Load Recipe for Pushing a 125gn JHP at 1450 fps out of a 4" S&W 686

[Nevada Ed]

Heavy crimps.........

With my RCBS dies loading .357 magnum with a 125gr Hornady XTP bullet #3573 and a OAL of 1.59 with my cases...

my #3 die setting the depth of the bullet for a roll crimp has its center pin at.........

1.13" for a light crimp and
1.12" pin sticking out of the die for a heavy crimp.

OAL of the pin can be set by/on any part/surface of your die, that
you can get a good reading from.

This is how I set my crimps, with my dies.

Good loading.

 

[Puritan]

Heavy crimps.........

my #3 die setting the depth of the bullet for a roll crimp has its center pin at.........

1.13" for a light crimp and
1.12" pin sticking out of the die for a heavy crimp.

Good loading.

Thanks Nevada Ed,

Forgive my ignorance, but what do you mean by "center pin" of the seating die? Is this the protrudance of the seater stem above the top of the die body? If so, is your RCBS seater stem the older 1/4" variety or the newer 1/2" size? I own both types and my 1/4" stem stands much taller than my 1/2" stem.

The RCBS instructions don't define the difference between light and heavy crimp, they just say to keep adjusting by 1/8" until satisfied, which isn't very helpful. I like your method because it's repeatable, I just want to make sure I understand it better.

The instructions for the Lee FCD that RDub mentions say to turn the seating die 1/2 turn for a light crimp and 1 full turn for a heavy crimp, but 1 full turn on my RCBS roll crimp dies would bulge the case. Maybe that's because I'm turning the entire die body on my RCBS die versus just the crimp adjuster screw on the FCD (or the thread pitch is different). The instruction for the Lee also say the FCD won't buckle the case like other crimping dies, but I don't see how that's possible because the mechanism for crimping is the same as on my RCBS roll crimp die.

 

[STORMINORMAN]

There are LEE CARBIDE crimp dies, and there are...

...LEE FACTORY crimp dies.

The carbide (Handgun) series use another carbide ring (like in a sizing die) and an adjustable crimp on top: these can be roll-type for revolvers or a taper type for pistol (i.e., 9mm, 40 S&W, 380 ACP, 45 ACP, etc.). This pretty much insures these reloads will chamber if the OAL is appropriate for the bullet used.

They also offer collet-style crimp dies for rifle and SOME handgun calibers. I have these for 357 SIG, 44 & 45 calibers. These uniformly compress the rim and I have found to be excellent for plated bullets (range loads vs. FULL BORE HUNTING LOADS) in these calibers. For the heavy load you may want the heavy roll crimp.

They have one for 357 MAG as well: SKU# 90813. Got to check if I don't already have one of these!

CHEERS!

 

[Puritan]

I have the Lee collet style factory crimp dies for a bunch of my rifles and most of my non revolver pistol calibers and they work well. I just don't see a difference between the revolver FCDs and the standard roll crimp die that came with my RCBS set other than the sizing ring and having to turn the die body to set the amount of crimp on the RCBS vs. having to turn the adjustment screw to set the amount of crimp on the Lees. The carbide sizing ring is just icing on the cake for what I intend and probably/hopefully won't come into play (although I'm wondering if the carbide sizing ring will interfere with the bell I apply to the case mouth preventing it from entering the Lee body). I'm really only interested in applying a heavy crimp without buckling the case. Unless I'm missing something both the RCBS and Lee dies work by squeezing the top of the case into the cannelure (or side of the bullet) by gradually reducing the diameter inside the die body. It seems that this would lead to case buckling if too much pressure is applied although the Lee website says otherwise. Just not sure why.