i got a load worked up for my 375 HH with reloader 15, what a powder! works great in my gun 1/2 all day. i loaded up the magazine and fired a couple shots and the bullets were definitly moved back. ive never crimped before. i tried it out and did to much with an hour glass shape in the neck and backed it off where it didnt show on the case. is this what your suppose to do? thanks jeff

AKDUDE,

The easy way to handle the crimp is to get a LEE crimp die. They're about $15.00 and are guaranteed to make your life simple. You can even crimp a bullet without a cannelure. It will give you a crimp that looks like a factory crimp and will definitely keep your 375 bullet where they should be. I had the same problem when loading H-4895 in the 375. The LEE crimp die fixed it right now.

On the other hand if you use a heavily compressed load of IMR 4350 there will be no need for a crimp. Just a thought.

GNG or one of the other gunshops in Anchorage should have one.

Good luck

Ditto what Mark said, I have them for all my rifles but the .500. For that one I need to save the money to buy one of John Ricks custom units.

I agree 100% with those who tell you to get and use the Lee Crimp Die.

If, however, you insist on using your regular bullet seating die for crimping, here's the way to do it. To do it well, you need to make bullet seating and crimping a two-step process:

(1) Take an empty case that is exactly the same length as that of all the cases you are going to load. Put that case into your press and raise the press arm, with the empty case seated in the case holder, to the top of the press's stroke. Then screw the bullet seating die down by hand over the case until it just begins to contact the case mouth -- you tell this by "feel," as you will feel the die beginning to go "tight" on the case. Then back off a tiny fraction -- maybe 1/32 of a turn or less -- and then lock the seating die in place. Then load all your cartridges with the die in that position, making sure that the bullets are seated to a depth so that the case mouth is just over the cannelure of the bullet. (This method of positioning the seating die is the one you should use all the time anyway -- it gets the seating die to where it is giving maximum support to the case mouth without crimping it.)

(2) Back off the seating stem of the bullet seating die several turns so that there is no chance that it will come into contact with the bullets in your loaded cartridges. Then screw the seating die down about 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn more than what it was in step #1 above. Then take one of the cartridges you loaded in step #1 and, using the press arm, force it into the seating die by raising the press to the top of its stroke. The seating die will make a roll crimp in the case mouth. You will need to experiment a bit to get the amount of crimp you want. If the 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn gives an adequate crimp, then you're OK. But if you want more crimp, then screw the die down more. But do it in small steps -- maybe 1/4 of a turn at most -- and try it to see whether it's giving you the crimp you want. In any event, don't overdo the crimping you get using this method, or you will get the bulged case mouths that you describe.

This method works only with bullets with a cannelure, and has the disadvantage that if not done properly, you will bulge the case mouths.

The Lee Crimp Die is much better and gives much better results because it works on a different principle -- it gives a "pinch" crimp instead of a roll crimp -- and it works on bullets with or without a cannelure. Moreover, on those with a cannelure, you can seat them to a position other than having the case mouth meet the cannelure, and still get a perfectly good crimp using the Lee die.

i appreciate all of your replies so quickly. ill take your word for it and send Lee some business. the other way seems quite a hassle with not as good a result and with less available options for bullet seating depths. thanks again jeff