Reloaded cartridge shape

[Minky]

Has anyone got any reason and cure for reloaded cartridges  that never seem to be completely round at the crimp.  Now I've  Reloaded a lot.  I've read the manuals and trawled the internet for reasons of the hexagonal end shape. At the present I  am reloading 28 gauge and I've tried fired cases and new cases The finished cartridge is ok the crimp folds are neat the depth of petals is good and the front edge has a satisfactory roll taper and the cartridges chamber and eject/ extract very well.  The cartridges shoot well and account for the target.  But they generally ain't round.  their hexagonal.  This isn't a massive problem but it would be nice to produce a pretty perfect cartridge. I haven't  found anything that covers this on the net.

Edited November 22, 2021 by Minky

[enfieldspares]

Usually it is because (unlike with such as the old Redding Model 16 and Model 32 press system that used a sleeve that the cartridge rested inside) the end is unsupported and the least resistance is for the thing to form that hexagon shape. 

[Walker570]

Folkestone Enginnering they do a spinner(GAEP) you can put in a dril or bench drill finishes them spot on.  I load a lot of 410 and struggle to get a good neat crimp but the spinner sorts that in seconds.  If you get one then just a light dab of WD40 before you apply the spinner helps. Literally just a dab wet the pad of your finger thats all.

Edited November 21, 2021 by Walker570

[Dave at kelton]

25 minutes ago, Walker570 said:

Folkestone Enginnering they do a spinner(GAEP) you can put in a dril or bench drill finishes them spot on.  I load a lot of 410 and struggle to get a good neat crimp but the spinner sorts that in seconds.  If you get one then just a light dab of WD40 before you apply the spinner helps. Literally just a dab wet the pad of your finger thats all.

+1 I use the GAEP finisher on 10 bore it produces a nice round tapered top on the cartridge.

[Smokersmith]

You’ll get beautiful round crimps with a spinner … as the chaps above have said👍

[Minky]

I use a MEC Sizemaster and generally it works well.  I did have a problem recently with primer ejection but I found out the reason and sorted that one.  I've spent an amount of time in adjusting the crimp punches and,  I have a tube crimper die that the finished cartridges are run through which sorts out the front rounded taper but nothing seems to de hexi fy/? word? the tube shape.  I might give Mec a msg to see if they come back with a way.

Edit.. You'd think that a world brand like Mec would address this detail.  I'll see

Edited November 21, 2021 by Minky

[DUNKS]

Yep same problem, cured by finishing with a roll crimp spinner. 

[Saltings]

2 hours ago, DUNKS said:

Yep same problem, cured by finishing with a roll crimp spinner. 

i use a few  different mecs     the 9000   12 g     is the danglies          i use crimp spinners  on all other calibers     (case quality is questionable )   however when spun look good      

[Minky]

A couple of pictures of a few 28G of the several hundred that I have reloaded recently.  I've taken advice on the settings and nearly eliminated the flared hexagonal crimp end.  The cases have now got a good nose taper and are pretty much round.  These cases have been fired several times.