Hello everyone ! I'm reloading for the 45-70 and I was hoping someone here could help me out. I'm using a set of Redding dies for the 45-70 and I also purchased the profile crimp die. My brass is all trimed to the same length and the bullets seated to the same depth. When I go to crimp them with the profile crimp die I'm not positive about what the finished crimp should look like. Should the case mouth be rolled into the crimping groove or just tapered into the groove. My load books don't really tell me anything more than the die set-up is correct. I do reload for a number of other calibers but this is my first straight walled case. Thanks for any help you can give me.
Case Crimping Information
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I use the profile crimp dies in several straight-wall and bottleneck pistol cartridges. It is my understanding that the die has two stages of crimp. The first is similar to a taper crimp, the second is like the traditional roll crimp. How much of the crimp you get depands on how far down you adjust the die. I don't really consider the cannelure on a jacketed bullet to be a "crimp groove" which would commonly be found on a cast lead bullet. When I'm using jacketed bullets, I use the taper feature of the die and both the taper and roll crimp when using a a lead bullet with a proper crimp groove. Redding calls it a "more uniform roll type crimp", from what I have seen by using them it is what I have described above. As a side note, I have experienced lower SD's when using this die in straigh wall pistol cases in revolvers and contenders, so it's likely it does provide a more uniform crimp which should increase the uniformity of the combustion and burn before the bullet exits the case. The most dramatic improvement of ammo quality I have seen with this die is in a 38-40 with low pressure, low case fill, loads. The SD was one half of what it was with the standard roll crimp die. I hope my rambling will help you in some way.
I have faced the same question.In using the 45-70
Winchester brass, I have gone too far and wrinkled the brass.
I stopped by my local gun shop,and he had one cartridge with the same wrinkle.I ordered the Lee hand loader universal crimping die.It will crimp from the side rather than pushing down on the cartridge.
Winchester brass, I have gone too far and wrinkled the brass.
I stopped by my local gun shop,and he had one cartridge with the same wrinkle.I ordered the Lee hand loader universal crimping die.It will crimp from the side rather than pushing down on the cartridge.
dzrtram,
the factory crimp die from Lee is more like a collet that "pinches" the case into the bullet. If you get agressive with one, you can pull a jacketed bullet and it will actually have a pronounced indentation in it where there wasn't one before the crimping. That is the beauty of the die, you can crimp a bullet, lead or jacketed, at any place that it is caliber diameter and it will hold.
The Redding profile crimp die is more along the lines of a traditional crimp die. It provides a roll type crimp according to Redding, that is very uniform. In my experience with the die, I believe it to actually give you a bit of a taper crimp below the case mouth in addition to the roll crimp. I have had very good luck with these dies in straight wall and bottleneck (old time) handgun rounds. This type of die requires that you have a cannelure or crimp groove to actually crimp into, unless you are simply crimping over the driving band of a lead bullet
The one thing that you need to remember about the profile crimp die is that you NEED to seat the bullet to depth first, in a seperate die, before the crimp can be applied with the profile crimp die.
the factory crimp die from Lee is more like a collet that "pinches" the case into the bullet. If you get agressive with one, you can pull a jacketed bullet and it will actually have a pronounced indentation in it where there wasn't one before the crimping. That is the beauty of the die, you can crimp a bullet, lead or jacketed, at any place that it is caliber diameter and it will hold.
The Redding profile crimp die is more along the lines of a traditional crimp die. It provides a roll type crimp according to Redding, that is very uniform. In my experience with the die, I believe it to actually give you a bit of a taper crimp below the case mouth in addition to the roll crimp. I have had very good luck with these dies in straight wall and bottleneck (old time) handgun rounds. This type of die requires that you have a cannelure or crimp groove to actually crimp into, unless you are simply crimping over the driving band of a lead bullet
The one thing that you need to remember about the profile crimp die is that you NEED to seat the bullet to depth first, in a seperate die, before the crimp can be applied with the profile crimp die.
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