Crimp on non-cannelure bullets

[Casey]

I am putting some .223 rounds together for an AR, and am trying to ensure that they won't shorten up on me in the magazine. I am using some 60 gr Hornady Spire HP's. The only problem is there is no cannelure (sp?) on these bullets.

When I try to crimp them, I either deform the case badly or don't get it tight enough to hold the bullet. I set the height of the die by turning it down till it hits the brass, then turning it down about 1/8 turn (RCBS Rock Chucker press).

I am mainly a pistol reloader, though I do some 30-06 loading (with a cannelure, for an M1), and my 22-250. When I set up for the 22-250, it set up rather easily, as I did not have to worry about it being a semi-auto.

Should I just continue to try small adjustments to the seating die, in order to find the "magic" crimp, or am I missing something here.

Thanks.

Woops, just realized that I opened this in the wrong place. Can one of you administrative types move this to reloading? If not, just delete it and i can open a new one there.

Casey

[This message has been edited by Casey (edited September 28, 2000).]

[WalterGAII]

If your cases "won't hold the bullet in place" prior to crimping, then you don't have enough neck tension.

RCBS recommends against using their crimper/seater dies for crimping when no cannelure is present. The collet-type, Lee, Factory Crimp Die, however, is neither dependant, to a large degree, on case length or whether a cannelure is present.