August 30, 2012, 05:47 PM | #51 | |
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August 30, 2012, 06:03 PM | #52 | |||
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BTW Bulged brass from range pick-ups is taken care of when resized. I must have the magic sizer die. But then I already know I'm special!
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August 30, 2012, 06:20 PM | #53 | |
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August 30, 2012, 06:25 PM | #54 |
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jcwit with your magic sizing you have no need for the holy grail of the FCD.
It seems that somewhere along the process of handling bress case's they may be sized down too far and seated bullets bulge out the side walls. Then the only way to fix that is after seating resizing with the FCD. |
August 30, 2012, 07:53 PM | #55 |
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"If the FCD is such a great invention wonder why non of the other manufactures haven't jumped on the bandwagon."
Perhaps it has something to do with patient laws? Anyone thinking 'die adjustment' can eliminate all chambering problems in handguns has much too little experience to listen to, no matter how long they've been reloading. (Some people have fifty years of experience, some have one year of experience they've repeated fifty times!) |
August 30, 2012, 09:36 PM | #56 | ||
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August 30, 2012, 09:44 PM | #57 |
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I recently spoke with a world class bullet caster about some accuracy issues with my .40 S&W. First question he asked was if I used a Lee FCD. (I hadn't)
Not saying they don't have a place, but it generally ain't with cast bullets you want to land close to each other.
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August 30, 2012, 10:13 PM | #58 |
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"Not saying they don't have a place, but it generally ain't with cast bullets you want to land close to each other."
Trust me on this, if your cast bullets are the same size as your jacketed bullets they will load the same land just as close together no matter what dies you use. |
August 31, 2012, 04:18 AM | #59 | ||
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9x19mm .356" lead bullets After going through a Lee Carbide FCD, the bullets come out at .355" and lead like crazy. At .356" everything is fine. After a trip the the FCD and getting sized down to .355" on the bearing surface... it all goes to crap.
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August 31, 2012, 08:41 AM | #60 |
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Seems like this has been beat to death, some see value some don't... No different the nything else I guess. Fwiw I have 6 45s, I reload the same ammo for all of them and for a few friends who have 45s. 5 of the 6 have barrels from high end barrel makers, nowlin, kart, Wilson... I load probably one of the most difficult bullets to feed for a 45, 250 gr lead flat nose. I don't use a fcd and I have no problems in any of these guns. My brass is all range brass. I use a dillon 550 and dillon dies.
If you feel it provides reliability then use it, it's an expensive die. But I have not found the need. I wouldn't go out and get it till there was a problem to solve and you exhausted other options. |
August 31, 2012, 09:06 AM | #61 | |||
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If those of you have not been able to adjust your dies to accept rounds reloaded by you and you feel the need of an additional step to accomadate your handguns, HEY, GO FOR IT. If this offends you, and your reloading ability, thats life. Just relating my personal experience. Quote:
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August 31, 2012, 09:28 AM | #62 | ||
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August 31, 2012, 09:32 AM | #63 | |
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August 31, 2012, 10:34 AM | #64 |
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From what I've found the basic fcd was patented Jan 1992, so it seems to reason with that patent running out, other loading tool companys may produce something of that nature.
I wonder if richard lee gets royalities from Winchester Western, Remington, Hornady, and all the other loading company's that use the principle of the sliding collet for crimping cannelured bullets. |
August 31, 2012, 10:43 AM | #65 |
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^Would not surprise me as he holds many patents and has done more than any other individual for reloaders.
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August 31, 2012, 10:43 AM | #66 | |
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If memory serves me correctly "that in itself may be a streach" Lee at one time made dies for the factory ammo companies. This may no longer be true if in fact it ever was.
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August 31, 2012, 10:50 AM | #67 |
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Finally - agreement on something. I also agree, use the FCD if you like, and vice versa.
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August 31, 2012, 11:12 AM | #68 | |
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Well actually waaaaay back in post 28 I wrote
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August 31, 2012, 05:49 PM | #69 | |
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August 31, 2012, 06:31 PM | #70 | |
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August 31, 2012, 07:29 PM | #71 | |||
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To me your dies may be adjusted correctly, then again they may not, I personally have no idea as I am not there. You claim you use the FCD for "OTHER" reasons, fine, as I've now written a number of times go for it. Quote:
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BTW, Who's talking down to who? Better check the mirror.
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August 31, 2012, 08:22 PM | #72 |
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The FCD is the last die many of my reloads go through. I don't "need" the carbide sizing ring in the pistol dies, but I don't mind it being there. As far as I can tell it isn't touching any of the cases.
The only rifle cartridge I crimp these days is the .444 Marlin and the FCD does a fine job at that.
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August 31, 2012, 08:35 PM | #73 |
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I had an interesting thing happen with the FCD today. I picked up my first batch of hard cast .45 bullets and loaded some 200gr LSWC .452" diameter to try out. The bullets seated fine (I seat and remove the bellmouth at station 3, then FCD/taper crimp to .469/.470 at station 4), but when I ran the cartridge into the FCD it went it hard. quite hard, actually. I didnt pull any but I guarantee the bullet was being swaged .001"-.002". I can get this particular bullet locally and cheaply from a person that I care to do business with.
I didnt worry about it until seeing the results and I am glad I didnt. I tested 4 loads and all 4 of them would have been acceptable, and I will have to retest to determine which is the best of 2 of them. Both of the good load were making ragged holes at 25'. I am very pleased. I can get this particular bullet locally and cheaply from a person that I care to do business with. I dont mind using a bit more muscle to run it through the FCD every time if the results are as good as I saw today, that's for sure As with anything to do with reloading, what works for one gun may or may not work for another. I am sure glad I have an FCD available to test with each handgun caliber I load for. It is a good tool, and if helps any of my loads, I am glad to have it. |
September 1, 2012, 12:25 AM | #74 |
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I use the FCD for everything I reload. Tim
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September 1, 2012, 01:31 AM | #75 | |
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What cartridges (chamberings) do you reload? Do all those cartridges you load really need the FCD? And I must point out that a statement without details is virtually worthless to anyone trying to educate themselves (or willing to open their mind to change). I don't let FCD detractors get away with it, and I will ask you for your reasoning just as quickly. Besides, I like the FCD concept (both parts, separating the crimping from the seating all the time and the post sizing function sometimes) and I want to know why you do, too, in case I have missed some good arguments. Thanks. Looking forward to your response. Lost Sheep |
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