Hi there,

Long time reader, first time poster.

I've just tried loading .44 Mag rounds with .432 sized Beartooth bullets, crimping them as a separate step using Lee Factory Crimp die. However, it appears that finished rounds are quite a tight fit, and I'm afraid that the sizing ring inside the die squeezes them too much, resizing the bullets and potentially reducing neck tension.

Finished rounds are definitely oversized, but they chamber just fine in my Marlin rifle and I feel that final sizing action is not necessary.

Am I better off using regular seating/crimping die instead?

deadborn,

Indeed, you'll find that the Lee Factory Crimp die for the straightwalled PISTOL cartridges, has a carbide sizer ring that will actually squeeze the bullet undersize when using cast bullets that are over nominal jacketed bullet diameter. This of course negates the purpose of fitting the bullet to the gun, as they are all crushed undersize.

By all means, do use the standard seating/crimping die, and just seat and crimp in two separate operations, but using that same die.

Let us know how those loads shoot for you!

God Bless,

__________________
Marshall
Romans 1:16



Beartooth: A Bullet Worth Waiting For!

I've used the Factory Crimp for several years for cartridges used in my S&W Model 19 and they work just fine because my barrel is very tight, .3558" and the cylinder throats are also small.
Marshall is, as always, correct. If the crimping die sizes the bullet down to smaller than the groove diameter, you'll get lots of leading. In my case, it makes the assembled cartridge fit the gun better.
That's why it's important to slug your barrel or have a gunsmith do it.
On those cartridges I use the seating die to crimp, I leave the lock ring adjusted for a crimp. When I seat, I put a spacer under the lock ring so it doesn't crimp. I pull out the spacer and adjust the seater up out of the way when I go back thru and crimp. It saves re-adjusting the crimp every time. Although you can buy spacers, I made one from an electrical knockout; the hole for electrical conduit fits perfectly.

-91

__________________
On a day of seclusion
and utter confusion,
upon these delusions
I base my conclusions!

Just wondering Marshall... Could you use a lead sinker or one of your lapping bullets to determine just what size that Lee FCD sizes to and what is the ultimate diameter delivered to the bullet inside the case?

I have been using the die for my 44 Mag in a M94 Trapper without any apparent loss in diameter from .432".

When I get home I might try this.

Michael

__________________
Michael

Not just pitol dies. Set of Lee 45-70's will make any bullet .459" that's run through it and crimped...but the barrel of this old one is .460" and my bullets start at .461". The occasional bullet will be seated deeper by the crimping die's constriction rather than crimped.

No problem loading for modern rifles with modern chamber/bore specs. An old Lyman 310 tool gets used for ammo for the nold rifle, while it only neck sizes it's tolerant of lage diameter bullets.

If you call Lee, they will make you a custom oversize die. You need to send them some loaded unsized dummy rounds.
Humpty

__________________
Humpty
dandunphy@pcisys.net
SASS 43560

Thaks for the info guys...

I roll my rounds on a Lee 4-hole turret press, hence the FCD.

For the heck of it, I tried removing the sizing ring from the die... unsuccessfully. Then I took a dremel to it in hopes of enlarging its internal diameter... After having worn 2 aluminum oxide grinding wheels, I realized the futility of my efforts. Those carbide rings are truly undestructuble

I guess I'll just get another standard seating/crimping die so I can still crimp cast as a separate operation.

BTW, both sized and unsized rounds perfomed pretty well, I was getting 1.5" groups at 50 yards using Williams peep sight... Same as my favorite jacketed load. No leading.

Thanks for making such a great product, Marshall. I'm sure you get it a lot.