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Posted: 6/10/2017 11:34:31 PM EDT
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I posted a few weeks ago I was just getting into reloading. Well I finally got around to my first batch and just need a 2nd opinion and some advice. I am using RCBS dies.
The first pic is a .44 mag I just reloaded. Does this look ok? How to I add a crimp to it, or do I even need to? http://s264.photobucket.com/user/TTinvestor/media/20170610_222448_zpsvyekabpn.jpg.html]  [/URL]
2nd, here are some I seated too much (yes I laughed as i posted them here  ). 3 .44 specials and 1 .44 mag. Are these safe to shoot or not? Powder was double checked, just seated too much.
http://s264.photobucket.com/user/TTinvestor/media/20170610_222511_zpsedkg421i.jpg.html]  [/URL]
Thanks for any help. This is also a great stress reliever and a lot of fun. |
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Quoted:
I posted a few weeks ago I was just getting into reloading. Well I finally got around to my first batch and just need a 2nd opinion and some advice. I am using RCBS dies. The first pic is a .44 mag I just reloaded. Does this look ok? How to I add a crimp to it, or do I even need to? http://s264.photobucket.com/user/TTinvestor/media/20170610_222448_zpsvyekabpn.jpg.html]http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii176/TTinvestor/20170610_222448_zpsvyekabpn.jpg[/URL] 2nd, here are some I seated too much (yes I laughed as i posted them here ). 3 .44 specials and 1 .44 mag. Are these safe to shoot or not? Powder was double checked, just seated too much.
http://s264.photobucket.com/user/TTinvestor/media/20170610_222511_zpsedkg421i.jpg.html]http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii176/TTinvestor/20170610_222511_zpsedkg421i.jpg[/URL] Thanks for any help. This is also a great stress reliever and a lot of fun. Do not shoot deep seated bullets in any pistol cartridge, the deep seating raises the pressure. Get a kinetic (looks like a hammer) bullet puller, pull bullet and start over. Â 
This is what you want your ammo to look like. Firm crimp on all but the shotshell on the right. |
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Quoted:
Yes all 44 mag ammo needs to be crimped. Seat bullet mid cannelure and crimp. Do not shoot deep seated bullets in any pistol cartridge, the deep seating raises the pressure. Get a kinetic (looks like a hammer) bullet puller, pull bullet and start over. Â http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg272/dryflash3/Ammo/P7260260.jpg This is what you want your ammo to look like. Firm crimp on all but the shotshell on the right. Quoted:
Quoted:
I posted a few weeks ago I was just getting into reloading. Well I finally got around to my first batch and just need a 2nd opinion and some advice. I am using RCBS dies. The first pic is a .44 mag I just reloaded. Does this look ok? How to I add a crimp to it, or do I even need to? http://s264.photobucket.com/user/TTinvestor/media/20170610_222448_zpsvyekabpn.jpg.html]http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii176/TTinvestor/20170610_222448_zpsvyekabpn.jpg[/URL] 2nd, here are some I seated too much (yes I laughed as i posted them here ). 3 .44 specials and 1 .44 mag. Are these safe to shoot or not? Powder was double checked, just seated too much.
http://s264.photobucket.com/user/TTinvestor/media/20170610_222511_zpsedkg421i.jpg.html]http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii176/TTinvestor/20170610_222511_zpsedkg421i.jpg[/URL] Thanks for any help. This is also a great stress reliever and a lot of fun. Do not shoot deep seated bullets in any pistol cartridge, the deep seating raises the pressure. Get a kinetic (looks like a hammer) bullet puller, pull bullet and start over. Â http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg272/dryflash3/Ammo/P7260260.jpg This is what you want your ammo to look like. Firm crimp on all but the shotshell on the right. |
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The seating die will crimp. You need to screw the die into the press more.
