[Ridgerunner]

Working with new hulls, I am getting excellent roll crimp results with most any hull. I would rate Cheddite and BPI's "Multi Hull as being tied for best results, with Fiocchi running at a very close second.

The one that gets frustrating at times is the Federal. In looking at the mouth of the Federal I am thinking it needs skived, and so I recently ordered BPI's aliminum skiving tool head hoping for that to bring the new federal hulls up to snuff.

Anyone else working with Federals notice this?

I use the BPI roll crimp tool, but noticed in Precision Reloading's catalog, their roll crimp tool head looks pretty nice. Anyone out there using PR's Roll crimp tool?

Also, I use Motor Mica as a lube for crimping. Seems to work quite well.

Comments on lube?

Ridge

 

[Pete D.]

Roll crimp

I like the Multi Hull also. I've been experimenting with slugs and a roll crimp is the way to go. I have used the BPI roll crimp tool but have come to prefer two antique roll crimp tools that I acquired on Ebay. Much nicer rolls.
The only Federal hulls that I have rolled are Federal's paper hulls. They roll very nicely using the old tools; not bad with the BPI tool either.
Pete

 

[Ridgerunner]

Yeah Pete, I wondered how well those old hand crimpers worked. Thanks for mentioning that.

Do you have the ones that clamp on the side of a bench?

I saw one awhile back that had been listed on "Gunbroker", but the auction was ended, and yet they still posted the item picture. It looked kind of neat.

I haven't loaded paper hulls for some 20 years now, but if I find some, maybe I'll give them another go.

 

[Pete D.]

RidgeR: Yes, the two old tools are both of that "clamp on" type. There are two on Ebay right now. I also bought the paper hulls - a lot of them - on Ebay. Not all were usable but they were so inexpensive that they are still cost effective. Some I use for BP loads - much better than plastic.
Pete

 

[Boltman]

Precision Reloading Roll Crimper

I've gotten excellent results with the PR roll crimper. I bought it a year ago for use on new Cheddite 16 gauge green plastic hulls, then also got nice results on the black Ched 16 paper.

Recently I began loading 12 gauge again. I've got a miscellaneous collection of 12 gauge hulls that anyone else might consider scrap. I cut them down and they all roll crimp well with the PR tool. Most recently I tried it on the red Winchester Universal hull, a promo sold at my local Walmart for under $5 a box when purchased in the 100 pack. Those Universals didn't crimp too well in my star rig, but when I cut them down they rolled beautifully. I'm also rolling old Winchester AA's that had worn tops. Cut them off below the splits and get a few extra loadings.

I have been doing a lot of patterning work for the past several years. One thing I noticed is that, other things being equal, the quality of my patterns is directly proportional to the quality of the crimp. Fluky crimps = fluky pattern. It's much easier for me to get consistently good crimps with the roll than it is with the star.

Also, the roll-crimped hulls feed very smoothly in my Model 12 - never a hangup like I sometimes get with a bony star crimped shell.

I suppose if a person were shooting a hundred or more rounds a week at clays, the roll crimps might be prohibitively slow. I enjoy tinkering at the loading bench and don't keep a stop watch going.