Lee Factory Crimp Die
- Thread starter Gary
- Start date
Ian
Notorious member
Anything in the 473" case head class or smaller....provided you either space the collet or machine it shorter to correctly locate the case mouth in the crimp fingers. For your Grendel you'd have to shorten the sleeve and die about 1/2" and double-check that the shoulder angle of the case will allow it to be inserted far enough for the crimp fingers to reach the case mouth.
Pistolero
Well-Known Member
Two completely different dies called 'Factory crimp dies'. One is a TC die with a resizing carbide ring, one is a collet crimped, mostly for rifle cartridges, but a few pistol calibers.
I like and use the second, distrust and don't use the first at all.
Getting bullets sized down to too small has been reported multiple times with the first type.
I like and use the second, distrust and don't use the first at all.
Getting bullets sized down to too small has been reported multiple times with the first type.
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CWLONGSHOT
Well-Known Member
I was never a fan... Used ya call it the solution to a non existent problem. By & large I am not a LEE fan boy.
The one thing it did real well was to force new loaders to crimp in a separate step. That alone helped countless numbers,,,
But couple years ago, I had call to use one. It worked quite well. I swore accuracy improved with its use, so I used it a bit more... Low and behold consistently better accuracy in the lil 300BO when I used the FCD.
Today I don’t use for all! But more often than not it works as well or better than traditional crimps.
Your mileage may vary.
CW
The one thing it did real well was to force new loaders to crimp in a separate step. That alone helped countless numbers,,,
But couple years ago, I had call to use one. It worked quite well. I swore accuracy improved with its use, so I used it a bit more... Low and behold consistently better accuracy in the lil 300BO when I used the FCD.
Today I don’t use for all! But more often than not it works as well or better than traditional crimps.
Your mileage may vary.
CW
358156 hp
At large, whereabouts unknown.
I use LEE collet crimping dies in a few calibers. These do not squish my bullets down with the carbide sizing ring. They are available in some handgun calibers as well as rifle calibers. I actually appreciate this die design for bottleneck handgun calibers like 357 SIG, but I have a couple for straightwall calibers as well.
Got a whole line of the collet styles in a nice wooden block on the loading bench. Cpl things;
Like so many Lee products,their QC is very "range'y". Some of the collet crimpers come rough as a cob,others come much nicer/smoother. It's fixable. There is some crossover on cartridges but means you need to record die height and/or have bushing or spacer made..... I've gotten to just get the right one and record height,which is in effect,set it N forget it.
One aspect is,they give you some latitude or options vs a typical,"never crimp bottle neck's". Which,is a pretty well tested procedure..... until it's not. I'd say easily 1/3rd and possibly a touch more,of my bottlenecks get collet treated. It depends on how easy the trip is,up through the magazine and bolt throw,and feed ramp,and bullet design,and.... well,you get the idea. It is also useful as a very fine tune,after you've set the bullet depth and powder charge weight..... you play with the crimp.
Like so many Lee products,their QC is very "range'y". Some of the collet crimpers come rough as a cob,others come much nicer/smoother. It's fixable. There is some crossover on cartridges but means you need to record die height and/or have bushing or spacer made..... I've gotten to just get the right one and record height,which is in effect,set it N forget it.
One aspect is,they give you some latitude or options vs a typical,"never crimp bottle neck's". Which,is a pretty well tested procedure..... until it's not. I'd say easily 1/3rd and possibly a touch more,of my bottlenecks get collet treated. It depends on how easy the trip is,up through the magazine and bolt throw,and feed ramp,and bullet design,and.... well,you get the idea. It is also useful as a very fine tune,after you've set the bullet depth and powder charge weight..... you play with the crimp.