223 Lee Factory Crimp

[chazgin]

OK here goes and don't want to start a flame war on Lee products. I have until recently always used benchrest or semi benchrest techniques (using dies from light green boxes that cost mucho $$) for loading ammo in my bolt guns. The exception was a custom 7.65 Arg that I could not get expected velocities and could not seat the bullet out further because of the military chamber. I remembered reading something about Lee Factory crimp dies and the Speer bullet war. Anyway, being somewhat contrary I found out they made one for the 7.65 Arg (can you believe that?) and bought it. I then crimped the very same load as before. Well the velocity (chrono measured) jumped up about 110 fps (somewhat expected) and then the groups shrunk significantly (totally unexpected)!!
My question is: Has anybody here tried this on a Contender in 223? Did you get improved groups over non crimp? I bought a Lee Factory crimp and will try this over the next couple of weeks. Will post the results here.

[444encore]

If it has a cannelure , it get's crimped. If it don't , it don't. And I never buy cannelured bullets for anything but strait walled cases. It is possible
that your 7.65 chamber was designed around cannelured bullets as most military rounds utilize this. But a T/C Contender, being a single shot pistol
has no need for such things. So it's doubtful much advantage can be had.
But experamenting is fun. If it helps, great! just don't get bent out of shape if it don't.

[Duffy]

Had the same thing happen with a friends 30-06 loads in his 748 auto. The vel increased from 2696 and a group of about 2 inches to 2740 and a nice 1" group. I tried increasing the powder charge and changed oal ect but could not duplicate just crimping the bullet. Also was a Speer non cannalured bullet. It didn't seem to make as much difference in my 223 and 708 as it did in that 06. In fact it made groups worse in my 708 encore.
I always crimp loads for auto's.

Ryan