Delete this Post - Lee's Crimping Die

capecod

How do you determine the proper amount of crimp when using the above die in order to avoid over-crimping or under-crimping. Is there some 'rule of thumb" that you go by?
John

Pearyw

I use these on 9mm and 45 acp. Normally, I just do it by feel and visually. If I am loading for a match barrel where this dimension is more critical, I measure the diameter of the crimped area with a digital caliper. One way to check is to take a round of good new ammo, check that it is the same kind of brass and bullet diameter that you are loading, measure that diameter of the crimped area, and then adjust the die to duplicate the measured diameter.

richbug

With the pistol dies I used the as a check guage only to see if a case is out of spec. Few if any cartridges actually touch the die. With the rifle dies I think Lee lists 1/4 after ithe die touches the shellholder. Only go more if the bullet if moving on you. The 1/4 turn may not sound like much but a kinetic bullet puller really has to work to get the bullets out.

My border collie is smarter than your honor student.

capecod

Thanks guys for the feedback - I've printed out your posts so I could put them in my note book.
Thanks again,
John