Taper Crimp or Factory Crimp?

[nick50471]

I have been reloading 45acp for 6 years for Bullseye. Not as long as most but no rookie either. I use Lee dies in my Hopp inline progressive press with a factory crimp. When I started reloading the older shooters would tell me to taper crimp. I bought a set of Lee crimping dies one taper crimp and one factory crimp. The LEE instructions in the set clearly state that if you are using dies manufactured after 1986 you don't need to use a taper crimp. I have been using the factory crimp all along and it has worked quite well. I have read several threads in this forum that talk about the taper crimp. Are there that many people using older dies? Or should I still be using a taper crimp? I have a difficult time believing that Lee is incorrect about their own product.
I load 200gr swc over 3.5gr BE in my RRA Wadcutter
200gr swc over 4.0gr BE in my Springer
Both shoot extremely well and reliable.
This forum has started me second guessing myself on several things. I was just fine in my own little world. You guys are evil.LOL!!!

[Geo.]

The Lee FCD is, in addition to the carbide sizer, a taper crimp die in this caliber. You probably still need to taper crimp, but that is the modern standard. Some older die sets had a roll crimp die in the set; I had an early 1970s RCBS set that had a roll crimper with it. I bought a taper crimp die separately as it was optional and extra.

[Hunter]

Well not to set off any alarms but I do not crimp .45 ACP at all.

[nick50471]

Geo,
I should taper crimp after I factory crimp? I would need another station on my progressive or put the taper crimp die in my rockchucker. Would it be better to just taper crimp and not factory? What are the advantages of a taper crimp over a factory crimp?

[Woodman]

Since in .45ACP the Factory Crimp die does in fact taper crimp, it should be all you need. From what I understand, it is a VERY good taper crimp die at that.

[Baldy]

You are getting a taper crimp with the factory die. It's all in one. Hunter if you didn't have some taper crimp you would be having a lot of failures to go into battery. I can say that for a fact because I did it.

[AF First Sergeant]

I perfer a taper crimp on all auto's regardless of how I get it. An auot cartridge head spaces on the front rim of the cartridge. With a roll crimp dimensions can be a tad different & the headspace is on a rolled over piece of brass. Taper crimp keeps the rim of the brass squared up to the chamber.

[horse 91-A1]

For .45 auto, the RCBS dies seat and taper crimp (adjustable) with the same die. The Lee factory carbide crimp dies also have the benefit of ensuring brass casings are w/i factory specs. In 10mm and .357mag I seat with one die and use the Lee factory carbide crimping die to crimp in a separate process. For 10mm, like the .45, the Lee is set up for taper crimp. For magnums like the .357/.44 the Lee die is set up for roll crimp.

Bob

[Baldy]

AF Frist S & Horse 91-A1. Got it right. You do not want a roll crimp. You have to have some taper crimp on .45acp or they will not chamber right. Of corse some will but not all.

[robertbank]

I'm with Baldy on this one. Leaving any sign of belling on your case will cause FTF. If you haven't yet Hunter you will and the last thing you need is a jam when your intended target isn't paper!

Talk to you soon.

Bob

[Geo.]

Geo,
I should taper crimp after I factory crimp? I would need another station on my progressive or put the taper crimp die in my rockchucker. Would it be better to just taper crimp and not factory?...

By all means, use your Lee FCD to apply a modest amount of taper crimp (no need for duplication of funtion). Usually, if you are using jacketed slugs, you only need close up the space between the bullet and the case mouth. As far as that goes, simply make sure that you have no leading edge for the cartridge to hang up on and that the final dimension of the crimp at the mouth is between SAAMI maximum and minimum. I try to load mine so that the crimped mouth is completely closed up on the bullet and the dimension of the edge (tough to measure) is about in the middle of the allowable range. Rarely, a tightly chambered gun might require that the ammo be below a certain dimension to chamber satisfactorily, but that can be solved by simple trial and error fitting.

When using the FCD, one needs separate seating and crimping dies. This may leave you without enough stations on your progressive press, depending on your press model. Personally, I use the Redding Competition Seater die--expensive as it is, because it is simply the best out there. However, I do not load on a progressive and the number of available stations is not an issue with me. The Redding die will give you fewer wrinkled case mouths and fewer shaved bullets than anything else on the market--all of that with less case mouth flare to shorten brass life.

Hope that helps.

[nick50471]

That is exactly how I do it in my Hopp inline progressive press. Seat the bullet in one die and FCD in the next. Thanks all for clearing that up for me. Now can someone explain to me why when I go to my reloading bench I always have more to reload? My wife ask's,"Your loading more?"