Lee Loader

I personally don't use the FCD on handgun cartridges. It works completely different from the rifle FCD (which is a great die, and frequently recommended even from LEE-haters), and basically is a resizing die for the finished round with an additional crimping adge. If you didn't abuse the cases in the flaring die, and your bullets are of correct size, you usually don't need it. I have heard about problems with soft lead bullets that became loose after FC-ing them, because the brass did expand again after leaving the die, and the lead didn't. This seems to be a problem only on soft lead bullets and thick walled cases, and not too common. But I wouldn't take the risk, and can't see any actual advantage of the handgun FCD.

Fyodor wrote:I personally don't use the FCD on handgun cartridges. It works completely different from the rifle FCD (which is a great die, and frequently recommended even from LEE-haters), and basically is a resizing die for the finished round with an additional crimping adge. If you didn't abuse the cases in the flaring die, and your bullets are of correct size, you usually don't need it. I have heard about problems with soft lead bullets that became loose after FC-ing them, because the brass did expand again after leaving the die, and the lead didn't. This seems to be a problem only on soft lead bullets and thick walled cases, and not too common. But I wouldn't take the risk, and can't see any actual advantage of the handgun FCD.

I think your fears are unfounded. Swagged bullets happen only when the bullet is way over sized like on my 380 they needed to be .357 but as dropped out of a Lee mold they were .360. Sizing to .357 solved the problem.

The only time I saw lose bullets is with the fat as dropped bullets and trying the FCD. After sizing it never happened again and yes using the FCD with soft bullets a 50/50 mix, Wheel weights/lead pipe.

This is why I switched to taper crimping all of straight wall pistol and rifle cases and the 357 Sig (head spaces on the case mouth not shoulder). I like the collet crimp FCD for rifle cases and use it some of the rifle cases and may start using it on the 223, but since I have all the taper crimp dies I probably wont invest in the collet dies for the pistol cases.

Make smoke,

Fyodor wrote:I personally don't use the FCD on handgun cartridges. It works completely different from the rifle FCD (which is a great die, and frequently recommended even from LEE-haters), and basically is a resizing die for the finished round with an additional crimping adge. If you didn't abuse the cases in the flaring die, and your bullets are of correct size, you usually don't need it. I have heard about problems with soft lead bullets that became loose after FC-ing them, because the brass did expand again after leaving the die, and the lead didn't. This seems to be a problem only on soft lead bullets and thick walled cases, and not too common. But I wouldn't take the risk, and can't see any actual advantage of the handgun FCD.

Yep, first hand experience here. I tried a Lee FCD for my .44 Magnums, out of curiosity. My carefully sized bullets were swaged down by a Lee FCD and resulted in barrel leading. Bullets definitely not way oversize (.432"). BTW, my bullets weren't soft, but ran about 13-15 BHN. I knocked the carbide ring out of the die so it would not post seat/crimp size the cases, and the results were no better, and certainly not as good as a standard crimp die, after seating. I went back to my Redding Profile Crimp die (excellent tool). I have been reloading semi-auto ammo for 27 years (45 ACP and 9mm) and never had any need for an FCD, as I can adjust my dies correctly and produce cartridges that fit my guns. FWIW, I don't "crimp" my semi-auto handloads, I just "de-flare", remove any flare in the case mouth, with a taper crimp die. Neck tension holds my bullets in place. With a Lee FCD for semi-autos, if a case is crimped too much the resulting bulge is ironed out by the sizing ring and the bullets are loosened. Difficult to find this problem for a new reloader or one new to semi-auto reloadding.

Not a "Lee Hater" here as about 75% of my equipment is Lee.

mikld wrote:

Fyodor wrote:I personally don't use the FCD on handgun cartridges. It works completely different from the rifle FCD (which is a great die, and frequently recommended even from LEE-haters), and basically is a resizing die for the finished round with an additional crimping adge. If you didn't abuse the cases in the flaring die, and your bullets are of correct size, you usually don't need it. I have heard about problems with soft lead bullets that became loose after FC-ing them, because the brass did expand again after leaving the die, and the lead didn't. This seems to be a problem only on soft lead bullets and thick walled cases, and not too common. But I wouldn't take the risk, and can't see any actual advantage of the handgun FCD.

Yep, first hand experience here. I tried a Lee FCD for my .44 Magnums, out of curiosity. My carefully sized bullets were swaged down by a Lee FCD and resulted in barrel leading. Bullets definitely not way oversize (.432"). BTW, my bullets weren't soft, but ran about 13-15 BHN. I knocked the carbide ring out of the die so it would not post seat/crimp size the cases, and the results were no better, and certainly not as good as a standard crimp die, after seating. I went back to my Redding Profile Crimp die (excellent tool). I have been reloading semi-auto ammo for 27 years (45 ACP and 9mm) and never had any need for an FCD, as I can adjust my dies correctly and produce cartridges that fit my guns. FWIW, I don't "crimp" my semi-auto handloads, I just "de-flare", remove any flare in the case mouth, with a taper crimp die. Neck tension holds my bullets in place. With a Lee FCD for semi-autos, if a case is crimped too much the resulting bulge is ironed out by the sizing ring and the bullets are loosened. Difficult to find this problem for a new reloader or one new to semi-auto reloadding.

Not a "Lee Hater" here as about 75% of my equipment is Lee.

Better way to say what I tried to say on page one.