Crimping bullets that have no cannelure

[rimsonly]

Has anyone had experience with crimping rifle bullets that have no cannelure using the Lee factory crimp die? This would be the 280 Remington. Thanks, Tom

[shot1]

The Lee Factory Crimp Die is designed to use with bullets that do not have a crimp grove as well as with those that do. It will make it's own crimp grove. I have done a lot of experimenting with the Lee Crimp dies. A great deal of the time it does improve the accuracy of a load especially if the bullet has to jump quite a ways before it hits the lands. I can tell no adverse effect even on match bullets like the Sierra Match King by using the Lee Factory Crimp Die. One thing I have learned is to not trim my cases to the trim to length. For example take your 280. The trim to length is listed at 2.530 and the max case length is 2.540 I would trim the case to 2.535. This will give enough case length to get a good crimp. If you trim down to the suggested trim length sometimes you don't get enough case to crimp on good. It all depends on what your rifle likes and load combination as to if the crimp will make it more accurate or not. You will never know unless you give it a good try. 

[kynardsj]

Rifle bullets that I used to load that didn't have a cannalure were ones that I didn't need to crimp as they were in a bolt action. I now have some 450 Bushmaster bullets that I load in my 45 LC's and 454 Casulls that don't have cannalures. There was another thread on this forum about this subject and I found out there is a tool that you can order that will put a cannalure on your bullets. I ordered one and use it on my Bushmaster bullets. Search 450 Bushmaster on GBO abd you'll see a picture of it. Good luck with your loading.

[Dand]

I have used the Lee Factory crimp die with good success in my 348 Win loads. Hawk bullets are  (or were) made without a cannelure and they recommended the Lee die. With the tube magazine and stout recoil of the 348, a good solid crimp is absolutely needed. I have had good success with the Hawk and other bullets so crimped.

When the Lee die first came out Speer made a huge fuss that their bullets should not be used with it. I think that has died down and I suspect a lot of Speer bullets get crimped with LFC dies. But you don't want to over do it.

I don't crimp my cartridges used in bolt guns, 223, 30-06, 300 win mag. But do for 30-30 and 348. HTH

[1sourdough]

 With the Lee FCD you can easily adjust the crimp from hardly any to a lot. If there was no cannelure(sp?) you could pinch in the case a tad & be fine. If I do have a bullet with the groove I load to a specific COL & don't pay much attention to where the groove ends up, usually. I also agree for most rifle loads dedicated 'crimp' is usually not needed.

[Lloyd Smale]

I guess i have to ask why you feel the need to crimp 280s. Ive been loading them for 30 years and have never crimped a single one.

[Grumulkin]

I guess i have to ask why you feel the need to crimp 280s. Ive been loading them for 30 years and have never crimped a single one.

I would agree.  I load for a variety of cartridges including semiautos in 308, 30/-6 and 458 SOCOM and don't find the need crimp for anything except for certain heavy recoiling cartridges to be shot in revolver or when loading for bolt guns in 375 H&H Magnum on up to 458 Lott.  If you do need to crimp bullets with or without a cannelure, the Lee Factory Crimp Die works great.

[rimsonly]

Thank you all....my idea of crimping bullets was hopefully it would give a more consistent pressure curve and thus more consistant group size. Thanks again!

[BBF]

The other way to go is to run your cases thru the sizer without the decapper rod once more . It works real easy with BT bullets but will require a slight flare on the flat base stuff.

[Flashole]

Take a look at what CW posted a while back.

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,200139.msg1099034057.html#msg1099034057

[HL]

You can always buy a cannelure tool, if you feel the need to crimp your bullets.

[Steve P]

There is nothing wrong with using the Lee factory crimp die on rifle cartridges.  I wouldn't adjust it to put any heavy crimp in the 280, but a mild crimp will definitely center the bullet (if you have a good die) and will help control runout.  I have had good success with several of my hunting cartridges by adjusting the LEE FC die to just barely compress the neck.  On some of my plinking loads (303 British, 7.62x54R, etc) the LEE FC die works great to apply just a little crimp on cast bullets.  NO movement in the magazine and a really fun way to shoot the old military war horses.

Steve