Enough Crimp?
 

Does look good for a crimp? Should I have more or less? It runs through the case check thingies perfectly and falls out with no hiccups. Does the same in a barrel. Never had a separate crimp die before like the Dillon dies do.

Any thoughts or advise would be greatly appreciated.

subbed for comments/learning.

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No. I don't use the crimp to hold the bullet in, use the case for that just crimp it to let the bullet feed better and close the bell. I only bell just enough to start the bullet to seat so it goes in tight.

Hope this makes sense. RCBS dies did the crimp and seat in one step the Dillon does it in two...so I am learning how to use this die now. It looks good and cycles good and slides in and out so I am pretty sure I am ok but wanted an expert to speak on this. I will try to shoot off the first 50 rounds I made up to see before I make anymore. Hopefully soon!

Phil....my crimps run from .469-.471 for .45 acp. Your manual should give you parameters for other calibers. If it passes the plunk test, and if you can put the bullet against your bench and not move it by pushing with hand pressure, you're good. Check with calipers before and after the push test

What pig said. you do not want the bullets to "set back" I blew the mag out of a 1911 because of a setback. It caused a case rupture. Thank God for carbon fiber grips. I gat a face full of brass.

Pig is right for once, however more simple look at a factory load for and example,



Clyde

I will do a measure..that is bery smart!

DanG!!! Glad you didn't get hurt!!!

I never even thought to compare..good idea....I will do some measuring!!!

What Sheepdog said...

It looks to me like the bearing surface is below the case mouth. That means that the crimp does nothing for keeping the bullet from being set back. My jacketed loads have a tiny bit of bearing surface above the mouth to give the crimp something to bite into. You have to be careful though...too much bearing surface above the mouth can cause the ogive to hit the lands and prevent the gun from going into battery. I had to default on a match because I had some loads just slightly too long and they jammed the gun up tight.

I just measured and at the crimp I am at .469 and more so at .470. I can not get any setback at all, that bullet is not moving. I even tried to move a bullet with a bit of hand force and nothing doing. I am confident I am doing ok now that the measurements are adding up. I measured some Hornady factory stuff and they were all at .470-.471.......


you guys are so smart....