I'm just getting set up to start reloading and having trouble adjusting my die to crimp. I'll figure it out soon and if not I'll be back on here looking for more help. Who reloads this and what kind of crimp should I be doing on this load?

I have lee dies.

I do the seating and crimping in two steps.

I seat the bullets with no crimp at all. Then I back the bullet seater way out and screw the die into the press enough to get a good crimp.

I reload for the 454 using RCBS dies. Just like RMiller, I seat all the bullets in one step to make sure they are all at the proper level and then I crimp in a second step. The dies should have come with directions on how to crimp.

Thanks for the replies. I followed the directions in the RCBS die set but it seems when I do it, I keep seating the bullet pass the depth I want instead of crimping it. As I said I'm just starting so I think maybe I should stick to me rifle reloads before attemping the straight walled reloads.

One more question for ya, if you buy brass, does it still need to be resized or trimmed? I haven't been back to my bench yet to check the brass I bought from Winchester. Thought I'd throw it out there untill I can make it down stairs. Thanks again and I hope I don't sound too stupid asking these question!

I use Redding dies for the .454 Cassull. DO seat and crimp in two operations as already mentioned. I use the Redding profile crimp die too. The .454's recoil CAN unseat a slug and tie up the gun.

I always inspect and size all new brass. Check overall length too. Just because its new doesn't mean its right.

FN in MT

MKMGOBL,
Are you sure you're screwing out the seater stem enough before lowering the whole die? If you leave the seater stem down and lower the die itself to crimp, that would cause the bullet to be seated deeper before the crimp kicked in. When I use the RCBS, I screw the seater stem out a few turns and then lock it in place. Then I screw in the whole die a little bit at a time until I get the amount of crimp I want.

Ok guys I just was down there and the brass for my 280 seems to be just right. I will be checking every time as you suggested FN. Kenneth, I was doing that but maybe not enough. I'll continue to give it a try and see if I'm getting anywhere with it later today. Thanks again for the help guys It AWESOME knowing I can turn to here for some answers.

Get a Lee Factory Crimp Die. Your problem will be solved.
Pete

quote:

Originally posted by MKMGOBL:
I'm just getting set up to start reloading and having trouble adjusting my die to crimp. I'll figure it out soon and if not I'll be back on here looking for more help. Who reloads this and what kind of crimp should I be doing on this load?

1. The .454 requires as heavy a crimp as you can put on it.

2. There's no damn reason in the world to buy any other dies to do good job on straight-sided handgun ammo, WHICH IS A DIFFERENT PROPOSITION ENTIRELY from loading bottlenecked cartridges!


I have plain 'ol RCBS dies for all my handgun rounds. But, I learned long ago thaat you CANNOT SEAT BULLETS AND CRIMP CASES CORRECTLY in one step! If the bullet is moving as the crimp is being applied, it jus' don' work worth crap!

Make sure all your cases are exactly the same length before you load them-trim them if needed to get them all the same length.

Next seat the bullets to the same, uniform depth so the crimping groove is placed correctly at the case mouth.

Then back out the seating stem so it can't touch a bullet while you are crimping.

Screw the die down tight against the shellholder when the die has no cartridge in it. Once the die is down tight and the seating stem is not down low enough to touch a bullet, crimp the rounds.

Wipe all grease-sizing lube, etc., off the cartridges and box the rounds.

This will give you good handgun ammo!

quote:

what kind of crimp should I be doing on this load?

Revolvers require a roll crimp, vs a taper crimp on pistol ammo. Your RCBS die is just not adjusted properly, yet.