Another .40 Cal Crimp Question.

[rayjay]

I admittedly have not read the entire thread...but did anyone mention that case wall thickness is a very important factor? The outside diameter of the case is irrelevant regarding bullet retention, only the inside diameter matters. It has to be smaller than the bullet OD...thin wall cases cause problems in all calibers.

[.40AET]

Hey Cuz, keep the faith, you'll get there. FWIW, I think you have a good setup now. When I get home tonight I'll take some measurements. I'm running the same die set up that you have. I used to have the EGW U-die but I then went back to the standard die set that you have now.

Take a piece of common brass and measure the outside and the inside diameter. Then resize it and measure both again. I'll do the same tonight. If you have time tonight, call Lee and ask them if your measurements are within tolerences.

After resizing outside diam=.418"

inside diam=.395"

Then I ran the case through the powder station and the inside diam=.397". Which is also the diameter of the expander. My finished rounds are .420" in diameter. The OAL of a finished round is 1.205" and after pushing down on the round to check for setback I had the same measurement and a sore thumb.

Hope something helps.

Edited May 5, 2005 by .40AET

[Cuz]

Hey Cuz, keep the faith, you'll get there. FWIW, I think you have a good setup now. When I get home tonight I'll take some measurements. I'm running the same die set up that you have. I used to have the EGW U-die but I then went back to the standard die set that you have now.

Take a piece of common brass and measure the outside and the inside diameter. Then resize it and measure both again. I'll do the same tonight. If you have time tonight, call Lee and ask them if your measurements are within tolerences.

After resizing outside diam=.418"

                      inside diam=.395"

Then I ran the case through the powder station and the inside diam=.397". Which is also the diameter of the expander. My finished rounds are .420" in diameter. The OAL of a finished round is 1.205" and after pushing down on the round to check for setback I had the same measurement and a sore thumb.

Hope something helps.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for the info. I printed your measurements but won't get to check mine till tomorrow. I'll let you know how I make out.

[gino_aki]

Ditto for Lee factory crimp. And never had a problem with setback, even when I messed up and seated waaay to long  , which would have caused it if anything... I think they are the bomb for autolaoders.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

new to this forum but here goes:

I've been shooting my Para for years at 181pf never had any problems, recently started down loading to get less recoil with the new cap set at 165. I may have been extremely lucky.

Gun:

Self built Para on gunsmith frame, UNRAMPED! Centaur Systems barrel (remember them? really sophisticated system)...two barrel ports (me) older three comp chamber, two recoil chamber compensator (similar to an EGW). Lightened Caspian slide, PDP5 on a Weigand mount. Para 10mm mags...which leads to the next:

Load:

Previous: What I thought was 7.3 gr of WW Super Field or 7.0 gr of Action Pistol under a Hornady 155 gr XTP, Federal SP primer, Federal or Winchester cases. Later found out powder measure was indicating about .7 or .8 grain light so load was actually more like 8.0 gr of Super Field or 7.8 of Action Pistol. Super Field load usually factored out at 178- 179pf, the Action Pistol load at 181-182.

Current: 6.8 gr WW Action Pistol (on my last pound, durn, this was good stuff) gonna have to experiment with the reintroduced Super Field. As an aside, the more recent WST sure burns a lot hotter/faster than the older (circa mid 90's) Super Target so I'm going to have to start low I think with the new Super Field.

OAL: 1.192 (way long) because of the 10mm (preban) mags

1.182 with Montana Gold 155 gr bullets

Both loads were very clean, very accurate out of this barrel, also worked with D&J 155 gr round nose hardcast bullet but leaded the comp. Lead bullets had to be sized .400 when loaded this long or else they'd stick in the rifling.

Loader Set-Up: Hornady Projector (old) Hornady Lock N Load (current) Lee carbide dies, Redding Taper Crimp Die. Crimp measures .420 at case mouth.

I use Hornady One Shot lube...and have cases I've loaded at least 6 or 7 times, no bulging, no pressure signs, have never had any set-back problems. Recoil spring in the Centaur System came from maker at 15 lbs but have since cut 4 coils to get it to cycle with that long comp. I'm wondering if the unramped barrel feeds easier so doesn't set bullets back.

This string of posts interested me since I'm considering another Para to build a Limited gun on. I do plan on using 180-200 grain bullets in that gun so maybe this problem won't crop up.

[Ray_Z]

I guess everybody has their own way of making a reload work. This way works for me. In my mind if the dies weren't designed properly to do the job the manufacturer wouldn't be making many of them.

When I adjust a taper crimp die, I run a case/bullet through it, then I slide my fingers down the case from back to front. If I feel any flare in the case I make a minor adjustment. When I can't feel any flare in the case then I check it in the case gauge. If that works out then I get out the 'ol bullet hammer. I look at the pulled bullet to see if there is more than just mild markings on it from the taper crimp die. If there isn't any I drop it down a hair. If their is a lot of marking on the bullet I raise it up a bit.

[achard]

How do you measure the crimping? do you measure in millimeter?

thanks,