crimping

Jonzeey02 · September 18, 2012, 09:25 PM

so i read some articles on crimping and just wanted to know what you guys thought. me personally i am going to crimp my 45 acp shells because i was told if you reload shells for a semi auto gun then they need to be crimped. Is this true? Some people say that for rifle cartridges you dont need to so im not gonna crimp any rifle cartridges. In order to crimp the 45 shells do i need to buy special bullets , i just bought hornaday 185 gn hp/xtp will they do the trick? thanks guys.

steve4102 · September 18, 2012, 09:37 PM

What manuals do you have?

Jonzeey02 · September 18, 2012, 09:42 PM

lynman #49

carprivershooter · September 18, 2012, 09:50 PM

get your reloading manual out and read the chapter on reloading and cramping. A general answer is it can't hurt; but depending on powder load and bullet weight and caliber.

Strafer Gott · September 18, 2012, 10:18 PM

The 185 gr.Hornady xtp is my new favorite for .45. I must confess I got hooked when I bought the dies and they sent me some. First ones free kid. Now I load them in multiple calibers and weights. I blaze on varmints! I like AA#5 for case fill and clean burn. This load has really changed my thinking for .45 ACP in 1911 type, USP, and SIG 220 as an accurate hi-speed low drag projectile out of a low pressure platform. I use a 185 gr. lead wadcutter for plinking, with a charge of Unique to cut down on the heavy metal haze. I guess it's loading to .40 S&W levels, and it cycles great and doesn't hurt the ears too bad.

Ozzieman · September 21, 2012, 02:49 PM

Depends on what type of crimp your doing. If your dies are a roll crimp you need to be very careful how much you crimp them and if your using mixed cases this can be difficult. I don’t and never have roll crimped any of my auto cases.
The tighter you crimp the more you can deform the bullet which will effect accuracy but at the same time if you’re not crimping enough you can get set back where the bullet is shoved back into the case ether from recoil or as it enters the chamber.
Two things you can do, don’t bell your cases very much so you get a tighter fit and second use a taper crimp die.
I load in 4 steps with autos. Size, bell, seat bullet then crimp. With a taper crimp or factory crimp dies you can do a firm crimp and you still have the end of the case to chamber on. A taper crimp die is only 19$ and takes all the guess work out of crimping.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/480...-45-acp-45-gap

Hammerhead · September 21, 2012, 04:10 PM

When the bullet is seated the case is stretched around the bullet giving the case a strong grip the bullet. If you haven't over flared or over expanded the case before bullet seating, this will be plenty of grip to hold the bullet during recoil or feeding. Use your taper crimp die just to return the case mouth to straight, or maybe up to .002" in crimp. That will iron out any case mouth burrs/dings and improve cycling.
Case lengths will vary, so you can set up your die so the shorter cases will get 0 crimp and the longer ones will get a couple thou' of crimp.

September 18, 2012, 09:25 PM	#1
Jonzeey02 Member Join Date: August 22, 2012 Posts: 29	crimping so i read some articles on crimping and just wanted to know what you guys thought. me personally i am going to crimp my 45 acp shells because i was told if you reload shells for a semi auto gun then they need to be crimped. Is this true? Some people say that for rifle cartridges you dont need to so im not gonna crimp any rifle cartridges. In order to crimp the 45 shells do i need to buy special bullets , i just bought hornaday 185 gn hp/xtp will they do the trick? thanks guys.

September 18, 2012, 09:37 PM	#2
steve4102 Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2005 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,952	What manuals do you have?

September 18, 2012, 09:42 PM	#3
Jonzeey02 Member Join Date: August 22, 2012 Posts: 29	lynman #49

September 18, 2012, 09:50 PM	#4
carprivershooter Senior Member Join Date: February 16, 2008 Location: Michigan, Upper Pennsula Posts: 396	get your reloading manual out and read the chapter on reloading and cramping. A general answer is it can't hurt; but depending on powder load and bullet weight and caliber. __________________ CarpriverShOOter Finch, I don't like guns. Reese, Me either but if someone has to have guns I'd rather it be me. (Person of Interest). No trees were destroyed in the posting of the this message

September 18, 2012, 10:18 PM	#5
Strafer Gott Senior Member Join Date: May 12, 2011 Location: New Mexico Posts: 1,315	The 185 gr.Hornady xtp is my new favorite for .45. I must confess I got hooked when I bought the dies and they sent me some. First ones free kid. Now I load them in multiple calibers and weights. I blaze on varmints! I like AA#5 for case fill and clean burn. This load has really changed my thinking for .45 ACP in 1911 type, USP, and SIG 220 as an accurate hi-speed low drag projectile out of a low pressure platform. I use a 185 gr. lead wadcutter for plinking, with a charge of Unique to cut down on the heavy metal haze. I guess it's loading to .40 S&W levels, and it cycles great and doesn't hurt the ears too bad.

September 21, 2012, 02:49 PM	#6
Ozzieman Senior Member Join Date: December 14, 2004 Location: Northern Indiana Posts: 6,117	Depends on what type of crimp your doing. If your dies are a roll crimp you need to be very careful how much you crimp them and if your using mixed cases this can be difficult. I don’t and never have roll crimped any of my auto cases. The tighter you crimp the more you can deform the bullet which will effect accuracy but at the same time if you’re not crimping enough you can get set back where the bullet is shoved back into the case ether from recoil or as it enters the chamber. Two things you can do, don’t bell your cases very much so you get a tighter fit and second use a taper crimp die. I load in 4 steps with autos. Size, bell, seat bullet then crimp. With a taper crimp or factory crimp dies you can do a firm crimp and you still have the end of the case to chamber on. A taper crimp die is only 19$ and takes all the guess work out of crimping. http://www.midwayusa.com/product/480...-45-acp-45-gap

September 21, 2012, 04:10 PM	#7
Hammerhead Senior Member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: Minnesota Posts: 2,432	When the bullet is seated the case is stretched around the bullet giving the case a strong grip the bullet. If you haven't over flared or over expanded the case before bullet seating, this will be plenty of grip to hold the bullet during recoil or feeding. Use your taper crimp die just to return the case mouth to straight, or maybe up to .002" in crimp. That will iron out any case mouth burrs/dings and improve cycling. Case lengths will vary, so you can set up your die so the shorter cases will get 0 crimp and the longer ones will get a couple thou' of crimp.