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ViKing · January 12, 2001, 10:38 PM

I use a RockThrower single stage press, and this works for me:

The cases have to be trimmed to the same length. Back out your crimp a turn or so. Put a case in the press (what do you call a shell holder in a progressive?) and crank the ram to the top. Now screw down the crimp die until it just touches the case. This is the 'zero crimp' setting. Remove the case, and screw down the die an exact amount. Most dies have hex nuts for adjustment in the press, so I keep a record of how many 1/2 flat of the hex nut I screw the die in, so there are 12 steps in a full turn. If the die body has no reference marks, make one with a file or stone. I only reload for revolvers, and use RCBS dies. I keep a note in my notebook as to how much crimp I use with what load. A '4' crimp would be 4 x 1/12 of a turn, or 2 flats on the nut, or 1/3 turn.

This is a lot simpler in practice than it is to explain.

January 12, 2001, 10:38 PM	#4
ViKing Member Join Date: December 24, 2000 Posts: 22	I use a RockThrower single stage press, and this works for me: The cases have to be trimmed to the same length. Back out your crimp a turn or so. Put a case in the press (what do you call a shell holder in a progressive?) and crank the ram to the top. Now screw down the crimp die until it just touches the case. This is the 'zero crimp' setting. Remove the case, and screw down the die an exact amount. Most dies have hex nuts for adjustment in the press, so I keep a record of how many 1/2 flat of the hex nut I screw the die in, so there are 12 steps in a full turn. If the die body has no reference marks, make one with a file or stone. I only reload for revolvers, and use RCBS dies. I keep a note in my notebook as to how much crimp I use with what load. A '4' crimp would be 4 x 1/12 of a turn, or 2 flats on the nut, or 1/3 turn. This is a lot simpler in practice than it is to explain.