lee factory crimp die
- Thread starter grizzly416
- Start date
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
This is correct, the collet is pushed into the die's taper and applies the crimp with pressure applied to it by contact with the shell holder; therfore the cartridges must be the same length to get a proper crimp. If you had a .375 Ruger die, it would not crimp a .375 H&H cartridge or vise-versa. As for the .375 RUM, .378 Weatherby, and the .375 H&H, I'm not sure if the body of the .375 H&H die would accept the larger Ultra or Weatherby cases, and last time I looked the H&H was the only Factory Crimp Die available in .375".
But...
You can however crimp different cartridges with the same bullet diameters by running the cartridge bullet-first in through the top of the die (cartridge upside down). You just have to make a sleeve or bushing to hold the cartridge at the right depth into the collet.
You just set the sleeve on top of the crimp die collet with the press handle already down such that the collet is closed. Drop the cartridge bullet first into the sleeve and such that the case mouth is resting on top of the closed collet. Now you raise the press handle. Collet opens. Cartridge drops down into the die a millimeter or two until it is caught by the sleeve you made. Lower the press handle to crimp. Raise the press handle and you're ready for the next one.
This works perfectly well and might even be a bit quicker than the conventional way.
This method demands that your brass be uniform as the crimp depth is indexed off of the case shoulder. I would say both fire formed & necksized brass or full length resized brass should be uniform at the shoulder.
I do this with a 416 Rem Mag crimp die to crimp 416 Rigby. I made my sleeve from a 45 / 70 case as it just happened to be the right diameter to be a slip fit around the 416 Rigby neck. Took me all of 15 minutes to get the sleeve made to the right length.
I only did this because a 416 Rigby crimp die is a special order and the guy who sold me the 416 Rigby rifle included the 416 Rem Mag crimp die and explained how to do this. In theory you can crimp all calibers of the same bullet diameter using just one die and a suitable sleeve for each caliber.
If you're still reading this, hope it helps.
You can however crimp different cartridges with the same bullet diameters by running the cartridge bullet-first in through the top of the die (cartridge upside down). You just have to make a sleeve or bushing to hold the cartridge at the right depth into the collet.
You just set the sleeve on top of the crimp die collet with the press handle already down such that the collet is closed. Drop the cartridge bullet first into the sleeve and such that the case mouth is resting on top of the closed collet. Now you raise the press handle. Collet opens. Cartridge drops down into the die a millimeter or two until it is caught by the sleeve you made. Lower the press handle to crimp. Raise the press handle and you're ready for the next one.
This works perfectly well and might even be a bit quicker than the conventional way.
This method demands that your brass be uniform as the crimp depth is indexed off of the case shoulder. I would say both fire formed & necksized brass or full length resized brass should be uniform at the shoulder.
I do this with a 416 Rem Mag crimp die to crimp 416 Rigby. I made my sleeve from a 45 / 70 case as it just happened to be the right diameter to be a slip fit around the 416 Rigby neck. Took me all of 15 minutes to get the sleeve made to the right length.
I only did this because a 416 Rigby crimp die is a special order and the guy who sold me the 416 Rigby rifle included the 416 Rem Mag crimp die and explained how to do this. In theory you can crimp all calibers of the same bullet diameter using just one die and a suitable sleeve for each caliber.
If you're still reading this, hope it helps.
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You can crimp any same caliber brass in a Lee factory crimp die as long as the bastard cartridge is small enough in diameter to go into the parent die. Weatherby crimp dies work very well simply because they're fatter than almost anything else. For shorter cartridges cut a piece off a 5/16 or 3/8 bolt to raise the short one the appropriate height. For longer ones cut a piece of pipe the right diameter and length to slip over the cartridge so it contacts the collet slider at the right point.
Getting the pipe or bolt the right length is simple arithmetic, and few thou doesn't make much difference because there's lots of adjustment in the die. It's a bit of a pain in the butt, but
it beats waiting around for days for the proper die to arrive in the mail. Cheaper too if the rifle is just being test fired before a trip to a new home.
EG; 30-06 will go into a 308 crimp die. Use a piece of pipe. (Long into short)
30-30 will go into a 300 Wby. die. Use a bolt. (short and skinny into long)
Getting the pipe or bolt the right length is simple arithmetic, and few thou doesn't make much difference because there's lots of adjustment in the die. It's a bit of a pain in the butt, but
it beats waiting around for days for the proper die to arrive in the mail. Cheaper too if the rifle is just being test fired before a trip to a new home.EG; 30-06 will go into a 308 crimp die. Use a piece of pipe. (Long into short)
30-30 will go into a 300 Wby. die. Use a bolt. (short and skinny into long)
- Location
- Saskatchewan
TwoTone, rodagra, you two are brilliant! Great ideas.
