Homeloads

[v-max]

Hello what do others do on this that homeload even you long-range target boys do you crimp your loads or leave them.

I have always crimped but had a mate that never & tryed myself i have the Lee factory crimp & im only a varmint/deer shooter & loaded for 8/9yrs now but curious on what others do.

[Ronin]

My mrs used to Crimp her hair in the 80's, that was the only crimping done in my home

 

No dont do it, unless you have an automatic

[Vermincinerator]

No crimp not needed.

 

Ian.

[DaveK]

Like what they said. I used to crimp handgun loads but they're more forgiving.

 

Dave

[stag1933]

Hi.

Loaded many, many thousands rifle and pistol in a long lifetime but never crimped one !

 

HWH.

[Andrew]

I crimp .22 Hornet and others. In the Hornet especially, I have noted more uniform velocities and accuracy. I always crimp handgun loads. (I can't even imagine how you could not do it for handguns!) I think a more pertinent question is "Who has tried crimping?" because many shooters will tell you that they "don't" when more accurately, they just haven't. ~Andrew

[John MH]

I don't believe it is necessary for non semi-automatic fed ammunition. If crimping was necessary to improve accuracy bullets like Sierra SMKs and Lapua Scenars would have crimping groves and we all know they don't. Most military surplus ammunition is crimped, both bullet and primer, commercial ammunition is not.

[v-max]

Cheers for your input as most if not alll the stalkers/keepers i know that homeload all crimp. Must admit that my 25/06 load just now is not crimped & may have to do this with bullets im playing with just now. Was with a friend & met a keeper that just took up homeloading & his 222 with 50g v-max had a heavy crimp & i said to him to pull it & look at the bullet as i bet it would have a curve like a model (Keely) etc & he said it was a light crimp

[Streeker59]

Tried crimping once for my .243 when i made the change from pistols to rifles after the ban. I made a batch of ammo where the round to round velocity was all over the place even though every charge was weighed and every bullet was too. I shot 10 rounds through a chrony and the results were dreadful with an 80 - 120 fps deviation. I crimped the rest to see if that would even the velocity spread and it did improve slightly. What i hadn't taken into account was that the cases i used were so called "once fired" remy cases bought from a gun jumble.. Once fired my hairy arse...lol...

I replaced the cases with new Lapuas and the deviation was down to below 10 fps without crimping so since then I've not bothered..

One exception to this was when i first started loading .223 using LEE collet dies. The neck sizing die would not size the neck small enough and most bullets would fall into the case after seating if i hadn't run them through a crimping die to prevent this. Tried the spin the case 90 degs and size again method to tighten the neck but it didn't work. I still use that die set for a particular bullet /case combo but i full length size instead and get great results.

[Andrew]

commercial ammunition is not.

 

John: Winchester and Remington both crimp a variety of factory rifle loads. Ever tried it? The Lee Factory Crimp Die requires no channelure, if your interested.

 

Crimping shows its best face when the components are not of match grade. It uniforms pull weight in non-match production brass. Winchester Hornet brass is very non-uniform. Crimping helps a great deal. My groups went from very good to enviable when I started crimping.

 

Some cartridges/loads do not take to crimping and others do. You just need to try it to see. In some rifle cartridges, it is absolutely required. Would I crimp a precision varmint rifle? Maybe once to see the effect, but with refined components I would expect the effects to be negligible. ~Andrew

 

PS: Streeker: You can polish down that mandrel in the Lee Collet dies a couple thou with super fine abrasive cloth and get a tighter fit. It won't alter the Lee Warranty, in fact, Lee recommends it.

[John MH]

John: Winchester and Remington both crimp a variety of factory rifle loads. Ever tried it? The Lee Factory Crimp Die requires no channelure, if your interested.

 

Crimping shows its best face when the components are not of match grade. It uniforms pull weight in non-match production brass. Winchester Hornet brass is very non-uniform. Crimping helps a great deal. My groups went from very good to enviable when I started crimping.

 

Some cartridges/loads do not take to crimping and others do. You just need to try it to see. In some rifle cartridges, it is absolutely required. Would I crimp a precision varmint rifle? Maybe once to see the effect, but with refined components I would expect the effects to be negligible. ~Andrew

 

PS: Streeker: You can polish down that mandrel in the Lee Collet dies a couple thou with super fine abrasive cloth and get a tighter fit. It won't alter the Lee Warranty, in fact, Lee recommends it.

 

Hi Andrew

 

I stand corrected. My experience of ammunition is limited to military ball and commercial match grade target ammunition and match grade bullets, I suppose that there are lots of commercial hunting and plinking grade ammunition types that are crimped and have crimping groves on their bullets.

