Lee Factory Crimp die for Handgun Cartridges and Cast Bullets

[robertbank]

Ron all I ever do with pistol bullets (9MM, .49cal, .45acp) is remove the belling using my dillion tpaer crimp die with both lead and plated/jacketed bullets. Like you I found the FCD for handgun cartridges always reduced the size of my bullets. Folks get all excited by the coke bottle look of lead loaded cartridges yet they feed flawlessly and shoot better.

Take Care

Bob

[ronbo40s&w]

I think I'll go ahead and get a taper crimp die. Thanks. It is strange to me that i can measure but not see my expanded case mouth and thet the whole area appears to measure straight after bullet seating with no crimp. I think I need to get an micrometer. It isn't enough to affect feeding and maybe I'm missing the actual mouth with the calipers after the bullet is in or something. I have been looking for an excuse to finally get a micrometer...since high school..lol.

[gunoil]

really getting use to lee FCD, i love it! Great for my 45acp. A first i didnt understand it, but its great to have around. Revolver peeps say they love em too.

[khmer6]

I never had a problem in my 92. But I picked up a g17 and some rounds didn't Chamber so well. The lee fcd rolled them out. Definitely worth it. Its a tool. Sometimes you use it sometimes you dont. I tried a 38super with plated bullets. It swaged it down and made it loose. Then again, it wasnt made for 38 super. I also use it in 45acp with 255gr swc. Heavy bullet not made for 45acp. This solved the problems I waa having.

[jmort]

Glad to see it is still 2/3 pro Lee Precision FCD handgun dies. The haters will never get it and most haters never touched one but why not hate on Lee Precision with no experience with the FCD? Anything that promotes uniformity and reliability is a good thing. If you load over spec cast bullets, it is not a good idea, it will swage down your cast bullet, and that is not a good thing.

[robertbank]

Glad to see it is still 2/3 pro Lee Precision FCD handgun dies. The haters will never get it and most haters never touched one but why not hate on Lee Precision with no experience with the FCD? Anything that promotes uniformity and reliability is a good thing. If you load over spec cast bullets, it is not a good idea, it will swage down your cast bullet, and that is not a good thing.

What are "over spec cast bullets"

Take Care

Bob

[Wheeljack]

What are "over spec cast bullets"
Take Care
Bob

I got into researching this because I have ordered some .358 bullets for my 9mm. I have been using .356 bullets and using the FCD with no apparent trouble, but I slugged the bore and found it to be large and the .358 bullets should work better and maybe prevent leading. With a .356 bullets and the FCD, there was little or no squeezing of the .356 bullet and the bullet did not bulge or expand the shell much when seated. But now, when I start using a .358 sized bullet, I will expand or flare the shell more and the bullet may expand the shell more. Then when I use the FCD it will squeeze the more expanded shell more and it will squeeze the bullet down and then the shell will spring back a little but the bullet will not. This will give me a bullet with not enough support from the shell. From all this it seems the FCD is best used with clad bullets that are usually sized at .355. All this ignores the taper crimp that you can put on the bullet. Again the taper crimp probably works better with a small bullets but with an "over spec cast bullet" you are making it smaller than you want.

[robertbank]

That mirrors my experience. Given we want out lead bullets to be at least .001 over bore the FCD IMHO is not the answer for lead tipped cartridges. I found it most noticeable when I had one for my .45acp. I size all my 9MM bullets .357 and they work just fine in my guns as I have none with oversize tubes....thankfully.
I do like the FCD for rifles. Different animal though.

Take Care

Bob

[jcwit]

These last two posts one by Wheeljack, and the other by robertbank are the same experience that I have had. I tried and tried to use a FCD with cast lead bullets for a 45 ACP to no avail as far as accuracy goes. Returned to the old tried and true method of crimping and all went well.

Now if I could only be as accurate and my gun and loads are.

[jmort]

"What are "over spec cast bullets"

Typically jacketed .357 is .357 and cast is .358. If I was going over .358 I would not want my bullet swaged down by the FCD.

http://www.hornady.com/store/.357-38-CAL/

http://www.hornady.com/store/.358-38-CAL/

http://www.speer-bullets.com/ballist...nd=0&firearm=2

But you knew that. So I guess your point is that I am a dumb-a$$. I concede your superiority.

[Riverpigusmc]

My cast bullets are .452. I figure the brass is .004 at the most. The sizing ring on my Lee FCD for .45 ACP is .472. No bullet sizing so far

[MtGun44]

2/3 of the folks with cow magnets taped to their fuel lines report
improved smoothness in their engines and better gas mileage.


Bill

[Copper75]

Where can I get a couple of those cow magnets?

[1bluehorse]

My cast bullets are .452. I figure the brass is .004 at the most. The sizing ring on my Lee FCD for .45 ACP is .472. No bullet sizing so far

Close.....most brass will actually measure 11 to 13 thousanths...so 22 to 26 thou added to the .452bullet brings you in OVER the .472....however AFTER the cartridge has gone through the die the brass will "spring" back somewhat (some disagree that brass actually "springs" back some after sizing)....but IF it does, that may cause the loss of case neck tension...and therefore accuracy could suffer....maybe...

[Riverpigusmc]

Close.....most brass will actually measure 11 to 13 thousanths...so 22 to 26 thou added to the .452bullet brings you in OVER the .472....however AFTER the cartridge has gone through the die the brass will "spring" back somewhat (some disagree that brass actually "springs" back some after sizing)....but IF it does, that may cause the loss of case neck tension...and therefore accuracy could suffer....maybe...

that makes sense

[Garyshome]

I was having problems with 380 auto using lee seating/crimp die shaving lead boolits when seating.I had to get FCD which made the process work OK. It seems that some of the shorter cases would shave the lead and then It would not chamber. And no I don't have time to trim all my pistol brass to the same length. I suspect that 9mm with lead may be the same deal, so now that all the 380 is finished time to move on.

[Garyshome]

I got em but I have a hard time when the cows get stuck to my fuel line. Them cows is heavy!

[robertbank]

I was having problems with 380 auto using lee seating/crimp die shaving lead boolits when seating.I had to get FCD which made the process work OK. It seems that some of the shorter cases would shave the lead and then It would not chamber. And no I don't have time to trim all my pistol brass to the same length. I suspect that 9mm with lead may be the same deal, so now that all the 380 is finished time to move on.

Bell your cases more and you will eliminate the lead shaving when you seat your boolits.

Take Care

Bob

[wvmanchu]

I just started seating and crimping in separate stations on my Hornady Pro-jector press because I was swagging my boolits with the combined die. Have seen much better quality and consistency in my loads. Haven't tried the Lee FCD as I have extra seating and crimping dies in most pistol
calibers that I load.

[Walstr]

I talked to the Lee FCD technician & he reports that the crimp is a .040" band [45-70]. So I'm thinking it's not much of a resizing effect, presuming the crimp band is about the same for all calibers?