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Bart B. · August 10, 2013, 08:34 PM

Steve, thanks for the info on Sierra's crimped HPMK. That reminded me of their first Ballistics Manager telling me back in the '60's that all their bullets shot more accurate without crimping of any kind. Even knurling in a callelure unblanced them and they weren't as accurate as the unknurled ones.

Regarding anything I might have documenting the "Sierra vs. Lee" war of words on the Lee FCD versus HPMK accuracy, I've nothing physical. But it happened and I remember seeing magazine ads with all the bantering between them. Here's one link to Unclenick mentioning it; read post 7 in this thread:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...+crimp+die+fcd

Ballistic tech's at Sierra have also mentioned this to me. Call Sierra Bullets and ask them, then you'll get it straight from the horses mouth.

I will admit that the Lee FCD may well fix poorly assembled ammo and make it shoot more accurate. But if you can shoot your stuff into no worse than about 1/4 MOA at 100 yards all day long, with uncrimped case mouths on Sierra HPMK's, use the Lee FCD on some and watch the accuracy to to hell in a hand basket.

Decades ago, the arsenals making 30 caliber match ammo quit crimping those 172-gr. bullets in place and the improved accuracy was easily seen. While the smallest test groups didn't get any smaller, the largest ones did; mean radius of all shots from group center got smalller.

I also suppose it doesn't matter that crimped case mouths on centerfire rifle match bullets haven't shot winning and record setting results in the US for decades. Ask the benchresters about crimping bullets and they may well just walk away shaking their heads.

Name one top ranked (upper 20% of their classification system) competitive centerfire rifle shooter in any discipline who crimps his reloaded cases on bullets and I will reconsider my position.

August 10, 2013, 08:34 PM	#12
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	Steve, thanks for the info on Sierra's crimped HPMK. That reminded me of their first Ballistics Manager telling me back in the '60's that all their bullets shot more accurate without crimping of any kind. Even knurling in a callelure unblanced them and they weren't as accurate as the unknurled ones. Regarding anything I might have documenting the "Sierra vs. Lee" war of words on the Lee FCD versus HPMK accuracy, I've nothing physical. But it happened and I remember seeing magazine ads with all the bantering between them. Here's one link to Unclenick mentioning it; read post 7 in this thread: http://thefiringline.com/forums/show...+crimp+die+fcd Ballistic tech's at Sierra have also mentioned this to me. Call Sierra Bullets and ask them, then you'll get it straight from the horses mouth. I will admit that the Lee FCD may well fix poorly assembled ammo and make it shoot more accurate. But if you can shoot your stuff into no worse than about 1/4 MOA at 100 yards all day long, with uncrimped case mouths on Sierra HPMK's, use the Lee FCD on some and watch the accuracy to to hell in a hand basket. Decades ago, the arsenals making 30 caliber match ammo quit crimping those 172-gr. bullets in place and the improved accuracy was easily seen. While the smallest test groups didn't get any smaller, the largest ones did; mean radius of all shots from group center got smalller. I also suppose it doesn't matter that crimped case mouths on centerfire rifle match bullets haven't shot winning and record setting results in the US for decades. Ask the benchresters about crimping bullets and they may well just walk away shaking their heads. Name one top ranked (upper 20% of their classification system) competitive centerfire rifle shooter in any discipline who crimps his reloaded cases on bullets and I will reconsider my position. Last edited by Bart B.; August 10, 2013 at 08:41 PM.