Ok I'm now an addict and I think I'm over crimping (if thats possible?). Ive been using the lee factory crimper and i just noticed when I pulled some bullets that they have an indent. At first i thought this was the bullet puller, but now sitting here I'm thinking it happened when crimping since there is a ring around the bullet in the same neighborhood. has anyone experienced this before?
Crimping questions
- Thread starter Moose02
- Start date
Why?
The only cartridges that I crimp are my 30/30 and 44 Rem Mag, cause they go thru tube mags.
I perscribe to the why make an extra step philosophy.
After all you don't need a crimp except in a few very extreme cases, like ultra recoiling cartridges, and tube magazines.
Also when is the last time you saw any accuracy oriented shooter using a crimp on anything they use?
The only cartridges that I crimp are my 30/30 and 44 Rem Mag, cause they go thru tube mags.
I perscribe to the why make an extra step philosophy.
After all you don't need a crimp except in a few very extreme cases, like ultra recoiling cartridges, and tube magazines.
Also when is the last time you saw any accuracy oriented shooter using a crimp on anything they use?
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
I prefer to crimp any bullet that has a crimping groove, and choose only such bullets for any cartridges I am likely to run through a magazine. I do not crimp bullets that do not have a crimping groove, but these are most often match bullets seated long with minimal the jump to the rifling. Crimping offers no down side when done correctly, and particularly when cartridges are loaded with short bullets, the crimped bullet uniforms the bullet pull weight which can improve accuracy. After multiple shooting/resizing cycles, the neck of the cartridge, if not annealed, becomes work hardened, resulting in greater than expected variations in velocity. Crimping this brass will certainly improve accuracy by reducing the extreme spread in velocity.
IMHO, if you are deforming your bullet, you have either chosen an inappropriate bullet, or your crimping die is set too tight. This idea that one can crimp a bullet without a crimping groove underlines the proverb that just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
IMHO, if you are deforming your bullet, you have either chosen an inappropriate bullet, or your crimping die is set too tight. This idea that one can crimp a bullet without a crimping groove underlines the proverb that just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
Crimp
The whole premise behind crimping cartridges not used in a semi or tube is to allow for uniform tension on the bullet, therefore resulting in a more uniform pressure.
You may need it if you have poor quality brass that does not resize well. I would not apply so much that it starts to deform a bullet. Hornady wedsite I believe states that you should not crimp some of their bullets due to internal construction.
I crimp some for Mags, tubes and semi's and I'm thinking about doing it for my 22-250 since I noticed bullet seating resistance varies.
The whole premise behind crimping cartridges not used in a semi or tube is to allow for uniform tension on the bullet, therefore resulting in a more uniform pressure.
You may need it if you have poor quality brass that does not resize well. I would not apply so much that it starts to deform a bullet. Hornady wedsite I believe states that you should not crimp some of their bullets due to internal construction.
I crimp some for Mags, tubes and semi's and I'm thinking about doing it for my 22-250 since I noticed bullet seating resistance varies.
I think if your crimping to gain uniformity, your totally missing the point about entering yet another variable into the loading equation.
If your neck tension is that out of wack you need to look for either another source of brass, or look at things that uniform your neck tension, like annealing, and neck turning.
A couple of years ago I evaluated the crimp v. no-crimp and came to the conclusion that uniform crimping will not deminish accuracy, and in a lot of cases helped to reduce velocity spreads and increased accuracy. All of the testing was done in semi autos, and I've come to crimp everything with the exception of stuff that goes through my TRG.
I believe proper crimping does provide uniform tension that results in reduced spread on velocities. If you are loading for an auto loader, you'd be well advised for the proper and safe operation of it anyhow - a gain in accuracy is a bonus.
If you are not doing it currently, I suggest you at least try it.
I believe proper crimping does provide uniform tension that results in reduced spread on velocities. If you are loading for an auto loader, you'd be well advised for the proper and safe operation of it anyhow - a gain in accuracy is a bonus.
If you are not doing it currently, I suggest you at least try it.
I did a 500 round test in 308 some years back, with various loads and bullets, and in all cases except one, the crimped rounds gave me smaller groups then the uncrimped rounds. - dan
Lefty, the point was not missed. Crimping bad or soft brass will produce slightly better ammo, theoetically. I find it does on my AR and M305. Again as you mentioned better brass helps or annealing your old brass works as well.
Again if your brass is so loose your bullets drop in after sizing, you have other issues.
Some LR shooters I know do it as well, but then again they also weight sort their brass, uniform the primer pockets, turn the necks etc. so the crimping is just that much more closer to uniform ammo. Hell I've seen cases marked on the head stamp that enter the rifle the same way every time!
Again if your brass is so loose your bullets drop in after sizing, you have other issues.
Some LR shooters I know do it as well, but then again they also weight sort their brass, uniform the primer pockets, turn the necks etc. so the crimping is just that much more closer to uniform ammo. Hell I've seen cases marked on the head stamp that enter the rifle the same way every time!
