I am currently using the Dillon dies to reload for my .357. I am not real satisfied about the crimp that the Dillon crimp die applies. It looks to be about a 50/50 "mix" of taper and roll.

What would I gain from using a Lee Factory Crimp die? Would I be able to get a nice roll crimp? The only benefit besides that would be an final "sizing" of the case, due to the carbide ring that Lee puts in the die.

Thanks for the help.

Ray C.

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Shoot Straight and God Bless!

Sixgun,

The Lee Factory Crimp Die provides not a roll crimp, but a straight crimp.  That is at least my understanding.  Whether it has any taper I don't know, but I don't think so.  I have one in 45/70 an one in .30/06.  The bigbore looks straight, the '06 looks like it might have a little taper to it.  It will actually press the crimped brass into the jacket, or appears so.  It has a 4-way split collar which presses the brass snugly to the bullet.  Visit their website for a full pictured explanation.  

I too have entertained the very question you raise here.  I want add one or the other to my .300 Win Mag toolhead (550B), .223 Rem, and maybe others.  Not sure which way to go.  

So far I like the Lee F.C. but never have used the Dillon.  Lee's is inexpensive in that makes a difference.

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Smartly protect your rights!  John

Sixgun, are you having problems with bullets jumping crimp, poor powder ignition, or do you just not like the way it looks?  And if you want it to look different, what do you want it to look like?  Each manufacturer has a different idea of what a crimp should look like.

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MikeG

I use the Lee Factory Crimp Die in several cartridges and am 100% sold on the concept. I have tested several loads side-by-side, one lot uncrimped or using the regular crimp die as supplied and a second lot using the same loads with the Lee Crimp Die. Velocities are universally more consistent as is accuracy. Now I will grant many times it is a minor improvement- 2-3 points of SD, 10-25 fps with bottleneck rifle rounds- but it is there nonetheless. For me the added step is worth it.

Try it you will like it!

The only negative I can think of is if you are loading cast bullets that have been sized larger than nominal to fit the throat or groove.

The carbide sizing ring would most likely reduce the cast bullet as well.

But that could be dealt with.

I keep one in the last station of my Dillon for several different caliber's and I keep a Lyman M die in the first station for loading both jacketed and cast but that's a different story.---- Safe Shooting

A moderate load in my 45-70 with 310 WFNGC bullets is twice as accurate with the Lee crimp as without it.
It doesn't seem to make any difference with 405 bullets and full loads.

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Leo from California

Leo,

A very interesting result. Any idea what may cause it to be such an improvement with moderate loads as opposed to full house rounds?

I'll wager that it is uniformity of start pressure with the lighter 310 grain bullets! *The .405's have both inertia and added friction inside the case due to a longer bearing surface, so they would show less tendency to benefit from the factory crimp die. *In the .444 Marlin tests I've done both for the three existing articles online and the ones to come, the lighter bullets always showed huge improvements of ballistic uniformity with application of the Lee Factory Crimp Die. *

FWIW, just my summization of observations.

God Bless,

Marshall

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Marshall
Romans 1:16



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