which crimp?

[Weapon of Choice]

Just got my Hornady dies but not sure how to crimp the Hornady 250FTX. I think I use the separate crimp die not the roll crimp in the seating die. Is this right?

[Hoot]

You definitely want to use the Taper Crimp. Run your press ram all the way up. Screw in the seating die until they meet and then back off the seating die a turn or two, so you don't engage the roll crimp built into it.

Hoot

[Weapon of Choice]

Thanks, I think I got it figured out. First time I have done a taper crimp.

[Hoot]

Thanks, I think I got it figured out. First time I have done a taper crimp.

Your very welcome. Work with that taper crimp before being lured into the murky world of side (stab) crimping. I get my best groups with just the taper crimp. Seems like every time I go with the side (stab) crimp on a cannelure, I get excellent retention, more velocity for the same amount of powder with great SDs, but my groups open up from 1 MOA to 2 MOA and that's with two different width side (stab) crimpers.

There'll be time to experiment with your sanity later.

Hoot

[BayouBob]

Hoot, Have you ever pulled a bullet after you side crimped it to see if the jacket is deformed. Seems like if your SD is good then either the bullet is getting damaged or the side crimp is skewing it in the case. I'm still working on making a side crimp so I can try 275 gr. XPB's.

[Hoot]

Hoot, Have you ever pulled a bullet after you side crimped it to see if the jacket is deformed. Seems like if your SD is good then either the bullet is getting damaged or the side crimp is skewing it in the case. I'm still working on making a side crimp so I can try 275 gr. XPB's.

No I haven't Bob, but I suspect you are correct. I have three experiments I haven't written up from the past three weekends. Each one had a side crimp elements in it and every time I added the side crimp, my groups went punk. I have a theory, but haven't followed up on it. Summer chores and giving my 16 yr old daughter driving lessons daily have consumed more time than I like. The latter having also taken it's toll on my mental health

We really need Lee to step up to the plate and make an FCD that one can still use the set nut with when putting crimps further down the case than the mouth. Heaven knows they make enough of them for other obscure calibers. I imagine these trying economic times have a lot of manufacturers sittin tight with their R&D departments, assuming they still have one. Off to the shower now...

Hoot

[Siringo]

We are not the only ones exploring this option.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewIt ... 604155#PIC

[wildcatter]

Hoot, Have you ever pulled a bullet after you side crimped it to see if the jacket is deformed. Seems like if your SD is good then either the bullet is getting damaged or the side crimp is skewing it in the case. I'm still working on making a side crimp so I can try 275 gr. XPB's.

They sure can, depending on how much crimp you put on them, but then the same is true for the taper crimp.

I never considered this effect a negative. If you want match accuracy in a bottle necked cartridge, then no crimp is desired, but a undersized neck button is needed. As this is No Bench Rest Rig, I personally want precipitable accuracy, with more speed. I want the target Dead, Dead, Dead. A heavy LeGendre Side Crimp gives that to me.

It's good to see the Beowulf guys finally coming around, there are fewer Nay-Sayers these days, about our work. I wonder if we can use their die?

[Siringo]

From what I read on line -- that this was a special run and not a catalog item.

[Hoot]

I was at work earlier and my images were at home. This past Saturday I did some tests with the 200 FTX and 225 FTX with just a taper crimp and then a taper crimp with a modest side crimp right on the 2nd cannelure. Here's the crimps on the 200 FTX and 225 FTX loads.



As you can see, I'm not into wasp crimps, just enough to catch the cannelure and offer significant resistance to bullet creep when chambering.

The impact it had on my groups was very evident. I loaded 5 taper crimp only and 5 taper crimp plus side crimp in two different bullets two different charges 1 grain apart, so eight groups. In this image, the odd numbered groups are taper crimp only and the even numbered include the side crimp:



Groups went as follows:
1 200 FTX 34gr LG Taper crimp
2 200 FTX 34gr LG Plus side crimp
3 200 FTX 35gr LG Taper crimp
4 200 FTX 35gr LG Plus side crimp
5 225 FTX 35gr LG Taper crimp
6 225 FTX 35gr LG Plus side crimp
7 225 FTX 36gr LG Taper crimp
8 225 FTX 36gr LG Plus side crimp

Historically for my setup:
The 200s reach peak accuracy with 36gr LG, seated 2.19" OAL, Taper crimp only.
The 225s reach peak accuracy at 38gr LG, seated 2.12" OAL, Taper crimp only.
The 250s reach peak accuracy with 38gr LG, seated 2.19" OAL, Taper crimp only.
I never tried the 250s with a side crimp since they don't have any cannelures to crimp into.

Hoot