Factory crimp die education needed??

[larryw]

Howdy folk's, I need some education from you all that have more Lee experience than I do.
I'm old school, loading 45ACP I seat & crimp (iron the flair) with the same die.
The Lee FC die says case length is not a factor, the FC die cannot apply to much crimp, thus destroying
headspace, & wont buckle a case because of to much crimp???????
& also need to know actual experience with the FC die in regards to sizing boolits down???
Would you all give me an education on this die please??? I've looked at it in my die box
for I don't know how long, guess it's about time I should find out about it?????
& who knows, maybe even try it???

[ljnowel]

I have one for four of my calibers. I don't use any of them. They just aren't needed. If Lee made them without the carbide sizing ring I would like them.

Since u reload several different cartridges on my pro1000 it's a moot point as it's a three station.

[mr surveyor]

I use the Lee FCD on everything I load for (which is only 5 sets of dies until the .41 mag comes in to my life), and I've not experienced the ugly side of the carbide ring yet. But, I don't have to use oversized bullets in any of my guns, so I suppose it really don't matter to me. I like the FCD.


jd

[Steve]

I like the factory crimp die on pistol rounds. It does swag the bullet slightly but with my pistols the loads were worked up using the die, so the rounds are very acurate. Other people shoot my reloads too, they always chamber and shoot straighter than the peaple are capable of shooting.

I got 500 bullets for my 380 Auto in a trade. They were so soft they would not work with the FCD, the bullets were loose after passing through the die. The hard cast bullets I normally use do not have that problem. I was glad to get that 500 rounds sent down range. So if your bullets are made of good metal you will probably like the factory crimp die. The ones I shoot are suposed to be 19 rh.

[Fyodor]

I have tried the FC on my .38spl and .45Auto loads for Cowboy Action, and found they consume a lot of time when performed on the hand press, can't be done on the pro1000 because it lacks a fourth position, and I wasn't able to find any difference on the range. I don't do the FC on handgun loads any more.

[62chevy]

I use it on the 45 acp with great success but the 380 and my cast bullets just don't work so not used there. I'm also using a 4 hole turret press. It takes a lot of fiddling to get it set up but when it works right more than worth it.

[mikld]

I guess I'm the odd man out as far as liking an FCD. I have been reloading since the early '70s and out of curiosity got an FCD in .44 Magnum. It ruined my carefully crafted ammo, as it swaged down my cast bullets enough to cause leading. I knocked out the carbide ring and attempted to use just the crimping function, but got irregular and ragged crimps. Not one to give up easily, I tried several times on my Magnum rounds and my .44 Special rounds. I always got an inferior crimp. I went back to my Redding profile crimp die and started producing very good ammo again. I started loading .44 Magnum ammo in 1986 so I have enough practice to know what a good crimp is and how to apply one. My Lee FCD in .44 Magnum now resides in a landfill somewhere in Southern Oregon.

As for semi-auto ammo, I have been loading 9mm for 12 years and 45 ACP for mebbe 14 years an have never had any chambering problems using properly adjusted standard taper crimp dies (I don't "crimp" my semi-auto ammo I just "de-flare" my cases with a taper crimp die). I have no need for any "special" crimping die and I tend to think of the bizillions of 45 ACP rounds reloaded quite successfully prior to Lee's FCD. I am in the "solution looking for a problem" school of thought concerning FCDs.

Now the Lee FCD for rifle/bottlenecked cases is a very good tool. I use it for 2 of my rifle calibers (.223 and 30-06 Garand). Nope, not a Lee hater here

[62chevy]

I think crimping is the wrong term for casters, flare removal would be a much better phrase as that is all I use it for also.

[Steve]

I like the factory crimp die on pistol rounds. It does swag the bullet slightly but with my pistols the loads were worked up using the die, so the rounds are very acurate. Other people shoot my reloads too, they always chamber and shoot straighter than the peaple are capable of shooting.

I got 500 bullets for my 380 Auto in a trade. They were so soft they would not work with the FCD, the bullets were loose after passing through the die. The hard cast bullets I normally use do not have that problem. I was glad to get that 500 rounds sent down range. So if your bullets are made of good metal you will probably like the factory crimp die. The ones I shoot are suposed to be 19 rh.

I forgot to mention..... With the Lee Bulge Buster Kit the FCD really shines for removing glock bulge from range brass.

[Ranch Dog]

I avoided using the Carbide FCDs for years based on what I heard of them concerning cast bullets. Very early this year, I decided to set them up and see exactly what issues they created with oversize cast bullets. I ended up not experiencing any problems despite using some very large diameter bullets, so I use them now.

I started by measuring the sizing rings to determine what problems might be encountered. The diameter of the sizing ring is determined by web diameter of the specific cartridges, about .020" up from the base.

45ACP_FCD.jpg

In order for the carbide ring to start exerting pressure against the sized bullet diameter, the bullet diameter plus case mouth thickness times two would have to be exceeded. I just have not found this to be an issue. I have used a careful setup knowing my case thickness and adjusting the die to provide tension at the case mouth without compressing the greater, determined diameter and checking these dimensions with a micrometer. I have pulled many bullets to check the post sizing issue and have found none.

Here are the cartridges that I'm using the Carbide FCDs them and the various specs associated with each cartridge:

CFCDvsCast.jpg

Of the cartridges I reload, the 32 ACP and 380 Auto are the tightest fit but I still have not found it to be an issue with bullets that have been pulled from reloaded cartridges. The brass has always been thinner than spec and I feel a light bump as the cartridge, below the case mouth, passes the sizing collar.

One thing, a benefit, that I discovered from using the Carbide FCDs, they eliminate cartridge runout. This nonconcentric alignment between bullet and case is eliminated from what my tools measure. Runout has been an issue with these short cartridges because of the amount of case mouth flare needed to accommodiate the flat base (not beveled), oversize bullets my firearms need.