Crimp die?

[Jay6]

Do you guys use one when reloading rifle ammo? I will be doing .223 and 30-06?

[yoshidaex]

i'm surprised no one answered your question yet.

you might want to do a search in the rifle reloading forum here.

i load for .308 and don't crimp relying only on the case neck tension. after 3 or 4 loadings the case neck needs to be annealed.

as for 223 or 30-06, i've heard both sides of the camp. some claim better accuracy with a crimp and vice versa.

[styx]

I don't crimp rifle ammo that will be used in a bolt action. However I do use a taper crimp on all 233 that will be fed to one of my AR's. The feed cycle is really pretty violent and I've found that it helps prevent setback. Try both ways and see what works out.

[D.Hayden]

223: I do now.. very slightly...

[b.s._nm]

Do you guys use one when reloading rifle ammo? I will be doing .223 and 30-06?

I crimp anything thats going to feed a semi auto. As previously stated, it prevents bullet setback from recoil or from feeding.

I would only load bullets with a crimping cannelure for those loads. For bolt action, hunting or long range accuracy loads with a smooth boat-tail bullet with no cannelure--no crimp. If there's a cannelure it's a matter of preference since as stated before, some loads will give better results with a crimp. Crimping will increase pressure--so caution on throwing a crimp on already max velocity loads. Should be using the crimp as load is worked up or back of a touch and work back with the crimp.

Be safe. Keep the right side UP!!!!

Bob

[amlevin]

I use a LEE Factory Crimp Die on my .223 ammo. Just enough to start the case mouth into the cannelure. The LEE die is a collet type that crimps right at the cannelure. Enough to prevent setback if the round meets any resistance during the chambering process.

[aedavis]

I don't crimp my 223 loads (AR rifle) or my bolt rifle loads. I just recently started loaded for my MAK 90 and am realizing that I'll have to crimp the 7.62x39 loads because of setback issues, probably brought on by the violent chambering of the Kalishnakov action.

Hope this helps,

Allan

[David Sinko]

While I dread setback when loading and firing pistol cartridges and fast powder, I am not sure why this would be a safety issue in the .223 which already usually has compressed charges anyway. I use 748 and 3031 and any load that is near max in the manual pretty much fills the case right up to the mouth. So basically I can't even use the published max loads because all the powder won't fit. I notice that some of the loads with BLC2 actually do have room to exceed the published max and not have 100% loading density. In these instances I do not crimp at all and I have never had any feeding problems. I have not yet unchambered any rounds to check and see if they seat deeper upon feeding. I'm new to the autoloading rifle game and have not loaded for any of them previously and the only rifle cartridge I ever crimp is the .45-70. I have never crimped a bottlenecked rifle cartridge. I shoot a lot of cast SWC revolver bullets out of .30 rifles (usually lever action) and I never crimp those either and have never had any problems with setback.

Dave Sinko