Question About Crimping 45ACP

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brycealbright

New member
RE: Lee Deluxe 45 ACP 4 Die Carbide Set

I am following these instructions: Screw the Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die in,
until it just touches the shell holder and back out the adjusting screw.
With the loaded round in the die, turn the adjusting screw
in until you can feel it just touch the case mouth. Then
move the cartridge out of the die slightly and screw the
adjusting screw in 1/2 turn for a light crimp and one full
turn for a heavy crimp.

I started off by turning the adjustment screw 1/2 turn clockwise, then crimping the cartridge. When I move the cartridge up and down in the die, though, I still feel a slight bump. Same for a full turn. The bullets that I am using do not have a cannelure.

I suppose the bump is caused from the front edge of the case.

I'm confused about this, and would appreciate your help.
 
Those directions can get mighty confusing.
Whoever writes them might know what they mean, but their communications skills are often kind of lacking.
Try adusting the die visually, instead.
Compare the crimp on your reloads to a factory round, by putting one of each side by side and looking straight down on them.
It should be obvious when they have the identical amount of crimp and case thickness showing at the mouth.
If the reloads feed well in your gun, then all is well.
If not, then some adjustment might be needed.
Not all brass is made to the exact same thickness.
By using the above method, it's very easy to see even small changes in crimp, and saves a lot of messing around.
 
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I am following these instructions: Screw the Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die in,
until it just touches the shell holder and back out the adjusting screw.
With the loaded round in the die, turn the adjusting screw
in until you can feel it just touch the case mouth. Then
move the cartridge out of the die slightly and screw the
adjusting screw in 1/2 turn for a light crimp and one full
turn for a heavy crimp.

I started off by turning the adjustment screw 1/2 turn clockwise, then crimping the cartridge. When I move the cartridge up and down in the die, though, I still feel a slight bump. Same for a full turn. The bullets that I am using do not have a cannelure.

I suppose the bump is caused from the front edge of the case.

I'm confused about this, and would appreciate your help.
Click to expand...

All is good and normal with what you feel. Semi-auto bullets will not have a cannelure as does the revolver bullets for crimping.
Semi-auto tapper crimp, revolver roll crimp
 
Plunk test a a few of your loaded rounds.
Take the barrel out of your pistol, and drop the round into the chamber. If it fits correctly, the die has done its job and so have you.
 
Actually, for some reason, some plated bullets meant for semi autos do have a cannelure, or something that looks a lot like one.
Never have figured out what it's for.
Maybe as a guide for overall cartridge length?
Maybe bullets designed for double duty that can be used in 45acp and 45Colt?
Just to keep us on our toes?
 
To DonP's point, 45 ACP is taper crimped, not roll crimped.

The taper crimp only serves the purpose of straightening the belled mouth, not to curve the mouth in towards the bullet.

45 ACP headspaces on the case mouth so doing a roll-crimp could create a dangerous situation where the cartridge sits too deep in the chamber when fired, or cause FTF if so far forward that the firing pin does not reach the primer.
 
The bump you feel is the sizing ring running over the band where the bullet has expanded the case, normal for CFC die.

Half a turn of crimp ought to be enough. Plunk test and shoot the gun to see it really is.

I went for a good while loading the usual copy of H&G #68 SWC to 1.250" and a faint taper crimp to remove the flare. I put up with the rare but annoying misfeed. Then I got a box of Black Hills SWCs at a match drawing. I noticed they did not have as much shoulder showing and they had a substantial taper crimp. So I loaded a bit shorter, 1.242" currently, and crimped a bit harder and the misfeeds quit.
 
I have extensive experience with the Lee FCD with 45 ACP (and other cartridges).

That bump you're feeling it the bullet itself. That's what the FCD does - it "swages down," if you will, the bulge in the case caused by the bullet so it feeds better. Cycling the round just once through the die makes the correction. You will continue to feel that bump as long as you continue to cycle the round in and out of the die - there's no point in doing so, however.

It works. It's anecdotal, but from my experience, it helps with feeding.

Others don't believe that using a FCD is a good thing. They'll tell you that if you adjust your seater die properly, you won't need the FCD. Conspicuously missing from that explanation, is how to properly adjust the seating die. Properly adjusting a seater die is child's play, of course. So the whole concept is nonsense.

Side note: It's been my experience that turning down the crimp adjuster a full turn is a bit much. From my experience, about 2/3 of a turn is plenty. But don't go off of my experience. It's a "feel thing," and you will need to get the feel for it yourself.
 
I adjust by turning the die in until it barely hits during cam over. Then I adjust the top screw until it takes the bell out....I think that is .473".

Then I mark the top with indelible marker, so I know how far I adjust. Then I adjust in 1/4 turns until the very top of the mouth is .471". I record the turns in from .473" as my amount of crimp.

Last, I plunk test in the barrel.

If that is good, the adjustment is set.


No worries about canelure. It is meaningless on revolver, rifle and pistol, IMO.
 
Forget the cannelure altogether. The cannelure is are mostly decoration and are not necessary.
The .45 ACP uses a taper crimp only and only enough to hold the bullet. And that's mostly just a wee tiny bit. You'll see a wee shiney ring on the case mouth that tapers. No such thing as light and heavy either.
 
I know this is apples n oranges because 45 ACP is a taper crimp; and 357 Magnum is a roll crimp. But this pic illustrates the difference between the crimp from an RCBS (roll crimp) die, and the Lee FCD.

I loaded these today. The one on the left is RCBS crimped. The one on the right is Lee FCD crimped. The difference is obvious. And if you think the RCBS is simply under crimped, think again. . . if I screw down the die body any further, it'll start taking off material from the case mouth. It's backed out just far enough to where it stopped doing that.

0502151211-1_zpsi1uqb5y9.jpg


(Load info: 357 Magnum; 8.2gn HS-6; CCI 550; MoBuCo 158 LSWC BHN 18; 1081 f/s 3" bbl; 1145 f/s 4" bbl.)
 
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