Couple questions re: new LEE turret press

[Zedbra]

My bullets have a cannelure groove as well, and that's exactly where I am setting and crimping them - when I get back from Edmonton I will take a pic. Also, they are heavy jacketed bullets - I will cut one open with a Dremmel.

 

[Paatz]

Is it just me, or is there a lot of cannelure showing on that AE round?
Wouldn't you normally seat that bullet a bit deeper?

 

[BCRider]

Maybe I wasn't clear enough; the die that sets the bullet OAL in position #4 also has a crimp function. If your crimp die in position #5 is backed right off, then go back and loosen off the crimp adjustment on the die in position #4, then you can use the crimp die in #5 position for better effect.......

...... All the crimp does is ensure the OAL does not change due to recoil, same for a bullet with a crimp groove. It doesn't stand a chance of holding pressure on powder ignition.

Good call on the first point. And yes, that can happen all too easily if you're not thinking that the fourth die is ADDED to a regular 3 die set which comes with the combo seat and crimp die.

On the second factor that's not quite true. A strong crimp is often referred to for aiding in holding back the bullet for that few extra nano or micro seconds while the burn pressure rises to a higher value than it would for a light or non crimp.

 

[BCRider]

My bullets have a cannelure groove as well, and that's exactly where I am setting and crimping them - when I get back from Edmonton I will take a pic. Also, they are heavy jacketed bullets - I will cut one open with a Dremmel.

Well then, that changes the whole picture. By all means crimp like you are showing. Just watch that it's not such a hard crimp that the casings buckle a little further down the sidewall. Adjusting the seating and crimp dies so you're not driving the bullet down onto the crimp will greatly aid in avoiding that.

The size of the picture of the AE ammo really does make the exposed cannelure groove look big. But in reality what we're seeing is not much wider than the thickness of a couple of sheets of printer paper. I'd AIM for a slightly more closed look. And in fact now that we know you're using the heavy jacket bullets with the embossed groove I'd say you're not far off perfect. Perhaps a HAIR less crimp but it's well in the ball park for crimping into grooves.

I like a lighter crimp if I can get away with it simply because it does't work the brass as much and extends the brass life. But for full on Magnum loads you need about as much as you showed in your first post.

 

[rookie wildcat]

The gun isn't causing the scratches - after noticing the scratches on the first reload, I was pulling out each cleaned round to see where the damage was happening and it was indeed from the bullet seating die. I checked over 100 rounds straight while reloading.

I will call LEE tomorrow regarding the cracks - they conveniently don't list an email address to contact them.

Try this:
leeprecision.net/support/index.php?/Tickets/Submit/RenderForm/4

dang, now I see someone else already posted this.

 

[Zedbra]

Finally got around to cutting one of the jacketed bullets today. I was showing my rounds to a fellow from my range that reloads for every round out there - he's a gun collector from Texas, so do the math. Anyways, he says my .357 rounds were crimped perfect, but suggested that I set my WC .38 rounds deeper into the case (I don't have pics of those). Anyways, as promised:

Campro 158g Trunc Cone heavy jacket .357

 

[Zedbra]

My part showed up in the mail today from LEE - 100% free. Great service.

 

[Smcx]

I crimp less than that usually. Maybe this is a bad idea, but i make up some dummy rounds, and slowly add crimp until the OAL doesn't change when i smash them on the table nose first lol.

 

[Bushbasher]

Don't forget too that a 357 is a high pressure load and can fireform brass to your chamber