What constitutes a "heavy crimp"??

Ranman

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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! :)
 
IMO these are heavy crimps, and will do plenty fine for h110/w296 powder. i also use magnum primers for h110/w296 charges.

2013-11-09193903_zps06fa1262.jpg


(not 357mag, but shows a heavy crimp.
20140108_212137_zps4092893c.jpg
 
Thanks! I can see the crimp on the bottom pic a bit better than the top. I think I also get the idea from the 2nd standing round from the right in the top pic.
 
Thanks! I can see the crimp on the bottom pic a bit better than the top. I think I also get the idea from the 2nd standing round from the right in the top pic.

those are 148gr hollow base wad cutters which don't have crimp groves, but they are pure lead so the crimp can cut into them a bit.
 
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! :)

Forget what you heard about requiring a heavy crimp in a 357 with H110, in order for it to burn properly. It needs no crimp for that purpose, as it ignites and burns fine.
However, with no crimp, or very little crimp, the bullets of the rounds that are in the cylinder may move forward on recoil and jam up the cylinder from turning.
Most of us who shot silhouette with a heavy loaded 357 or 44 magnum, carried a short, wooden dowel and some type of mallet with us on the firing line. If the cylinder jammed we could drive the offending bullet back in its place, and still make the time limit for shooting.
 
I do find that a crimp improves ignition consistency with cast bullets and a wide variety of powders. I typically use a crimp that's about 0.005" - don't know if that's considered "heavy", but I doubt it.
 
What are u using for bullets? Care must be taken if using plated bullets as a heavy crimp may cut thru the bullet surface if plating too thin.
dB
 
Thanks fellas.

I plan on 158gr jacketed bullets although I have yet to be able to get to Edmonton to actually buy them :( .
 
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).

 
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).

you read my drunk mind very well! i was going to tell you to post these in this thread as it shows a nice crimp on them.

have you put 5 rounds in, fired 4 rounds and checked the 5th for any creep? i get that alot with mine regardless of bullet weight it seems. i think it's time to anneal them again.
 
Awesome pics thanks!

Forgive my ignorance, but are those "roll" or "taper" crimps and what are my Dillon dies going to put on my rounds?
 
Those are roll crimps. Generally, the seating die will also have a roll crimp built in. Adjust the crimp by seating the die deeper, adjust seating depth by adjusting the top of the die.

Usually, my process is to first put empty brass in the plate, then put it to full ram. Screw the seating die in until there is tension, but not too much. This is generally where the brass is touching the crimping ridge. Lock the die in place. Seat your bullet in the casing, then press it in, adjusting the seating die until your COAL is where you want it.

Once the bullet is seated to the desired COAL, usually where the top of the brass is at a crimping grove or a cannelure (generally for jacketed bullets), back off the seating stem, then adjust the die down a half turn. You need to remember to back out the seating stem otherwise you will push the bullet in further. Press the bullet back in the die and check the crimp. If you need more, adjust the die down another half turn (or quarter turn) until you achieve your desired amount of crimp.

Lock the die in place, then adjust the seating stem until it touches the top of the bullet. Your die is now set to seat and crimp all subsequent rounds the same way. Generally, it is worth double checking the COAL on the next round to make sure the adjustments kept the measurements. You can adjust the seating stem as necessary, but for the most part, you're good to keep loading additional rounds.

To save on the effort, if you are loading more rounds later after disassembling your setup (or loading different bullets), insert an assembled round you wish to replicate into the shell holder, push the ram fully up, then screw the die in until you feel tension. This tension will be on the crimp, so your next rounds should have the same crimp. Then adjust the seating stem to the top of the bullet. You should be good to go.
 
you read my drunk mind very well! i was going to tell you to post these in this thread as it shows a nice crimp on them.

have you put 5 rounds in, fired 4 rounds and checked the 5th for any creep? i get that alot with mine regardless of bullet weight it seems. i think it's time to anneal them again.

I haven't tried this yet, but I might. I am generally running relatively light loads so I'm not too concerned about over or under pressure. Accuracy is still awesome for a hand gun. Put a Vortex SPARC on my 500. Prefer it much more than iron... :D
 
have you put 5 rounds in, fired 4 rounds and checked the 5th for any creep?

Good idea. I haven't put any rounds in! I'm still collecting all of the necessary components! Powder was a particular challenge as we are all painfully aware! I still need bullets :(
 
Those are roll crimps. Generally, the seating die will also have a roll crimp built in. Adjust the crimp by seating the die deeper, adjust seating depth by adjusting the top of the die.

Usually, my process is to first put empty brass in the plate, then put it to full ram. Screw the seating die in until there is tension, but not too much. This is generally where the brass is touching the crimping ridge. Lock the die in place. Seat your bullet in the casing, then press it in, adjusting the seating die until your COAL is where you want it.

Once the bullet is seated to the desired COAL, usually where the top of the brass is at a crimping grove or a cannelure (generally for jacketed bullets), back off the seating stem, then adjust the die down a half turn. You need to remember to back out the seating stem otherwise you will push the bullet in further. Press the bullet back in the die and check the crimp. If you need more, adjust the die down another half turn (or quarter turn) until you achieve your desired amount of crimp.

Lock the die in place, then adjust the seating stem until it touches the top of the bullet. Your die is now set to seat and crimp all subsequent rounds the same way. Generally, it is worth double checking the COAL on the next round to make sure the adjustments kept the measurements. You can adjust the seating stem as necessary, but for the most part, you're good to keep loading additional rounds.

To save on the effort, if you are loading more rounds later after disassembling your setup (or loading different bullets), insert an assembled round you wish to replicate into the shell holder, push the ram fully up, then screw the die in until you feel tension. This tension will be on the crimp, so your next rounds should have the same crimp. Then adjust the seating stem to the top of the bullet. You should be good to go.


Thanks for the rundown on your method! I have a dedicated crimp die for station 5 so I was not planning on using the crimper on the seating die. Thoughts??
 
Thanks for the rundown on your method! I have a dedicated crimp die for station 5 so I was not planning on using the crimper on the seating die. Thoughts??

I never use the crimper on the seating die.. I use a separate die and adjust it for a light crimp when necessary..
 
Thanks for the rundown on your method! I have a dedicated crimp die for station 5 so I was not planning on using the crimper on the seating die. Thoughts??

I've considered but never bothered, with the exception of 308 Win. I have a Lee factory crimp die that I use on most of my loads. Since I only have a single stage, I like using fewer steps, but I wasn't keen on loading 308 into a semi auto without having some sort of 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.
 
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