Anyone have crimping problems with Lee Loader

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636andy636

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Anyone have any issues crimping cartridges with their lee loaders? In the last 20 reloads I have crushed the shoulders on my 30-30 brass when it comes time to crimp. What could cause it other than hitting it too hard with the mallet.
 
While I have never used the Lee loader, it sounds like your hitting too hard. Make sure your crimp groove is lined up properly with the mouth of the cartridge so that you are not trying to crimp into the bullet and not the groove. Start with a light tap and increase until desired effect is reached. Good luck and let us know how it goes.
 
Yep! Very hard to guage the required amount of force from cartridge to cartridge.
Try to do your crimping at the end, in one batch. It helped me be more consistant.
 
Ill try that next time. Any way to resurrect my damaged brass? FL resize maybe? Ill try a more level surface next time too.
 
The messesd up brass may be scrap depending how badly they are pushed down. Your lee loader only neck sizes so I don't know if it will bring them back.
 
off hand, i'd say you were WASTING your time trying to recover that brass- the only way to bring that shoulder back out would be to have some kind of expander to bear against the INSIDE of the shoulder, ( which doesn't exist) or possibly heat it up until you can pull on the neck or something- either way, it's going to weakened in the affected area- or fireforming, which is probably several levels above your expertise
 
I toasted a half dozen shells trying to crimp with a Classic, so I stopped doing it with no noticeable effects.

Try a Lee hand press with an FCD to get that final crimp- the $50 price will save you many headaches.
 
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