The top adjustment is bullet depth. The die body itself is the crimping part. Screw out the top adjustment after you get the bullet seated where you want it. Slowly screw the die body in till you feel it contact the case mouth. Screw the die in a quarter turn or so and try the crimp. Screw the bullet adjustment down to the bullet after the crimp is set. |
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That's really hard to explain but considering your lack of experience the easiest way for you to crimp using your RCBS 3 die set is to:
1) Seat all or your bullets mid canalure. 2) Back off the seating stem so it can't touch the seated bullets. 3) Put a round I the press and raise the ram to the top of its stroke. 4) Screw the seating die down (making sure the stem is not contacting the bullet) until it stops. Then lower the ram some and turn the die down about 1/8 turn. Raise the ram. You should feel a little resistance before it reaches the top. Not a lot just a little. Make sure it tops out then lower it and look at the crimp. Keep adjusting it down until your crimp looks like dryflash3's photo. If your die set is specifically for 44spl and 44mag it should be able to crimp either one but of course the die body will be lower in the press for the shorter 44spl. After you accomplish this you may want to buy another die just to crimp with. Personally I seat and crimp in one step but this is not something an inexperienced person should try without a person with them to show how. If you are not afraid of failure I can explain the technique to you. Once you've done it a few times it's like tying your shoes. Motor |
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The reason you crimp rounds like .44 magnum and .357 magnum (heavy recoiling revolver rounds) is because sometimes, as you fire the rounds in the cylinder the ones not yet fired will have the bullet start to move forward, out of the case.
The crimp helps lock the bullet in place in the case till you fire that round. Hard to imagine, but it happens, if the bullets aren't properly crimped into the case. Too much crimp is also a bad thing (can damage the case). Follow the instructions given my motor1. If that doesn't work for you, keep asking questions and trying till it works for you. I also seat/crimp with the same die at the same time. Been doing it that way long before there was an internet to tell me different. |
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Quoted:
Ok at the risk of looking like an idiot, what is the crimp supposed to look like? I tried what you said, and can't tell a difference. It doesn't look crimped in my eyes though. See the top of the case turned into the bullet a little? That's the crimp. Very, very important with revolver rounds. I suggest you do some reading at the front of a reloading manual. It's very hard for a new reloader to successfully adjust the third die (that comes in the set) to seat and crimp at the same time. I never bother with all that trouble as the setting will change when you use a different bullet. What I do is buy a separate crimp die. Then 3rd die seats and 4th die crimps. 
The die on the right is the crimp die, a Lee. |
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The other thing a proper crimp does... is allow a better powder burn, the crimp holds the bullet for those few extra milliseconds.. allowing the primer to achieve a better ignition of the powder column.
I also suggest crimping your reloads in a separate die then the seating operation... unless all your brass is trimmed to the same OAL, it can ( and will be ) an experiment in frustration ! Lol |
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We would need to see one of your bullets not yet loaded to point out the cannelure to you.
As others have said - too short is bad. Pull them and start over. As others have said, CRIMP IN A SEPARATE STEP. I use the Lee Factory Crimp Die for everything. EVERYTHING. When experimenting with how much crimp you want start with what the instructions tell you and then slowly increase crimp while dropping the crimped rounds into the cylinder of your revolver to verify that you're not going to cause a problem (the "plunk test"). Check EVERY chamber in the cylinder with each round as you increase crimp. Generally speaking, you want the heaviest crimp that will not interfere with reliable loading into the cylinder. Some bullet types, like coated or plated, can suffer from too much crimp as that can cut through the coating. With those bullets you can settle on a more moderate crimp. My first .44 rounds I loaded a tad too long (barely got the cannelure to the case mouth) because I was being conservative. They all shot fine. Here's how they looked, again using the Lee FCD: 
In the background you can see my revolver sitting there. Any time you are adjusting your crimp on a revolver round the revolver needs to be on hand. Every time. |
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The key to consistent crimping is two fold:
#1 seating and crimping are two separate functions, and crimping as a separate step is a very good idea #2 in order to have consistency with the crimp you must have consistent case lengths, so yeah you have to trim the cases |
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