What is a LEE Factory Crimp Die?

[DonMountain]

I have been reloading ammunition for awhile, and reading all the threads on this site for awhile, and I keep seeing references to the "LEE Factory Crimp Dies". What are they for and what makes them different from all the "normal" die sets I have including RCBS, Hornady, Pacific, Lyman and Redding. Is there any advantages to a "LEE Factory Crimp Die"? How do they work differently than all of the other makes of dies? I don't see any of the other makers producing "Factory Crimp Dies", so is it not very important or doesn't really add to accuracy? Most of the ammo I have seen produced by the manufactures recently have crimps that look just like the die sets I have?

[Harter66]

The rifle dies and a 1-2 pistols are a collet type with no case contact just the mouth and able to crimp as hard or light as seen fit .

The pistol dies are a minimum contact die with a carbide sizer ring it's .480 in the 45 ACP die . They have a sliding taper crimp collar that adjusts for a positive stop separate from the die body lock .

I like the collet die for my 45-70 . The ACP body is a nice sizer for my fat 45 Colts . Many don't care for the pistol dies , they sometimes size the case too much for cast and will resize bullets . Over done the collets can break the jackets .

[ShooterAZ]

I'm in the camp that doesn't use them for pistol/revolvers. For rifles however, they are very useful to me. They are infinitely adjustable, and easy to use. I use them to "just" remove the case belling from my expander dies. I never use them to apply a heavy crimp, as it's typically not needed. I don't adjust my regular dies to crimp, I just use the FCD. Yeah, its an extra step...but worthwhile for me.

[Shawlerbrook]

Very easy to use and IMHO a necessity for loading ammo for tubular feed leverguns.

[Livin_cincy]

They work like a case gauge to verify the diameter of your completed cartridge. If your cartridge is out of SAAMI spec it will size it down.

Many revolver shooters use oversized lead bullets so they can resolve issues with their cylinder bores. So they hate that the Lee FCD die removes their oversize back to SAAMI spec.

The Crimp in the Factory Crimp die is a crimp. This is so you seat with one die and crimp with the second.

Most find the FCD great for Auto Loading weapons. No feeding jams do to case bulge at the bullet.

[redhawk0]

I don't use the FCD for any pistol bullets...but I do for rifle. I like the uniform crimp for my hunting loads, and a definite must for all the lever gun ammo.

redhawk

[tazman]

I use the FCD for all my handgun ammo. My FCD dies only brush the sides of the case. They never size my boolits down unless there is a real problem that went unnoticed somehow.
When I load for my 38 special target loads, I size my boolits to .357 and use Remington brass. The carbide ring in the FCD never even touches those cases. I also like being able to easily adjust the crimp on the cartridges without loosening the die to make adjustments.

[dlbarr]

I'm with Shooter AZ on this. I wouldn't be without the FCD for my rifle reloading.

Handguns....just did my very first ever reloads today for my new-to-me Ruger 45LC. I did that with the very simple LEE handloader kit. So I have no opinion on the FCD for handgun rounds.

[Kenstone]

Here's all you need to know about LFCD:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?106715-Lee-Factory-Crimp-die-for-Handgun-Cartridges-and-Cast-Bullets
:mrgreen:

[str8wal]

I've never had a problem with the crimps of my RCBS dies.

[Tripplebeards]

I use the Lee collet style in my 44 mags being I don't want to trim my brass short to line up with the boolit's crimp groove.

http://i.imgur.com/QKLHarW.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/8bQrent.jpg

It makes a nice even and heavy crimp. Makes for a good accurate load for my rifle as well. I'm get sub MOA at a 100 yards with my 77/44. I haven't chronied them yet but with the group's I'm getting I'm can tell you it's pretty consistent.

I've tried the RCBS factory roll crimp and had several 100 fps variations with this load. I originally blamed it on faulty primers but I'm ruling it out and blaming my crappyroll crimping. You could see where it left gaps around my boolit and bent the case in on one side with the crimp. I have a pic of it on my home page vs this crimp. I'm sure if I trimmed the case shorter it would work just fine...but I wanted to trim my cases past minimum just to use one style boolit when I have a dozen different boxes of j words I shoot out the same cases.

I also use one for my 35 rem loads in my Marlin 336 and Remington 7600. Probably don't need them in the 7600 but the same j word 180 gr Speer hot core load shoots sub MOA in both guns.

It's similar to taper style crimp IMO and pulls the case down into my devastators crimp groove if I adjust it down enough.

[AntiqueSledMan]

Hello DonMountain,

People are constantly calling the "Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die" a "Lee Factory Crimp Die",
the attachment shows the difference. The Carbide Factory Crimp Die resizes the cartridge after seating & crimping, it's nothing more than a seating die with a carbide ring. The Factory Crimp Die puts a crimp on the neck after you have seated the bullet, by means of a collet pushed up by the shell holder. They are adjustable as to how much of a crimp you put on but are not adjustable as to where you put the crimp. They are cartridge specific, and a lot of people modify to what & where they operate.

