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Posted: 10/9/2010 2:21:09 PM EDT
I have the RCBS X Die 2-Die set. I do not have a crimp die, just the bullet seating die. I still need a crimp die correct. I am a little confused because I told the guy at the local gun shop what I had and he said the seating die should also crimp. I explained that it is not marked a crimp die. A little help for a reloading rookie. 
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I don't know about rcbs, but the Lee bullet seat die, if set deep enough will do a roll crimp.
A roll crimp is adequate if the bullet has a cannelure(groove). If the bullet does not have a cannelure, you should not roll crimp, but instead use a Factory Crimp. And you'll need a extra die for that. |
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The seater die will do a roll crimp if you adjust it appropriately. This works very much like a revolver round's seat/crimp die-you set up the seat depth the way you want, then back off the seating stem all the way. Next, you turn in the die body until it contacts the mouth of the case and add a part of a turn, checking each time you adjust, until you get the amount of crimp you want. You finish the setup by adjusting the seating stem to contact the bullet.
Depending on what caliber you're loading, you may or may not need a crimp. A lot of people who load .223/5.56mm don't bother with a crimp. |
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What caliber? Always best to give all the specs when you post a question.
Must be a bottleneck case if 2 die set. Read the instructions that came with the die, it will explain how to adjust for a crimp. The problem with a combo seating and crimp die is, all of the case have to be the same length. Otherwise, short cases won't get crimped, long cases will have the shoulder crushed and will not chamber. When I crimp, what I do is crimp in a separate die, a Lee FCD (factory crimp die). Case length is not a problem with this die. Then you adjust the bullet seater die to just seat, and crimp with the FCD. |
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Separate crimp dies are often used because setting up a seater to seat while crimping is tedious and it's easy to crush a case if it's not perfect. I don't have enough patience and I like the control of a separate die anyway.
However a seperate crimp die is still not required, the seater can be used to seat, and then crimp, in two steps. |
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Remove your seater's seating plug.
Install a resized and trimmed case in your presses shellholder. Run the case all the way up through the die opening. Screw the seater die down until it just touch's the case mouth. Adjust the amount of crimp you want from there and lock the die in place. Re-install the seater die's seating plug and adjust it for OAL. |
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