B_RAD Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 I read the instructions but when I screw the die down far enough to touch the shell plate, the lock ring is screwed all the way off the threads and can't be locked down. A friend said he just screwed the lock ring on the bottom side of the tool head. Anyone see any issues with that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 4 minutes ago, B_RAD said: I read the instructions but when I screw the die down far enough to touch the shell plate, the lock ring is screwed all the way off the threads and can't be locked down. A friend said he just screwed the lock ring on the bottom side of the tool head. Anyone see any issues with that? I don't run mine low enough to do much sizing. I just use it to crimp. BUT, I do run a LEE Udie and put the nut on the bottom because of no threads left on top. It causes no problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usmc90 Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 I have the FCD on my 650 for 9mm And yes my nut on the bottom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyScuba Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 Same here no issues. The Whidden floating tool head on my 40 setup I had to loctite it in place due to it's design. Works. I was having concentricity issues so I went down all roads and I'm down to 1-2% that won't pass the hundo, but still shoot ok in practice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B_RAD Posted April 4, 2019 Author Share Posted April 4, 2019 Not gonna lie, instill don't know what it does differently than the Dillon? Just had several people recommend it. So,... Though, I wasn't getting many cause gauge failures with the Dillon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
motosapiens Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 19 minutes ago, B_RAD said: Not gonna lie, instill don't know what it does differently than the Dillon? Just had several people recommend it. So,... the FCD has a sizing ring at the bottom, so it gives your cartridge one last squeeze on the way up to getting taper-crimped. some people claim that with thick-walled brass they can swage down a lead or coated /plated bullet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeyScuba Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 Claim being the word. I've pulled and measured and maybe I've gone from .358 to .3575 occasionally. This is with the 9mm FCD. The .401 coated bullets don't change from .401 with the 40 FCD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
36873687 Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 Works on the bottom or use dillon lock ring Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B_RAD Posted April 4, 2019 Author Share Posted April 4, 2019 Thanks everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Postal Bob Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 The Dillon lock rings are not as big as the Lee ones, and will lock down the FCD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zzt Posted April 4, 2019 Share Posted April 4, 2019 The 9mm FCD only has a carbide ring at the top. It will not size the whole case like the 40 and 45 will. If I use the FCD with .401" bullets, the portion of the bullet that is inside the case IS swaged down to .400". It doesn't matter what brass you are using. The portion that is outside the case is not swaged. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mveto Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 When I was using the FCD I had to use the lock ring on the under side of the tool head to lock the die in place, ended up switching my die set up, never really saw a benefit with the FCD in my set up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hamiltonian Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 10 hours ago, B_RAD said: I read the instructions but when I screw the die down far enough to touch the shell plate, the lock ring is screwed all the way off the threads and can't be locked down. A friend said he just screwed the lock ring on the bottom side of the tool head. Anyone see any issues with that? Why are you using a LFC die? I don't like swaging the bullet down after they were sized at the factory or the bullet maker. For matches, just take your barrel out and do the plunk test for your ammo. For practice, if a bullet is a little oversize and does not chamber all the way, it is good practice to clear it. I don't like relying on a crimp to keep the bullet in place; I use an undersize resizing die, and that provides a good friction fit between the case and bullet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmtyndall Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 Why are you using a LFC die? I don't like swaging the bullet down after they were sized at the factory or the bullet maker. For matches, just take your barrel out and do the plunk test for your ammo. For practice, if a bullet is a little oversize and does not chamber all the way, it is good practice to clear it. I don't like relying on a crimp to keep the bullet in place; I use an undersize resizing die, and that provides a good friction fit between the case and bullet.Particularly in 9mm the Lee FCD isn't swaging the bullets down. I've measured before and after. 9mm is tapered so a larger diameter at the opening of the die than at the bullet.What it does do is swage down the case head in the region that the Dillon sizing die does not reach. The Dillon sizing die is flared at the base to allow better alignment and reliability of the press. Unfortunately I was getting 3-4% reject rate in my case gauge. I switched to the Lee FCD and now I'm running 0.5% reject rate. And 0 of those were sizing issues (3 shaved bullets, 1 sideways primer, 1 no primer). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncie21 Posted April 5, 2019 Share Posted April 5, 2019 I use the thinner, Dillon nuts on my Lee dies and haven't had to place the nut under the tool head yet, although it has come very close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B_RAD Posted April 6, 2019 Author Share Posted April 6, 2019 I just put a Dillon ring ontop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmtyndall Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 I just put a Dillon ring ontopSame here. No issues on my 550 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chevrofreak Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 I use thread tape on the die and flip the locking ring upside down and use it on the top Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lgh Posted April 6, 2019 Share Posted April 6, 2019 When I used one I put the nut on the bottom. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdp88 Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 I just screwed mine all the way down to the Dillon ring and it seems to work just fine through about 20,000 rounds now. The only issue I've had with the Lee FCD is with 9 major cases that have been stretched out. It force the case down and makes a little ring at the bottom on some of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
muncie21 Posted April 10, 2019 Share Posted April 10, 2019 On 4/5/2019 at 11:42 PM, B_RAD said: I just put a Dillon ring ontop ^That's the ticket.^ I run the Lee FCD on all of my pistol setups, works great and no swaged bullets for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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