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View Poll Results: Do you use the Lee factory Crimp Die when loading pistol cartridges withcast bullets

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  • Yes, I use the FCD for all my handgun cartridge loadings when using cast bullets.

    574 65.90%
  • No, I never use this die as it swages down my cast bullets

    297 34.10%
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Thread: Lee Factory Crimp die for Handgun Cartridges and Cast Bullets

  1. #361
    Boolit Buddy

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    I might use my .45 fcd on any coated or plated handload that doesn’t quite go in and out of my gauge. I do not use the fcd on any of my cast boolit handloads.

  2. #362
    Boolit Buddy
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    Not knowing that there is a carbide resizing ring in the .45 ACP FCD, I have been using one for years on cast bullets (185 & 200 SWC). I just wanted a separate crimp station after seating. Prior to that the seat & crimp together would shave a sliver off the bullet.

    Needless to say the separate crimp does work. Now I need to look into whether it is sizing down the bullets.

    On another note I recently purchased another FCD, but for the .357 SIG cartridge. This crimp die is a collet style, with no sizing ring. For those not familiar with this cartridge, it is a bottle neck pistol style with a short neck. Need to have a good crimp to help prevent setback when being chambered.

    What is interesting is that Lee is now offering the collet crimp dies for other cartridges. Such as the .357 and .44 Magnums, the .45 Colt, along with some other large pistol cartridges.

    45_Colt

  3. #363
    Boolit Master


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    Quote Originally Posted by 45_Colt View Post
    Not knowing that there is a carbide resizing ring in the .45 ACP FCD, I have been using one for years on cast bullets (185 & 200 SWC). I just wanted a separate crimp station after seating. Prior to that the seat & crimp together would shave a sliver off the bullet.

    Needless to say the separate crimp does work. Now I need to look into whether it is sizing down the bullets.

    On another note I recently purchased another FCD, but for the .357 SIG cartridge. This crimp die is a collet style, with no sizing ring. For those not familiar with this cartridge, it is a bottle neck pistol style with a short neck. Need to have a good crimp to help prevent setback when being chambered.

    What is interesting is that Lee is now offering the collet crimp dies for other cartridges. Such as the .357 and .44 Magnums, the .45 Colt, along with some other large pistol cartridges.

    45_Colt
    Has your accuracy been good? If so why question what works? I think the collet style are to address the complaints of those who say the ring is sizing down their cast boolit. Just my opinion, not researched or approved by anyone of significance.

  4. #364
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by Finster101 View Post
    Has your accuracy been good? If so why question what works? I think the collet style are to address the complaints of those who say the ring is sizing down their cast boolit. Just my opinion, not researched or approved by anyone of significance.
    Accuracy with the .45 ACP has been so-so. If the ring is swaging the bullets down, that isn't good. So it is something to be looked into.

    As for the .357 SIG, that pistol is darn good and accurate. It is a tack driver, I was shocked at how well it shoots. Regarding the collet style crimper, because of how it works a carbide ring can't be used.

    The shell holder/plate is what pushes up on the die internals and activates it. That and starting with a carbide .40 S&W resizing/decapping die no need for further resizing. It goes to the bottom of the case.

    45_Colt

  5. #365
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by 45_Colt View Post
    Not knowing that there is a carbide resizing ring in the .45 ACP FCD, I have been using one for years on cast bullets (185 & 200 SWC).

    Needless to say the separate crimp does work. Now I need to look into whether it is sizing down the bullets.


    45_Colt
    One way to do it is to measure the diameter of the boolit, Seat it, and then run it into the CFCD (carbide factory crimp die ) far enough to get all of the boolit through the bottom sizing part of the die.Then pull the boolit and measure the diameter. Another way is to measure the diameter of the cartridge case just below the flare with a boolit seated. Compare this measurement with the inside diameter of the sizing ring.

    I got a 45 ACP die set recently. I could tell right away that it was going to swage the boolit down by the fact that I couldn't insert a cartridge that had the boolit seated into the bottom of the die by hand. I wanted to open up the carbide ring and I used wet/dry silicon carbide paper and a green silicon carbide bit on a Dremel --- both without success. Then I got a cheap diamond bit for the Dremel at HF. Within 3 minutes the carbide ring was opened up and would swallow an unsized case all the way to the base. The die was mounted in a lathe while the Dremel was hand held. You could do it free hand if you go slowly and carefully. Or just use the diamond bit and take the entire ring out.
    Some times it's the pot,
    Some times it's the pan,
    It might even be the skillet,
    But, most of the time, it's the cook.

