I’m going to setup an upgraded 450 to 550c for 38 cowboy reloading.
Dillon says I have every upgrade available.
I would like a powder checker I think. But I only have 4 spots. So do I use a powder checker or a Lee case crimper for my “4th spot”

If you want to check your powder then crimp in the bullet seater. Plenty good for CAS ammo.
I never check powder level though and only have had one double charge, it was in a 38-40; I was shooting a stage, pop, pop, pop, BANG. pop. Just once in thousands of rounds.

you can see in the case with your eyes.
put the seater in 3 and the crimp die in 4.
not an fcd a crimp die.

quote:

Originally posted by Lamar:
you can see in the case with your eyes.
put the seater in 3 and the crimp die in 4.
not an fcd a crimp die.

this. i use my 550 for 6 calibers and this is how i do it too.

What is a fcd?

with my superior sluth abilitys i'm sluthing that the cd stands for crimp die. still working on the f though.

If they mean Factory Crimp Die, referring to the Lee one, then it is totally unnecessary on revolver ammo used in CAS. Standard crimping, or even no crimping, works just fine.

if hes gonna be doing reloads (recharging the cylinder on his revolver with fresh ammo) wouldn't a crimp be desirable to aid in loaded round insertion?

a light crimp is useful but not really necessary if the case mouth is flat against the side of the bullet.
it's similar to a 45 acp which is taper crimped.

I actually taper crimp some of my 45 colt rounds just to not stress the case mouth so the brass lasts longer.

the FCD is an oversized carbide ring someone screwed up when making a size die.
it will mush down a cast bullet [which is what C-Boy action uses] and can cause leading and other issues.
it does insure you didn't screw up somewhere else and makes the ammo small enough to work.

in rifles it is a split ring that closes around the case mouth and squishes the case into the side of the bullet.