to crimp or not for handi 44 mag

[Deerhunter#1]

well i missed the brown truck on friday with my new handi talo 44 mag on it. But dont fear I told the wife to stay glued to the house on monday. That said looking at dies. I use lee for all my center fire reloading and for the money compaired to others they have worked fine. that said i bought the hornady set for my 357 mag/max with the thought that i would need to crimp and the hornady seats and crimps with the same die. I like the set but can i get buy with a lee 3 die set without a crimp die for the 44 mag. It is about 20 dollars cheaper once you get the shell holder but has no crimp. what are your thoughts.

[petemi]

Get the Lee Carbide 3 die set.  It comes with the shell holder. It'll crimp or not as you choose.  I usually crimp.  Read the bullet seating instructions in the Lee link below.  Good luck.

https://www.grafs.com/retail/catalog/product/productId/7922

http://leeprecision.com/cgi-data/instruct/Pistol3.pdf

Pete

[Deerhunter#1]

I didn't know the lee set did crimp as it doesn't say so in its description. If that is the case that is the one I will get.

[petemi]

I revised my post above and put the links in.

Pete

[bikerbeans]

DH#1,
 
I found for me that when using H110 in the 357 Maxi or 44 Mag I have to crimp to get to consistent velocity.
 
BB 

[cwlongshot]

 CRIMP is needed for durability of the cartridge or for complete/ reliable ignition. It has little to nothing to do with the given caliber.

When looking at the durability, this covers military applications where water resistance as well as feeding aspects are covered. Consider the type of firearm, the ammo it is designed for or it is intended to be fired in. Example, tubular magazines where there may be a heavy spring pushing on the cartridges or where a slide may forcefully strip the cartridge from the mag to feed it into the chamber.

When considering ignition, mag pistol rounds using slower ball powders need a good firm crimp for complete reliable ignition. It helps produce lo velocity spreads between rounds and this contributes to better and more consistant accuracy.

SO, when considering if you need a crimp or not the firearm type and powder are far more important considerations then what the caliber it is.

Personally speaking, I will crimp when ever possible. But try it both ways and see what you BARREL prefers as we all have our opinions but what your perticular barrel shoots best is the deciding factor...

Good luck & Happy Easter,
 CW

[YRUpunting?]

Get a carbide set with crimp.  I have a 357 mag (now max) and 44 mag barrels I had fitted in Dec.  I'm using H110 to work up loads and both barrels so far are the exact opposite of bikerbeans results.  I started with a crimp and accuracy was awful.  With no crimp accuracy is becoming acceptable.  I've also found neither barrel likes light loads.  Accuracy was bad (shotgun pattern) until I got to middle of the powder range.  The max and 44 mag also are showing promise with seating the bullet out so the cannelure is completely exposed.  If I had it to do over again I would have loaded up 3 rounds for 6 groups with half being crimped and half not crimped.  I'd start with a charge less than the midpoint of the charge range, one at the midpoint, and then slightly above the midpoint. Some combination should show promise to work with.  That being said, next time with a brand new barrel I'm going to load up the cheapest rounds I can for the first 75 shots (maybe 100) and only worry about they are on paper before I work up a load.

[gendoc]

i guess every body's different the way they handload..........
i, and all my folks never !!! and i mean never.....crimp to justify accuracy problems
specially a straightwall case ina handi.
maybe its because the way we do it or tha stuff we use.....i dunno
oh-well  its not my prollum

[dpe.ahoy]

I crimp for 2 reasons.  1. the powder maker recomends it, 2. I use the same loads in revolver and lever guns as well as the Handi.  DP

[Jason F]

+1 on what cw said I crimp everything I reload

[gcrank1]

I rarely crimp, but I dont use those kinds of powders mentioned for my cast bullet loads. I often dont resize either and brass lasts about forever.

[bikerbeans]

I rarely crimp, but I dont use those kinds of powders mentioned for my cast bullet loads. I often dont resize either and brass lasts about forever.

gcrank,
 
You are rubbing off on me.  I am on my third round of loading my 50-70 starline brass and I don't have any dies.    Well actually I do have a late 1880s FC die, my thumb and forefinger. 
 
BB

[44 Man]

You don't have to crimp rifle bullet load (or maybe I should say 'jacketed bullet' loads) as when the bullet hits the rifling, the momentary pressure spike produces the pressure necessary for good burning of the powder, and that leads to good accuracy also.  With a straight walled pistol case, this doesn't happen because the bullet is completely out of the case in a revolver by the time it hits the rifling.  In a rifle you may get some of the same effect with jacketed bullets, but cast bullets are too soft to cause this same effect, so those bullets must be crimped to get a proper burn for powders like 296/110/2400/4227, and Lil-gun.  If you are using Unique or some similar faster burning powder, the crimp is less necessary but still recommended for consistant velocity (hence accuracy).  I also use my loads interchangably between handguns and handys so I always crimp.  With a rifle cartridge, a crimp is only necessary to prevent the bullet getting pushed back into the case when moving through the action.  That's not a problem with a single shot.  44 Man