Returning to reloading

[38Super]

Hi all.
I'm shortly going to start reloading again, 38/357 for gallery rifle with a Rossi. Mainly 25/50m. In the past I've hand loaded 38Super, 45ACP, 38/357 and 44 special and magnum. (All a long time ago on a Lee 1000 progressive with carbide dies.)

I'm a bit confused about the Lee Factory Crimp dies.
For 38 & 44 I have always just cleaned the cases then into the press to
1) resize, decap, prime then
2) powder through/neck expand (visual check every round) then
3) seat/roll crimp.
From what I've read the Factory Crimp die does the resizing last? Do I need this? Do I need a fourth station on the progressive or another single stage/hand press for crimping?

I will admit to being a bad person and never bothering to trim cases and I don't even know why anyone would want to chamfer anything???
Should i pay more attention to such things normally or just for the club long range GR comp out to 300m?

Post edited for rule breach, adhere to the rules or posts will be removed.

dromia

Any thoughts much appreciated.

Rob

[Daryll]

I'd say for .38/.357 you don't need a factory crimp die... your normal roll crimp will be fine.

I use a factory crimp die, but only for CF rifle cartridges like .308 or .223

Like you, I haven't trimmed a .357 case in years... mainly because i found they were always below spec length anyway, and I only shoot up to 25m so slight differences in crimp don't matter.

.... However, if you're shooting up to 300m, difference in crimp may well make a differnce, so you'd be advised to trim your cases to a consistent length, so the crimp is more consistent.

[38Super]

Thanks Daryll. Kind of what I thought. Any idea why the FCD need to resize as well?

Sounds like a progressive will do for plinking but I'll need a single stage or a 4 stage turret for long range precision loads.

I've heard that the 300m stage can be load one shoot so I'm toying with the idea of developing a 357 round with a spitzer bullet. Could be interesting.

Can you tell me why people need to chamfer the case for some loads?

Cheers

Rob.

[Daryll]

No, to be honest i've never heard that.

Obviously the roll crimp and factory crimp work differently.... the roll crimp is a tapering inside the die, so as you push the case up it forces the edge inwards. The factory crimp die works on a collet, and so compresses the case neck inwards over a greater area, parallel to the bullet.

Maybe they just mean that the case neck should be resized before use so its consistant..??

You only need to chamfer the case mouth if you've trimmed it, to remove the sharp edge and make bullet seating easier.

[mag41uk]

The Lee pistol FCD has a carbide insert.
It really is only needed for auto loading pistols.
The Lee Rifle crimp die is completely different.
Trimming 357 and 44 brass probably unnecessary.
I haven't ever trimmed any of mine.
Gallery rifles at 300yds really need a high quality bullet such as the Hornady or Sierra offerings.
Or look at some of the 35 calibre rifle bullets for 357.
Max loads of N110 or H110. The drop past 200yds is quite high !
357 is way better than 44 at 300 due to better un brick like bullets.

[dromia]

I only ever crimp revolver and underlever rounds using a roll crimp into a crimp groove. Other than that then good bullet retention is all that is needed, no need to work your brass when you don't need to.

If you need to crimp your ammunition for consistent retention and powder combustion you are only treating a symptom should look to solving the cause.

For semi auto rounds which headspace on the case mouth there is the taper crimp which smooths out the case for ease of loading but still retains the case mouth "step".

Some people advocate chamfering the case mouth to ease the seating of condom bullets.

[BillR]

I use the Lee 38/357 die set of 3 dies. Resize and decap on the first one. Mouth expansion (just enough to allow the bullet to be eased in) and powder load through the 2nd die. 3rd die is bullet seater and crimp. I use 4 grains Ram Shot True Blue up to 50 metres and 5 grains for 100 yards. (Max 5.6 grains) For 357 Magnum, dies 2 & 3 are backed out to suit the 357 cases and I use 8 grains of the same powder up to 50 metres and 8.8 grains for 100 yards. (Max 9.8). The zero at 50 yards with the 38 is the same at 100 yards with a 357 Magnum using 158 grain Hallam RNFP or SWC profile lead. I trim the cases to the same length +/- 2 thou and press to the minimum length + 10 thou. Works fine for me indoors and outdoors.

BillR