Crimping 223/5.56 bullets with out cannelure ??? yes / No ???

Metal god · June 4, 2014, 11:25 PM

I'm about to load some 69gr smk for my dads new AR . He has a 16" 223 Wylde 1-8 twist ss barrel free floated , bla , bla , bla . Nice little upper , I think . It's never been fired . We will be taking it out next week some time to see how it shoots . I thought I'd work up a load using 69gr smk and IMR 4064 .

Anyways . I seated a practice round and did what I thought was my light factory crimp I put on my 55gr FMF-BT w/c . Well it's not as light as I thought .

Cartridge on left 55gr plinking round , bullet on the right 69gr smk after I pulled it . As you can see by crimping the non cannelured bullet I put a huge dent in the side of the bullet . I should add that I had a heck of a time pounding it out so it definitely had a lot of bullet hold .

My question is can you crimp a non cannelure bullet ?

Did I compromise the jacket buy denting it ?

Is it unsafe ?

Did I just make that MATCH bullet a plinking bullet ? Meaning by putting that dent in the side . It's not likely to fly as true as if I did not crimp ?

I've heard from a few of you here to not even bother crimping for my AR match loads . The only dies I have are the standard 223 Lee dies and I'm not sure how much bullet hold they have ? It appears I have around .002 to .0025 of neck tension . While writing this I just did some other test like seating another bullet with out crimp and tried to force the bullet to set back by hand . I could not get the bullet to move while pressing the nose of the bullet pretty hard into my bench . I then tried my kinetic bullet puller and 3 good wacks got the bullet to move but not much . Seems like there is plenty of bullet hold but I keep hearing that voice in the back of my head saying . Always crimp for semi auto's .

burrhead · June 4, 2014, 11:31 PM

I don't crimp any rifle cartridges. You already have good neck tension and crimping doesn't do anything to prevent set back. Why crimp at all?

chris in va · June 4, 2014, 11:46 PM

Crimping has shown to improve velocity consistency.

higgite · June 4, 2014, 11:59 PM

Quote:

Crimping has shown to improve velocity consistency.

Without a cannelure?

Ifishsum · June 5, 2014, 12:12 AM

I wouldn't shoot that bullet in a match....if you have good neck tension you're not doing anything but damaging the bullet IMO. If there's a cannelure, crimp all you like but I can't bring myself to make one in a match bullet.

Metal god · June 5, 2014, 01:04 AM

Quote:

I wouldn't shoot that bullet in a match.

Assuming those were the only heavy-ish match bullets I could find local . Why should they not be used or were you only talking if crimping or the barrel type ??? I have 1-9 HBAR I was going to load the 69s for . Is there something that makes the 69gr smk not a good bullet for the AR ?

Bart B. · June 5, 2014, 04:45 AM

You didn't compromise that bullet. You ruined it. Compromised bullets are those that are loaded backwards; base out and pointy end towards the primer. The bullet with that shrunken waistline is very much unbalanded. It'll jump off the bore axis as it exits.

Try not crimping your ammo with the neck tension you've got. If an automatically chambered round is ejected and shows the bullet's shifted position, polish down the expander ball on your sizing die to get more neck tension.

All 22 caliber bullets are good for AR's. As long as the heavier ones are used in faster twist barrels and lighter ones in slower twists, all's well in the accuracy world.

Metal god · June 5, 2014, 10:14 AM

Quote:

You didn't compromise that bullet. You ruined it.

Yeah , the more I thought about it the more I realized that .Why spend the money on a match bullet if you're just going to turn it in to a average bullet at best . I won't crimp these first loads and mark the bullet at the mouth . I'll then check while testing for any bullet movement . After doing those quick little bullet hold test I'm thinking I should be fine .

Brian Pfleuger · June 5, 2014, 11:30 AM

In the interest of avoiding the age old battle over crimping and especially seems you seem to have information that you need, I'm going to close this one. If Metal God or anyone else is interested in the age old battle, here is but one example:

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=531550

A search for the word crimp will bring up as many as you care to read.

June 4, 2014, 11:25 PM	#1
Metal god Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2012 Location: San Diego CA Posts: 6,876	Crimping 223/5.56 bullets with out cannelure ??? yes / No ??? I'm about to load some 69gr smk for my dads new AR . He has a 16" 223 Wylde 1-8 twist ss barrel free floated , bla , bla , bla . Nice little upper , I think . It's never been fired . We will be taking it out next week some time to see how it shoots . I thought I'd work up a load using 69gr smk and IMR 4064 . Anyways . I seated a practice round and did what I thought was my light factory crimp I put on my 55gr FMF-BT w/c . Well it's not as light as I thought . Cartridge on left 55gr plinking round , bullet on the right 69gr smk after I pulled it . As you can see by crimping the non cannelured bullet I put a huge dent in the side of the bullet . I should add that I had a heck of a time pounding it out so it definitely had a lot of bullet hold . My question is can you crimp a non cannelure bullet ? Did I compromise the jacket buy denting it ? Is it unsafe ? Did I just make that MATCH bullet a plinking bullet ? Meaning by putting that dent in the side . It's not likely to fly as true as if I did not crimp ? I've heard from a few of you here to not even bother crimping for my AR match loads . The only dies I have are the standard 223 Lee dies and I'm not sure how much bullet hold they have ? It appears I have around .002 to .0025 of neck tension . While writing this I just did some other test like seating another bullet with out crimp and tried to force the bullet to set back by hand . I could not get the bullet to move while pressing the nose of the bullet pretty hard into my bench . I then tried my kinetic bullet puller and 3 good wacks got the bullet to move but not much . Seems like there is plenty of bullet hold but I keep hearing that voice in the back of my head saying . Always crimp for semi auto's . __________________ If Jesus had a gun , he'd probably still be alive ! I almost always write my posts regardless of content in a jovial manor and intent . If that's not how you took it , please try again . Last edited by Metal god; June 4, 2014 at 11:31 PM.

June 4, 2014, 11:31 PM	#2
burrhead Senior Member Join Date: July 6, 1999 Location: Chihuahuan desert, Texas Posts: 1,148	I don't crimp any rifle cartridges. You already have good neck tension and crimping doesn't do anything to prevent set back. Why crimp at all? __________________ Join the GOA, SAF and the TSRA I'm offended by people that are easily offended.

June 5, 2014, 11:30 AM	#9
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	In the interest of avoiding the age old battle over crimping and especially seems you seem to have information that you need, I'm going to close this one. If Metal God or anyone else is interested in the age old battle, here is but one example: http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=531550 A search for the word crimp will bring up as many as you care to read. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

June 4, 2014, 11:46 PM	#3
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	Crimping has shown to improve velocity consistency.

June 5, 2014, 12:12 AM	#5
Ifishsum Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2005 Location: Oregon Posts: 1,033	I wouldn't shoot that bullet in a match....if you have good neck tension you're not doing anything but damaging the bullet IMO. If there's a cannelure, crimp all you like but I can't bring myself to make one in a match bullet.

June 5, 2014, 04:45 AM	#7
Bart B. Senior Member Join Date: February 15, 2009 Posts: 8,927	You didn't compromise that bullet. You ruined it. Compromised bullets are those that are loaded backwards; base out and pointy end towards the primer. The bullet with that shrunken waistline is very much unbalanded. It'll jump off the bore axis as it exits. Try not crimping your ammo with the neck tension you've got. If an automatically chambered round is ejected and shows the bullet's shifted position, polish down the expander ball on your sizing die to get more neck tension. All 22 caliber bullets are good for AR's. As long as the heavier ones are used in faster twist barrels and lighter ones in slower twists, all's well in the accuracy world.