Lee factory crimp die

[Mikeinkaty]

I've started using this die for crimping. I loaded over 1500 rounds with the seating/crimp die that came with the 3 die set. I have found that the factory crimp die is totally consistent with much simpler setup. I think it's actually faster by not having to fiddle with the seating/crimp die trying to get good crimps. FYI, I only load 357 magnum for revolver and rifle.

 

[Alk8944]

Within some limitations the Carbide Factory Crimp die is one of Lee's better ideas. Great for jacketed bullets and cast not over .357-.358" in diameter. You like it use it, why do you need anyone else's opinion? Unfortunately you will get lot's of negative responses, but they usually seem to be from people who neither have used the CFC die nor understand it!

FWIW I use it for several calibers, and have since they were first introduced years ago.

 

[Wise_A]

I like the 4-die setup in my Lee Turret. I load a couple bullet types for several cartridges, and switching is fairly easy. I unscrew the seat and crimp dies pretty far out, and then tighten the seating die until I get the desired length. Then I advance to the crimping die, raise the ram, and tighten the crimp knob until I make contact. Then I lower the ram, and dial in however much additional crimp I want (usually between a quarter turn to a turn and a half).

I marked the seating and crimping knobs with a Sharpie to make precise adjustment easier.

 

[Clovishound]

I use one in .357 that goes in my lever gun. It made things a little easier to get rounds that consistently chambered smoothly. The only down side is I have to deprime/size separately on my Classic Turret. I don't have enough stations for the FCD and the powder cop die. I use the seat/crimp combo die on my .38 setup destined for my revolver. I think I could dispense with the FCD for the lever at this point without any feed issues, but it does make adjusting for a different bullet profile easier. I'll stick with it for now.

 

[Nevada Ed]

Only rifle ammo I crimp is the 30-06.

I have a very old Lee that I use and it just keeps on ticking.

Have only crimped the 150gr FMJ and Remington Cor-Lock
with the cannelure.

 

[Bigdog357]

I use the Lee crimping dies for a bunch of different calibers, love em

 

[parkergunz]

I use the Lee Factory Crimp Die on all cast bullet loads. .32 H&R, .30-30, .32 Win Spl, .357 Mag, .38 Spl, .41 Mag, .44 Spl, .45 Colt, .45 ACP, .45-70.

 

[jaymoore]

I can not use the FCD for my .44 loads in older S&Ws as it runs a little small for those revolvers, but otherwise find it quite useful. BTW, there is some diameter variation in the "fail safe" sizing ring. Discovered whilst messing with various .45 Colt and ACP loading projects. I just measure them and use where appropriate.

 

[rwsmith]

I just started using one.......

I started loading 7.7mm Japanese rounds and the factory crimp die is a great invention.

 

[jaymoore]

BTW, the bottleneck and the straightwall Lee FCD's are completely different in concept and construction.

I have limited experience with the bottleneck type, just a couple of calibers. 7-30 Waters and 25-20 WCF. The .25 WCF FCD had lots of burrs in the interior where the collet fingers were cut. Boogered up the cases something terrible! Have since sorted the drama, but the (deceased) fellow that owned it before me gouged quite a few cases. Annoying+ as .25-20 isn't littering the countryside.

 

[carpriver]

I have been using the Lee FCD since I started reloading. I use a crimping die on everything I reload, 9mm, 38spl, 40cal, 45acp, 44spl, 44mag, 45 colt, M1 carbine, 5.56. 308. I think crimping prevent bullet setback in semi autos, and lever guns or bullet jump or creep in revlovers.

That is my story and I am sticking to It.

 

[Vortec MAX]

I am honestly astonished that this post has survived 24 hours without an FCD naysayer having his way with it. I made the mistake once (OK maybe twice) of mentioning that I use the FCD on this site and the naysayers attacked. Apparently, the FCDs are in a category with fat ladies and mopeds in that they are fun to ride when nobody is looking, but god help you if your friends find out.

I personally like them and have never had an issue with them. My rounds are accurate enough to win matches when I do my part. Not sure what else you could ask for.

Mike

 

[flyrobb]

I started with RCBS dies and when I finally got tired of fighting seating and crimping in one step I just bought a separate RCBS seat/crimp die and took the seating stem out and use it as the crimp die.

Didn't really know enough about the LFCD die at the time so I just stuck with the die that matched my RCBS set. Works just fine for me and I'm sure the LFCD would as well.

