Guys I haven't even reloaded a single bullet yet but purchased hornady dies that seat and taper crimp! I purchased 40 and 9 and they both do the same thing... I need your advice please cause I'm reading mixed reviews and couldn't find a thread here! What's the advantages and disadvantages! Thanks you all for any advice I'm really looking forward to the reloading process! Thanks Jim.
To Taper crimp or not to taper crimp?
- Thread starter Czarface
- Start date
Hi there and welcome into the world of reloading.
In my experience, the decision to crimp or not has always been based on a few criterias :
- Am I reloading with a progressive machine that has a case mouth expander on the powder station - If so, crimpring would be required to remove the bell from the case mouth after seating the bullet.
- If I am loading by hand, and there is no case mouth flaring, is the caliber a heavy recoiling one where the bullet could be moving in or out the casing with the recoil, if it wasn't crimped?
- Still if I am loading by hand, will the cartridge hit a very steep feed ramp (like a Glock) or will it be almost aligned with the barrel when in the magazine (Beretta 92)
- Am I using a slow burning powder that would burn better / cleaner if the pressure builds up more before the bullet leaves the casing?
I am personally crimping all my handgun ammo (either taper crimp on pistol cartridges, or roll crimp on revolver cartridges)
For rifle ammo, I crimp most of it (especially ammunition that will be used in a semi-automatic rifle), leaving only my bolt-action precision rounds uncrimped.
Hope it helped.
In my experience, the decision to crimp or not has always been based on a few criterias :
- Am I reloading with a progressive machine that has a case mouth expander on the powder station - If so, crimpring would be required to remove the bell from the case mouth after seating the bullet.
- If I am loading by hand, and there is no case mouth flaring, is the caliber a heavy recoiling one where the bullet could be moving in or out the casing with the recoil, if it wasn't crimped?
- Still if I am loading by hand, will the cartridge hit a very steep feed ramp (like a Glock) or will it be almost aligned with the barrel when in the magazine (Beretta 92)
- Am I using a slow burning powder that would burn better / cleaner if the pressure builds up more before the bullet leaves the casing?
I am personally crimping all my handgun ammo (either taper crimp on pistol cartridges, or roll crimp on revolver cartridges)
For rifle ammo, I crimp most of it (especially ammunition that will be used in a semi-automatic rifle), leaving only my bolt-action precision rounds uncrimped.
Hope it helped.
On the HDY AP the PTX expander is used to flare or you can buy a "Universal Powder Through Expander" from powderfunnels. com so you don't need a PTX for each caliber.
Armored Metal
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For pistol ammo, I always taper crimp with one full turn of my LEE factory crimp die. I also check every round with a Dillon case lenght gauge but you can just use your barrel if you wish.
For my other firearms, I use a LEE factory crimp die for my AR ammo and I roll crimp for my revolver rounds.
And don't worry, I was also confused about the crimping process when I started reloading only a year ago. Just read-up, ask question like you're doing now and enjoy. Reloading is so much fun......and addictive!
For my other firearms, I use a LEE factory crimp die for my AR ammo and I roll crimp for my revolver rounds.
And don't worry, I was also confused about the crimping process when I started reloading only a year ago. Just read-up, ask question like you're doing now and enjoy. Reloading is so much fun......and addictive!
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