Lee .38/.357 die question

[unicoizulu]

Want to load .38 special plated bullets with a tapered crimp.
Will the Lee factory crimp die from the 4 die set do a taper crimp or just a roll crimp?

 

[gh1950]

Typically a taper crimp is only for semi-auto rounds.

You can adjust the amount of roll crimp from nearly none to a whole lot

 

[Greybeard]

Normally when you seat the bullet with these dies you adjust the roll crimp with the same die. The extra die that you have should be a taper crimp and post sizing die. I would check your dies and see if they work this way. Just screw the bullet seating rod back out and turn your die body down on a dummy test round. Keep adjusting the die down to see a roll crimp.
Taper crimps are normally used on autos, roll crimps on revolvers.
Hope this helps.

 

[unicoizulu]

Thanks guys

 

[1006]

Just get a 9mm taper crimp and adjust accordingly

 

[Glockadopoulos]

Get a bullet puller for 12 bucks on amazon and you can see if the plating is damaged under your crimp.

 

[1006]

Any load that would not be considered a light load, should be loaded with a roll crimp when they are not held in a magazine.

Just be aware that the taper crimped loads must be light loads (ie: Clays, W231, RedDot, Bullseye and a 148grain or less bullet), or the unfired bullets in the cylinder will begin to pull forward, out of the case as the gun is fired, due to the recoil when using a taper crimp. If the bullets creep forward enough, they will lock up the cylinder.

Anyway, a 9mm taper crimp is all you need. Most 9mm die sets have one.

However, the full wadcutter profile will allow you to seat the entire bullet into the brass and to use a roll crimp to roll the brass over the end of your bullet with a slight crimp.

If you are making target rounds, I would shoot lead, non-plated, hollow base, 148 grain, full wad cutters from Hornady. They come 250 to a box. The light loads will not be hard to clean up after.

 

[unicoizulu]

Don't know why I didn't think about the 9mm crimp die. I have a set of those.
I will only be loading lite .38 practice loads.
Thanks guys for all the help.

 

[Nuke And Juke]

I like to weigh in...
Which dies do you have? Which bullet do you have?
So your bullet is smooth on the side or does it have a groove?
I would make sure you have a die set with roll crimp for a bullet with a groove.


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[unicoizulu]

Lee 4 die set.
Barrys plated 125 gr FP no cannelure.

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