Been thinking alot about using a lee factory crimper. About a month ago i was hunting and had a yote loping at 350 yds i shot 3 times hitting him 2 of the 3 one being a gut shot. When home taking out rounds it looked like one was slightly longer than the other laying on table. I measured them both were slightly shorter than I had made them! Im guessing the recoil of shooting the three shots jammed them back some. I made them 3.345, one was 3.30 and the other 3.290. Gun is 270 win xbolt. I consider this a serious issue. How many have had similar issues? To be honest Ive never checked mine after shooting like that before. Makes me wonder how many times before its happened and I never noticed?
How many uses factory crimps
- Thread starter coop2564
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g0rd0
Well-Known Member
westex91 is correct about checking neck tension and the loaded mag issue. But, another thing you may want to try is after loading your mag tap it forward to shuffle the bullets to the front of the mag then they will move with the rifle with recoil instead of having the nose smashed by the mag
catamountsierra
Well-Known Member
If you do go with factory crimp die, go easy on it. I have found a very light crimp to work best. I have also noticed that it seems to crimp differently with different bullet constructions. Best example I can think of was setting the die up using .224 62 gr Siroccos for a light crimp and then crimping little 55gr Ballistic Tips; no change in the die or stroke on the press but those NBTs had a groove deeper than most cannelures even though the Siroccos had barely any mark on them.
seawolfxix
Well-Known Member
+1 for neck tension
How much tension do you have?
How much tension do you have?
I use the Lee Factory Crimp in all my semi auto rifles as well as most of my old military rifles that have a throat a mile long. I have discovered through trials that using a medium crimp, by that I mean this. Set the crimp die up so that as you look in the top of it without a round in the die you adjust the crimp fingers so they close about half way between full and no movement. This holds the bullets secure without squishing the bullet much if any. This has also greatly increased the accuracy in many of the old military rifles that I shoot. My theory is that with the long throats most of these rifles have it causes the bullet to be held in the case long enough for proper burn and pressure rise for making best accuracy much the same way that a bullet that is loaded closer to the lands is slowed up for just a split second before the base leaves the case and allows the same pressure rise. What ever it does the same rounds shoot much better with the crimp verses non crimp. Using the bushing type dies getting the "proper neck tension" basically does the same thing. I have really never had any problems with bullet pull or push back into the case on my rifles. Probably do have proper neck tension, blind hog finds an acorn effect, or most often the case is full or powder and will not allow the bullet to move deeper. I have had rounds that the nose has been battered but bullet has not moved. The only way to know what will work best for you is give it a try. Good Luck.
SilverbulletMAG
Well-Known Member
I use a Lee crimp die with nearly all my loads now (still trying to find one for 7WSM). I neck turn all my brass and anneal after every firing but found a light to medium crimp gives better results across the board. The thing I am struggle with is getting a consistent crimp with this die from load to load or trying a different bullet. Going by sight and feel has worked pretty OK though so far using a similar method to that outlined above by RT2506.
Reloader222
Well-Known Member
I use them on my .357Mag and on my 9mmP. It is excellent to smooth the cartridge after minor crimping with the original crimping die. It ensures smooth feeding in auto pistols. One of those things of Lee I am proud to use.
With regard to other rifle calibers I had not attempted that as yet.
With regard to other rifle calibers I had not attempted that as yet.
Usually the bullet will jump forward if the movement is recoil induced.
Laelkhunter
Well-Known Member
That is usually the case in revolvers where the rim holds the cartridge in place and as the weapon recoils rearward, the bullet is subjected to inertia that might result in it moving out of the case a little if not crimped. If you load a heavy recoiling revolver with 6 rounds in the cylinder, by the time you have fired the last round, the bullet could have come completely out of the case and you find spilled powder all over your gun. In some cases, the bullet might have come out far enough and protrude from the face of the cylinder that it prevents the cylinder from turning when you try to cock it to fire the next round.
In the rifle magazine the cartridges slide in the magazine when the rifle recoils which causes the cartridge to slide forward and the bullet tip hits the front of the magazine. If not crimped, it can push the bullet into the case in addition to flatten the nose of soft point bullets, or even break the tip off of polymer tipped bullets. I guess actually, the cartridge isn't moving in the rifle magazine, it kinda stays motionless until the rifle fires. The rifle abruptly moves rearward under recoil, the cartridges in the magazine are smashed into the front of the magazine while the rifle is moving rearward.
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victor3ranger
Well-Known Member
I use Lee factory crimp on anything that is going in a auto loader.
Light crimp
Light crimp
Rich Coyle
Well-Known Member
I used the Lee Factory Crimp Die to tune my last load. Once the die touched the mouth I started tightening 1/16 of a turn for three shots. 7/16 turn and the load came in at 300 yards with three shot groups of 11/16", 1 3/8", and 15/16".
FireFlyFishing
Well-Known Member
Big fan here. I use one on every bottle neck cartridge I own. Great success with groups and no bullet slip even on my big mags.