 

[Qc Pistolero]

I am honestly astonished that this post has survived 24 hours without an FCD naysayer having his way with it. I made the mistake once (OK maybe twice) of mentioning that I use the FCD on this site and the naysayers attacked. Apparently, the FCDs are in a category with fat ladies and mopeds in that they are fun to ride when nobody is looking, but god help you if your friends find out.

I personally like them and have never had an issue with them. My rounds are accurate enough to win matches when I do my part. Not sure what else you could ask for.

Mike

Vortec(Mike)I agree 100% with you.I started using the Lee FCD many years ago One of my very good friends happens to be a twice CDN champ PPC.Now he can shoot(50yds offhand,he's mad at himself when he drops an 8!!!)I told him that the Lee FCD was improving my scores,all other things being equal.He tried it and now uses it all the time.
But comments on this(and other sites)made me think;The die sizes back both the brass and the inserted bullet;the brass has some snap back capacities but lead well,not so;kind of stays to it's smaller size.
Since I shoot only my own cast bullet(being quite soft for target work),after a while,it occured to me:even if the bullet starts with a smaller diameter because of the FCD,it gets bumped up by the powder charge.Of course,if you shoot jacketed bullets,the sizing to a smaller diameter effect of the FCD will have a negative effect since the jacketed bullet does not bump up as easily under initial gas pressure.

Am I wrong here?
Qc

 

[jaymoore]

The carbide sizing ring really should only work as a failsafe, squeezing down those rounds that wouldn't otherwise chamber. But since cast bullets are often larger than jacketed, you can lose that desired oversize in some cases.

Final judge should be your targets. If it helps, use it. If worse, do something else. I end up having large selections of dies, as internal dimensions vary quite a bit. Sometimes I modify dies to suit. Maddening sometimes. My log book now has a large section devoted just to die selection for various loads for each caliber, and sometimes particular revolvers!

 

[iPac]

When I bought my second hand reloading setup, it was completely RCBS equipment. Which is ok, because I got a lot of expensive equipment for $150. All of my die sets were 3pc RCBS, 9mm, 45acp, 38spl, and 357mag.

When loading 38/357 using the built in roll crimp, the RCBS die would always 'chew' up the mouth of my cases. It would sheer off hair like strands of brass every loading and I knew it had to be weakening my case mouths.

Eventually I got into loading 44mag, something I didn't already have dies for. So I ordered the 4pc Lee die set which comes with the FCD. I was going to get RCBS because I was impressed with the quality, but just didn't want to spend the extra compared to the cost of the Lee set with FCD. So the Lee set is what I got.

After using the Lee dies, they are definitely cheaper than the older RCBS sets I have, but they work just fine. The biggest plus was the FCD. It easily and perfectly roll crimps for me without issue. No chewing my case mouths up, no sheering brass off. I was really impressed with the FCD. So much so, that I went and purchased just the FCD for 38/357.

Now, I load my 38/357 using my normal RCBS dies, but I only use the seater/crimper die for seating and use the FCD as the final step for crimping. No more buggered case mouths.

I may not be a complete fan of Lee, but their FCD can definitely be worthwhile. I will probably always use one from now on.

 

[muddocktor]

I have the FCD for 380 Auto, 9 MM, 357 and 44 Mag. I still use them for 380 Auto, 357 and 9 MM, but retired the 44 Mag FCD for a Redding profile crimp die. With the 44 Mag and .430 coated lead cast bullets I was feeling entirely too much drag going through the carbide sizing ring with most cases for my comfort. Only with the old Remington brass I have with the cast bullets did I feel that it wasn't slightly resizing the bullets when being run through the carbide sizing ring. With the Redding profile crimp die I don't feel that resistance when setting a crimp. And with 380 Auto, 357 Mag and 9 MM I don't feel the sizing ring contacts enough to potentially cause resizing problems with cast bullets. I do like the way the Lee adjusts for setting the crimp better than the Redding crimp die though. And if I could have busted out the carbide ring out of the 44 Mag FCD I would never have bought the Redding die.

 

[Davinman]

you cant allways count on neck tension alone to produce consistent ignition. a uniform crimp as with the FCD should give you a more uniform pressure build up at ignition this in turn should give you a lower std deviation and extreme spread in velocity,hence forth better accuracy. this is all speculation but it makes alotta sense to me. i have a LFCD for all the cartridges i load, i dont allways use them but i own them lolol.

