Jump to content
SASS Wire Forum

How does this crimp look?


Buckshot Bear

Recommended Posts

There appears to be a little bit of "flat" (cylindrical shape) at the very mouth of the case.  That means the crimp die can be backed off a little.   What you have works.  But it is a little bit more than is needed, and could give you shorter case life due to more cracks at the mouth.  All that most factory crimps will show is the case mouth rolling into the crimp groove (or bullet), not the flat above the crimp.

 

good luck, GJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

There's a little bit of "flat" (cylindrical shape) at the very mouth of the case.  That means the crimp die can be backed off a little.   What you have works.  But it is a little bit more than is needed, and could give you shorter case life due to more cracks at the mouth.  All that most factory crimps will show is the case mouth rolling into the crimp groove (or bullet), not the flat above the crimp.

 

good luck, GJ

 

Thanks GJ, I've loaded for a long time, but 9mm, .38 148gr hollow base wadcutters (seated flush with a nice roll crimp) and the same with .32 S&W Long with 98gr HBWC's.

And loading centrefire cartridges for a tubular mag is new to me as well.

 

I've notice the Lee crimp die is not perfect around the entire circumference of the crimp.

 

I do take not also of your comment re: case life as along with a ton of .38 brass cases I have a ton of .38 nickel and would like to extend the life of the nickel as long as possible which sometimes ain't that long.

 

I also am presently liking the green pills better because they have (bit hard to see in the pics) a slightly flatter nose that the TC pills.

 

20211012_132349_resized.thumb.jpg.cd5f2ae03bd4d857ff7f1936dbd5ff60.jpg

 

20211012_132432_resized.thumb.jpg.aeca31914b45f7d327ee16c7838a5e4a.jpg

 

 

20211012_132453_resized.thumb.jpg.538005e660ad6bf4a74941dd90273659.jpg

 

20211012_132520_resized.thumb.jpg.12aeb93c509a534ee135407708960f32.jpg

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

what is the OAL of the round?  I load 125 gr into 38 sp cases and if I crimp in the crimp groove as your picture, I get OAL of 1.43 - a bit too short to reliable function in my rifle.  I have to load to OAL of 1.50 to make them work flawlessly in the rifle

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 minutes ago, Last Call Saul said:

what is the OAL of the round?  I load 125 gr into 38 sp cases and if I crimp in the crimp groove as your picture, I get OAL of 1.43 - a bit too short to reliable function in my rifle.  I have to load to OAL of 1.50 to make them work flawlessly in the rifle

 

These are feeding really well.

 

20211012_135037_resized.thumb.jpg.765149498eef022cc84b54d678295b56.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

23 minutes ago, Buckshot Bear said:

presently liking the green pills better because they have (bit hard to see in the pics) a slightly flatter nose that the TC pills.

 

I would not see a penny's worth of difference between the tips of the two bullets.  Not anything to worry about with either. 

 

I would second what LCS said, though.   The crimp groove is NOT ALWAYS correct place to put a crimp for cowboy shooting.   Check your OAL and function in your match rifle.   An Uberti toggle gun that has no modifications to the lifter will run down to about 1.52" OAL ammo.  Shorter than that, and you will start to see "2 rounds on the carrier" problems, which jam the rifle on the first part of lever closing stroke.    It's very easy, though, to reshape the lifter angled-ramp to let a shorter OAL work fine.  I like to do that on .38 special guns especially, so the shooter does not have to worry about exact OAL on their ammo, or on ammo that they might have lent to them by a fellow shooter. 

 

If you need more OAL, back off seating depth until you can turn the mouth edge into the large band immediately below the crimp groove.  If alloy is moderately soft, the crimp bites right into the full diameter band like a knife in butter.

 

good luck, GJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, Buckshot Bear said:

 

These are feeding really well.

 

20211012_135037_resized.thumb.jpg.765149498eef022cc84b54d678295b56.jpg

 

good for you.  my 357/38 Uberti 1873 did not like anything shorter than 1.47

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, Garrison Joe, SASS #60708 said:

 

I would not see a penny's worth of difference between the tips of the two bullets.  Not anything to worry about with either. 

 

I would second what LCS said, though.   The crimp groove is NOT ALWAYS correct place to put a crimp for cowboy shooting.   Check your OAL and function in your match rifle.   An Uberti toggle gun that has no modifications to the lifter will run down to about 1.52" OAL ammo.  Shorter than that, and you will start to see "2 rounds on the carrier" problems, which jam the rifle on the first part of lever closing stroke.    It's very easy, though, to reshape the lifter angled-ramp to let a shorter OAL work fine.  I like to do that on .38 special guns especially, so the shooter does not have to worry about exact OAL on their ammo, or on ammo that they might have lent to them by a fellow shooter. 

 

If you need more OAL, back off seating depth until you can turn the mouth edge into the large band immediately below the crimp groove.  If alloy is moderately soft, the crimp bites right into the full diameter band like a knife in butter.

 

good luck, GJ

 

Really appreciate all that information, thank you very kindly GJ.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I just checked my two Uberti .357 '73's, one made in 1997 and one in 2020.  They normally are fed 125TC crimped in the groove which gives about 1.48" OAL.  But I was curious.  I've got some .38's I loaded short to fit in a Kirst Konverter and tried them.  They are 1.406" OAL and I only loaded four but they cycled through the gun very smoothly.  Hmm?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A -

Sounds like the carrier ramp has been re-angled.  Measure from back of the carrier to the "break-over" point at the top of the ramp.  It will have to be shorter than Uberti factory makes it.

 

good luck, GJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The green bullet has a more rounded ogive than the truncated cone of the other bullet, with maybe a smidge larger flat. Some guns are finicky with the nose shape and some aren't. My '73 doesn't care about shape as much as OAL, but will generally eat most that fit in the carrier. Short rounds cause the lifter to push the next round back into the mag tube. Too short and you get a jam on the next round which is letting you know to go longer. Some folks load their rounds long to prevent the pushback on the next round or use .357 cases and some as indicated previously, modify the carrier. We have several Lightnings and a '92 that are absolutely finicky with OAL and bullet shape, so I load to keep them happy and use whatever I have for the '73.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Your Crimp is just right.  The green bullet shown will likely feed a tad smoother then the black  one.  When loading bullets with those shapes, it's very important to crimp so the case mouth is completely behind the bullet nose and in the crimp groove.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Colorado Coffinmaker said:

case mouth is completely behind the bullet.

??!!

 

You must mean place crimp "behind the bullet nose" - in other words, not on the nose, whether rounded or conical.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Bear, with either a factory or roll crimp, the amount of tension can be determined with yout thumb or index finger…. Just roll it over the case mouth on the reload and if the point no case edge is felt … perfect crimp

i adjust the crimp die just to the position that my finger rolls and no more … will give a heavier not needed crimp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, The Original Lumpy Gritz said:

What about the 7 yard rifle targets? 

Pray for a tail wind to get them there!

GJ

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks great .

That's the kinda crimp I like on most all my loads .

So Saith The Rooster 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.