testing crimp

[PrestoColumbus]

I've heard that you should be able to put 50lbs of pressure on your bullet (at least for 45acp) and if it doesn't go down into the cast then you have a good crimp (it won't fall out in a semi-auto).

How (or do you) test crimp by putting pressure on the bullet? I tried by squishing a bullet between two pieces of wood on a bathroom scale but there's probably a better way and I just don't know about it yet.

[Winger Ed.]

As they come off the press:
I feel for the flare to be rolled out, and for the case mouth to just barely make the faintest little 'bite' into the boolit.
It it does that, I can't push it down into the case with my thumb, and it fits the chamber checker gage-- I call it good.

[iflyskyhigh]

Just measure it

[PrestoColumbus]

Just measure it

with what?

[Walks]

I put a loaded round on top the edge of the bench. Put thumb on top of bullet, fingers under bench and SQUEEZE. If that doesn't push the bullet into the case, it's gold.

[GregLaROCHE]

I’ve never tested any crimps as to if they failed. I inspect the first couple visually and if they look good, I keep on going. Never had any problems with normal crimps. I had a couple of problems with a taper crimp before I got it dialed in, but those were more or less experimental Paper patched loads.

[David2011]

The spec for a .45 ACP case mouth is 0.473”. Crimp to that size and you should be good. Measure it a hair’s breadth behind the mouth to be sure you’re not measuring on a bur. I’ve crimped as small as .469 with no obvious ill effects. In tens of thousands of rounds never had a boolit setback.

[iflyskyhigh]

with what?

Calipers

[iflyskyhigh]

The spec for a .45 ACP case mouth is 0.473”. Crimp to that size and you should be good. Measure it a hair’s breadth behind the mouth to be sure you’re not measuring on a bur. I’ve crimped as small as .469 with no obvious ill effects. In tens of thousands of rounds never had a boolit setback.

This

I’ve crimped a .001 over Sami and had no issues. I turn the crimp die (Dillon) down .001 at time and when the test in the gauge and barrel I’m done.

There is some great info over Brian Enos’s forum about our experimentation loading coated Lear bullets.

I’m too lazy to retype it all. Bell more than you think you should. Crimp less than you think you should. Plunk test. Accuracy will improve.

[mdi]

FWIW; the neck tension on a semi-auto round is not from a crimp, but from correct case sizing. I reload for 4 semi-auto cartridges and do not "crimp" any. I also do not try to measure force in lbs. to check neck tension/pushback (never heard of the "50 lbs." spec.) nor do I measure case mouths after "deflaring", I plunk test. I started reloading 45 ACP in '88, 9mm in 2000. I thought I needed a cartridge gauge when I started reloading the 45, but I had way more trouble trying to make the rounds fit the gauge. Learned about the punk test and my gauge is in a drawer somewhere in my shop. For my 3, 45 ACP guns I size with my Lee die, use minimal flare (for both j-bulllets and cast), and deflare just enough to pass the plunk test on the tightest chamber. I can push the bullet nose against the bench with "some" force (lbs pressure??) and I get 100% good feeding and no set back...

[Blindshooter]

FWIW; the neck tension on a semi-automround is not from a crimp, but from correct case sizing. I reload for 4 semi-auto cartridges and do not "crimp" any. I also do not try to measure force in lbs. to check neck tension/pushback (never heard of the "50 lbs." spec.) nor do I measure case mouths after "deflaring", I plunk test. I started reloading 45 ACP in '88, 9mm in 2000. I thought I needed a cartridge gauge when I started reloading the 45, but I had way more trouble trying to make the rounds fit the gauge. Learned about the punk test and my gauge is in a drawer somewhere in my shop. For my 3, 45 ACP guns I size with my Lee die, use minimal flare (for both j-bulllets and cast), and deflare just enough to pass the plunk test on the tightest chamber. I can push the bullet nose against the bench with "some" force (lbs pressure??) and I get 100% good feeding and no set back...

This^^^^
Soft swaged bullets can be undersized if the sizing die is too small for the the brass you are using.
Some Bulleye competitors crimp .45acp as much as .463, they do this in increments testing for accuracy each step.
For jackets I just remove the flare. For lead, especially soft swaged, I use a m type expander and whatever crimp produces the best accuracy.
YMMV

[Hick]

If you push the case against the bench hard and the bullet doesn't collapse into the case it's good

[oley55]

If you push the case against the bench hard and the bullet doesn't collapse into the case it's good

^^^^ this ^^^

[jmorris]

I don’t use crimp to keep the bullet in place in a 45 ACP. It would be more accurate to describe the step as the “remove the bell/flare step”.

If the case, after sizing, has insufficient neck tension to hold the bullet, swaging the bullet smaller, while the brass case can spring back once removed from the die, only makes for less neck tension not more. Also often causes poor accuracy.

[243winxb]

Crimp does NOT hold the bullet.

[PrestoColumbus]

If you push the case against the bench hard and the bullet doesn't collapse into the case it's good

Thanks for the patient replies everybody.

I'm guilty of over thinking things at times.

@Hick this is simple, easy, and reasonable. Thank you

[243winxb]

Apply pressure to a dummy round sitting on a digital scale , works. If after seating the bullet, the OD has gotten larger by .002" or more, neck tension is ok.

[gwpercle]

Here is the old school easy ways that's worked for 50 years .

1.) Hold the case in your hand , wrap your fingers around the case , with the boolit poking up ...
place your thumb on the boolit tip ... press down with thumb ...if it holds you good .

2.) Weak hand strength ... then press the boolit straight in on the edge of the loading bench ...
in a horizontal direction ... don't get all Magilla Gorilla on the edge press because you can push danged hard ... just a nice firm pressure is all you need .

Practice on a few factory cases to get the feel of what kind of force a boolit should resist ...
Gary
You don't need no stinkin measuring tools for this ... my word ...just thumb pressure will do or edge pressure on bench ... don't over complicate things !

[Taterhead]

FWIW; the neck tension on a semi-automround is not from a crimp, but from correct case sizing. I reload for 4 semi-auto cartridges and do not "crimp" any. I also do not try to measure force in lbs. to check neck tension/pushback (never heard of the "50 lbs." spec.) nor do I measure case mouths after "deflaring", I plunk test. I started reloading 45 ACP in '88, 9mm in 2000. I thought I needed a cartridge gauge when I started reloading the 45, but I had way more trouble trying to make the rounds fit the gauge. Learned about the punk test and my gauge is in a drawer somewhere in my shop. For my 3, 45 ACP guns I size with my Lee die, use minimal flare (for both j-bulllets and cast), and deflare just enough to pass the plunk test on the tightest chamber. I can push the bullet nose against the bench with "some" force (lbs pressure??) and I get 100% good feeding and no set back...

Double this!!

It's about the interference fit. Insufficient neck tension can't be reasonably resolved with the taper crimp die.

[jetinteriorguy]

I usually load up a dummy round, put it in my inertial puller and if it takes four-five good whacks to dislodge the bullet it’s got plenty of neck tension.