Lee Factory crimp die

[shooterbob]

Can anyone she'd some light on whether this really works as stated is it a gimmick. I have a hard time.letting go of my tried and true trimming but this sounds good, especially for expensive brass.

[bangerjim]

I use FCD's on my 9mm, 40 S&W, and 45 ACP's to get them to pass the "plop" test in the guns. Without it, most rounds I loaded with the standard crimp Lee dies would not go in and chamber.

After trying the FCD, EVERYTHING cycles perfectly!

It adds another step, but I feel it is worth it to get ammo that is 100% reliaable.

Semi's are "finicky" from what I have read and encountered with my guns. The FCD makes loading and shooting them a pleasure rather than a carp-shoot!

I have never trimmed pistol brass unless it is REALLY off. I do trim rifle brass.

I am sure there will be others that will trash the FCD (always is), but in my book, it is a good tool to have around when you need it. And it is cheap!

bangerjim

[Garyshome]

I use them for everything I reload [pistol].

[Bzcraig]

Only been reloading a few years but have always used one.

[dh2]

for rifles where there is a reason like my .375 H&H where bullets may shift under recoil and My Marlin 45/70 with a tubular magazine they are very worth it.

[shaggybull]

I use the FCD on all my straight wall brass

[beex215]

the seating die can be set to crimp and seat. it can be done without shaving lead. if you want to seat and then crimp with the seating die, you could do that as well.

[Mk42gunner]

shooterbob,

There are two very different styles of Lee Factory Crimp Dies. The Rifle style uses a collet to apply a user variable crimp at a set distance from the shell holder. The pistol style uses a carbide ring to squeeze the cartridge and bullet to a fixed dimension, (as I understand it).

I own a couple of rifle style dies, but the only time I have used one was when I made a .38-55 dummy round. It can apply a very deep, hard crimp, that sometimes doesn't completely iron out upon firing, at least that is what some of the pictures I have seen on the internet show.

I have never used a pistol style FCD.

Truth is all of the rifle calibers I have loaded that needed crimping, (mostly for lever actions) I have used the roll crimp shoulder in RCBS seating dies; which work just fine when adjusted right. I do have other makes of dies, it just worked out that way.

For handguns, I learned how to size the brass and projectile, then hoe to adjust the seating and crimp dies so my rounds freely chamber in my guns. I use either the roll crimp for revolvers or taper crimp for the bottom feeders.

Crimped brass doesn't really hold the bullet in place upon firing, neck tension does that. What a crimp will do, is keep said bullet from seating deeper while feeding.

The only honest recommendation I can make is to keep an open mind and try them if you think you really need them; but billions of rounds were loaded before they ever came to market.

Robert

[altheating]

I use the Lee FCD on all of my 22 hornets, K hornets and 222's and it helps a bunch with accuracy. I tried it on ammo for a 357 mag rifle and my accuracy went away, so I went back to crimping with the RCBS die. I'm not sure why it affected accuracy as much as it did, but it was not worth messing with any more.

[jcwit]

I use them for bottle neck rifle calibers.

I'm of the camp that believes and in my experience they post since a lead bullet after seating. I'm able to adjust my handgun dies using a taper crimp or a roll crimp.

[pworley1]

I use them on all my pistol rounds.

[bedbugbilly]

I use FCD on my 38/357 and my 9mm - i really like them - all I load is "cast". I find the FCD especially helpful in the 9mm loading - after running through the FCD, they all slide in to my 9mm cartridge gauge.

[TCFAN]

I use the Lee Factory Crimp Die for any bottle neck cartridge that requires a expander die such as a Lyman M die.On some I just take the flair out and on others I use it to crimp the boolit.Cast or jacketed.
I use the Lee Carbide Factory Crimp die for any straight wall cartridge that will use a boolit that is the same diameter as a jacketed bullet such as a 45ACP and some 38 specials. ......Terry

[1lonewolf75]

It came with my .30-30 die set so I use it. I would probably wind up havin the extra step as I would seat then crimp anyway so... Yes billions have been loaded without and still are and nothin wrong with that. Use what works fer you I say. I have heard bout the reliability of crimped semi auto rounds not bein satisfactory. In fact I have a friend who wont load fer semis at all cept fer his .50 desert eagle because of it, maybe ill tell him bout the FCD fixin the reliability accordin to many people.

[robg]

work well on my .223 & .308,especialy with my lead loads inthe .308

[Wayne Smith]

With the pistol FCD it is a big if. If your bore will accept a boolit that is the size resulting from the FCD without leading it works great. If your barrel needs a larger boolit than the FCD carbide ring it won't produce for you. You will be looking at leading and wondering why and condemning the die.

[mdi]

I own two Lee FCD collet style dies and use them nearly every time I reload those calibers. I had a Lee FCD die for straight sided cases for mebbe 8.5 days (it now resides in a landfill in Southern Oregon). I have found no need for a handgun FCD as there has never been a time I could not get my handgun ammo to chamber easily with merely adjusting my dies correctly (oversize cast, jacketed bullets, revolver and semi-auto). I am not a Lee Hater, which accusations usually comes after I state my reasons for not using an FCD for handguns...

[Bayou52]

Can anyone she'd some light on whether this really works as stated is it a gimmick. I have a hard time.letting go of my tried and true trimming but this sounds good, especially for expensive brass.

Make no bones about it, these dies work and work well. I've got one for each caliber I load.

Here's a snap of some 44 mags that have been run through the FCD.

Bayou52

[jmort]

Yes indeed. That is why they are the highest rated dies.

[jcwit]

Wonder how all those billions of cast/jacketed rounds were reloaded with little to no problems before this die was invented?

All those who bash Lee, but then the LFCD is the greatest thing since sliced bread.