Being a novice reloader I have been using Hornady bullets and now have got some 210Nosler for my .338Win. The problem is that everything I have read says to crimp all hunting ammo. Also have read not to crimp without a crimping cannelure. I feel that the bullets in the magazine would push back into the case under recoil. I have RCBS equipment. Can you crimp a bullet that doesn't have a cannelure with t6he RCBS dies?
Ralph

I haven't had any problems in hunting ammo for everything under 375 without using a crimp, so long as you have sufficent neck tension everything should be fine.

The nest way to see if you need to crimp would be to load a few rounds and fire the gun wityh a full magzine to see what happens.

The RCBS die will crimp if adjusted all the way down, prehaps one of the lee factory crimp dies would be a better choice for a bullet without a cannalure. Again taht is advice from a shooter who does not crimp.

I think Ray has had great luck with the 210 partition if my memory serves me correct.

Reguards

Bill

I have used the 210's and 225's in a 338 WM with no crimp and no problems at all.

I don't crimp the bullets of my .338 handloads. Never had a problem with bullets moving back. I have only used 230-grain FS and up.

I have always used a crimp on all of my handloads. The roll crimp that comes on most dies is ok if you are carefull, but the Lee Factory Crimp die is really a great item. It works well with all jacketed bullets, just be sure not to distort softer bullets with too much crimp.
I have found that a good crimp will typically give me very consistant velocity and accuracy.
One thing, if you are using nickel plated cases and are experiencing bullet setback with no crimp, try a few brass cases to see if it still happens. I have noticed that brass cases are less likely to move forward under recoil (in the magazine), as opposed to nickel cases.

Ralph,

I don't crimp either. I suggest you try loading and shooting a magazine full of uncrimped rounds first; stop before firing the last round.
If you see that the bullet on the last round has not moved back into the case, then you'll be fine without a crimp.

George

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Shoot straight, shoot often, but by all means, use enough gun!

Forget the crimp, especially with standard seating dies.

Ralph,
I also load for the 338 mag and never use a crimp, and don't need it.
Old Timer

Crimping is a waste of time and a receipe for inaccuracy up to and including 416 Rem.

I have not crimped in 50 years except lead bullets and the real big bores 458 Lott up.

On the 416 and 404 I have undersize .004 resizer buttons on my dies and it serves the same purpose as a crimp and I use a bulk powder, but only to keep bullets from seating back from recoil which will not happen unless one is dumb enough to leave a round in the box for 10 to 15 shots...

the 210 Nosler is my favorite bullet for open country game in the 338 up to but not including Eland, and it will do there in a pinch....I know it will work from 50 to 800 yards, on the larger animals.

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com

Thanks All

A question for Ray:
What would be your thoughts regarding the 210 Nosler in .338WinMag for use on Leopard and Sable?
Ralph

Hay Ralph, .338 is a great calliber. I reload 200, 210, 225, and 250 grain bullets made by Nosler (Partitons & BTs), Hornaday, Speer (GSs), and Serria, and dont crimp any, even ones with a cannaluer. I have never had a problem. As it was explained to me by a Redding tech, the .338wm's neck is more than long enough so that when resized (approx .020 off the sholder) it grips any bulet good enough so that a crimp is totally unnessasary. I personally have relaoded 3 each of all the above described bullets, without primer or powder, and placed them in my .338s magazene for ten firings and then checked to see if the bullet moved at all. I am quite pleased to report none did. This test, BTW was also siggested by the same Redding tech.
Hope this was helpfull.

Ralph,
The 210 can, on rare ocassions, be damaging to the skin if you hit the shoulder bone with the 210..It is a good bullet on Sable..It is easy to patch skin...It kills Leopard mostly instantly...

I actually prefer the 250 gr. on Sable, but the 210 works fine...

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Ray Atkinson

ray@atkinsonhunting.com
atkinsonhunting.com