How Many Agree With This

[Edward429451]

In my experience, the post sizing ring does deform or otherwise destroy my cast boolit (i.e. size) and I would not personally recommend them to anyone. I suppose it actually would depend on what size your cast boolits are, and what size the Lee FCD post sizing ring is, in the inside diameter.

From what I hear, Lee is not consistent in the sizing ring inner diameter, and this could explain why some say that the sizing ring does not size their boolits. I have only tried the one FCD in 44 cal., so that is hardly a representative amount of use to draw a positive conclusion from. I do like the crimp it applies so I simply popped out the sizing ring with a punch. That is enough for me to want to stay away from them, but that is a personal decision for me alone.

 

[CrustyFN]

I do think we are in agreement on the basic premise of this thread. Heck. I probably use my FCDs more than I need to but so far I havent found a reason not to. Thats one of the things I like about the LCT, that 4th station makes it as easy to use one as not.

Yea it's all good. I probably use them in every pistol caliber out of laziness. I like to use the post sizing ring as a case gauge. If a round gets post sized it gets set to the side, if not it goes in the ammo box. This way I don't have to sit there and case gauge my ammo after I'm done loading because I know everything is in spec. I have been lucky and only had two rounds get post sized five years ago. I have never had a malfunction at a match or plinking. Now if I could just shoot better at the matches I would be set. I also love my LCT press.

 

[Axelwik]

The Lee FCDs that have a carbide ring at the base could reform/resize a lead bullet.

The ones without the carbide ring should be fine.

The one I have for my 40 S&W has a carbide ring - irons out the "glock bulge."

The two I have for my 45-70 and 30-30 rifles do not have a carbide ring and they're fine with cast bullets.

 

[CrustyFN]

In my experience, the post sizing ring does deform or otherwise destroy my cast boolit (i.e. size) and I would not personally recommend them to anyone. I suppose it actually would depend on what size your cast boolits are, and what size the Lee FCD post sizing ring is, in the inside diameter.

Yea the FCD's seem to be hit or miss. I like using them and they work great for the purpose I need. If I got a FCD that was not right I would get a hold of Lee and have them exchange it for one that is. I don't know maybe it's just me but I see Dillon people getting bad or broken parts replaced every day and talking about how great Dillon CS is. Then people that get a bad Lee part don't give them a chance to make it right and tell everybody not to use them. I'm not singling anybody out here. It's seems to be what I see at many different forums.

 

[tkglazie]

Cool. Yeah, thats what gets me about my .45 fcd, all my others never touch anything. You know what, I am going to do what I said I was going to do before, order another .45 FCD and measure it, if it measures .472+, I will use it for my cast bullets and reserve my other for fmj only. As much as I love the results I hate the strain the tight fcd puts on my elbow round after round. I much prefer a FCD that touches only the very few cases that have issues.

 

[Edward429451]

I see Dillon people getting bad or broken parts replaced every day and talking about how great Dillon CS is. Then people that get a bad Lee part don't give them a chance to make it right and tell everybody not to use them.

from what I can tell, with Dillon, it's the exception to the rule, and with Lee it's pretty much the rule.

 

[tkglazie]

from what I can tell, with Dillon, it's the exception to the rule, and with Lee it's pretty much the rule.

I dont doubt what you have seen. In my experience with Lee products, which includes an LCT, a single stage press, 4-die carbide sets in .380, 9mm. ,38 and .357, a 2 die set in .32 Special, a Pro Auto Disk Measure, a Safety Prime, a Safety Scale, Lee prep, trim and measurement tools, lube, and load manual, every piece has performed flawlessly.

Oh wait, except for my .45ACP FCD, which is half a thousandth too tight. Does that make poor quality a rule, or an exception?

 

[Edward429451]

No, that would be good luck, or a testament to your mechanical aptitude!

 

[wncchester]

The anti-FCD argument for handguns will go on forever and the hyperventalation that starts every time it's mentioned would be funny if not so badly off base. I use that die for what it's good for and I'm not silly enough to say my experience or needs should dictate what others should do. It IS silly to either condemn the FCD out of hand or say it's the end-all solution to crimpers. It's a tool, same as any other tool; use it where it's helpful and don't use it when it's not helpful. And cast bullets, of themselves, is not the relivant issue. Any bullet that's way oversize AND loaded in a thick wall case will almost certainly get reduced in a FCD. It's up to the loader to decide if his highest priority is fine accuracy at the risk of difficult chambering or total reliability at the possible expense of some loss of accuracy.

The FCD was given a 'post sizing' ring near the mouth to make sure all ammo run through it will chamber and fire everytime. If the reloader installs significantly over size bullets, cast or jacketed, in an occasional thick case, the cartridge will, or may, jam and that could get someone killed so squeezing the too-large cartridge down to make sure it will chamber would seem to have some rational value to anyone. Those people who have tight chambers will see the benefit more often than those with sloppy chambers; that shouldn't be too difficult for anyone to accept.

For some reason that eludes me the current cast bullet craze is to use bullets some 2-3 (or more) thousanths oversized. But, there is absolutely no value to using big fat bullets and normal diameter bullets in normal cases won't be touched by the post sizing ring.

 

[Slamfire]

I am another person who does not recommend Lee FCD's for pistols.

I have seen the swaging of cast pistol bullets.

I think that is bad.

If my rounds chamber in my gun without the need for Lee FCD's, and to date they do, I don't see a need for the die. My pistols shoot fine.

 

[ShootingNut]

slamfire,
Do you seat your lead bullet without any flare on the casing mouth?
Or are you reloading with a jacketed bullet? Just curious, not argueing your comment.