Lee Fartory Crimp die question

[The Shrink]

Esteemed Board

I just got my first one of these, in 44WCF.  I notice in the illustration on the instructions the collar is at the top of the die and the bullet is extending out of it.  I look at mine and the collar is at the bottom of the die, extending slightly out of it, and does not want to move.  

Is this normal?  Should I give it a good whack to get it loose, or return the whole thing?  If I whack it, should I drive it in from the bottom or get a brass rod and drive it out?  

Wayne the Shrink

There is no 'right' that requires you to work for me or me to work for you!

[PA-Joe]

Try degreasing it first. Also do not tighten it down too much because you can close the finger gaps and the bullet point will not go in. The point should extend out of the hole and the fingers should just catch the brass.

[The Shrink]

"Tighten it down"??  Does the sleeve screw into the die body, or does it slide up and down?  I assumed it slid, and as it slid up a slowly decreasing ID die body it tightened (crimped) the brass onto the bullet.  

Or do you mean how I mount the die body into the press?  

I don't know, maybe my understanding of how this thing works is all screwed up!  Engineer I'm not!

Wayne the Shrink

There is no 'right' that requires you to work for me or me to work for you!

[Reed1911]

Whoa!!!! Look a lot of the pistol cartridges will NOT stick out of the top of the die. Wayne, take and empth case and seat the bullet as normal, place it into the shell holder, run the plate all the way up (full stroke) and screw the die down, until it begins to push the handle back, as on the down stroke. Now give the die a 1/4 turn and run your mock bullet into it. if the crimp is not enough for your taste, repeat the 1/4 turns until you get it almost there then switch to 1/8 turns.

If the carbide sleeve inside the die is sticking, clean it our with a little brake cleaner and/or WD-40. Sometimes the lube the use to store them gets a little sticky and will stop it up.