I guess I need to crimp.

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts
  • gophernuts

    I guess I need to crimp.

    So I had a round chambered this past weekend. When I pulled it out the bullet was stuck in my chamber. So I have to ask, how do I set up a good crimp? How much is to much? How much is too little. I have the lee die set so I do have a crimping die. Any help would be appreciated.

  • #2
    I would say it is more likely you need to measure your seating depth and make sure the bullet isn't touching the lands when chambered. It is not likely that you would need to crimp to prevent the above from happening, as crimping is primarily to prevent dislodging the bullet with recoil while in the magazine, and shouldn't be necessary with these rounds in most cases. Changing a crimp also may change the pressure in the round and may require working up the load for safety reasons all over again. Crimping also won't prevent your problem if the bullet seating depth is not adequate and the bullet ogive is contacting the lands during chambering, which is also not a safe condition. Others may have different experiences and viewpoints.

    --fanofflyn

    Comment


    • #3
      If I'm loading up a test run of say 20 rounds and two foulers. If I feel too much variation in resistance to seating pressure over the course of those rounds, I will lay on a light Lee FCD crimp to all of them in an attempt to narrow the variation in neck tension. The degree of variation in seating resistance is a subjective observation, that's far from scientific. It just a notion I get. It's either tolerable or intolerable. If I'm working with faster powders like 8208, I don't worry so much as opposed to a slower powder I might be trying. This could be totally out in left field, but it's the way I've always done it. I don't like variations when I'm testing a new load. If it's blammo ammo, I don't bother. In that circumstance, if I feel an odd resistance, (again subjective) I'll just toss it in the pull down can and resize it for a future reload. I don't reuse the powder or the bullet as more often than not, they're slightly off tolerance from being seated once already. WRT loading to the lands in an auto-loader. I prefer to measure that distance ahead of time with a Hornady (stoney point) OAL length gauge and cheat right up as close as possible to the lands without exceeding the magazine COL limitation. Some bullets you just can't do that with and others like the NBT 120, I have to typically load shorter than average to stay out of the lands. It all depends upon the particular bullet's ogive profile. The NBT 100s don't have that issue. At least in my particular chamber. YMMV

      Hoot
      Last edited by Guest; 08-10-2011, 02:47 AM. Reason: clarification

      Comment

      • sneaky one
        Chieftain
        • Mar 2011
        • 3077

        #4
        Fano, well said, I beleive neck tension is more important than crimping as far as the 6.5 bullets are concerned- (with a cannalure, there aren't many out there) . We ALL need to measure where the bullet contacts the rifling, before loading anything. Be safe . Many reloaders that have the Lee- crimper- die, seldom need / use it. Anyone want to buy mine? And my Lee bullet seater?? I'm starting to wonder if anyone in the younger crowd knows how to read / buy a decent caliper. Sounds like some of the guys are loading too long, and having their bullet stuck, then the tip comes off, (sounds like a leprisy joke , as said to the prostitute, the leper says you can keep the tip, girl) it's from way back ....

        Comment

        • sneaky one
          Chieftain
          • Mar 2011
          • 3077

          #5
          Oh, by the way Hoot... you can bump the bullets ahead, just file it off of the tip, to make up for loss of oal., make it rounded like the old 30-30 bullets. I shot my best ever group last fall with that idea onto a gmx- 100 grn. unit x 3.,,, and tagged a nice deer with a round from the same experimental group.. Think-- there is no limitations- of being constricted by mag. length.

          Comment

          • LR1955
            Super Moderator
            • Mar 2011
            • 3355

            #6
            Originally posted by gophernuts View Post
            So I had a round chambered this past weekend. When I pulled it out the bullet was stuck in my chamber. So I have to ask, how do I set up a good crimp? How much is to much? How much is too little. I have the lee die set so I do have a crimping die. Any help would be appreciated.
            GN:

            Glad to help! Seat the bullets deeper so when they chamber, you aren't jamming them into the lands.

            Some may say you don't have enough neck tension. If you are using a set of Redding neck bushing dies, try a smaller bushing. However, you will end up seating the bullet deeper anyway so go ahead and try that first.

            There is nothing wrong with your calipers either. You are probably using the OAL recommended but you will find when messing around with pseudo-wildcats that some chambers are shorter than others.

            Turn the seating stem down until you can chamber your cartridge and extract it without seeing any rifling marks on the bullet.

            LR1955

            Comment

            • rasp65
              Warrior
              • Mar 2011
              • 660

              #7
              Gopher I outlined a cheap way to measure the OAL here: http://www.65grendel.com/forum/showt...=1955#post1955

              Comment


              • #8
                New to reloading, I've read that you pick your bushing size to create appoximately .003 neck constriction for autoloaders.
                How do the rest of you choose the amount of constriction?
                If you don't have bushing dies maybe check your expander button diameter. Have read about and actually put expander in electric drill and polished down to .261 ish to create .003 constriction. In load testing my good groups seem quite promising. Used sand paper and float glass (very flat glass) to flatten 1/8 in. aluminum plate then glued sand paper to aluminum to have very flat backing for sand paper to sand expander.

                Comment

                Working...
                X