Roll crimp question

Hey folks,

I just dropped the hammer on a purchase to get tooled up for loading 12ga. In the pile of goodies is a roll crimping tool. I spent some time educating myself on the usage of a roll crimper, but I’m left with a single unanswered question:

How do you know how deep to roll the crimp down? Is this just a “go until you bottom out” type of thing?

Seems like it’s probably a really simple piece that I’m missing on this one, and I’d appreciate some help linking it together for me.


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Exactly, I apply the roll crimp down until it hits the card wad.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by stubshaft

Exactly, I apply the roll crimp down until it hits the card wad.

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Thank you so much!


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You can play around with the hull length and wad stack height to make them look purty.

I use my drill Press a s set the stop for the OAL I want. But yes down firm on top card.

CW

As stubshaft said. Crimp till you hit your card top

Ya’ll are awesome. I very much appreciate the help.


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Length of free tube desirable to make RTO depends to some extent if you are loading slug or birdshot. Paper hull requires slightly more free tube than plastic. Paper hull should not really be longer than 1/4" free to form a firm crimp.This refers to birdshot. Excess length of wall may buckle/fold when applying sufficient pressure to achieve a firm crimp and are reported to raise pressure of combustion.
I have no experience of slug loading and make no comment on that.

The Roll Crimp stops when it contacts the Slug or Over Shot Card .

The one on the Right is a Brenneke Factory loaded shell, the Red one is one I did.

The Brenneke shells are loaded in Rio Hulls just like mine are. I would bet they are loaded by hand right here in the US.

Starting with a Primed Rio Hull, you simply Add Powder, Push the Slug in, and Roll Crimp it. With a proper set up you could easily do 1-2 a minute. Or do them in batches of 25 ea. where you do all the Powder Drops, then Push all the Slugs in, then Roll Crimp them all. Much faster that way!

Incidentally, the Rio Hulls Roll Crimp really nice! At .10-.15 cents each they are a no brainer!

Randy

I do some roll crimping for the 8 ,10 , 12 and 16 gauges . All of mine are for slugs , punkin balls or buckshot . With the slugs and punkin balls after a little trial and error I can get my stack under the single projectile correct so it crimps nicely and relatively tight . As to buckshot I find it a bit easier to get the appropriate depth . Not all of mine look factory correct but they typically fit my parameters so I’m satisfied .

Just be aware that hulls which have a skived mouth can present a slight problem in achieving a tight RTO as the thin wall may dimple or deform in when applying pressure, particularly if the plastic case and the metal RTO head have heated up unduly. A smear of lubricant will help prevent this.

Vasoline as a lube works well as a roll crimp lube.

I made a sleeve to go over the 12ga hull, bottoms out on the rim, then just use a razor knife to trim. A wood pencil pushes the case out of the holder very easily.

IN addition, a MINI chop saw with a blade running backwards cuts the hulls to length easily. You can trim hulls as fast as you can pick them and lay them down. Make a V block out of 1x2's, made to desired finished hull length.