Crimping the .44 Mag

[Paul Jenkins]

Gentlemen,
I bought a Lee set of dies including a regular seater with roll crimp and the taper crimp die.
I have been roll crimping and taper crimping. Is that correct, or , should I only use one method?

[Lefty Dude]

One or the other, both together is not necessary.

I use the roll crimp for lead loads.

The LFCD is useful for jacketed rounds, for a tight crimp when used in a Lever Rifle magazine fed.

[O.S.O.K.]

Have no idea why you would get a taper crimp for the 44 mag. No need - use the roll crimp only. All of the bullets intended for the 44 have crimp grooves or caneluers to crimp into.

[Chas.]

Have no idea why you would get a taper crimp for the 44 mag. No need

He probably got the same set I got when I retired my old Lyman .44mag dies. I replaced them with a set of Lee with a carbide sizer. My set came with the 3 typical dies and a 4th which is the FCD. I loaded a few rounds with it just to see how it worked, but haven't used it since - no need.

[AJMD429]

Search for "Lee FCD" or "factory crimp die" and you'll find a variety of threads on the crimping of .44 Mag.

I found the BEST was to use the Lee .44-40 'rifle' die to crimp my .44 Mag loads, although I eventually hand-filed a couple thousandth's off the die's base to make it start the crimp at the best place.

Here's one thread on the topic - http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... t=+Lee+FCD

Good luck!

[Doc Hudson]

Paul,

I am a great believer of using a heavy roll crimp, especially on heavy loaded magnum revolver cartridges.

You don't have to worry about the bullets jumping crimp in a revolver, nor do you have to worry about the bullets being pushed deeper in a tubular magazine.

Lots of folks complain about Unique being a very dirty burning powder. With heavy roll crimps, I do not find this to be true. I believe that the heavy roll crimp gives powder more time to burn more completely before the bullet is forced from the case and results in a more complete, cleaner burn. Any bullet i use that has a crimp grove gets a heavy roll crimp. And I don't use lots of bullets without crimp groves.

[J Miller]

The Lee 4 Die Deluxe set comes with an extra FCD. The FCD for straight walled rimmed cases is not a taper crimp die. It's a fancy roll crimp die.
The only way I can think a taper crimp die would be in that set was by mistake.

Joe

[Blaine]

My rounds shoot clean because I use a heavy Lee FDC..... At least I think so For sure, I don't want a 300+ grain bullet jumping crimp in my revolver (or anything else, for that matter)

[JohndeFresno]

Lee Factory Crimp Die used on all of my .44 loads. In fact, all revolver loads. No complaints.

[Dastook]

Paul,

I am a great believer of using a heavy roll crimp, especially on heavy loaded magnum revolver cartridges.

You don't have to worry about the bullets jumping crimp in a revolver, nor do you have to worry about the bullets being pushed deeper in a tubular magazine.

Lots of folks complain about Unique being a very dirty burning powder. With heavy roll crimps, I do not find this to be true. I believe that the heavy roll crimp gives powder more time to burn more completely before the bullet is forced from the case and results in a more complete, cleaner burn. Any bullet i use that has a crimp grove gets a heavy roll crimp. And I don't use lots of bullets without crimp groves.

+++++1

[blackhawk44]

A major factor in gaining accuracy with straight cases is uniform trim length. With uniform lengths, crimps are consistant and accuracy improve, often to a surprising degree.

[AJMD429]

A major factor in gaining accuracy with straight cases is uniform trim length. With uniform lengths, crimps are consistant and accuracy improve, often to a surprising degree.

I think that's one thing the rifle-type Lee "Factory Crimp" dies helps compensate for, whereas the roll-crimp dies of all makes (which in my opinion really includes the pistol-type "Factory Crimp" die lee makes,) pretty much depend on case length to determine the degree of crimp.

That difference (even though I DO trim my cases) was one reason I decided to stay with the "FCD" concept, by using the .44-40 rifle die to crimp my .44 Mags, instead of the .44 Mag pistol die. It's worked well so far, anyway.

I haven't really ever understood the purported advantage of the sliding crimping-collet Lee uses in the pistol-type FCD's.