RCBS dies

[dhom]

I use RCBS dies marked 44special/mag. When I put the seating die low enough to stop on the shell holder [44mag cases] I'm really not sure if that is a really firm crimp. I had some 300 cast move under recoil. [Missouri bullets] That leads me to two questions, if the dies were marked correctly how would I be able to crimp 44 specials and is it because of a less than heavy crimp that the bullets moved from recoil? My cases are trimmed at 1.750".

 

[tlen]

The seater/crimping die doesn't adjust to the shell holder, only down to the top of the case. Best go back and and readjust your die using this procedure:
http://www.rcbs.com/downloads/instructions/ReloadingDieInstructions.pdf
The die set should have come with 2 shims that will allow you to reload .44 magnum cases AFTER the dies are set for
.44 special. [The shim thickness is about the case length difference].

 

[dhom]

If the seater die is already down to the shell holder to crimp 44mag and I'm not to sure it is a heavy crimp, how would it be possible to load for the 44 special? What am I missing here?

 

[lebomm]

Try this:
Take a loaded round with the kind of crimp you'd like to apply, and place it in the shellholder. Unscrew the seating die so that the round just enters with the ram raised, and unscrew the seater stem as far as possible. Now screw the die body down until you feel it contact the cartridge, and set the lock ring lightly. Now screw the seater stem down until you feel it contact the bullet and set ITS lock ring lightly. Remove the loaded round from the ram.
Now take a flared, charged and bulleted cartridge, and place it in the shellholder. Raise the ram to max, and the resulting cartridge will allow you to judge whether further adjustment is needed. When you arrive where you want to be, set your lockrings tightly.
Hope this is of use to you.

Larry

 

[Nemo288]

I load all lengths of .429.
I have found that separating the crimp operation as a 4th step
actually uncomplicates things.
Get a crimp die (I like the Redding Profile crimp for cannalured
and shelfed bullets).
Set your seating die to not crimp.
This way you can concentrate on getting each step perfect.
Then using the shims you can change from magnum to special easily.
I prefer to keep separate sets of dies for each length set up.
I have not adjusted them in quite awhile

---
Nemo