loading 360 DW, need help with crimping

[bluebayou]

Is this too much crimp?





I have never set up a pistol die before.  When I loaded the 44 Mag it was with a Lee Classic Loader.  Is there such a thing as too much crimp?

[quickdtoo]

There are varying degrees of crimp, too much crimp to me is wrinkles in the case, been there, done that!!

I've been real happy with the Lee FCD, it works real well with light to heavy crimps, easy to set up for just right.

Tim

[LaOtto222]

I have had the case "bulge" right below the crimp so bad it would not chamber. Also had them crinkle like Tim said. To get a consistent crimp the brass should all be trimmed to the same length before loading. I try to use just enough crimp to keep the bullet from jumping in the case. Of course that is not a concern with a single shot. Still I do not crimp any more than I have to. Belling the mouth to seat bullets (especially lead bullets) and then crimping it hard causes case mouths to crack real quick.  Been there done that. I recently bought a Lee taper crimp for my 357 Handi. I did this partly because Paul 5877 (I think that is his handle)  had done a lot of 357 experimentation and found he got good results with it. I would think that it would extend case life too. I have not had a chance to try it yet.

[trotterlg]

I would say you need to seat the bullet very slightly deeper, you should see some of the canular after crimping, I think you have too much bullet out of the case now.  This will allow a less sharp crimp and lessen the chance for bulging of the case below the crimp.  Larry

[quickdtoo]

That's the neat thing about the FCD, you don't need a cannelure or crimp groove to crimp, it's made to crimp where you want it crimped, makes it nice for seating bullets out to the lands, or in the case of short throated 45-70s, on the ogive of bigger bullets.

Tim

[bluebayou]

I think that I have a greater understanding of crimping now.  I smooshed a few cases, they might straighten out. 

So do I have to reset the die each time that I switch between seating and crimping?  I can't figure out how to set up the die to seat and crimp in one motion.  I ASSUME that is why you are advocating the Lee crimp die. 

Bottleneck rifle carttridges are much easier.......

Anyone have some more crimping/seating pistol ammo advice?  I am going to seat everything to length and then crimp in second stage unless someone says otherwise.

[DWTim]

Very simple: Make sure that the crimp is good enough that the bullet doesn't move, while making sure that you've got the best possible contact between neck and bullet bearing surface. In light of this, buckled necks or "cheeto" cases are unacceptable.

It has been shown that crimp level may effect pressure, so it's much easier to do right if you aren't using mixed brass where the case length may vary. I just heavy roll crimp any rimmed pistol case.

Personally, I would much rather deal with a rimmed pistol case than any rifle case.

I used to do seat and crimp as two steps, but now I do both. As you become familiar with this caliber, you will find that you develop a "feeling" for where the die should be set, and you will know when to stop and make small adjustments. If you have a highly uniform set of brass and are making lots of the same load, make use of some good lock rings. I also make "pilot" rounds for faster set up.

EDIT:

As far as setting up for seat and crimp, can I assume you have a single stage press? I back out the die and set the seater plug low to initially seat the bullet. Then I back out the seater plug and adjust for best crimp. Lock ring on die body. Then I twist down the seater plug so that it barely makes contact with the bullet's nose. Lock nut on plug. Viola, seat and crimp in one motion.

[bluebayou]

So, back out the die, screw the stem IN, seat, screw the stem OUT, screw in the die to the lockring to crimp......

Is that right?

[DWTim]

Oops, I see you updated your post.

Yes, that's about it, except for re-setting the seater plug using the already seated bullet as the reference.

EDIT: And there's no turning the die body after the crimp is set. I tighten the lock ring around it. Those sorry things that come with some dies are more nuts than lock rings, but I know the terms are used interchangeably.