Re Crimp on Hulls

Using the Lee 12g shotgun loader I've noticed that about 25% of the shells open up enough to require a recrimping. Is this normal?

you can use heat to seal them down

I never used a 12 gauge Lee Loader, but did use both a 20 gauge and a .410 extensively in my youth.

The two biggest downfall's of the Lee Loader are lack of case head sizing and crimping of plastic shells. They can be made to work, there are few youtube videos showing how to get decent crimps.

Unfortunately, I was using them in the late 1970's when home computers were unheard of. I seldom got decent crimps.

Robert

A properly crimped shell should not open up. I cannot advise on the Lee. But something to try is to adjust the crimp so the depth of the crimp is about the thickness of a dime.

When I first started loading 20 ga shot shells I had this problem. Figured out many years later it was primarily because the I was not seating the wads deep enough or filling the cup with too much shot so the column was above the crimp grove or even with. If I took out a few pieces of shot or used more wad pressure to adjust the height of the column my crimps would stay. Also found that if you reload plastic enough the crimp area work softens and will not hold. You could usually tell when the case got bad because when it began to crush and wrinkle the sides they would not stay crimped. This was when I was in highschool, had limited funds and may have reloaded many of the shells for 20 plus times. Federal game loads were especially susceptible to this.

I never used the Lee 20 gauge I had for used hulls but I can tell you that trying to use New hulls is an exercise in futility. The new plastic is just too stiff to get enough leverage on the crimp to make it stay closed. The machine is just a bit too lightly made for that. But it will do nicely on pre -crimped hulls if you adjust it correctly. my experience anyway, james

I've had the problem, but the way it seemed to happen to me was that I'd press down nice and hard on the Lee Loader handle and get what appeared to be a good crimp-- then it would slowly open a bit. So I put a dab of silicone windshield sealer right on the center of the crimp and it worked well to glue it shut. Also, probably made them more waterproof. Lots of re-loaders have used various types of goo and glue to seal the shells closed, and there does not seem to be a negative pressure or pattern effect.

DG

Stack height is a bit too tall.

Are you using a LEE Loader or a LEE Load All? If Load All are you bottoming out at the crimp staition? Do your finished shells have a countersink about 0.09" deep? How long does it take for the shells to open up? Are you storing them flat in a box, or shot side down in a Case Gaurd? I had this issue with older Rem 20 ga hulls when stored shot down. They were opening up after several yrs like 10 or so.

Agree, your stack height is too tall, reduce the shot a little or get shorter wads [same amount of shot but shorter legs]. When the stack is too tall and you crimp it you compress the legs of the wad slightly. Over time they straighten back up plus you don’t get a good fold which is also needed for consistent pressure and powder ignition. You shouldn’t have to glue the petals on a properly built sg reload.

DG described the problem better than maybe I did. I would crimp the new cases and they would look okay for about 2 or more hours and then they would slowly open up enough to spill shot. I adjusted up and down on the final crimp die too no use. I finally started putting the shot size label on the crimp to old them until I used the ones I had loaded up and then sold the remaining new 20 gauge hulls and the Load All. I do have a 16 gauge Load All at present and I only use fired hulls in it. No problems there. james

Either use an Arbor Press or Drill Press to press the crimp closed using the Lee Loader Die. I ran into this trying to load shot shells with mine and it was almost impossible to get the crimp to stay shut. After I started using my little Sinclair Arbor Press I could get enough on the tool to press the crimp deep enough so it would stay shut. The shells looked exactly like they'd came off my Pacific DL266 when done.

If you use a Drill Press, Chuck up a piece of 1/2" Wood Dowel so you don't goon the palm handle on the Lee Loader Tool. You also need to Squash the Pre Crimp down until you have about a 1/8- 3-16" hole in the center of the crimp before you close it all the way with the Press. see pics below.

Randy

If they are new hulls you may have to skive them to get them to hold a crimp.