The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post

mikld · October 23, 2012, 12:24 PM

Lee offers 2 Factory Crimp Die styles. The FCD for handgun calibers is a combination "post seating sizer" and crimp die (it covers up your sloppy reloading methods). Rifle caliber FCD is a collet type die that squeezes the case evenly from the sides (I like mine for a light crimp on my .223). I gave my .44 FCD a good chance and reloaded a couple hundred rounds. The rounds with lead bullets, which previously shot fine, leaded the barrel of my Puma .44 Magnum and accuracy suffered in my Ruger SBH and S&W 629. All the jacketed ammo I made chambered nicely so a FCD wasn't needed! If you know how to adjust your dies correctly, you won't have any buldges to iron out/resize the finished round. I have reloaded thousands of .44 Magnum and Specials since '86 and .45 ACP is my most favorite for now reloading and shooting mebbe 400 per month and they all chamber and fire quite well without a FCD (9mm too!)...

jes an old guy's experience and $.04 (inflation ya know)

October 23, 2012, 12:24 PM	#11
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	Lee offers 2 Factory Crimp Die styles. The FCD for handgun calibers is a combination "post seating sizer" and crimp die (it covers up your sloppy reloading methods). Rifle caliber FCD is a collet type die that squeezes the case evenly from the sides (I like mine for a light crimp on my .223). I gave my .44 FCD a good chance and reloaded a couple hundred rounds. The rounds with lead bullets, which previously shot fine, leaded the barrel of my Puma .44 Magnum and accuracy suffered in my Ruger SBH and S&W 629. All the jacketed ammo I made chambered nicely so a FCD wasn't needed! If you know how to adjust your dies correctly, you won't have any buldges to iron out/resize the finished round. I have reloaded thousands of .44 Magnum and Specials since '86 and .45 ACP is my most favorite for now reloading and shooting mebbe 400 per month and they all chamber and fire quite well without a FCD (9mm too!)... jes an old guy's experience and $.04 (inflation ya know) __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees...