Jc85
Member
I have a fcd for every caliber I reload. which is only 2 
but still worth it.
Don't think that would help him much on a dillon machine tho.
but still worth it.Don't think that would help him much on a dillon machine tho.
Am I crimping too much?
- Thread starter FloridaFlier
- Start date
fredj338
Member
Ah but it does resize in many handgun calibers. I bought one to try, just so I could see what I wasn't missing over teh past 250K rds or so w/o one. What I found, it can seriously screw with your accuracy. These targets were shot using my best 1911, 50ft, off the bench, shot each twice w/ sim results. ENough proof for what I already knew; the LCFD is not a must but a bust for most reloaders. Use good gear, set it up right, the LFCD just isn't needed.
Thanks Fred, a pictures worth a thoushand words.
If it weren't for the ability to resize, the FCD would be no different than any other crimp die, except for seating.
They have a carbide resizing ring that will squeeze any bulges or bumps out to make sure the case is within "factory" tolerences, regardless of how they got there. The problem is that if there is a quality issue, the issue needs to be addressed as it may have other consequences down the line and just ironing them out isn't a solution. They will also make sure your custom sized bullets are nothing but a waste of time.
And yes, you can over crimp with the revolver versions, in spite of how the fancy wording in their advertising makes it look.
I'm sure there are more than just "thousands" of these things in use, I don't see as many guys using hammers at the range to seat their ammo as before.
If it weren't for the ability to resize, the FCD would be no different than any other crimp die, except for seating.
They have a carbide resizing ring that will squeeze any bulges or bumps out to make sure the case is within "factory" tolerences, regardless of how they got there. The problem is that if there is a quality issue, the issue needs to be addressed as it may have other consequences down the line and just ironing them out isn't a solution. They will also make sure your custom sized bullets are nothing but a waste of time.
And yes, you can over crimp with the revolver versions, in spite of how the fancy wording in their advertising makes it look.
I'm sure there are more than just "thousands" of these things in use, I don't see as many guys using hammers at the range to seat their ammo as before.
Skip Sackett
US Veteran
This is one of the reasons that a forum member "tweaked" his LFCD.
His name was Flattop I believe and he was working on some 44Mag rifle loads.
What he did was opened up the resizing portion of the die in a machine shop and left the crimping section alone.
Personally, I see no reason for this. I do see a reason to get an extra seating/crimping die though. A two step process in this area CAN, not always, but CAN, increase your accuracy..
Too many factors, too many individual guns, too many individuals, to just arbitrarily say they are NOT needed.
If everyone was just like me, or just like you, this would be one boring place to be......FWIW
His name was Flattop I believe and he was working on some 44Mag rifle loads.
What he did was opened up the resizing portion of the die in a machine shop and left the crimping section alone.
Personally, I see no reason for this. I do see a reason to get an extra seating/crimping die though. A two step process in this area CAN, not always, but CAN, increase your accuracy..
Too many factors, too many individual guns, too many individuals, to just arbitrarily say they are NOT needed.
If everyone was just like me, or just like you, this would be one boring place to be......FWIW
Maximumbob54
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A note on the LFCD: The sizing ring is only supposed to just kiss the brass. If you are experiencing the sizing ring squeezing your bullets to the point that it swages them down then you have one or more issues. I have found certain brass to be slightly more thick in the case mouth area than most. That extra bit of thickness can cause issues as it will add to the diameter and make the carbide swage the lead. If you load an overly large diameter bullet then you can't use the carbide ring. If I load .452 bullets then it's perfect. If I load .454 diameter bullets then I start to feel that carbide rub the case walls just a bit so that any slightly thick brass you will really feel it and it will affect the bullet diameter. If you are going for ultimate hand loading accuracy value and you are expecting it from the lowest price equipment then I wish you the best of luck and patience. Maybe you would be better suited with some Redding dies. But you can also call Lee and have special order parts made. It pays to know your equipment in how it works, what it is capable of, and why it does just what it does. I like to stop what I'm doing the second I feel that ring have any real friction. Usually I have missed culling some A-Merc brass or some other issue. I have once found a bullet that I cast and somehow missed the entire lube and sizing process. This is one of the many reasons I like loading on the Lee Classic Turret press over buying a progressive. I can feel each step in the process. I can halt, start over, make adjustments and not have everything still trying to move at the same time. But that's a different conversation.
EDIT:
Come to think of it, the various .44 bullets are another good cause for knowing your equipment. I'm buying a .432 bullet mold. I size my .44 bullets to .430 for shooting in my 29's and they both love them. The same mold is also offered in .434 diameter. I had no idea why and had to ask. It turns out that many lever guns in .44 really prefer cast bullets at a wide for caliber diameter. I have zero doubt you would need a custom LFCD made to your specs if you wanted to use it for loading with .434 bullets. No single component in loading is uniform, one size fits all, nor are they all made the same. That's why even if you change primers you should reduce your powder and work back up. But if you just blindly use the LFCD and then scorch the earth blasting about them then I guess you get what you get. It's not that hard to remove the top parts, drop in a socket and just tap the thing out if you like the crimp and not the carbide ring. Life is full of options and opinions.
EDIT:
Come to think of it, the various .44 bullets are another good cause for knowing your equipment. I'm buying a .432 bullet mold. I size my .44 bullets to .430 for shooting in my 29's and they both love them. The same mold is also offered in .434 diameter. I had no idea why and had to ask. It turns out that many lever guns in .44 really prefer cast bullets at a wide for caliber diameter. I have zero doubt you would need a custom LFCD made to your specs if you wanted to use it for loading with .434 bullets. No single component in loading is uniform, one size fits all, nor are they all made the same. That's why even if you change primers you should reduce your powder and work back up. But if you just blindly use the LFCD and then scorch the earth blasting about them then I guess you get what you get. It's not that hard to remove the top parts, drop in a socket and just tap the thing out if you like the crimp and not the carbide ring. Life is full of options and opinions.
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Skip Sackett
US Veteran
I am one that has several of those Marlin rifles that are a bit big. 434640 mould from Miha is a good fit for those! 
The Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die removes the glock bulge from 40 S&W cases that carbide sizing dies don't. After buy the Lee CFCD, all my 40 S&W worked flawlessly. All the range pickup brass was glock fired.
45 acp Case not fitting into Case gage
If the OAL is between 1.25 and 1.27 and the base of the case protrudes out about 1/4th of an inch in the case gage, almost always you need a little more crimp. Give the crimping die about another 1/2 turn and that should do it.
If the OAL is between 1.25 and 1.27 and the base of the case protrudes out about 1/4th of an inch in the case gage, almost always you need a little more crimp. Give the crimping die about another 1/2 turn and that should do it.
