I would like to know do you crimp lead bullets?? If so tapers or rolled, and why please?? Also state cartridge/caliber..

Thanks for you input

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You should crimp cast bullets if in heavy recoiling firearms, such as handguns. In rifles if in tubular magazines or again, heavy recoiling.

The type of crimp depends on the type of cartridge case, whether rimmed or rimless. Rimmed cases should receive a rolled crimp while a rimless needs a taper crimp. There are exceptions to every rule - some rimmed cases respond well with a taper crimp (straight walled cases such as 45-70's for example). Generally, if the case headspaces on the rim, it gets a rolled crimp. If it headspaces on the case mouth, it gets tapered.

Rifle cases can be either roll or taper crimped.

You didn't specify what cases you are primarily interested in so you will have to identify for someone to repond with which gets which crimp. The lists are endless to just start listing.

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Revolvers:
The rounds waiting in the non-firing chambers are subjected to the recoil...the revolver does a good iminitation of an inertia bullet puller (revolver moves back in recoil, bullets want to stay still, result LOOKS like teh bullets have moved forward, but what happens is the revolver moved backwards fast enough to leave them "hanging"). IF not crimped, the bullets will end up sticking out of the front of the cylinder, tieing up rotation.

Semi-autos:
IN the loading cycle, the bullet will come into contact with the feeding ramp...ammo will be moving as fast as the bolt moves forward. IT's NOT subject to having the bullet move foreard as in a revovler, but is subject to having the bullet jammed back into the case.

Lever (and other tube fed weapons):
The rounds are suject to teh compression force of the magazine tube and the forces of recil (which kind of bounces them back and forth.

Boltguns:
Generally not needed for functioning, but may be helpful in reducing one omre sharp edge (the case mouth) that could possibly hang up on projection. Generally don't crimp bolt gun ammo.

GENERAL:
Some loads work better crimped. Usually that's a sign that the bullet/case fit could be tighter, and a switch to a slingly smaller expander whne reloading may be called for. Given a tight fit between bullet and case in SMOKELESS loads, seldom use a crimp for bolt guns or single shots.

On heavy recloing guns, the ammo in the magazine is subjected to "bounching" forces (inertia slams it into the front of the mag., then it bounces to the back).

WIth Black Powder it's harder to be definate..prefer not to crimp, but with softer lead alloys used in BP shooting, getting atight case/bullet fit often results in deforming the bullet and runing accuracy. OVercrimping can also ruin accuracy...just one of those cases where you have to fiddle arround and try to balance the two (case.bullet fit and crimp) until you find a "sweet spot".

Thank for the fast reply I am looking at the 44Mag and 357Mag, I have always used a heavy roller crimp with jacketed bullets but was not sure if the heavy roller crimp would "cut" the lead as it opened crimp making it loose the seal between the bullet and the barrel..

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Revolvers...lead bullets hould have a crimp groove, and most of them have a bit of a bevel to the rear edge (which is supose to help open the crimp without tearing grooves in the bullet's sides).

With those two, you'll be using harder cast bullets, so they can stand a bit more crimping OR a tight case/bullet fit. Usually, lead is .001" or so over jacketed diameter, so you'll get a tighter fit between case neck and bullet when using the same expander as used with jacketed bullets )common for the .44 is a .430" cast and a .429" jacketed....358" lead vs. .357" jacketed). That's a help.

Would crimp moderately....good place to start is to use a loaded (crimped) jacketed round as a gauge to set your crimping die...is as good a place to start as any.

The buillet does have the tapers crimp groove, these 44 bullets are the same 322Gr I have been studying and asking about on the cast bullet side, Tomorrow is the day I started with 16gn W296 and increaseing by 2/10 and see where it goes from there,, I'll post and let you know...

Again Thanks
Larry

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Depends on how the die is made, but if attempting an extra hard crimp, can end up loosening the bullet/case fit. Once that crimp has "bottomed out" in the crimping groove, if you apply more pressure, can slightly bow or buckle the case mouth...and that actually decreases bullet pull by reducing the fit of the bullet and case mouth.

With a lead bullet of that weight and the recoil forces it will face (and if it's the last one in the cylinder, may have to face it 4 or 5 times before it's turn under the hammer comes arround), would try for a tight case/bullet fit and at least a moderate crimp...if the case mouth is turned to the bottom of the crimp groove, you'd done all that you can.

IF you still get bullet movement, would reduce the case expander .001" and try again. All things considered, with all the area that the bullet sides and the case mouth have to exert force on eachother, a tight bullet/case fit is of more use in stopping bullet migration than a bit of extra pressure on that little truned over ring of case mouth.

The idea of a crimp is to hold the bullet in place under reciol.
Then a crimp also helps getting the powder burning and bullet up to speed from the start .
With lead bullets a lot of loaders are now seating and crimping in different operations.makes a cleaner, neater job
Some use two dies while others,use the Lee Factory crimp die.I use both methods in my revolvers and lever action rifles.