the side of the die and I have then set there, never re-adjust them. Matter of fact, I don't even remember how I set them the first time! If I recall, hard chore at this age, I first set the seating depth and then adjusted the crimp. But those die's got locked in there.