  6. #366
    Boolit Master
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    GONRA has LFC dies available for Auto Pistol, SMG, etc. calibers.
    Am GLAD I got 'em!

  7. #367
    Boolit Buddy Hi-Speed's Avatar
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    I use Lee FCD on Hornady and Speer swaged bullets - there is no sizing down of these bullets with it. Cast bullets are another story…here I use RCBS seat/crimp die with seater removed or when I’m crimping outside the bullet crimp groove to meet OAL requirements I’ll use a taper crimp… no bullet jump in my heavy revolvers.
    “Start Low, Work Up Slow”

  8. #368
    Boolit Mold
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    I voted no. My comments are specific to the Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die (for handgun calibers) when used with cast bullets.

    I acquired a Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die in 41 Magnum as part of a reloading component purchase. The carbide bushing of my 41 Magnum Lee CFCD measures about .4315", which is 2 1/2 thousandths less than the SAAMI minimum for 41 Magnum. Bullets pulled from cases run through the Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die typically measure about .4095 to .4100". So, while a jacketed bullet won't be sized down much, if at all, cast revolver bullets may be sized below their desired diameter, which is often one or two thousandths larger than the nominal jacketed bullet diameter. I certainly don't want to further size my cast bullets which were sized to their desired diameter before seating in the case. Sizing the cast bullet further as part of the loading process will disrupt the bullet diameter initially chosen for accuracy and/or reduced leading.

    I prefer to run my finished ammo through a gauge that verifies important dimensions of the finished round. Ones that don't fit the gauge are set aside and often times fired as practice ammo or (more rarely) need to be disassembled and re-processed.

    For someone who shoots cast bullets and measures success by hitting paper plates 20' away and dosn't care about leading, it may serve a purpose. I'm trying to hit 4" targets at three times that distance with little to no barrel leading. So, I have no use for Lee's CFCD.

  9. #369
    Boolit Bub 460S&W's Avatar
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    I’ve used it successfully for cast and haven’t noticed any sort swagging of the bullet.

  10. #370
    Boolit Bub Guncrank's Avatar
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    Yup add me to the list that likes and uses the Lee FCD's for my pigstole cat'ridges!
    INMHO: They do a mighty fine job and are installed on the die plate(s) of the progressive press for each cal-eeber I load for.

    GC
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    GC

    Chico Marx, after his wife caught him in bed with another woman: "Who are you going to believe, me or your lying eyes?"

  11. #371
    Boolit Buddy Kai's Avatar
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    Other than making up for cases not trimmed to the same length I have not found a reason to pay extra dough for a FCD. Perhaps it depends what type of dies a person is using but seating and crimping in one step with something like rcbs dies is pretty straight forward.

  12. #372
    Boolit Buddy Tall's Avatar
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    I have Lee FCD's for all the calibers I own. I have not actually used the 45ACP one yet because I have so much already on hand. I will use it next time for sure.

    I need to get the bulge buster.

  13. #373
    Boolit Buddy Tall's Avatar
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    The Lee FCD's are taper crimp for self loading cartridges like the 45 ACP. The ones for revolvers with cartridges that headspace on the rim like 45 Colt are roll crimp.

  14. #374
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Finster101 View Post
    Has your accuracy been good? If so why question what works? I think the collet style are to address the complaints of those who say the ring is sizing down their cast boolit. Just my opinion, not researched or approved by anyone of significance.
    Just an FYI, Lee sells dies that only taper crimp. No seating, no sizing. They're pretty cheap, if you need to seat and crimp in separate dies. The addition of factory collet crimp in pistol calibers is neat. Nice to have options. I guess they operate off the shellholder, rather than the shoulder of the case.

  15. #375
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Kai View Post
    Other than making up for cases not trimmed to the same length I have not found a reason to pay extra dough for a FCD. Perhaps it depends what type of dies a person is using but seating and crimping in one step with something like rcbs dies is pretty straight forward.
    I have FCD for most of my pistol calibers, simply because I wanted all of my dies in the same boxes. I don't even use them.

    I even bought a separate Lee taper crimp-only die in a caliber I have an FCD for. I happen to need separate seat and crimp in 40SW, and that coincidentally is the only FCD I use, for bulge-busting. So I can't knock out the carbide ring.

