What constitutes a "heavy crimp"??

When you get to Edmonton to buy your bullets, ask to see a factory box of .45 long colt (Cowboy if they have some) and look at the crimp, duplicate what you see and it will be adequate for what you want.

crimping came into vogue way back in the late 1860's, not as a powder burning aid but simply to hold the bullets from being pushed into the case under pressure from recoil and the spring in the magazines of the early Henry, 1866 and 1873 Win rifles. If a bullet were pushed into the case any farther than the actions were designed to function with, it would lock up the gun, sometimes in a very inopportune time. As earlier stated, it serves the same function in a handgun, all old original pistol caliber ammo from that ere was crimped as it had an equal opportunity to be used in a rifle or pistol.

I wont argue H,s statements on powder burn, as I've never loaded a rimmed pistol cartridge in 45 yrs of reloading without crimping it. Even my ACP or 9 mill loads receive a slight "pinch" to the bullet just to make sure they don't move for some reason.

That all makes good sense they way you explained it.
 
Sorry no real comment on the original OP but all I got to say is I finally got around to comparing some rounds in my Mosin today and was blown away by the results. Two different rounds all components the same and the only difference was that half were crimped while the other half were not. Group size was cut in half with the crimped rounds. More testing to follow.
 
Sorry no real comment on the original OP but all I got to say is I finally got around to comparing some rounds in my Mosin today and was blown away by the results. Two different rounds all components the same and the only difference was that half were crimped while the other half were not. Group size was cut in half with the crimped rounds. More testing to follow.

interesting, i would have thought the opposite.
 
This is the crimp I use on my 500 S&W rounds. Not enough to buckle the case, but enough to keep everything in place. They feed well into the cylinder too. I'm using N110 charges in these with either large pistol magnum or large rifle magnum primers (depending on the brass).


Just wondering, but in Canada, what's the point of having bullets like the one on the right for that round? Since it can't be carried in the bush for protection (stupid laws, stupid government interference, blah blah blah), I just don't understand why it would be used. Totally not knocking you, I'm sure there's some kind of reasoning, I'm just wondering what it is...thanks
 
Just wondering, but in Canada, what's the point of having bullets like the one on the right for that round? Since it can't be carried in the bush for protection (stupid laws, stupid government interference, blah blah blah), I just don't understand why it would be used. Totally not knocking you, I'm sure there's some kind of reasoning, I'm just wondering what it is...thanks

Just about any factory ammo I've seen for sale locally it's all hunting or self defense ammo for the 500 mag. Any jacketed bullets for the 500 for reloading are either soft point or hp. I don't think I've seen a fmj for the 500 for reloading.

Also there is the handi rifle chambered in 500 mag which I assume can be used for hunting (legally speaking I mean).
 
So then I guess the question begs, what is the point in even owning one of those handguns, other than the "it's cool" factor? Expensive as hell ammo I'm sure, boat loads of recoil, and for what though, when it can never, ever be taken out hunting or even as a bear/beast defense cannon? Not trying to knock the guys that have then, I guess I just struggle to see why. At least the "more regular" handgun cartridges you can shoot all day for relatively cheap and still have fun and go home and use your hands on your woman (or yourself if you're lonely) but with the hand cannons you take out a bank loan, go shoot for a day, then you and your missus go to bed and just sleep.....
 
Just wondering, but in Canada, what's the point of having bullets like the one on the right for that round? Since it can't be carried in the bush for protection (stupid laws, stupid government interference, blah blah blah), I just don't understand why it would be used. Totally not knocking you, I'm sure there's some kind of reasoning, I'm just wondering what it is...thanks

There is absolutely no practical reason for me to own my Smith and Wesson 500 in Canada. There is also no practical reason for me to have a jacketed round for it. But guess what... I have both, and I'm happy... :D
 
So then I guess the question begs, what is the point in even owning one of those handguns, other than the "it's cool" factor? Expensive as hell ammo I'm sure, boat loads of recoil, and for what though, when it can never, ever be taken out hunting or even as a bear/beast defense cannon? Not trying to knock the guys that have then, I guess I just struggle to see why. At least the "more regular" handgun cartridges you can shoot all day for relatively cheap and still have fun and go home and use your hands on your woman (or yourself if you're lonely) but with the hand cannons you take out a bank loan, go shoot for a day, then you and your missus go to bed and just sleep.....

If I really wanted to, I can hunt with it. Just not in Canada. Ammo is cheap if you cast your own bullets, which I do. This gun is actually the reason I cast my own bullets and got into reloading. I've shot it a lot and never put a single round of factory ammo through it. My most expensive ammo is the jacketed rounds where the bullets were about $1 each. The cartridges use the same primer and less powder as 308 Win.
 
So then I guess the question begs, what is the point in even owning one of those handguns, other than the "it's cool" factor? Expensive as hell ammo I'm sure, boat loads of recoil, and for what though, when it can never, ever be taken out hunting or even as a bear/beast defense cannon? Not trying to knock the guys that have then, I guess I just struggle to see why. At least the "more regular" handgun cartridges you can shoot all day for relatively cheap and still have fun and go home and use your hands on your woman (or yourself if you're lonely) but with the hand cannons you take out a bank loan, go shoot for a day, then you and your missus go to bed and just sleep.....

cheier pretty much summed it up, i reload for everything i own and cast for most of it including the 500. i get a kick out of the recoil and love watching people shoot it who never have. with my cheapest lead it's about 30-35 cents a shot for me vs the factory stuff at $3.50+ per round.

this isn't to be rude but going by your logic, why should i even bother with guns in general with all the red tape involved, it would save me lots of money and no lead exposure. i do what i do because i can and want to. that's the only reason needed, very simple.
 
OP, Its a matter of want, not need. We buy them 'cuz we want them. Yes they can only be used for target purposes in Canada but there is a huge difference in handgun types, which most people never get to experience. Why did u buy a computer? Its more of a 'want' than a need..You can get by without one, although it is getting more difficult to do without as time passes, but many folks do not have one. We dont always make practical purchases but we buy what we want. I am sure you have done the same.
 
I'm new to pistol reloading and want to load .357 mag using H110 powder. I understand that this powder requires a heavy crimp in order to ignite properly and prevent squibs. I've never crimped my rifle loads before and I was wondering what to look for in an adequate crimp for this particular powder. Thanks! :)

The term "heavy crimp" is a matter of conjecture. In my opinion any crimp that is deeper than the case wall thickness is heavy.
That is to say that the OUTSIDE of the cvase mounth is rolled or otherwise swaged down to a diameter less than the INSIDE of the rest of the neck.
 
cheier pretty much summed it up, i reload for everything i own and cast for most of it including the 500. i get a kick out of the recoil and love watching people shoot it who never have. with my cheapest lead it's about 30-35 cents a shot for me vs the factory stuff at $3.50+ per round.

this isn't to be rude but going by your logic, why should i even bother with guns in general with all the red tape involved, it would save me lots of money and no lead exposure. i do what i do because i can and want to. that's the only reason needed, very simple.

Fair enough, to both answers! I really hope that my question wasn't taken as rude, I guess i just was curious what the motivation is. But the answer is fair, and I guess until I get an RPAL it might not be something I fully grasp yet! But i can understand owning something just because I can, or because it's a hell of a lot of fun!

On top of that, if it's as cheap as you're saying when casting/handloading, then absolutely why not.... no more expensive than reloading for and shooting a rifle, probably cheaper since you're casting your own bullets...
 
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