 

John MH

[Andrew]

Hi Andrew

 

I stand corrected. My experience of ammunition is limited to military ball and commercial match grade target ammunition and match grade bullets, I suppose that there are lots of commercial hunting and plinking grade ammunition types that are crimped and have crimping groves on their bullets.

 

John MH

 

No problem. Who shoots factory ammo, anyways?? ~Andrew

[devilishdave]

The only thing I crimp is my turds!!

 

Dave

[DaveK]

The only thing I crimp is my turds!!

 

Dave

 

 

After a Ruby Murray that would be an automated process

[devilishdave]

Just had said Ruby now getting stuck in to some ale all ads to the crimping process!!

 

Dave

[charly hunter]

I am the odd one out (which I have know for a long time) but I do crimp as Silent got me into it and for my 243 it made the accuracy more consistant. My 243 was a pig to find a good load for, I was ready to beat the rifle over the wall, but Silent gave me a load to try and it was awesome, wheather the crimp made much differance or maybe it was in the mind I am not sure but the crimp die was only £8 and it takes a second to do so there is no great loss. Do what you think works for you.

[Andrew]

You're not alone. I also crimp my 80 grain 243 loads. I didn't arrive there by experimentation though, I just crimped the first test batch and they shot so well from my mid-weight Model 70 that I stuck with it. As we like to say, "Don't fix what ain't broke!" ~Andrew

[v-max]

Hello i have always crimped my ammo & taught my brother to do so also & crimp a friends 243 80g nosler & it shoots. I have 100g hornaday interlock in my 25/06 & dont know why but never crimped & they shoot well. I got some heads to try 100g nos BT & 100g spbt speer & 115g nos BT so i have been testing & even tryed uncrimped loads but have found a load after a bit play to day but might try & start to uncrimp. My mate had bother with a 243 load & was told to crimp & it sorted it out so he crimps always.

[Guest varmartin]

The only things we crimp down here is our pasties.....

[Andrew]

If you're going to stock up on anything other than brass make it primers. They are the one component that can't be readily made. I have 40K primers (50/50 Lg and Sm rifle) in a sealed container that I keep for hard times. I keep another 10K or so assorted primers around for daily use. A bit of advice: Quit spending your money on ammunition and start reloading!

 

Back to the subject of the thread though, when you do reload, you will crimp for that autoloader of yours!~Andrew

[Andrew]

308P: (sigh) A progressive press is not the unit for a beginner unless you were thrust into a high volume shooting regimen. Pick up a simple press and some inexpensive gear to go with and learn the craft -then pick up a progressive press if you figure you need it. JMHO, of course.~Andrew

[ejg223]

Pat, I think Andrew is right. Get a simple starter kit maybe from rcbs.

So many little things you need to get on top of that like trimmer etc.

Rather simple and get going instead of complicated and talking.

 

edi

 

V-max, I don't crimp (yet?) but haven't loaded very long yet either.

[Bambi-basher]

I crimp my stalking ammo because it makes the ammo more durable:- you have no chance of the bullets being pushed back further into the case while in the mag’ ect.

 

I tested non-crimped and crimped ammo side by side and found little difference in accuracy in my stalking rifle. When doing load development I don’t crimp, only done on my field rounds.

 

Best rgds

 

B-b

[Vermincinerator]

I started handloading pistol ammo on a single station press, then a turret and then a progressive.

Rifle ammo was first loaded on the turret but as my quest for accuracy progressed i went back to the single station and i am now loading with hand dies and an arbour press.

I have never crimped rifle ammo accept some 223 where the bullets had cannelures and some 45/70, i used to put a heavy roll crimp on .44 Mag full power revolver loads in order to stop the bullet backing out under heavy recoil, but i moved on to a Redding Profi-crimp die for better consistancy.

Semi auto loads were taper crimped rather then roll crimped.

IMO my opinion you should only use a crimp on your rifle ammo if you have a heavy recoiling rifle (.375H&H up?) with a box mag or a lever action where inertia from the bullets in tube mag bearing against each other could push the bullets into the case.

When i loaded for single shot BPCR with black powder in 45-70 cal i tried both crimped and uncrimped ammo the difference was staggering.

The crimped ammo struggled to group in the 5" to 6" area at 100yds but bullets seated with finger pressure with hardly any neck tension produced 1 3/4" 10 shot groups at 100yds.

 

Ian.

[stag1933]

Below is a picture of one of my favourite loadings for my .270 Carl Gustaf stalking rifle.

 

Note the position of the `cannelure` on the bullet.

 

For my particular rifle it is too far forward and of no use as seating depth would be too far in for optimum accuracy.

Some years ago Hornady changed the position of the cannelure of this particular bullet but did not change the reference number.

 

I have spent a long, long shooting and re-loading lifetime and at 75 I do not intend to change when I see no material benefit in crimping.