# reloading tip...



## madderg (Sep 18, 2009)

If you shot a lot, then you have to reload. unless you are one of the lucky few to hit the lotto. When you reload and use a taper crimp, make sure that its not a Lee Taper Crimp. It will re-size you bullet down to as much as 5 thousands smaller...and there goes your accuracy right out the window. Try to use a Dillon taper crimp or RCBS or Hornady. Make sure when you set your crimp that you have a dial caliper handy to measure the finished bullet. This will save a lot of frustration in the long run. No matter what powder you use, you can't get good consistent accuracy with the bullet bouncing down the barrel. Good shooting, Gary.


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## hawcer (Feb 22, 2008)

I use a Lee factory taper crimp die. I have never had a problem with it resizing my bullets. It only takes a light crimp not a full-on wedge!


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## kev74 (Mar 22, 2008)

The Lee factory crimp die does a full length resize of the case. This is a good thing, especially if you've got a gun with a tight chamber.

The crimp die shouldn't touch (or resize) the side of the bullet. If it does, you're doing something wrong.

:watching:


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

If unwilling to use a tool properly then by all means don't use it. Just remember the fault is yours not the tool's.

Lee dies do exactly what they are supposed to do. If you set the taper crimp die to over crimp they will do what is asked of them. Set them correctly and they will crimp correctly.

tumbleweed


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## madderg (Sep 18, 2009)

I think that if you check with Dillon, and some of the more well known competition shooters pages on reloading for accuracy you may find that they agree with me. As I said, have a dial caliper handy and measure the junction of the bullet just above the case mouth to see if your bullets dimensions are still the same...I know I did. As for knowing how to use tools, I've been a machinist for over 35 years so far, and still learning new things. Good shooting, Gary.


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

Just how much crimp are you using on those bad cats. I have Dillon presses and have not used Lee stuff but the guys that do have reported none of these issues. I've use some of their rounds and they seemed fine.


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## madderg (Sep 18, 2009)

On my 357 Sig I have to use a rather tight crimp due to concerns about bullet set back with this powerful round. Its a very accurate round though, and I use a powder that fills the case...that help. I also use a tight crimp om my P220 45acp Super Match for better feeding reliability. On the P226 357 Sig I use a Sprinco recoil reducer rod adual spring set-up. It works slick! There are also some very good bullets that will not take a rolled crimp, like Precision Black Bullets. I find that the Lee taper is a continuous taper die. The farther in a round goes the smaller the dimension of the die. Dilon is a set die that is cut to the proper dimension, and no more.


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## TOF (Sep 7, 2006)

As a machinist you should know how to adjust mechanisms to fine tolerances. Crimp dies are inanimate objects and don't adjust or readjust themselves. If you set it correctly at startup and your blue machine doesn't shift around it will be at the same setting when finished.

You were a machinist and I started as one then progressed to Engineer and Manager ultimately managing machine shops and equipment development department and programs for electronic device manufacturing plants. So we both have mechanical knowledge and skills.

If you like your Blue machine that is great just don't let the koolaid get to you.

By the way, bullet setback is typicaly caused by forces encountered while chambering a round. Set forward is the problem encountered when a high energy round such as .357 Magnum is fired.

The heavy crimp is not any more required to prevent setback in the 357 Sig than for a 9MM.

30,000 rounds produced tell me Lee Dies work just fine when set properly.

Have a good one.

tumbleweed


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## madderg (Sep 18, 2009)

I'm sorry that I upset you with my view point, shared by many other as well...koolaid? I've been a certified NRA pistol instructor for about 20 years and have taught and worked in the law enforcement field during these times. My point was to let people know there has been a problem, and that there are solutions. If you can get a die that is made just for that round that can't be over adjusted it would seem to be a better concept and solution. Set back of a bottle necked cartridge into the case body can cause very unsafe and dangerous conditions, no matter what the cause.
I have been trying to get some of the local law enforcement folks interested in reloading for their officers training. Up here in Oregon they have had to put off qualification and practice because of lack of ammo. Its a sad thing to see because most police and sheriffs already don't practice near enough, and they are not allowed to refine there duty weapons to be more accurate, more reliable and { more manageable follow-up shots }less recoil. Old rules stand by themselves. They should be as proficient as possible, they can learn a lot from shooters on this site and others that strive to be the best they can be in weapons and training. Just my 2 cents worth.


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## Bisley (Aug 24, 2008)

My experience has been that Lee dies work as well as the expensive ones.

I _have_ over-crimped lead bullets, the ones you mentioned, as a matter of fact, using the factory crimp (roll crimp) die, but that was an error on my part. The result was that the case was mashed into the bullet, and would not head space properly on about 10% of the rounds I loaded.

But, after learning my lesson, I have had no problem using the taper crimp die with Precision bullets, or any other.


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