 

[ChiefStealth]

I have a FCD in all my turrets. 2 pistol, and 2 rifle. Always use them.

 

[67tempest]

I only load .45 ACP with cast bullets and run all of it through a Lee FCD. I mentioned this once on another forum and I was indeed attacked. I was told the FCD is a crutch and that if I knew how to reload I wouldn't need it. I was also told by the "experts" that using it negatively affects accuracy.

I continue to use it regardless of what negative comments others might have about it. I can go to the range knowing that I won't have any issues with rounds that won't chamber. As far as it affecting accuracy, I have never seen anyone prove it does.

 

[Vulcan Bob]

What I really like is the ability to set the crimp the same way as needed. I put a index mark on top of the adjusting stem. then I note on the data card what crimp was used. Such as 1/4th turn and such. As I keep all handgun ammo in the plastic 50 round box's and they stay together for their useful life. This makes it easy to duplicate a loads prefered crimp in that particular brass.

 

[Tex1001]

BTW, the bottleneck and the straightwall Lee FCD's are completely different in concept and construction.

Lee has started to make a collet style crimp die for 44 mag and 357 mag. The die's spacers are easy to shorten for 44 and 38 specials.
I also modified 7.62x25 and 30 Luger collet die's spacers for 32 long and 32 ACP.
_______________________
I don't have Alzheimer's- My wife had me tested.

 

[Leonard]

I have been hand loading for over 50 years, I started off with a basic Lee tool using a mallet. I moved on to mostly RCBS and Redding equipment, never considered Lee since they gave me the impression of being poorly finished low quality.

A couple of weeks ago I needed a 9mm crimp only die and after a little research liked the concept of touching up the sizing while crimping. I bought the Lee die and now having used it I am very impressed.

 

[BC38]

FWIW, I've used the FCD since day one. It just makes more sense to me to seat (push the bullet down) and crimp (make the bullet stationary) in separate steps. Trying to do both at once just seems like asking for trouble and frustration to me.

But there are folks who don't like them and insist that the FCD is a crutch for dummies like me who can't/won't/don't want to "adjust their dies properly". Whatever. They don't have to pull the handle one more time to make a round if they don't want to - I do. They aren't shooting my ammo either - I am.

The FCD works for me. I've never had a single auto round experience setback or a single revolver round experience crimp jump. I doubt that every one of the FCD naysayers can say that.

 

[Forrest r]

I'm not a fcd hater but I don't use them myself.

I do find statements like these on the silly side.
" I've never had a single auto round experience setback or a single revolver round experience crimp jump. I doubt that every one of the FCD naysayers can say that."

Well neither have I, don't shoot like I used to. Down to 15,000+ rounds a year in several different revolvers/semi-auto's and 6 different calibers. Been doing so since 1985 & have yet to have any bullet movement issues. Don't have any in the rifles I reload for either.

A picture of a lee fcd.


Simple enough, the 2 main components are the crimp ring in the top and the sizing ring in the bottom. I seat & crimp any loads that have a roll crimp in the same stage. I like to seat in 1 stage and taper crimp in another stage. I just happen to use a taper crimp die instead of a fcd.

Why some consider the fcd a crutch?
The real question is how did the reload get so dis-combobulated that it had to be put back in shape/re-sized to be able to work?

Myself I believe lee is correcting a problem that they created with the dies they sell. I don't use or need their fcd nor have I ever used a case gauge.

The bigger picture:
I believe most reloaders don't actually know how to use reloading dies . Nor how to use them correctly. A thread on how to setup reloading dies and how to set them up for a caliber that the reloader has never never reloaded for will show this.

Not picking on anyone, not slinging mud or looking down my nose, not saying bad things about anyone who uses a fcd or case gauges for that matter. If your happy I'm happy!!!

What I will say is that if you know what causes the issues that the fcd has to fix in the 1st place. You won't need a fcd.

A picture of 45acp plinking ammo loaded with nothing more than free range brass to make blammo ammo. Those are .452" bullets with a taper crimp die.


A closeup of some 45acps & 9mm's both were crimped with a taper crimp die. The 45acp's are .452" and the 9mm's are .358".


More 9mm's that are .358" in diameter. The bullet is actually an extremely lllooonnggg hollow based bullet designed and sold in 1900 (160+ years old) that was designed for the 38lc, it's a 150gr hb bullet.


