reloading 223 Lee turret machine and dies

[Eddiethegun]

Just started reloading for the 223, reloaded shotgun for years but a first for ctr fire.

Purchased a second hand Lee machine and set of 2 dies ( I have all the other tackle)

OK so prepare the case resize deprime trim etc, new primer in powder in now to seat the bullet, I have measured seat length and pushed the bullet into correct hight.

My question is do I set the bullet seat die down to apply a crimp on the case or have it just pushing the bullet head in to hight.

Eddie

[pin]

Normally you'd resize the case, trim, prime, powder and then with your seating die (assuming its set up) just insert the bullet to the set depth.

 

I am no expert, still very much learning, but there is no crimp on a CF case neck, its the size of the neck which holds the bullet in place.

[Eddiethegun]

It does say on some sites and in a book I have that hunting loads should be crimped. ?

On the Lee instruction book it says if you want to crimp turn the die down until you get a light crimp so it must be required in some cases.

I know it works without crimping I tested some and they are fine. I would just like to know if I have the tool set up correctly ie just pushing the head to the correct length or pushing the head in and at the same time applying a slight crimp.

Eddie

[pin]

There are lads on here who have been reloading longer than I have been breathing, sure someone will be along tonight to answer

 

Will be interested to hear about it, not heard of that before, pistol ammo I know of roll and taper crimps. Doing some googling I find references too it being used in CF rifle loads. Oh well, someone will no doubt explain it soon enough

[Graham M]

Some bullets such as “Speer†don’t have a crimping groove so you can’t put a crimp on them unless you have a dedicated crimping die.

You can however turn your seating die an extra ¼ turn and put a little extra hold on any bullets if you so desire. This is all I do when reloading as I don’t like a crimp.

Oh, and I think you would be better off using a single “O†type press for rifle cartridges rather than a turret press, as it is more rigid and will allow you to be more accurate with the depth of seating.

Turret presses are great for pistol calibre rounds that can be loaded up quickly for shooting down-range, but with a rifle that needs real accuracy I don’t think a turret press offers enough stability.

G.M.

[Eddiethegun]

I might be getting it wrong, with shotgun reloading the crimp finish or roll turn hold the load back to allow a good burn of the powder, I take it this is not the case with rifle ammo. I tried a few with the die turned down but it bulged the case so I think I will just seat the bullet to depth.

Eddie

[DaveK]

Easy to get overpressure with a crimp on a rifle round. Crimping is more a pistol thing. The recommendation for crimping a hunting round is so that the bullet doesn't get dislodged when banging about in the jungles of North America. Litigation society and all that.