I've been loading 357 Hornady xtp and Nosler Sportsman bullets for about a year now and have had great success. I picked up 300 Hornady RLN today and they load no issues but when I use the crimp die it seats bullets another .005 deeper. It never done that before. I backed the crimp adjustment out a half to 3/4 turn and oal is staying the same but doesn't look like a good crimp to me. They fit in the vaquero cylinder no issues but I'm wondering if I'm doing something wrong. This is my first loading for lead and the oal seats the bullets past the fatter lubed part so am I wrong thing it should roll against the lead or just enough to go into the cylinder smoothly. These are Lee 38-357 dies and I don't load 38 anymore but do load some lighter 357 so all the dies are set for 357 cartridge. Has anyone had this issue with lead? I looked at a mag tech round nose and crimp seems much more profound than mine when I back off but if not I'm pressing bullet in farther.
New issue with Lee factory crimp die
- Thread starter Wendyj
- Start date
skinnedknuckles
New member
I had a similar problem when I was trying some lead bullets sized to .359" in an attempt to get rid of leading in one of my revolvers with oversized throats. What I found was the that crimp sleeve inner diameter above the roll crimp ledge was just about .359" and the interference/drag was further seating the bullet. Take the crimp sleeve out of the FCD and see if the bullet passes through cleanly or hangs up. You may need to crimp with the seating die if the bullet doesn't clear. Actually, I wouldn't even worry about .005" extra seating.
I always use a firm roll crimp (1/2 to 3/4 turn on the FCD) into the crimp groove for my lead bullets. I don't worry much about a published OAL, instead I always seat the bullet so that I can roll the case mouth into the crimp groove. The only exception to this rule is if it would result in an OAL that has the bullet protruding from the cylinder. Most revolver loads should have a firm crimp to prevent bullets from walking out under recoil, and some powders benefit from a firm crimp for cleaner and more consistent burning.
It could be that if you are not rolling the crimp into the groove, but instead into the lead in a driving band, then the action of rolling the case mouth into the lead could easily be further seating the bullet.
I always use a firm roll crimp (1/2 to 3/4 turn on the FCD) into the crimp groove for my lead bullets. I don't worry much about a published OAL, instead I always seat the bullet so that I can roll the case mouth into the crimp groove. The only exception to this rule is if it would result in an OAL that has the bullet protruding from the cylinder. Most revolver loads should have a firm crimp to prevent bullets from walking out under recoil, and some powders benefit from a firm crimp for cleaner and more consistent burning.
It could be that if you are not rolling the crimp into the groove, but instead into the lead in a driving band, then the action of rolling the case mouth into the lead could easily be further seating the bullet.
I find this puzzling. The Lee FCD is a crimp only die. I don't understand how it can seat the bullet deeper and reduce the OAL. Maybe I'm not understanding the problem.
Also, I load a ton of 38/357 ammo; and it all goes through a Lee FCD. Furthermore, I load a lot of .359 sized lead ammo in 38 Special. I've never had a problem. In fact, the big .359's don't seem to behave any differently going through the collar part at the base of the die.
Also, I load a ton of 38/357 ammo; and it all goes through a Lee FCD. Furthermore, I load a lot of .359 sized lead ammo in 38 Special. I've never had a problem. In fact, the big .359's don't seem to behave any differently going through the collar part at the base of the die.
For my 38 lead ammo, I only go about 1/4 to maybe 1/3 of a turn. Personal preference. (I took a Sharpie and put a dot on the adjuster, so I can see exactly how much crimp I'm applying.)
Given the problems you're having, I would recommend a light crimp for now, at least. Back out the crimp adjustment so far that it can't impinge. Run a seated round (or dummy) up into the die. Screw down the adjustment until it hits the brass. Then back out the ram/round partially, screw down the adjustment 1/4 turn, then run the ram back up.
It would be interesting to know what happens.
I know for one with fiddling around some more that I was flaring the case a little too much. I backed it off some and also backed the crimp die off a half a turn. It's not seating deeper but these are strange bullets to me. I'm not sure where the crimp should roll right around the rounded nose as I don't see a cannilure on the bullet. I've tried to upload a picture of a few but the file size is too large. I had one earlier I sized and flared and when I seated the bullet it went all the way in. I resized it and didn't flare it at all and the bullet felt snug but still when I seated it , the bullet fell all the way through. Only on one piece of brass. The lead is .358 and I used that piece of brass and seated a xtp jacketed bullet no problem. I ran a few through my vaquero and a few through my Rossi lever and all went well but I've got a lot to learn with lead bullets. I pulled one that had too much crimp and it had cut into the lead and made a groove in the fatter part of the bullet.
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You want to roll crimp those just above the knurled surface - right were the round nose begins. The one in the pic looks correct - I think - hard to tell for sure. Just use a light crimp. With this bullet, there's a lot of surface bearing on the case holding it in place, so very little crimp is needed.
Should I seat according to Hornady manual. It has me seating about .006 into the nose. Oal is 1.590 per Hornady manual. I'm using 4 grains of Titegroup for powder. I shot about a hundred through the stainless vaquero toda using hp38 and it's a dirty powder. Took me an hour to get the gun clean again.
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When in doubt, go by the manual. I would place a higher priority on the case mouth being just beyond the edge of the knurled surface for roll crimping (I guess the book says .006, sounds about right.); rather than the OAL. The OAL is secondary with this bullet.
These bullets are easy to load. Try not to overthink it. There's a lot of wiggle room here.
Seat them to the right depth - just eyeball it. Then give them a light roll crimp. Done.
These bullets are easy to load. Try not to overthink it. There's a lot of wiggle room here.
Seat them to the right depth - just eyeball it. Then give them a light roll crimp. Done.
Emerson Biggies
New member
After reading the Lee info on it's factory crimp dies, I marveled at the idea of the collet type crimper and wondered why others had not invented it sooner.
I ordered the Lee FCD for 38/357 and found it to be a roll crimper.
It works fine, but I think I was taken advantage of by Lee. Bait and switch???
I ordered the Lee FCD for 38/357 and found it to be a roll crimper.
It works fine, but I think I was taken advantage of by Lee. Bait and switch???
And the auto pistol FCDs are a taper crimp. The rifle FCDs are collet. They should probably have used a different name. They do make collet crimp pistol dies in some calibers.
jetinteriorguy
New member
The FCD isn't the same as the Collet Crimp die. They make the Collet Crimp die in magnum calibers. I use them on both my .357 and my .41. and they work super good. I'm sure you could return the FCD and reorder the Collet Crimp die. Or just keep the FCD for .38's.