I already answered that question
Why I Crimp
- Thread starter ButterBean
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antelopedundee
Well-Known Member
Sorry, had the thread open for typing and didn't see it
nicholasjohn
Well-Known Member
Thanks, Gents. If I use the relief grooves just like I would a cannelure, I ought to be right in there. I wanted to be sure before I go spinning my wheels and wasting a bunch of these jewels.
nicholasjohn
Well-Known Member
WOW - a cut-away view - thanks, Butter Bean. By the way - how much neck tension do you use on Hammer bullets before you crimp them ? Steve recommends 3-4 thousandths ( due to the reduced bearing surface ) but that was without a crimp. With the Lee FCD crimp does it even matter ???
3-4 is the norm for me
nicholasjohn
Well-Known Member
Thanks. My plan is to first find my max load, and then start looking for best accuracy in whatever I node find while running that process. I'll test with no crimp first, and then work my way into more and more crimp in the manner you outlined in a prior post, until I find what the rifle likes best for crimp.
antelopedundee
Well-Known Member
I guess I'll forget about trying to put any crimp on any of my 6.5-06AI ammo with the 123 grain Absolute hammers. Firstly if it would even work it's not worth the time and cost that it would probably take to get a FCD from Lee assuming they'd even do it. Secondly, the cases are too short. It's pretty well known that fire forming 6.5-06AI cases from .25-06, .270 Win etc. brass gives cases that are .012 - .015 shorter than the 2.494 nominal length for an 06 case. Also the cases almost never grow with subsequent firings. FTHOI, I tried putting on the maximum crimp that one could get from a Redding seat die. See picture. There does seem to be a slight bit of case mouth roll so if nothing else it should facilitate chambering a live round. So I guess I'll save my crimping endeavors for the ol 6.5-06.
Shaving .012 off of the bottom of the die isn't a particularly desirable option.
Shaving .012 off of the bottom of the die isn't a particularly desirable option.
Last edited:
RockyMtnMT
Official LRH Sponsor
We will usually ignore the PDR but some times the crimp will move your oal if you are not in between them. On the shoulder will work too.
I was just reminded this thread exists from another thread that popped up! It's awesome there's so many people giving the FCD the cred it deserves!
Anyway, I have a problem... Maybe.
So with my Lee FL die that I had always used for my '06, I left the expander in. I have always used the FCD on everything. With that die, I'd always get bullet run-out of no more than 0.002". Usually 0.001-0.0015". The Lee FCD would would always either correct run-out slightly or make no change after crimping.
With a new barrel I have, I've got a standard FL Redding die. I took the expander ball out and use a Lyman M neck expander die to expand. This die has a step up in diameter on the mandrel at the top of the press stroke so that it will flare the case mouth slightly. I thought, ok I'll set it up to use that function for easier seating.
Well... The bullet runout I get with this die prior to crimping is very poor. Sometimes up to 0.004-0.005. but, sometimes almost none. When crimping with the FCD, it sometimes makes the run out worse! Case neck run-out after sizing is always almost zero. I experienced this same issue when I tried to use the Lee collet neck die on my '06. It leaves the mouth of the case unsized and so it flares it a bit.
So could it be that the flared mouth is giving me higher run-out?
Anyway, I have a problem... Maybe.
So with my Lee FL die that I had always used for my '06, I left the expander in. I have always used the FCD on everything. With that die, I'd always get bullet run-out of no more than 0.002". Usually 0.001-0.0015". The Lee FCD would would always either correct run-out slightly or make no change after crimping.
With a new barrel I have, I've got a standard FL Redding die. I took the expander ball out and use a Lyman M neck expander die to expand. This die has a step up in diameter on the mandrel at the top of the press stroke so that it will flare the case mouth slightly. I thought, ok I'll set it up to use that function for easier seating.
Well... The bullet runout I get with this die prior to crimping is very poor. Sometimes up to 0.004-0.005. but, sometimes almost none. When crimping with the FCD, it sometimes makes the run out worse! Case neck run-out after sizing is always almost zero. I experienced this same issue when I tried to use the Lee collet neck die on my '06. It leaves the mouth of the case unsized and so it flares it a bit.
So could it be that the flared mouth is giving me higher run-out?
Just guessing I would say yes
I know a paper shooter at the club who drove his 40x and 1200 rounds of handloads to Nebraska on a prairie dog shoot. Upon arrival, he discovered a bunch of his bullets had settled down into the case and were resting on the powder charge. He was able to recover most of them and the trip was a success. His reloads were stored in ammo boxes with the case head down. Obviously the vibrations of the thousand mile road trip, loosened up the ones with inadequate neck tension.
Orange Dust
Well-Known Member
Call Lee. They will ask you to send two fired cases, and they will make you a custom factory crimp die. I had them make me one for my .22 Nosler. took a couple of weeks and was ridiculously cheap.I guess I'll forget about trying to put any crimp on any of my 6.5-06AI ammo with the 123 grain Absolute hammers. Firstly if it would even work it's not worth the time and cost that it would probably take to get a FCD from Lee assuming they'd even do it. Secondly, the cases are too short. It's pretty well known that fire forming 6.5-06AI cases from .25-06, .270 Win etc. brass gives cases that are .012 - .015 shorter than the 2.494 nominal length for an 06 case. Also the cases almost never grow with subsequent firings. FTHOI, I tried putting on the maximum crimp that one could get from a Redding seat die. See picture. There does seem to be a slight bit of case mouth roll so if nothing else it should facilitate chambering a live round. So I guess I'll save my crimping endeavors for the ol 6.5-06.
Shaving .012 off of the bottom of the die isn't a particularly desirable option.
antelopedundee
Well-Known Member
Thanks
