Crimp die for 20 Practical?

[IA_shooter]

Anyone crimping for a 20 Practical AR-15, and if so, what die are you using? I lightly crimp my 223/5.56 ammo with a Lee FCD and thought about trying the same for my 20 Practical and I wonder if a Lee FCD for 204 Ruger would work?. Thoughts? Ideas?

 

[RegionRat]

I'm sure you have seen the drawings of the 204R, 223, and 20P bodies.
You would need too make modifications to create a 20P tool out of those parts, unless Lee will make you one.

Lee has put words on their web site since '20 that say they are not doing custom work, but I suppose it never hurts to ask.

I don't crimp my AR-15 ammo. I arrived at this by my own testing, so I am not suggesting you do or do not, but I am suggesting you test to arrive at what works best for you.

ETA: they have made a 20 Tactical and still show them on their web site.

 

[GLShooter]

There's enough neck tension on that round with light bullets I see no reason to crimp mine. Most standard sweaters have a crimp built in that is more than adequate if needed. Lee use to make the special stuff to order but they may have paused.

Greg

 

[Tesoro]

I shot a bazillion 20p thru my AR with no issues.

 

[hogpatrol]

Anyone crimping for a 20 Practical AR-15, and if so, what die are you using? I lightly crimp my 223/5.56 ammo with a Lee FCD and thought about trying the same for my 20 Practical and I wonder if a Lee FCD for 204 Ruger would work?. Thoughts? Ideas?

As above, over a thousand rounds in a 20P AR, and a .223 AR, never crimped, never had an issue. If there's any doubt about the bullet moving on bolt closing, take an inertia bullet puller with a round with .001 to .002 neck tension, give it a whack on concrete and then check the BTO measurement.

 

[IA_shooter]

As above, over a thousand rounds in a 20P AR, and a .223 AR, never crimped, never had an issue. If there's any doubt about the bullet moving on bolt closing, take an inertia bullet puller with a round with .001 to .002 neck tension, give it a whack on concrete and then check the BTO measurement.

That's what I did in the past. I have had a 20 Prac upper in the past. I don't think I need to crimp, and probably won't, but I was curious to know if others were and if so, how they were getting it done.

 

[pdhntr]

For what it's worth, my understanding of the "problem" was not the bullet moving when the bolt locks up, but when the bullet hits the ramps on the way in. It is pushed in, or is cocked off to one side.

I found very early on in my loading for my AR in 20 P that this was happening occasionally to me.

I do a final neck size with a .001 smaller bushing before I load, and it solved the problem.

Jim

 

[GLShooter]

So basically Jim you're just increasing neck tension by 0.001. I use bushing dies on my Practical so I'm just one step ahead on that. O shoot for 0.002 to 0.003 tension and the rifles respond well at that level.

I switched to bushing on almost everything other than 233 years ago so I could control tension. Standard dies by and large put way too much on the necks in my opinion. Anything over about 0.005 seemed detrimental to groups plus over works brass.

Greg

 

[IA_shooter]

So basically Jim you're just increasing neck tension by 0.001. I use bushing dies on my Practical so I'm just one step ahead on that. O shoot for 0.002 to 0.003 tension and the rifles respond well at that level.

I switched to bushing on almost everything other than 233 years ago so I could control tension. Standard dies by and large put way too much on the necks in my opinion. Anything over about 0.005 seemed detrimental to groups plus over works brass.

Greg

I'll just have to find myself a .224 bushing for my Redding 223 Type S bushing dies I suppose to get the 3- thousandths neck tension I'll feel comfortable with for this 20 Practical AR-15. I've been getting 1-1/2 to 2 thousandths with my .225 bushing that I use for my two 20 Practical bolt guns.

 

[GLShooter]

I've been running a 226 bushing on my Winchester brass on my Practicals. That's giving me 0.002 in this batch.

Greg