Problems with Lee Factory Crimp Die in 223

[FontanaHorseman]

Using Lee FCD in station #5 and have reloaded thousands of rounds with it no problem.

Just finished run of about 3.5K and at very end of run it started crushing case just below shoulder on straight wall.

Didn't notice it until case gauging last run of 100 (thankfully last run and not first since I ususally run 1K at a time!!!)

In pic below usually the top of neck and crimp is dead center in the cannelature. These are all over the place and several of the bullets are actually leaning several degrees to the side. All I can think of is the collett is binding on a round then when it pulls down it is off center in the die and does not release to recenter on next (and subsequent) rounds.

Checked die - nothing seemed wrong - had not moved from last setting....puzzled.

Pulled tool head and cleaned die with brake cleaner & copper barrel brush. Ran rag thru it until clean then started run again.

Did fine until last 10-15 rounds! Started again.

Pulled die completely this time and visually checked to see if something in die - clear. Cleaned again. reset die and backed it off .010.

Ran next run about 50 rounds then did it AGAIN!!! I am frustrated at this point!

Pulled die and the collet has some pay in it but binds at times when you rotate it.

Is there a need to pull & clean the collet??? If so how do you do it?

Any advice would be greatly appreciated - I am at wits end here!

Thx, FH

[kamikaze1a]

Did you verify that the buckling is occurring at station 5? Could be your seating die too deep and crimping before bullet fully seated. The varying bullet seating looks like evidence to that. If it was the FCD causing the problem, I believe bullet seating would not vary.

[FontanaHorseman]

Yes on Station 5.

When it started doing it I watched closely on last 5 rounds and they were fine at seating die #4.

The collet in the FCD just feels funny....catches on something inside it....maybe a piece of brass from trimming????

I don't know. Don't want to ruin die but would love to drive the collet out and see if there is something in it!

Have another 4.5K to go!!!! Want to Git R Done.... just hate having to break down all these screwed up rounds....

Any ideas or help???

FH

[FontanaHorseman]

Just pulled die again and this time I popped collet out.

Had a lot of junk between grooves in collet and in retaining ring on inside of die.

Cleaned all of that out and off and noticed some scarring on the inside of the main die (I guess where some of the junk had rubbed) basically in four places around die (looks like where the groves in the collet were).

Put it all back together and it ran fine for 43 rounds then STARTED DOING THE CRUSHING AGAIN!!! Caught it after three rounds this time then did two more to see if anything looked odd.

The collet is freezing up in the die it looks like - I cannot move it at all.

Any other ideas? Guess I'll call Lee and see what they say as well.

Thanks, FH

[mscott]

I had the same problem toward a large batch of ammo a few months ago. I never did figure it out as it was fine for the first couple thousand and then trouble on the last few hundred.

[kamikaze1a]

I find it odd that the crimp die would cause the bullets to seat at different depths but if you confirmed that it was happening at 5th station, I would call Lee.

Hard to tell by the image but perhaps the brass needs more outside deburring. You might discover the issue if you watch the crimping action from above as the round crimps. I would watch for uniform bullet protrusion through the collet and at what point the collet starts closing. The FCD for 223 is a collet style so squeezes the case and I adjust it until it is not quite fully closed at full travel. Perhaps your die is too deep and over crimping.

Are you measuring OAL of brass after sizing? Perhaps OAL variation causing collapse?

[dauntedfuture]

You need to seat the bullets deeper in the cases so that you are crimping in the groove and adjust the crimp. Start with seated bullet. Loose the crimp and run a loaded round all the way up. Adjust the die down until you get the crimp you want. I think that you have the die way too far down and as a result you are crimping to early and as a result its causing pressure to buckle the case.

[Religious Shooter]

Buy another one. Lee dies are cheap.