Guys,
I'm currently working with a 375-08 wildcat and need to find a way to crimp a 235gr Woodleigh into a 308 length case.

Does anyone know whether a 375H&H length factory crimp die can be shortened to be used on a 308 length case? I believe the crimp dies are not cartridge specific and to some degree a slightly fatter case can be pushed into them.

OR ...

Can you interchange die bodies and crimping collets? That would allow me to pull apart a 375Win crimping collet for fitting into a 358Win crimping die body. If that works it would be the perfect solution!

I dont have a crimping die here to check their construction, so comments from those that uses these crimpers woudl be appreciated.
Cheers...
Con

I shortened a .300 Weatherby FCD to work with the .30-06, but as I recall that was about as much as it could be shortened and not fall completely apart.

You may be able to shorten it that much, but what I think will happen is the crimp assembly will fall out of the die every time you lower the ram. If you're OK with manually assembling it for each crimp, it migth work.

Naturally, if someone has a .375 H&H FCD and can verify that it can be shortened enough, you can disregard my findings as they were not for the exact combination requested.

No idea about the other scenario. It seems to me that the .375 Win crimper would be too short for a .308 Win length case. Maybe you could get one of them, and have someone solder a ring on the bottom of the crimper so that it is lengthened?

Im sitting here with my .375 H&H and .243 Win Lee FCD's.

The die bodies are the same length.
They do not swap straight across as the .243 die body is not bored as deep as the .375H&H. Now if you did swap collets into the other bodies and cut off the bottom of the collet short enough for your .375-08 to actuate on meeting the shell holder it just might work. That is if you are willing to buy a .308 and .375 FCD and cannibalize both to make the one. I think It'll work.

I believe Michael is correct.

I had shortened one of the collet neck sizing dies, as it turns out. Not the FCD.

Just pulled apart a .458 Win Mag FCD and the retainer clip is at the top of the crimper assembly - not the bottom, like the neck sizing dies.

Should work fine if all the FCD die bodies are bored the same diameter on the inside.

I've modified two FCDs. The closet to what you need was to modify a spare -06 die to crimp a 7.65 Argentine.

First step was to cut enough off the inner sleeve's bottom so the crimp fingers reached the correct point on the case mouth; I used a lathe but it could be done well enough on a grinder. I used a dial caliper to reduce the length precisely for the shorter case.

Then, to get the larger inner (crimping) diameter right, I put the shortened FCD die in the press and ran the ram up to firmly close the fingers. I drilled out the hole several thousants less than the normal loaded round diameter so it would crimp properly (work careful, it would be easy to go too far here!). Finally, smoothed the crimping diameter portion just a bit with a bit of 1/4" dowel rod and 400 grit paper. The changes worked good, and it's not hard to do. I think this step is all you would have to do to modify a .308 FCD to work.

Modifed a .243 FCD to work on a 6MM International. That required shortening both the inner and outer die body parts but it worked fine.

You could have a special order die in a week if you picked up the phone and called Lee. I have several.

You could have a special order die in a week if you picked up the phone and called Lee. I have several.

There you go injecting common sense again.....where's the fun in that? :)

You could have a special order die in a week if you picked up the phone and called Lee. I have several.

RD, I had thought of that but wasn't aware of what the cost was for something like that. I know Lee will make you dies if you send them a few cases (3) and $50. I also know that the FCD at midwayusa is $7.99. So with that in mind I figured I'd stick strictly with, can it be done? And since I had them handy I figured I'd at least look. Heck, I know Lee can do it but could a knucklehead like me do it? It scares me to say but yeah, I think I could! Thinking like that always gets me in trouble. :p


What does Lee want for something like that?

Hmmm.... I need to have Lee make one for my .500 JRH!

I think I paid something like $25 for my 338-06AI's custom LFCD. Bought it last year.

Should work fine if all the FCD die bodies are bored the same diameter on the inside.

Mike, I slipped the .375 H&H collet into the .243 Winchester die body so that works for sure.

Great! That's a good thing to know when dealing with various wildcats....

Guys,
Thanks for the tips. Ordered some crimp dies to have a fiddle with ... including a 358Win which is close to what I want. I'd love to send Lee some cases to make up a custom die ... but export/import rules (Im in Australia) potentially make this messier than its worth.
Cheers...
Con
PS: Anyone have an email for Lee? Might be able to arrange a custom die (need a neck sizer too) over emails.

Great! That's a good thing to know when dealing with various wildcats....

Just for giggles and grins, I swapped collets between the .375 H&H mag and .22 Hornet.

That worked too. It's just the depth of the full diameter bore is different is all for case length. The dies bodies are teh same on the outside, just bored different depths.

Too cool.

If you know someone with a lathe.... would be a simple matter to cut down the .375 H&H die, then.

Have fun!

If you know someone with a lathe.... would be a simple matter to cut down the .375 H&H die, then.

Have fun!

:D It would be really easy if I needed one cut down like that.