45 ACP crimp

[Bryontrantham]

I am using Lee dies including their crimp die. What do you guys use/recommend for 45 acp bullets? 1/4 turn, 1/2 turn, more...none?

 

[Surgeonwithagun]

Minimal crimp for 45 ACP...just remove the belling you placed to allow bullet placement

John

 

[karrarararararar]

Enough so they feed reliably

 

[divingin]

If it's a roll crimp (no idea what the standard Lee crimp die is), just a tad more than removing the flare you used to aid seating. Note that the amount of crimp you'll get will vary cartridge to cartridge unless you check case lengths.

If it's a taper crimp, it's not going to be all that critical. Enough to remove the flare; from there it's up to you. I haven't seen a taper crimp die yet that makes it possible to overcrimp to the point of problems.

In either case, crimping as a separate step is preferable to seating and crimping as one step, though either way will make usable ammo.

 

[6bra1k]

two question..what bullet jacketed, plated cast ?
what die ?? if fcd do not use on plated nor cast bullets..it resizes the bullet not just crimp the case. sizing either of the 2 bullets listed is a plan for poor accuracy.
with a jacketed bullet...simply as light as possible to remove the bell

 

[jrbirdie]

get a case gauge or headspace gauge if the loaded round fits your good, especially on lead bullets

 

[NETim]

I look for 0.469" at the case mouth with lead 200gr SWC's.

 

[243winxb]

Rcbs Taper crimp die for auto loaders. For revolvers , roll crimp into crimp groove.

 

[Cryhavoc]

Rcbs Taper crimp die for auto loaders. For revolvers , roll crimp into crimp groove.

ditto

 

[Eagle1899]

Taper crimp. The case headspaces on the mouth. Using a case with no powder or primer. Test the following.

Set the crip to just remove the bell. Set your overall length to fit the magazine. Use multiple rounds. Load them in the magazine. Push down on the front of the top round. They should rebound up with no resistance. Otherwise the are too long.

Remove your barrel from the gun. Check the plunk test (drop a round into the intended barrel, it should "plunk" in with no resistance and without the bullet touching the lands and the case flush with the barrel hood). If the bullet touches the lands, shorten the oal.

Now, using the same round with no powder or primer. Push it against a hard surface with alot of pressure. If the bullet sets back into the case you need more crimp. Repeat until there is no setback.

 

[6bra1k]

Taper crimp. The case headspaces on the mouth. Using a case with no powder or primer. Test the following.

Set the crip to just remove the bell. Set your overall length to fit the magazine. Use multiple rounds. Load them in the magazine. Push down on the front of the top round. They should rebound up with no resistance. Otherwise the are too long.

Remove your barrel from the gun. Check the plunk test (drop a round into the intended barrel, it should "plunk" in with no resistance and without the bullet touching the lands and the case flush with the barrel hood). If the bullet touches the lands, shorten the oal.

Now, using the same round with no powder or primer. Push it against a hard surface with alot of pressure. If the bullet sets back into the case you need more crimp. Repeat until there is no setback.

in most cases this is NOT TRUE. technically it does, in reality the extractor holds the case back close to the breech face and it is fired form there, not the mouth

 

[Eagle1899]

in most cases this is NOT TRUE. technically it does, in reality the extractor holds the case back close to the breech face and it is fired form there, not the mouth

If the case is too long (short chamber, brass that needs trimmed.....etc...) with too much crimp, you'll end up with the mouth in the throat just like a rifle cartridge. Pressure will spike. Better to check and be safe.

Edited to add: a 460 Roland sneaking into a batch is a good example.

 

[Eagle1899]

BTW.... straight wall pistol brass gets shorter over time. Taper crimp for autos will need adjusted to accommodate and seating depth and roll crimp for revolvers.

 

[tommeboy]

Measure the case mouth when seated and crimped. 0.472" MAX!!! Most FMJ loads are 0.470" You just have to remove the bell is all. All of my lead bullet loads are used with a 0.452" sized bullet. i set my crimp die to crimp the majority of the mixed brass at 0.471" If it is a match barrel you may have to adjust a little. Just don't overdue it and have the case headspacing on the extractor.

 

[farmerjohn]

Tag

 

[divingin]

get a case gauge or headspace gauge if the loaded round fits your good, especially on lead bullets

Use your barrel instead. Unless you *know* the gauge matches your chamber, you're still winging it. A gauge will tell you if it should work, the barrel will tell you if it will.

in most cases this is NOT TRUE. technically it does, in reality the extractor holds the case back close to the breech face and it is fired form there, not the mouth

Not sure what you mean by "most cases", but as designed, 45ACP does headspace on the case mouth. With a shorter-than-standard piece of brass, you are correct. Given that, it does work as you described; I wouldn't consider it ideal.

 

[WVRJ]

A light taper crimp with the Lee factory crimp die will be all you need.Turn it about 1/4 turn after it touches the case and you'll be very close.

 

[6bra1k]

Not sure what you mean by "most cases", but as designed, 45ACP does headspace on the case mouth. With a shorter-than-standard piece of brass, you are correct. Given that, it does work as you described; I wouldn't consider it ideal.

well every 45 i nave owned and tried, fired from the extractor,,,never from the case mouth. it is not a case of short brass. the extractor prevents the case from getting to the chamber mouth plain and simple. DESIGN and actual FUNCTION are very different in this case.

 

[Zero333]

I taper crimp them about 2 thousands. Feeds good, never had any issues.
Pretty much what others are saying.. just enough to make sure there is no belling on the case mouth.

 

[stork]

Disclosing I am an avid Bullseye shooter with multiple 45 wad guns and hardball guns. I also have a Ransom rest. I have ransomed thousands of various loads experimenting with brass brand, length, wall thickness, bullet diameter, bullet weight, primers, powders, you get the drift.

I've settled on a consistent seating depth for lead semi wadcutter bullets, that was shared with me when I first began. I seat them so that there's about a thumbnails thickness of lead exposed out of the case. It works for every style of lead bullet I've tried. Crimp should be anywhere from .462-.465. Less crimp won't hurt as long as there's no bullet setback. I've measured the little bit of Military Hardball Match I have left. TZZ89 and WCC90, both are crimped at .468, which is what I crimp my jacketed 185 HP's to. Bear in mind these are target loads, not defensive loads, the paper doesn't care about how fast the bullet goes, the score reflects how precisely the round is delivered. If loading for defensive ammo, I still crimp to .465 but am less concerned with being able to hit a 1.5" x-ring at 50 yards.
Allen