Crimping the 44mag

[KodiakHntr]

Ok...Bought used 44mag dies for my handgun, how do I go about setting up a die to crimp the case after the bullet has been seated? No instructions with the dies, and I've never messed with straight walled cases before.

Any input, greatly appreciated.

 

[blacksmithden]

If your bullet seating die doesn't put a roll crimp in them, then buy a Lee factory crimp die. Make sure the bullets are going to stay in the cases if you're shooting them in a revolver....which I'll bet you are. If you manage to shake one loose, things will either get exciting as a case full of powder goes up in smoke, or, if you jam the cylinder, then you've got a decent headache on your hands. I use a factory crimp die on all my 44 mag stuff.

 

[KodiakHntr]

Ok, so how do I set up the bullet seater to crimp? I'm *guessing* that I unwind the seater plug, then raise the ram to the top and crank down on the die itself till it touches...But I'm not positive....

 

[H4831]

I used to shoot silhouette with 44 mag revolvers. I always carried in my shooting box a short, wooden dowling and a light hammer. You go to #### the gun, cylinder won't turn, bullet coming out. Get dowling and little hammer and tap it back in the case. Get shooting, before you run out of time!
Make mental note to crimp them more, next time.

 

[tjhaile]

Here are the instructions for RCBS dies:

http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instructions/ReloadingDieInstructions.pdf

Other makes that seat and crimp in the same die should be similar.

 

[rgv]

start with an empty case in the shellholder, run the press to the top

screw the seater die down until you feel it touch the case, then back it out a turn.

put a bullet in and seat with the seater plug backed off a ways. screw in the plug and un it into the die till the cannelure and case rim are aligned as desired

back off the seater plug, and screw in the die till it starts to crimp. screw it in further till you get the amount of crimp you want with the ram all the way up (cammed over)

when you have the crimp how you want it, raise the ram all the way up with the crimped cartridge in the shellholder, and screw the seater plug down tight against the bullet.

you need very uniform case lengths to get uniform crimps, but you can get by on feel.

 

[curtmg]

I used to shoot silhouette with 44 mag revolvers. I always carried in my shooting box a short, wooden dowling and a light hammer. You go to #### the gun, cylinder won't turn, bullet coming out. Get dowling and little hammer and tap it back in the case. Get shooting, before you run out of time!
Make mental note to crimp them more, next time.

Good advice, I think I'll bring something like that my next range trip. These loads are my first attempt at roll crimps.

 

[KodiakHntr]

thank you much folks, got it figured now thanks to you guys.

 

[sunray]

Unless you're loading hot loads or loading for a lever action rifling, you don't need to crimp. Case mouth pressure should be enough.

 

[tjhaile]

Unless you're loading hot loads or loading for a lever action rifling, you don't need to crimp. Case mouth pressure should be enough.

You still have to at least get rid of the flaring of the case mouth.

 

[Cerdan]

That depends on the powder he's using, sunray. Slow-burning mag powders like H110 definitely need a heavy crimp to ensure a complete burn.

 

[Al-Sway]

I agree that you need to crimp for a tubular magazine, such as in a lever action. But, even lighter loads in revolvers need a bit of crimping to help hold the bullet in. In my experience, primarily with cast bullets, I need to crimp to prevent any movement of the bullet.