Lee factory crimp die feels like it's catching on something...

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mactroneng

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Forward: I'm new to reloading, so please bear with me.

After having acquired a Lee Loadmaster a couple months back, I've finally accumulated the rest of the stuff I need and reloading my first three rounds of 357 magnum last night.

Component list:

Starline brass, once fired (from Wolf Bullets - I assume that since I've only seen Starline brass in the boxes I have they've not been fired previously, unlike the 38 SPL that's a mix of headstamps)
- sized using Lee resizing die, trimmed using Lee case conditioning kit + a drill to 1.28" +/- 0.002" (based on a dozen cases I measured)
Campro 158gr TC FCP bullets
CFE Pistol powder, 6.2gr
CCI Small Pistol Magnum primers

The OAL of the three rounds I loaded is about 1.592"-1.593" - a little longer than they should be but I don't believe the crimping die is responsible for that because that's what they were out of my bullet seating die (I was too excited about actually using the press to fine tune the bullet seating die a bit more - I'll fix that on my next run. They still easily fit in my revolver).

The FCD is set to approximately a medium crimp per the instructions that came with the set.

The problem:

The cartridge inserts into the crimp die without issue or much force and retracts back out of the die without much force until what seems like the end of the brass where it gets stuck and takes a lot more force to finish retracting it. There is a snap/click type noise when it is freed from the die, and then it's good. Visually, there doesn't appear to be any markings on the case or bullet that would indicated it getting stuck on something, and the crimp is definitely there.

Any advice, suggestions, or info would be appreciated.

Thanks
 
The Lee factory crimp die with the carbide ring in it base will size any bulge below the crimp. And if you are using oversized cast bullets the Lee FCD can also size the bullet smaller depending on the amount of crimp and case wall thickness. And the manufacturing tolerances for the carbide ring plus or minus inside diameter can effect this also.

The Lee factory crimp die with the carbide ring in its base is a cheat for cases not trimmed to the same length. This is because the longer cases will bulge more when crimped.

What you are feeling on the down stroke of the ram is the carbide ring sizing the case smaller around the crimp and bullet.

I have Lee factory crimp dies for all my pistol calibers so don't take what I have said above the wrong way. "BUT" excessive crimp. thicker cases and over sized cast bullets will be sized smaller.

You will see your same question by competitive shooters using range pickup brass with cases not trimmed to the same length. Or in cast bullet forums because the carbide ring can reduce the diameter of the bullet in the Lee FDC.

Just remember the carbide ring in the FCD is a set diameter, a crimp can bulge larger, cases can vary in wall thickness and cast bullets are larger in diameter than jacketed bullets.

And the same Lee factory crimp die with the carbide ring in its base is used as a bulge buster to size the base of semi-auto cases.

And seating and crimping in the same operation can bulge the crimp more, I seat and crimp in separate operations to prevent this problem.

So slight resistance on the down stroke of the ram is normal as the crimped section passes through the carbide ring. "BUT" increased force could mean more than the crimp bulge is being sized.
 
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Try backing the stem out a quarter turn. If you over crimp you make a tiny little bulge that the die will iron out as it comes off the case.

If the quarter turn makes no difference, turn it back to the original setting.

If your bullets are not hitting the shoulder in the chamber or protruding from the cylinder, your OAL is just fine. The OAL varies from gun to gun. I don't care what the loading manual guy used for HIS gun.
 
Thanks all, happy to know that it's kinda normal.

Cases seem to all be trimmed uniformly, down a little bit from what's recommended (so it shouldn't be bulging excessively), and my overall length is slightly over what is recommended but I checked them in the cylinder of my revolver and they're will inside of that.

I'll try turning the crimp down a quarter turn but that would put me at a light crimp according to the Lee info. I'll do a few and shoot 'em, if it solves the issue and the bullets don't move during shooting it should be good.
 
The problem with the bottom video is the loaded round is sizing on the up stroke of the ram and sizing the case and bullet smaller. And in the video he loaded bullets .008 larger in dimeter than normally used.

The FCD is meant to size the case on the down stroke of the ram and remove any bulge below the crimp.

The standard thumb rule is cast bullets should be approximately .001 larger than bore diameter and swage down to bore diameter when fired.

Also if the cylinder throat diameter is smaller than the cast bullet diameter the throat will size the cast bullet smaller than the bore diameter.

And the Lee factory crimp die can do the same thing and reduce the larger bullet diameters.

So all the Lee FCD was designed to do was remove any bulges below the crimp caused by longer cases and over crimping.

And using the Lee FCD with oversized cast or plated bullets may end up reducing the bullet diameter and effect the accuracy.

The first thing I did for my .357 Ruger Vaquero was order pin gauges to measure cylinder throat diameter and pin gauges to make sure the bore diameter was not choked down where the barrel screws into the frame.

The Lee FCD can help when crimping bullets, "BUT" we got by without the Lee FCD for a very long time and learning how to properly trim and crimp our bullets.

Bottom line, the OP is using a plated .357 diameter bullet with a cannelure and his roll crimp should not bulge that much when crimped properly. And on light loads with my .357 I use a taper crimp to just close up the case mouth. Meaning on trimmed cases with the same length there is no bulge below the crimp and a plunk test in the cylinder or case gauge is all that is needed. And if the OP was using jacketed bullets with magnum loads of 296 a heavy role crimp would be needed and the Lee FCD would help.
 
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I tried a lighter crimp as suggested and it didn't seem to make a difference, I kept the rounds separate though so I can see how the different crimps are affected by shooting.
 
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