I'm not new to reloading but I am relatively new to loading for 44 Magnum revolvers. If any of you handgun reloaders could give me a sanity check on this issue, I would greatly appreciate it.

I'm loading 255 grain Cast Performance WFNPBs fueled by 10 grains of Unique. I'm experimenting with how much crimp to apply. So, I crimped 6 rounds with 1/2 a full revolution of the crimping die after the bullets were all seated. (I'm using the two step process seating all of them first, then crimping all of them). Next, I crimped 6 more rounds with 3/4 of a turn of the crimping die and lastly, 6 more rounds with one full turn of the crimping die.

I marked two rounds in each batch so I could identify them to measure their OAL both before firing and after firing the fourth and fifth rounds in the cylinder to see if the remaining bullets are moving forward in their cases. Here's what I found:

1/2 turn of the crimping die-I forgot to measure round number 5 but round number six had moved forward .003

3/4 turn of the crimping die-round five had moved .002 and round six had moved .004

Full turn of crimping die-round five moved forward .002 and round six moved forward .005

As a comparison, I did the same thing with two different types of cast factory loads. I marked two rounds each for measurement:

Federal 300 grain castcore-round five did not move at all and neither did round 6

Buffalo Bore 255 Grain Keiths-round five did not move but round six moved .005

So, it would appear even with only 1/2 a turn of the crimping die, my loads are in no danger of moving forward and binding up the cylinder. Is this amount of movement normal for you cast bullet reloaders or do you have zero movement in your loaded rounds?

If zero bullet movement is the acceptable standard, I'll obviously have to turn down the diameter of my expander ball so my resized cases more tightly grip the bullets as it would appear the crimp itself doesn't play a huge role in keeping the bullet in place.

Any insight or info you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

how are you measuring? check the primer

Comparing Lead bullets of different designs? Only .002 to .003 movement? Are you sure that you're not over thinking this thing? After all we are only talking about lead bullets.

You have too much time on your hands.
You realize that, after a certain point, more crimp actually LOOSENS the bullet?
(By buckling the case, even if you can't see it)

quote:

Only .002 to .003 movement?

I start to worry if I can see the movement.

A properly sized expander plug can really help to keep bullets in place. Some of the factory expanders can be a bit oversize.
C.G.B.

We are dealing with low pressure lead bullet loads, I don't care if they are gas checked or not. If they were target loads, that would be one thing but I doubt if they are. Jacketed bullets are a different animal. Lube, lube type, sizing, sizing depth. Determines the amount of lube in the crimping groove. Which can let the bullet move. There are any number of reasons a lead bullet can move, perceive poor design is one along with poor crimping practices. .

There is s not enough movement too get squirrely over it.

Check the expander plug and crimp less, not more. You can actually loosen the bullet that way.

Another possibility is that you are crimping in the middle of the crimp ring. Set the bullet out a little farther and crimp at the back of the ring.

Thanks guys, I appreciate the input. I'm gonna crimp less and not worry about the forward movement unless it's substantial. A couple thousandths here or there shouldn't hurt anything.

Hivelosity, it's not the primers, all are seated below flush with the case head. That would have been a good catch though. Thanks again guys.

Part of the reason for a heavy crimp is to get slower burning powders burning better. With Unique not all that much crimp is needed. That and I don't believe I'd be "sweating bullets over .002-.003. Lots of reasons for that much movement, most of which have been mentioned.

As an historical point of interest...and perhaps a reference point for you....we British subjected our .455 Webley revolver ammunition to a test aganist such moving forward under recoil.

Military acceptance called for sample rounds to be taken from each production batch. How many from each batch I don't recall.

One, one only, of these rounds was then marked up and loaded into a Webley revolver and the other chambers loaded also.

The marked round had to show no movement of the bullet after the all the other chambers in the revolver was fired, loaded again, fired again, loaded again, fired again, loaded again and fired, loaded for a last final time...with four rounds only (so twenty four rounds would have been fired) and fired again.

This info came from the British Government's "Textbook of Small Arms 1929" a classic authority on all things small arms.

British .455 rounds were "coned"...that is a taper crimp was used as in, say a .45ACP, AND the sides of the case over the middle groove were "stab" crimped into that middle groove.

Like a part cannelure but done with a device that "stabbed" or pressed the case in three places into the groove.

Enfieldspares, that's an interesting and quite amazing bit of British ammunition history. I had no idea such standards existed. Thank you.

I'll challenge turning a little off the expander ball will loosen bullets, that is contrary to my experience. I usually start with turning off a thousands, then two and sometimes three, keeping a eye on the case an using a mic to keep roundness. A snug round is what I'm looking for..

I do that with the 45 Colt and the 44 mag. and all my double rifles, I then use a powder that gives me a tad of compaction (also prevents double charges)then a light to medium crimp being watchfull of case bulge is absolute..I have never had any problems with bullet movement, even without a crimpling groove on the hard recoiling big bore double rifles.

I suspect it would be almost impossible to seat a bullet without at least .002 or so difference in OAL...I don't believe case length nor bullet length is that accurate in the first place, would bet dollars to donuts on that.

Enfield; Maybe you know, Why are 455 cylinder
throats undersized/ I have heard it was to
provide restraint on the bullet as the thin
case could not be crimped tight enough to
burn Cordite. Any info on thet?.
Thanks!