Author Topic: How Heavy to Crimp?  (Read 528 times)

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Offline GameHauler

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How Heavy to Crimp?
« on: November 09, 2008, 01:22:31 PM »
Being pretty new to loading I was wondering how much crimp I should us with a factory crimp die for my 218 Bee for my Contender pistol barrel?

I could try to post some pics of the ones I have done if it would help.

I keep looking at them thinking I crimped to tight.

Could I build some excess pressure by crimping to tight?

They are a pretty light load so I am not worried too much.

Thanks,  Mike
Mike

Offline Tom W.

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Re: How Heavy to Crimp?
« Reply #1 on: November 09, 2008, 02:18:56 PM »
I don't crimp anything that I use in my Single shot rifles or pistols...Just my revolvers......
Tom
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I really like my handguns!

Offline LaOtto222

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Re: How Heavy to Crimp?
« Reply #2 on: November 10, 2008, 02:28:19 AM »
+1 on the no crimp. Try it first with no crimp. Crimps are intended to hold bullets in place under recoil. If it is a single shot - no worries. If you get erratic velocities and high SD, then you might try a crimp to see if that helps. Good Shooting and Good Luck.
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Offline GameHauler

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Re: How Heavy to Crimp?
« Reply #3 on: November 10, 2008, 04:24:49 AM »
Thanks Guys,
Consistency is the reason I crimped.
I do not have a crono yet so I can't check.
Mike
Mike

Offline Ron T.

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Re: How Heavy to Crimp?
« Reply #4 on: November 10, 2008, 02:29:21 PM »
Not only don't you need to crimp using a single shot, but crimping raises your chamber pressures and can cause uneven accuracy, so forget about crimping those rounds and the accuracy will probably improve.

Certainly your chamber pressures will probably go down.   :)


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Offline cwlongshot

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Re: How Heavy to Crimp?
« Reply #5 on: November 11, 2008, 12:15:33 AM »
I think some of you guys may be missing the OTHER reason for crimping. Remember, the bee uses some fast burning powder. Its neck is fairly thin, crimping may get a better more consistant burn and more consistant ballistics. Obviously your correct, it is not needed for bullet retention as its a SS rifle.

 I do agree, If the bullet your using has a canalure, try it with AND with out crimping. Personally I havent ever needed a heavy crimp for this bullet. I load this caliber for two rifles a old Win 43 and a Marlin 1894.

 Something else you could try is get a second expander ball and polish it down a bit to get a tighter neck. This may negate the need to crimp.

 Good luck,
 CW
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Offline GameHauler

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Re: How Heavy to Crimp?
« Reply #6 on: November 11, 2008, 01:22:30 AM »
Thanks again.
When I bought my barrel it came with dies (used) and came with a crimp die.
When seating the bullets they seamed to go in pretty easy
so I thought I would give them a crimp to take out variables.

The bullets are a canalure bullet being a 35gr V-Max
in front of 12gr 4227,
under listed max.
I have shot this load before with no pressure signs
but will watch them real close as the last ones were not crimped.

I will look into another expander ball.

Mike
Mike

Offline bilmac

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Re: How Heavy to Crimp?
« Reply #7 on: November 11, 2008, 01:58:27 AM »
Usually crimping adds a variable, it is really hard to make them consistant. Plus, it is harder to find bullets with cannulures, especially lightweights, and I don't know of any cannulured bullet that is considered an accurate bullet. To me crimping is something to do only if you have to , it isn't going to help accuracy, only degrade it.

Offline Lloyd Smale

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Re: How Heavy to Crimp?
« Reply #8 on: November 11, 2008, 02:36:28 AM »
its a funny thing. For the most part i dont crimp rifle rounds either unless there for a lever gun but it sometimes can help accuracy. Its like switching a primer or using a differnt powder. sometimes it hurts accuracy but sometimes it helps. In a rifle I dont fool with it unless the rifle just isnt responding to anything else. Then i will start with a light crimp and increase the strenght of it and see how it effects accuracy. Most of the time though it wont do much unless your using slow burning powders.
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