45-70 RCBS crimper making it ribbed for displeasure.

MosinMan13

MosinMan13

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A little misleading because I’m probably the one making my brass ripple, and that’s where I’m hoping for someone’s insight here.

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I’ve been reloading for years, but I’ve never used RCBS does before, It’s a group-c die set, and I did follow the directions for setup, which aren’t much different than any of the other roller crimp/seating does I’ve used in former calibers in the past, and the first cartridge sets up perfectly, then I place the second unassembled components in the press, lift, and I’m left with these wavy ribbed necks. I tried redoing the setup 6 more times, even tried with less crimp, with virtually no crimp, I tried using less flare and more flare. Every time identical results.

I didn’t trim this brass but it’s all once fired Remington brass, all identical in length, all check out.

Eventually I just set all the bullets and then crimped the batch after in a second pass with no problems.

CamPro 405gr RNFP

I’m just wondering if anyones had a similar experience and knows what I’m doing wrong, it’s probably something simple I’ve missed but I can’t seem to figure it out.
 

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Oops! ;) I've tried using the seater die to roll crimp .45-70 handloads it was fairly straight-forward screw the seater die in a bit at a time until a proper roll crimp happens. Now using a Lee Factory Crimp die works great for me adjust once and crimp away.

My guess: "do not adjust the seater die against the shell holder as it will distort or crush the case." https://www.rcbs.com/on/demandware..../productPdfFiles/ReloadingDieInstructions.pdf
 
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4fifty8 said:
Oops! ;) I've tried using the seater die to roll crimp .45-70 handloads it was fairly straight-forward screw the seater die in a bit at a time until a proper roll crimp happens. Now using a Lee Factory Crimp die works great for me adjust once and crimp away.

My guess: "do not adjust the seater die against the shell holder as it will distort or crush the case." https://www.rcbs.com/on/demandware..../productPdfFiles/ReloadingDieInstructions.pdf
Click to expand...

I wondered that too, I followed the directions to a tee, only brought the die down until it reaches the brass, back it off one turn, then set the bullet, back off the seating stem, set the crimp, then bring the seater back to the finished cartridge. In every instance or variation I tried, the cartridge I produced from the setup was perfect, but when I try to pull the second cartridge in one lever pull, I get this crumple. I even tried running it with essentially no crimp, just the slightest contact with the crimp die, the setup cartridge comes out perfect, the set/crimp crumples.
 
In a way you have provided your own answer. Set the die to seat the bullet depth without contacting the crimp and do the while batch. As a second separate step back off the seating stem and crimp them all.

From the picture it looks like a pretty aggressive crimp which can be problematic but you say you've tried lighter ones. It's also very important that case lengths are all the same when crimping or results will be very inconsistent.

Many people like the lee factory crimp die but I haven't used them much. Might be a way to go if you want to buy one but it shouldn't be required if you use your existing equipment in 2 separate steps.
 
1. Back out seater plug about completely as shown

2. Screw die into closed press onto round until you feel resistance

3. Open press & screw die in a bit more

4. Then close the press to apply roll crimp

5. If stronger roll crimp required screw die in a bit more

Works just fine for me. :rockOn:

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Little update I did sort of figure it out, more or less anyways. I sorted all my brass, tried the Federal, tried the Hornady. For whatever reason it only seems to happen with my Remington cases. I even lightened up my crimp and had really good results.

So for whatever reason my Rem brass isn’t liking the die, I even threw one in after I had a successful run set on my Federal brass, and it still crumpled the Rem. I’m going to chalk it up to an anomaly, of course I’m taking the word of a friend of mine whom I got it all from that the Rem brass is once fired, it could be old and beat.

image.jpg

I guess if it works it works?
 

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Two things that can be happening here (other than crimp setting that has already been aggressively covered). If the brass brand you say is giving you more problems than the other , it might be the level of brass annealing, also your expander ball might not be big enough for the dia of slug your seating. It appears from the photo that the brass is contracting back a bit at all the grease grooves in the slug...either or both could result in what you are experiencing.
 
One though I had (that now doesn't seem to be the case since you said Federal brass is fine) is that you got a crimp die meant for LEVERevolution cases and are screwing it in too far for regular cases.
 
It was getting expensive destroying brass. But I've haven't destroyed a piece since I started just seating them and following up with the Lee Factory Crimp Die.
 
Back off your seating stem when you crimp and/or be certain that your trim length is EXACTLY the same for every round. Make sure you set your dies up as directed in the manual.

We've all been there. Hate to ruin brass, but it's part of the learning process.

Have fun and be safe.
 
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