AntiqueSledMan.

[mdi]

Too often people just say "Lee Factory Crimp Die" not designating which one. One is a post crimping sizing die, for handgun cartridges (I had one and it now resides in a landfill somewhere in So. Oregon, nuf said!). The other is a collet crimp die which works very well on both rifle cartridge and handgun cartridges (I own 4). When you ask a question like this about FCDs you will get everything from "worthless, ruins my ammo" to "great tool, I couldn't reload with out one". (I'm in the first camp)...

[Hardcast416taylor]

I also reaqlly only use the rifle crimp die to remove the bell from sitting a cast boolet. The other manner of use for me is when I`m loading `J` bullets for my semi auto`s.Robert

[marlin39a]

I remember necks collapsing when crimping 30-30 and 32-20 when trying to crimp with RCBS dies. Discovered Lee FCD. They apply crimp from side, and make perfect ammunition .

[Tripplebeards]

Too often people just say "Lee Factory Crimp Die" not designating which one. One is a post crimping sizing die, for handgun cartridges (I had one and it now resides in a landfill somewhere in So. Oregon, nuf said!). The other is a collet crimp die which works very well on both rifle cartridge and handgun cartridges (I own 4). When you ask a question like this about FCDs you will get everything from "worthless, ruins my ammo" to "great tool, I couldn't reload with out one". (I'm in the first camp)...

Yes, I went through the same readings and run through before I bought the "collet" style. The best decision I've made so far.

The collet die will put a nice even taper style crimp no matter how deep or shallow you seat your your boolit so you don't have to line up your brass in the crimp groove.

In my above 44 mags I gave it a heavy crimp so the brass rolled down into the crimp groove.

[robg]

Just roll crimp on straight cases 357/44/45-70 ,on bottleneck rifle cases Lee fcd works for me ,no crushed bulged cases.

[Shopdog]

"What is a Lee FCD"?

If you're referring to the collet crimpers,I feel like most Lee equipment to be a test to see how rough they can finish their tools and reach public acceptance. And no,this isn't bashing Lee.... I use right much of their stuff to include the above. But they can be,rough as a cob.... to the point of affecting their performance.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

The 'standard' seating/crimp dies for Rifles from RCBS/Lyman/Redding/others require cases to be of uniform length, say plus-minus .002, then patiently adjusted for seating depth and crimp groove placement to work well, BUT they work just fine. The Lee Factory Crimp Die (rifle) works without regard to crimp groove or case length, but is an additional step. It is also limited to a case length range. I use both and have not seen significant differences in accuracy. A carefully adjusted 'standard' seating die can remove the 'flare' with little crimp while seating. Many Lee Seating Dies totally lack the crimp capability, requiring an additional step after bullet seating. I use both, but accurately trimmed cases resolve must crimping issues for most cartridges. 45 Auto, 40 S&W, 9mm, 30 Carbine not trimmed, taper crimped.

[santacruzdave]

There are 3 dies that can be called a "Lee Factory Crimp Die".
Here is a great explanation of each of the 3.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWnw0sTBO8w

[JimB..]

I was given a bunch for pistol, and I gave them away to people that wanted to try them, taper or roll crimp is fine.

I don’t crimp .223, neck tension is sufficient for my modest loads, but if I did I might try the collet style FCD.

[gloob]

[The pistol FCDs] work like a case gauge to verify the diameter of your completed cartridge. If your cartridge is out of SAAMI spec it will size it down.
With a case gauge, you would find the problem and then fix it for future rounds. The FCD "fudges it" on the fly. This reduces neck tension and makes the bullet size variable, dependent on the thickness of the brass. If you want to use it like an automatic case gauge, you can do this by feeling for resistance as the cartridge is pushed through the pistol FCD. It should barely touch and glide right through the carbide ring at the opening of the die. If there's any significant resistance/force/dragging, this is a "fail." If you set aside the "fails" and examine them, you might find a common headstamp of case that is causing the problem.

[Wis Tom]

I use the Lee Crimp die on 45 ACP, 357 mag, and my 223. with no complaints.

[17nut]

Left to right:
No crimp
Factory crimp
Taper crimp
Roll crimp


227610

[AntiqueSledMan]

From LEE Precision's web page,

AntiqueSledMan.

[TimD]

I had roll crimping problems with a 257 Roberts rifle die when seating bullets long to reduce bullet jump to the lands. With moly coated cast bullets and a light roll crimp, not in the crimp groove, they would not stay put. Lesson learned: It is not fun going home early to clean powder out of the action & magazine! :smile:

I had good results with the Lee Factory Crimp Die which put on a firm taper crimp.

I also found my seating depths were more consistent when seating and crimping in two steps. Not a big deal for plinking ammo, but for accuracy I adjust my non Lee dies to seat without crimping then adjust to crimp without changing the seating depth.

When crimping hunting loads in the crimp groove the FCD seemed to do a better job. Nice smooth uniform crimps. I would not be surprised to find improved concentricity with Lee’s collet design.