OT - Lee FCD question

Rimfire McNutjob · Post by **Rimfire McNutjob** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:15 pm

I've never used a Lee Factory Crimp Die (FCD) for reloading but I'm considering getting one to use with the softer HAWK bullets. My question is, does the FCD for bottleneck catridges rely on the case at all or does it use pressure from the shell holder to do its dirty work. I'm asking because I want to try one out but I'm not sure if it will work on my case. They make one for both 45-70 and 458 Win Mag but obviously not for 450 Alaskan. Are the two part #'s for the .458 cal FCD actually the same animal and not dependent upon the case in reality? Or do I really need one custom made for 450 Alaskan because the die controls and must properly contact the case neck surface in some way?

Never used one ... can't seem to get in touch with Lee resources. Emailed, called, etc.

RKrodle · Post by **RKrodle** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:26 pm

Rimfire McNutjob, I interested to here the answers too. I just ordered a FCD for 45-70 to use with 405 grain Remingtons. I have used them in pistol reloading but don't know if they are the same for rifle.

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:29 pm

Not sure, but I have several Lee Factory Crimp Dies, and I like them.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:34 pm

The Lee FCD for pistol calibers use a floating crimper that creates a roll crimp. It is case length activated and critical.

The Lee FCD for rifles calibers use the multi fingered collet that creates a compression type crimp. It is activated by the shell holder and is said to be non case length critical.

I can't answer the questions about the individual calibers. I'm still experimenting with the LFCDs Ihave.

Joe

Leverluver · Post by **Leverluver** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:46 pm

The contact of the shell holder and the base of the collet is what closed the collet to form the crimp. The shell holder contact forces the collet into a tapered cone in the die body that pinches the jaws of the collet closed. So no, the case doesn't do any of the work BUT not all cases of the same caliber and length will work. For instance, I modified a 45-70 die to crimp 45-60 by shortening the collet equal to the amount that the 45-60 case is shorter than the 45-70 case. Worked fine. Now that will not work for the 45-75, even though the case lengths and calibers are the same. The die body is not large enough to accept the base diameter of the 45-75 case.

First off, for any case other than what the die was made for must both be the same length as the case the die was made for (or modified to be so).

Second the die body must be able to receive the base diameter of the "new" case.

I don't think that there is a die for 45 cal that would crimp your 450 Alaskan that could be made to do so with just a length modification of the collet. It is possible that 460 WBY could be modified to work but you would have to shorten the collet as well as shortening the die body so that the drastically shortened collet would still be long enough to stick out of the bottom of the die body, so that it would contact the shell holder. The 460 die body (if they make one) would certainly have enough clearance for the AK.

The only alternative would be to take a boring bar to the 45-70 crimp die body and open it up so that the AK case could enter far enough to crimp. That is far more complicated though, unless you have access to a lathe and know how to use it.

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:51 pm

I shortened a .308 Win. FCD to use with my shorter .308 MX Marlin ammo.

In this case I can use a spacer (washer) slipped over the case and siting on top of the shell holder to use it on the .308win shell.

There are other similar bottleneck cases that differ only in length that could use one Lee FCD by coming up with the proper thickness of spacer.

Kinda fun to experiment.

Leverdude · Post by **Leverdude** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 7:58 pm

I believe with a phone call & an empty case or dummy round they will make one for you.

1886 · Post by **1886** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 8:09 pm

Leverdude wrote:I believe with a phone call & an empty case or dummy round they will make one for you.

$25.00 PLUS $4.00 shipping and a dummy round. Takes about 6wks. I have had a number of custom FCD made. Regards. 1886.

Rimfire McNutjob · Post by **Rimfire McNutjob** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 9:43 pm

Thanks. Sounds like a custom version is easy to obtain. And thanks to Leverluver for the explanation of how they work. I'll try to contact them again tomorrow and see if I can get one on order.

Slick · Post by **Slick** » Tue Apr 29, 2008 10:23 pm

J Miller wrote:The Lee FCD for rifles calibers use the multi fingered collet that creates a compression type crimp. It is activated by the shell holder and is said to be non case length critical.

This has been my observation on how they work - which is why I always trim my brass since this ensures an "even crimp".

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:57 am

I made one for my .45-60 WCF by shortening a .45-70 Government FCD. Works great!

Marlin336W · Post by **Marlin336W** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:32 pm

I have used the FCD for rifle (bottle neck) and have stopped doing so. They always adjusted the OAL. If they did not, they did not crimp. It was a waste of 11 dollars.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 12:51 pm

Since Marlin336W mentioned his problem I thought I'd mention some things I've seen with my one 30-30 die.

Although it doesn't seem to be case length sensitive, it does require the cases to be trimmed to the same length to get consistent crimps. And I get a totally different crimp with different bullets.

For instance: if I load Winchester, Speer or Sierra bullets with shallow crimp groves the die will crimp the cases into the grove tightly as the factory ammo does. If I load Hornady bullets or others that have a deep crimp grove I cannot get the die to crimp all the way into the crimp grove. There is a very obvious visible gap between the case mouth and the bullet. I cannot adjust the die to crimp any tighter as it's adjusted all the way as it is.

To crimp the Hornady bullets I have to use my seating die crimper.

So for the most part, I agree with Marlin336W.

Joe

RKrodle · Post by **RKrodle** » Wed Apr 30, 2008 6:00 pm

The 45-70 FCD that I ordered arrived today. Guess what, it works just like ya'll said it did

. I set it up and ran 20 rounds through it and it seemed to work great.

Bluehawk · Post by **Bluehawk** » Thu May 01, 2008 9:40 am

I have had good luck with Lee in the custom shop for thier equipment . I had them make me several trimmer sets for their ZIP SPIN trimmer(38/56 Win etc) I had them also make me dsizing dies for sizes they dont advertise like .459,.460,381 etc they were very nice and the turn around time was always less than they quoted . I will use them again soon. Prices are very reasonable too .

jd45 · Post by **jd45** » Thu May 01, 2008 8:57 pm

If you want to be absolutely deadnuts certain, I'd suggest you talk to someone at LEE Precision, and get it "straight from the horse's mouth", as they say. Their phone number is on their website and I think it'd be money well spent on the phone call. Just my 2 cents, jd45

Post by **Ysabel Kid** » Thu May 01, 2008 9:20 pm

Got an e-mail today from MidwayUSA - they have a bunch of them on sale right now...