A closeup of that 35870 hb bullet next to 1 of my favorite 9mm bullets a 125gr hp. As you can see both bullets are seated & have the same oal. Both are sized to .358". The difference is the 150gr 35870 bullet is 1/10th inch longer and is seated deeper in the case.


Those 125gr hp's sized to .358" and loaded in free range brass. More blammo ammo for the 9mm


Why all the pictures??? Because everyone can get a good look at the ammo I reload. THe .452 45acp's are loaded for 2 different match chambers & the .358" 9mm's are loaded for 2 different match chambers and a field grade ccw. If you look closely you can see different things. This is what my reloads look like with a 3/1000th's taper crimp on them. The taper crimp is set to taper +/- 30/1000th's of the lip of the case along with removing the bell.

If your reloads don't look like the ones pictured above with only the bell needing removed before you use a fcd. That's called a clue.

I'm using a 1/1000th's oversized bullet in the 45acp and a 3/100th's oversized bullet in the 9mm. I have zero problems with feeding or accuracy in match grade bbl's.
That blammo ammo plinking load using .358" bullets and mixed range brass in a nm 9mm.


The 45acp's will cut the same bugholes.

Nothing more than 38spls blammo ammo loaded with standard dies using .358" bullets and seated/roll crimped in the same stage with nothing more than beat to death free range brass.


Everyone looks at things differently. Myself my reloads look good before I would use a fcd so I see no need to use 1.

 

[fordson]

Interesting post. Didn't realize there were such strong opinions and feelings over a piece of equipment.
I just picked up a Lee FCD for my 357 Sig. Haven't used it yet but will be soon.

 

[Forrest r]

Interesting post. Didn't realize there were such strong opinions and feelings over a piece of equipment.
I just picked up a Lee FCD for my 357 Sig. Haven't used it yet but will be soon.

Nothing wrong with that. Good luck with your fcd die hope you enjoy using it.

I've just seen too many posts with reloaders telling other reloaders to buy/use a fcd die. It will solve the reloading issues they are having/experiencing.

I'm more of the figure out what cased the issue 1st rather than fixing/masking the issue with another product. Hence, this is where the "band-aid fix" normally starts to enter the vocabulary.

 

[LAA]

Someday, when I'll throw all of my case gauges away, have 10,000+ postings, and chuck the Lee FCDs...................I'll be a real reloader!!!

 

[fordson]

Forrest r - I've got Lee FCD for my 9mm, 38 Super, 357 Sig (now), 40 S&W and 45 ACP that I've been using for years. But your post got me thinking, so I went and checked them. I must admit that I had them set up wrong. While I still find them useful, I wasn't getting the proper crimp. If nothing else, your post generated thoughtful discussion, so thanks. - Fordson

 

[BC38]

Someday, when I'll throw all of my case gauges away, have 10,000+ postings, and chuck the Lee FCDs...................I'll be a real reloader!!!

LOL, me too!

Forrest r, glad to hear that you are able to load rounds so perfectly doing the seat & crimp in one step. I think that's great. Obviously you aren't one of the folks I was referring to when I said that
"I doubt that every one of the FCD naysayers can say that." Call me silly if you like, but do you really believe that all the other FCD bashers have had the same 100% perfect track record as you? I still say that I DOUBT that. I'm sure you aren't the only one, but I'm equally sure that it hasn't worked out that way for all. Just reading threads in this forum bears that out. Since it is factual, what exactly is so silly about the statement?

As for using the FCD as a "crutch" to correct problems, you are making an incorrect assumption and applying it broad brush to all FCD users. I don't use it to "correct" anything - and never have. There are no "problems" with any of my reloads in need of any correction.

As I said in my original post, the idea of seating and crimping in separate steps makes sense to me because the mechanics of what you are trying to accomplish in the seating step is in conflict with the goal of the crimping step and vice versa. So I have used the FCD and done the two steps separately from day one. Not in an attempt to correct any problems, but rather as a deliberate way of avoiding problems and frustration with trying to get multiple sets of dies in perfect adjustment for multiple bullet weights and profiles. I don't enjoy futzing with such things, so I choose what seemed to me to be a simpler works every time WITHOUT repeated fiddling with it option. Call me silly, but that approach works for me.

I think that is true for a lot of FCD users. It's not just for morons who can't do it the "right" way every time.