Folks,

I had worked up a solid load in my 375 HH to shoot to the same POI of my soft loads. My soft is a 300 grn A-Frame. The solid load that I worked up is a 300 grn Woodleigh.

At the shooting range a couple of weeks ago I noticed that the Woodleighs were not feeding well. They were touching the front ot the magazine. The OAL was about .050" longer than the A-Farmes.

I then noted that the crimping groove set back about .050" on the Woodleighs vs. the Swifts, thus causing them to sit farther out of the case.

Questions:

• I like to crimp my 375 loads. Would not crimping be safe in this load?
  
  
• Would crimping above the crimping groove be effective in preventing bullet setback? I use a lee crimper.
  
  
• Would trimming the case a bit shorter to accomidate the groove placment be okay?
  
  
• Anyone else ever experience this issue?
  
  
• Do I have to start all over with another solid? If so anyone want a bunch of Woodleighs?
  

Thanks!!

-Steve

Hi there

The Lee Factory Crimp die (much to my surpise -- I was skeptical) solved all of the similar problems I had.

My problem was that even with a small expander button, my heaviest loads were driving my 270gr Barnex X bullets back into the case. I was seating them WAY out because my rifle had a long throat and a long magazine to match it. (It was rather like a poor man's .375 Improved in case volume).

If I seated the bullets to where I wanted them, the cannelure was WAY out of the case. I emailed Lee and they said "go ahead and crimp anywhere you want even on the solid Barnes bullets".

I did and the problem was solved. Accuracy even improved a bit too. I pulled a few bullets, and as expected there was no crimping groove created by the Lee crimper -- it just tightened the case up around the bullet without deforming it in the slightest.

I have since crimped on conventional bullets NOT were the cannulure was (Hornaday) an that did not deform the bullet either (but note that I did not try to achieve the "crimp from hell" either!

So, crimp those loads and go kill something with those Woodleighs!

John

John,

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll go ahead and try crimping where they need to be to feed.

I'll then leave a bunch in the magazine and run some of my full speed plinking loads through the rifle to to see if the bullets get set back.

-Steve

For the record, crimping above the groove did not work. Shooting three shots with the magazine full of the suspect rounds, 3 of the 4 were set back. So on to another load.

-Steve

I have had similar problems, and essentially shortened the case to accommodate the bullet. It works, its straight forward, and the only hitch is marking those cases. You might want to use nickel cases for those loads, it really sets them apart in the field and when you reload. Kudude

lets not forget that crimping also increases the pressure inside the case. i personally dont crimp my 338 win mag at all. i would sujest adjusting your seating depth. the 2 bulletts you are using have differant lenghts

nwwash,

Actually the bullets are similar in length. The problem is that the goove placement is quite different between the two bullets, with the Woodleighs' groove lower on the bullet shaft, causing them to have a longer OAL than the Swifts when crimping at the groove.

My experiment was to see if I can get away with crimping above the groove and still avoid bullet setback of rounds in the magazine. My experiment showed that it wasn't going to work. That said, I doubt that not crimping is an option.

I plan on hunting buff in Zim in the next few months. The solids MUST be able to withstand recoil and not set back as I will likely be having a soft in the chamber and some number of solids in the magazine.

I agree that pressures can increase with crimping, but that wasn't my issue. I already crimp all my 375 and work up the loads that way.



Kudude,

Thanks! That is on my list of things to try.

I've ordered some Barnes banded solids and I'll see how those shoot and feed first. If they don't work then I'll go back to the Woodleigh and trim the cases.

-Steve