Crimping Issue

[REDLINE]

I'm curious to find out the consistency of the dies I'm using.  Well, when Hornady gets a working die set back to me that is.  The 10 rounds I loaded so far with the bad die set were 100% consistent.  Hopefully I can get through more than 10 sometime sooner than later.

[drew02a]

From what I hear Hornady Dies aren't worth the money.  I've had zero issues reloading with Lee dies for 10mm, .308, and .243

[REDLINE]

Are Redding dies worth the money?

[EdMc]

For what it's worth, I usually buy RCBS dies. Someone I knew long ago opened a gun shop close by and was selling Hornady reloading equipment so I thought I'd give him a little business. Since then I've bought two sets of Hornady dies but haven't used either long enough to say how they last long term.

[cwlongshot]

That's a tough call...

When asked I list Redding first and given my furthers I wil choose them first. BUT I own more RCBS than any other. They do the same job. To my eye the finish is better and the polish inside is defineately nicer.

I also like ther comp die sets better than other companies.

Hornady now makes a very. Ice die set too. The seater is a good design. Lee also uses it in there Neck sizer die set.

CW

[Taterhead]

The times when I have encountered sticking during seating/crimping has always been the result of a bit too much flare. It leaves a bit of a scratchy ring around the edge of the case mouth. It doesn't take much to be too much bell I have found -- at least with my RCBS seat/crimp die. They look just like the case mouth in the photos above where there is a semi-rough ring around the edge of the case mouth. Reducing the bell a tad bit cleaned up the problem.

Also, excessive force when seating and crimping is an indication of a bit too much crimp. If a heavy crimp is desired (I don't recommend this for 10mm), then seating and crimping in separate steps is preferable, in my opinion.

[REDLINE]

The times when I have encountered sticking during seating/crimping has always been the result of a bit too much flare. It leaves a bit of a scratchy ring around the edge of the case mouth. It doesn't take much to be too much bell I have found -- at least with my RCBS seat/crimp die. They look just like the case mouth in the photos above where there is a semi-rough ring around the edge of the case mouth. Reducing the bell a tad bit cleaned up the problem.

Also, excessive force when seating and crimping is an indication of a bit too much crimp. If a heavy crimp is desired (I don't recommend this for 10mm), then seating and crimping in separate steps is preferable, in my opinion.

I was expanding the case mouths to .428".  I crimped them down to .423".  Most of the factory loads I have measured out to a crimp of .421"-.422".

At .428" of flare I felt like I was only just barely able to hand-seat bullets into them before running them through the die.

Do you think .428" was too much flare?

[cwlongshot]

The times when I have encountered sticking during seating/crimping has always been the result of a bit too much flare. It leaves a bit of a scratchy ring around the edge of the case mouth. It doesn't take much to be too much bell I have found -- at least with my RCBS seat/crimp die. They look just like the case mouth in the photos above where there is a semi-rough ring around the edge of the case mouth. Reducing the bell a tad bit cleaned up the problem.

Also, excessive force when seating and crimping is an indication of a bit too much crimp. If a heavy crimp is desired (I don't recommend this for 10mm), then seating and crimping in separate steps is preferable, in my opinion.

I was expanding the case mouths to .428".  I crimped them down to .423".  Most of the factory loads I have measured out to a crimp of .421"-.422".

At .428" of flare I felt like I was only just barely able to hand-seat bullets into them before running them through the die.

Do you think .428" was too much flare?

I think you asked me the same question and I never answered you...

Frankly, I don't know, I don't mike mine.    I flair the case only enough to allow the base of the bullet to start. If it looks like a trumpet, it too much. You onlu want to open the case enough to allow seating the bullet, even then, Jacketed bullets require very little "belling"... Cast bullets need a tad more as they will shave off otherwise... ALSO,  I carefully hit all case mouths with "space ship" de burring tool.

CW

[REDLINE]

Educated guess?  .005" flare.  You could see it, but I don't think I'ld call it a trumpet either.  Still, looking for experienced opinion and/or fact.  I was hoping to get my replacement die set today but it didn't happen, though it would have been some record turn around time if it would have.  Hopefully by Tuesday I'll be up and going again.

[sqlbullet]

I will have to mike mine and see.

I flare a miniscule amount on the rare occasion I load jacketed.  For lead, a bit more else I get shaving of the lead.

[REDLINE]

I'll be curious to see what you come up with.

[cwlongshot]

I'm loading some today, If I remember, I'll mike mine too...

Starting to load the 200G cast bullets. Once I find a load I'll move to the 550 and turn out a thousand or so.

CW

UPDATE:

OK,
  I miked, as I loaded 25 pcs.
The resized diameter at the mouth average is .418, after a trip thru the expander die, its average diameter at the mouth, is .424. Once the bullet is seated and crimped the final diameter average is .4205.  Rememberer, this is with Remington Nickle brass and my .401 dia 200g lead bullets. A jacketed bullet will likely have a slightly smaller diameter.

CW

[REDLINE]

Thanks for taking the time to measure.  I can't wait to get a set of working dies back from Hornady to see how things work out then, and compare to the measurements the rest of you show.

[REDLINE]

Got the dies back from Hornady.  The seating/crimping die is night and day difference better.  But, they still are mildly reluctant to let me have the finished round back.

In the meantime I also ordered up a Redding die set.  Holy smoothness!!!  The reloading process is now a joy and I will never use the Hornady seat/crimp die that I have again. 

Also worth mentioning;  The Redding expander die is much less agressive than the Hornady model I have.  It boils down to the Redding expander die doing the expanding at a much more gradual pace.  Besides that, the Redding seat/crimp die is much more gradual in crimping, making that a smoother operation. 

On top of that, when you factor in the more refined working surfases of the Redding dies, all is exponentially smoother yet.  Love'em!  No more die issues.

[EdMc]

Good deal, glad to hear you got your issues sorted out even with a different set of dies.