PDA

View Full Version : How Important is "CRIMPING"?



Mark Ducati
11-19-2011, 08:58 AM
I just finished loading 400 rounds of 50AE... half were factory Speer Brass, and the other half were factory Starline Brass.

-Speer/Starline Brass
-Winchester Large (magnum) primers
-Lee Steel Loading Dies
1) Deprimer/resizer
2) Expander to "bell" the mouth to accept the bullet
3) Bullet seating die

----------So, I'm watching a couple youtube videos on a guy loading some 50AE and he's got a 4th "Crimping" dye to roll the mouth that was belled slightly into the bullet.

His explanation was that usually crimping is not required for self loading pistols... but on revolvers, the recoil can make uncrimped bullets move forward or back (usually forward, then the cylinder wont turn if the bullets start coming out slightly).

So, he was loading 50AE and he did have a 50AE 4th crimping die... I checked Lee's page and they say they don't make a 50AE crimping dye because :
Custom Carbide Factory Crimp Dies for handgun cartridges can be made for most handgun cartridges that are not in regular stock. Sizes available run from 25 ACP sized cases up to the 480 Ruger. The 50 AE cannot be made because the carbide ring necessary for this cartridge is too large for our manufacturing process.

I couldn't find a 50E crimp dye on RCBS either... so I guess it must not be "that" important?

I've only shot a few dozen rounds thus far and they shoot well... so I must be doing something right?

Flinter
11-19-2011, 10:28 AM
As far as I know, the crimp is usually done with the seater die. They do make some special dies just for crimping, but normally it crimps as it seats.

I've never reloaded for a 50 though.

As for whether or not to crimp, ever watch a semi auto load? It's typically pretty violent. Bullet set back can cause pressures to spike rapidly.

I know some guys don't crimp. I'm in the crimp all pistol rounds camp though. Actually, if it's semi auto...I crimp.

Schuetzenman
11-19-2011, 10:30 AM
.50AE if I'm not mistaken headspaces on the case mouth. If you roll crimp it you screw the headspace of the round. The most you could get away with is a taper crimp that would squeeze the bullet a bit to secure the bullet better but still leave about half the thickness of the case to headspace with.

Other cases that need a case mouth to headspace with are 9x19 a.k.a. 9 mm or 9 mm Luger or 9 mm parabellum. .380 auto and .45 ACP.

The whole bullets moving in the case thing, I have yet to experience it, not sayingit can't happen but I think it's much over blown as a consideration.

abpt1
11-19-2011, 10:40 AM
.50AE if I'm not mistaken headspaces on the case mouth. If you roll crimp it you screw the headspace of the round. The most you could get away with is a taper crimp that would squeeze the bullet a bit to secure the bullet better but still leave about half the thickness of the case to headspace with.

Other cases that need a case mouth to headspace with are 9x19 a.k.a. 9 mm or 9 mm Luger or 9 mm parabellum. .380 auto and .45 ACP.

The whole bullets moving in the case thing, I have yet to experience it, not sayingit can't happen but I think it's much over blown as a consideration.



Yeah I have had a .357 round do this in a relover with a heavy crimp...

http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s298/abpt1/Reloading/new38357.jpg



never in a auto thought .

Flinter
11-19-2011, 10:47 AM
Yeah I have had a .357 round do this in a relover with a heavy crimp...

Was this the forum where the guy was having the problem with that and it turned out he was way over max load. As people were warning him about pressures, he came back and said that he'd found a solution....superglueing the bullets in the case!

That thread was priceless.

abpt1
11-19-2011, 11:10 AM
Was this the forum where the guy was having the problem with that and it turned out he was way over max load. As people were warning him about pressures, he came back and said that he'd found a solution....superglueing the bullets in the case!

That thread was priceless.


Nope it was from shooting a heavy 158gr out of 340pd airweight that was only meant for a 120gr rd it actually was acting as a kinetic bullet puller..

The round on the left is a 120gr that it also did it with under a heavy charge.
http://www.qtl.co.il/img/trans.png

Silicon Wolverine
11-19-2011, 07:57 PM
every handgun round i reload goes through a Lee FCD as a final step. rifle rounds intended for storage or hunting get crimped, my match 30-06 for steel silhouette does not because it gets single loaded. i consider crimping essential for proper regular use ammunition.

SW