Is it just me or is the crimping used on most factory ammo now
not very good? The old ammo used to have a crimp at the end of the case as well as at the base of the bullet wherever it was inside the case.
45 Auto made by Western was some of the best; heavily crimped on both ends. THe "WHV" loadings of the 25,32-20,38,44-40 from Western also had it

All auto shooters seem to be worried about bullet setback and most of this ammo made now will setback quick. I know they eliminated it for cost and it really doesn't need to be done on revolver rounds but when you have $1 a pop "defense" rounds made now that don't have it, then it is a little annoying.

I quit using Speed Gold Dot duty ammo for this very reason. The 9mm I used set back, cases deformed, and bullets just looked bad. I notice some vintage or older calibers from Win still have it but I think every other manufacturer has eliminated it. Sorry, yet another "good stuff gone"
rant! Can I create that rear crimp on handloads?

BreakerDan; If I am understanding you, I think that what you are referring to is a serrated "shoulder" below the bullet...I do not believe that is actually a crimp pre se. The shoulder (on which the bullet seats on) prevents set back, and the slight crimp at the case mouth (normally a very light taper crimp in auto ammo) prevents bullet jump.........Anyway, that could be accomplished by a reloader with a custom undersized sizing die, but, I have never heard of anyone making one for the purpose. The custom die would have to size the case to a dimension that would be less than the nominal tolerance that a regular sizing die applies to the case, and then your expander plug would open up the case mouth to a depth for proper bullet seating, leaving the undersized "shoulder" to support the bullet at its base. The tolerances of change that we are talking about here would be very minimal...probably no more that .002 at the most....wouldnt take much.

Probably the easiest way to "try" to solve the problem with your reloads is to undersize your expander plug for a tighter bullet fit...I would try that first.

I beleive you are refering to a cannelure (groove) around the midsection of the brass case just below the bottom of the bullet.


Tom Niemeyer

CH4D makes a cannelure tool that can be used to cannelure brass or bullets.

Yes, the cannelure below the bullet used to be used to prevent setback in semi-auto loads, and also in loads made for rifles using tubular magazines.

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