? for Dillon RL550 owners

[Hank Ellis]

Originally Posted by Liquid Rhino

Is crimping always/mostly required for 45 ACP? (FMJ in particular).

For straight wall pistol cases (9mm, .40, .45) the term crimp really isn't accurate.

These calibers headspace on the case mouth. Improper care of the mouth during the reloading process can lead to all kinds or problems in feeding and chambering.

Try this. Size a piece of brass. Check it with your case gauge. Passes right? What you want to do is return the brass to this state after the belling, powder charge, and bullet seating. Take the freshly sized brass and place it in the crimp station. Screw the crimp die down till it contacts then maybe a eighth turn more. Should be snug but not tight. Tighten the lock ring.

Verify the setting by sizing a case. Check it with the case gauge. Run it through the powder drop which bells the mouth. Go straight to the crimp station and crimp. If the case passes the case gauge you're good to go. Otherwise tweak the crimp die 1/16 turn and try again.

All you're wanting to do is remove the bell that you put in at the powder drop station.

Now .38spl is a whole different matter. Here I adjust the die till I get the amount of roll I want. This cartridge headspaces on the rim and you can roll crimp a little or a lot it doesn't affect the chambering.

FWIW: I got this tip from Brian Enos on his Competition Reloading video. That tip alone was worth the purchase price.

[fredj338]

Hank, you are crimping in both cases. Semiautos get a taper crimp, revolvers get a roll crimp. Depending on your chamber dims, you may need alittle more or a little less taper crimp on a 9mm, 40, 30mm or 45acp.

[Taildraggerdave]

I use a separate station for seating and crimping in my 550B.
I also keep a Lee Factory Crimp Die in a Lee Hand Press that I use to post-crimp resize any stubborn rounds for my wheel gun...

[Edubya]

I knew that I could count on Fred and Hank. You've not let me down. The rest of your input supported what these two information generous guys have input and I appreciate it!

[Hank Ellis]

Originally Posted by fredj338

Hank, you are crimping in both cases. Semiautos get a taper crimp, revolvers get a roll crimp. Depending on your chamber dims, you may need alittle more or a little less taper crimp on a 9mm, 40, 30mm or 45acp.

True.

Where I was getting at is for non-rimmed cases such as 9 and 40 that you do not want to crank down on the crimp die to 'crimp' the bullet in place like in 38spl.

We're saying the same thing, just in different languages.

[Liquid Rhino]

Awesome guys! Thanks for that...