  16. #376
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by gloob View Post
    The addition of factory collet crimp in pistol calibers is neat. Nice to have options.
    Have several of the collet crimp dies for pistol cartridges. Allows one to do a nice crimp right into the boolit crimp groove.

    Also have a couple for rifle rounds, they are used to crimp into the cannelure (when required).

    I guess they operate off the shellholder, rather than the shoulder of the case.
    I've heard this before, that the rifle collet crimp dies operate off the shoulder. I haven't seen this. All of the collet LCDs here operate off the shellholder. Both pistol and rifle cartridges.

    45_Colt

  17. #377
    Boolit Buddy Tall's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by sig2009 View Post
    Lee FCD with cast is a real no no. Swages the lead down in the case and you don't want that with cast. If you set up all your dies properly you don't need the FCD.
    I would say - will say - the opposite is true, You want to be at the COAL, and often the bullet crimp groove is not in the right place for that. The Lee FCD fixes that issue.

  18. #378
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tall View Post
    I would say - will say - the opposite is true, You want to be at the COAL, and often the bullet crimp groove is not in the right place for that. The Lee FCD fixes that issue.
    How does it fix this issue? Any taper crimp die can be used to crimp separately from seating. I have an FCD in 40SW, because it came with my dies. And I use it on occasion for bulge-busting cases. But I use a separately purchased Lee taper crimp-only die to put the taper on my 40SW ammo.

    Lee includes these dies in sets, so people use them. They make bad ammo fit in the gun... if the bullet doesn't fall out or setback before you get it in the chamber. If the carbide ring in the FCD is fixing something, the ammo is bad to start with and it's worse after it goes through the FCD. Worse but chamber-able. Terrible concept.

    As some kinda fail-check on your last otherwise unused die station on a progressive, it has some merit. Would be better if the ring were just free-floating. If the ammo lifts the ring, it failed the "chamber check" and you can put it the scrap pile rather than squeezing it to size and getting it mixed in with all your good ammo.
    Last edited by gloob; 01-05-2024 at 10:19 PM.

  19. #379
    Boolit Buddy Tall's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by gloob View Post
    How does it fix this issue? Any taper crimp die can be used to crimp separately from seating.
    There are two very different kinds of Lee FCD's that I have bought. One is the taper crimp kind with the knob on top. The other is the roll crimp kind that allows the bullet to come through before it applies the crimp on the case.

    I am sorry you have accuracy problems with your reloads. I don't have similar trouble with mine.

  20. #380
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tall View Post
    There are two very different kinds of Lee FCD's that I have bought. One is the taper crimp kind with the knob on top. The other is the roll crimp kind that allows the bullet to come through before it applies the crimp on the case.

    I am sorry you have accuracy problems with your reloads. I don't have similar trouble with mine.
    Your posts don't make any sense.

    All of the reloading companies make crimp dies.

    Lee came up with the idea to make a crimp die that also has a carbide sizing ring in the mouth of the die. Sometimes when you crimp and seat at the same time, you make a slight bulge at the case mouth, and this post-sizing ring is supposed to iron that back out as you withdraw the case. But you only get this bulge if you seat and crimp in the same step. So the carbide ring doesn't fix that problem. Crimping in a separate step after seating fixed the problem. You can do that with any crimping die.

    Even if it did fix this problem, the carbide ring is sized to work with nominally thick brass and jacketed bullets. A cast bullet that is at least 1 thou larger than jacketed and using typical thickness brass will make the cartridge too big for the FCD sizing ring. This will swage the bullet, just slightly. So your boolits is slightly smaller, AND you lose some neck tension after running it through the FCD.

    The carbide ring is usually tight even on a jacketed bullet in order to do what it is theoretically supposed to. It usually touches and drags on the brass where the seated bullet passed through. There's no more room in there for a larger cast bullet.

    The problem the carbide ring "fixes" is if you load unsized cast bullets, and some of them are too big for the ammo to fit in the chamber. Or maybe you have a handful of pickup cases that fit in all your guns using jacketed bullets, but they're a smidge too thick in the case mouth for one of your gun's chamber when loaded with cast bullets. If you use the FCD, the carbide ring makes the ammo fit in your chamber. But the bullet will setback with thumb pressure, now. And it's mixed in with all your good ammo and will pass the plunk test, chamber, and fire in your gun at w/e OAL it ends up at. And the undersized boolit may foul your barrel and tumble 20 yards out the muzzle.
    Last edited by gloob; 01-06-2024 at 01:57 AM.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check