To crimp or not to crimp...

Slug870

Slug870

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So I am in the process of finishing up some of my first reloads and I am a little unsure about a couple of decisions, therefore I would like to ask a few of the more experienced hands for advice.

I am loading 80gr AMax .223 rounds for load development and ultimately precision shooting and coyote hunting. My question is this; given that I have taken all the necessary steps in loading precision ammo, should I put a factory crimp on them, and if so what if any effect will crimping the rounds have on the COAL? I would assume that there would be no effect, but I really want to find out from those who have "been there, done that".

I understand that the "norm" for hunting ammo would be to crimp, but I find myself wondering if I should or not given that these rounds will be loaded one at a time and not placed in a magazine and beaten around.

Also, in searching for an appropriate recipe for the 80gr AMax, many have messaged/emailed me with a common number of 24.6gr of Varget. Unable to locate an actual recipe for the 80gr AMax specifically, I was advised to use numbers for any 80gr bullet. When I checked the Hodgdon database, it was showing a starting load for Varget at 22.0gr. Would I be safe to start at say 24.0gr?

Thanks for putting up with the "noob" questions... and thank you for any help offered.
 
Because I am pretty much a noob as well, I will only suggest that crimping, in general is not necessary unless you have a bullet with a cannelure.
Or maybe straight walled pistol casings.
Or tube-magazine rifle.
 
when i got my Savage .223, it came with a thousand 55 grain projectiles. I started reloading and never crimped the case. The targets showed that the bullet moved a fair amount around the paper. I bought a crimp die and this roaming stopped. Why i do not know but suspect it has to be more pressure and faster speeds. I shot the paper at 100 and 200 yards.
 
crimping is not at all necessary and it may negatively affect accuracy. Neck tension is one variable that you try and control/moderate and crimping shoots that all to hell. It is never necessary in a bolt-actioned gun. Only levers "need" crimped ammo.
 
Some heavy hitters will need crimping depending on how hard they get tossed around in the magazine when the rifle is fired, things like 338/378 WBY MAG etc.... or bigger
 
Try it with and without. Find out what works for you and your gun. Some people will tell you t is a waste of time and others will say it is manditory. It will depend on the caliber and the gun you are using.

Graydog
 
Very true, sometimes crimping can even out pressures when neck tension is not even from round to round due to inconsistent brass, times fired, uneven neck thickness, etc...

It all comes down to what works for YOU and YOUR rifle!
 
Put both on paper and see, your rifle will tell you. If the rounds are for field use a light crimp could keep things in place if dropped or such, which never happens, to anyone....but me lol
 
For a bolt gun, Never!

If you are loading correctly there will be more than enough neck tension to hold the bullet in place even if it is gettting 'bumped' around. I shoot 338 LM with out a crimp. I shoot a 338 WM (no muzzle brake) with no crimp.

In my AR's or any of my other semi's.... Always!

I once had a problem with a bullet that got jammed right into the case on a bad feed (it was likely a mag problem). Crimping with a FCD solves that issue. I added the FCD into my progerssive press as I had an open station, so it makes no differance as far as time goes. If I was doing it all single stage, I definatly wouldn't do every single round of "plinking" ammo!

Cheers!
 
Unless you're using a bolt action, crimp. For the love of your eyesight and an intact chamber, crimp! If you're using a bolt action precision rig, I would crimp just barely enough to remove any flare or rough edges on the brass. You really don't want to intent into the bullet.
 
Sometimes I roll or factory crimp bottleneck rifle rounds like 308 223 etc but rarely any more. I usually taper crimp to remove case flare for semi auto pistol rounds.

You only have to crimp for heavy revolver rounds, tube fed mags like 30/30, and super magnum African type cartridges in mag fed bolts. Some people feel semi autos need it, but many do not bother.
 
a good crimping allow same and consistent pressure build up. accuracy and overall safer (the bullet will not move accidentally).
if you have the die, crimp them.
 
Thank you all for your replies. It is interesting to see some of the differences in opinion, though the general theme I am seeing is crimping is not absolutely necessary when loading for a bolt action.

I am curious to see if I can dig up any reference on the effects on pressure as a result of crimping or lack thereof and its overall impact on accuracy...
 
Precision shooters have the luxury of seating their bullets out to the lead, but if the rifle is going to be fed from the magazine, where the OAL results in significant jump to the lands, crimping in some cases will uniform the bullet pull pressure, making velocity more uniform, and slightly improving accuracy. The best answer is to try it and see if the benifits outweigh the disadvantages. You might well decide not to bother, many do, but consider this; most factory ammo is crimped, becasue the manufacturers believe it makes their ammo just a bit better, and their ammoss must be suitable for use in all rifles chambered for that cartridge. For that reason as well as others, I crimp all my loads that use cannelured bullets, because I believe it makes my ammo just a bit better. Can I always tell the difference? Probably not, but I'll continue to do it anyway. Its the little things you do that determines the quality of your ammo, and no one step by itself can be pointed to as making a major contribution to the outcome, but a number of things working together can.
 
Fwiw. If you did have a bullet get pushed deeper into the case (due to a double feed etc) the results could be catastrophic, as the reduced OAL and thus the lower open volume in the case could result in drastically higher than acceptable pressures. If you are hand feeding without a mag, into a bolt gun, then you have options. Otherwise, most reloading manuals will say to apply at least some amount of crimp. Ymmv.
 
My load for my Nemesis had a ES average of 15, by adding a light crimp to them, the ES is 10 or lower, crimping is a small detail that may give some good results, in my load it did... JP.
 
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