I have just started reloading for rifle and pistol. Bought the Forster Co-ax press. Have reloaded my first batch of .308 Win. with very good results at range, and my first .44 mag look good, though I have not shot. It seems that a lot of the reloaders like to do the seating step separate from crimping which I did on the .44s (no need on the .308 Win., right?). I am getting ready for my first batch of .338 Win. Mag. and I have noticed that some people recommend a crimp on these loads. I bought the Lee factory crimp dies for my .338 (it was cheap and I was at the store getting carried away as usual). Is this a good idea, or not really needed?

Unnecessary.

But if you feel compelled to crimp, by all means do it in a separate operation. Otherwise, you'll be both cramming the bullet deeper and constricting it at the same time -- a situation that can hardly promote precision and accuracy.

I don't crimp my .338 cartridges. Never saw the need to. Guess you could try it & see if it improves accuracy. Yup! Do it in a separate step. Bear in Fairbanks

Mr. Bear,

I decided to start reloading for my .338 so that I could get in a little more practice for cheap - also so that I could slowly work my way up from light to heavy loads.

The practice is needed as my brother (he lives up there in Soldotna) and I drew brown bear tags for Unimak Island next May. Any preferred heavy loads you would recommend - or favorite factory loads that are heavy enough? I have a Winchester 70 in stainless that easily shoots 1/2" groups with the Federal Premium with 210 gr. Nosler Partition, but that seems light for big brown bears.

Thanks

quote:

Originally posted by Deacon Dick:
I have just started reloading for rifle and pistol. Bought the Forster Co-ax press. Have reloaded my first batch of .308 Win. with very good results at range, and my first .44 mag look good, though I have not shot. It seems that a lot of the reloaders like to do the seating step separate from crimping which I did on the .44s (no need on the .308 Win., right?). I am getting ready for my first batch of .338 Win. Mag. and I have noticed that some people recommend a crimp on these loads. I bought the Lee factory crimp dies for my .338 (it was cheap and I was at the store getting carried away as usual). Is this a good idea, or not really needed?

I crimp Every thing.

quote:

Originally posted by Deacon Dick:
I have just started reloading for rifle and pistol. Bought the Forster Co-ax press. Have reloaded my first batch of .308 Win. with very good results at range, and my first .44 mag look good, though I have not shot. It seems that a lot of the reloaders like to do the seating step separate from crimping which I did on the .44s (no need on the .308 Win., right?). I am getting ready for my first batch of .338 Win. Mag. and I have noticed that some people recommend a crimp on these loads. I bought the Lee factory crimp dies for my .338 (it was cheap and I was at the store getting carried away as usual). Is this a good idea, or not really needed?

Id take the Lee crimp die back, I crimp nothing but loads for revolvers, besides, if you use a bullet without a crimp groove(cannelure), like a bonded Hornady and alike, how you gonna crimp it? Those factory Lee crimp dies will ruin your bullets when you put the "crimp" to her. Take them back where they came from. Dont crimp, on me, Please. LOL

P.S. What load you using for the 338? RE19, I hope.

I've had very good luck with the Lee Factory Crimp dies. They have improved groups for my rifles, and keep bullets from moving either direction in the case under heavy recoil. Look at the test data done by AR on this site.....my results were similar, especially with slow powder. As a bonus, OAL won't grow with compressed loads.

Crimp grooves or cannelures aren't needed. I would just avoid crimping at the front or end of the contact surface between the bullet and the bore.

Obviously, this is one of those areas folks take sides on--so see which your rifle likes since you've already spent the $10.

Cheers,

Dan

quote:

one of us

I've never felt the need to crimp the 338 and don't, but I do recommend using 250 grain bullets. The 250 grain .338" Nosler partition is about as good as it gets without the gun smashing on both ends...

From a totally different angle - I crimp all my rifle ammo with the Lee Factory Crimp die. It is a collet-type die, so it is not hyper-critical on case length such as the taper crimps in the factory seating dies are; it will crimp onto a bullet without a cannelure (it will actually form its own cannelure) Just keep the crimp light - all you want to do is to keep the bullet from moving under recoil of preceding cartridges. It won't ruin any halfway-decent bullets if you keep the crimp light.

I've found the biggest advantage of the Lee Factory Crimp die to be one of consistency. The 'release tension' if you want to call it that, is much more consistent. Bottom line is that I see the advantages in my groups. Can't argue against that.

I love my Lee factory crimper, especially in the 338 mag.