10mm lee dies

[steelholder]

Hey all im gna start loading this caliber but the set I bought doesn't have a crimp die. Does the bullet seating die remove the bell caused by the powder die? Do I need to buy a crimp die? Will be shooting in a semi. Thanks.

[pacrat]

Hey all im gna start loading this caliber but the set I bought doesn't have a crimp die. Does the bullet seating die remove the bell caused by the powder die? Do I need to buy a crimp die? Will be shooting in a semi. Thanks.

YES, according to Lee. ALL their pistol die sets include a seat/crimp die.

https://leeprecision.com/reloading-dies/hand-gun-dies/

Read the instructions. So you don't wind up like this guy.

https://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=1644415

[croue]

[croue]

[Cowboy T]

All of my dies are Lee. The seating/crimping die does remove the bell, yes.

As others have said, study the instructions. Watch some videos. There's a lot of info on how to set up those dies, and it's actually a pretty easy thing to do.

You do *not* need the "Factory Crimp Die". I know this from experience having loaded not just revolver cartridges, but also 9mm Para and .45 ACP.

[bigbossman]

Yes, Lee 3-die sets have a die that seats and crimps (removes the bell) in one operation. Some people like the combination die (me, for instance), and some folks prefer to perform seating and crimping as separate operations. I've never had an issue seating and crimping as a combined operation, so I've never bothered to add a step to my routine.

[slayer61]

I have always used a separate seat & crimp die, until recently. I started reloading coated & un-coated lead bullets. I didn't want the Lee FCD to swage my lead bullets smaller so I deleted that step & re-adjusted my seating die to crimp also.

[croue]

[Odd_Ball]

I have always used a separate seat & crimp die, until recently. I started reloading coated & un-coated lead bullets. I didn't want the Lee FCD to swage my lead bullets smaller so I deleted that step & re-adjusted my seating die to crimp also.

I was thinking of getting an extra bullet seating die in order to crimp separately without swaging down lead bullets.

https://leeprecision.com/pistol-bullet-seating-die-only/

[Spyder]

I use the same Lee dies on my Dillon and they work fine for 40 and 10mm. Haven't had a problem with thousands of loads. I don't crimp either other than to remove the mouth flare.

[slayer61]

I was thinking of getting an extra bullet seating die in order to crimp separately without swaging down lead bullets.

https://leeprecision.com/pistol-bull...ting-die-only/

You don't have to do that. The Lee seating die will crimp. It's just a matter of setting the die down a little bit farther.

[pacrat]

You don't have to do that. The Lee seating die will crimp. It's just a matter of setting the die down a little bit farther.

^^^ABSOFREAK'NLUTELY CORRECT^^^

From the LEE website;

40 S&W or 10mm Auto pistol bullet seating die only complete.

There are two crimp shoulders in our pistol Bullet Seating Dies. The first shoulder applies a slight taper crimp and the second shoulder applies a full roll crimp. The closer the die is adjusted to the shell holder the heavier the crimp will be.

[Odd_Ball]

slayer, pacrat,

Understood, like I said it is just a thought and for OP to consider.

So far I've been using the FCDs to keep die setup simple and to be able to adjust crimp without disturbing the bullet seating adjustment. I did have a concern about mixed brass of non-uniform length creating problems for setting the crimp, but perhaps that would equally affect the FCD and the bullet seating die (with respect to crimping, not bullet seating). Maybe thats not a big deal in practice.

I do have a 4 hole Lee turret press, but now that I think about it that 4th hole doesn't have to have a die in it necessarily ... so I might give a try to seating & crimping at same time to see how it goes. At the moment, I use coated lead projectiles only for 44 mag & 45 colt.

[pacrat]

I was thinking of getting an extra bullet seating die in order to crimp separately without swaging down lead bullets.

https://leeprecision.com/pistol-bull...ting-die-only/

slayer, pacrat,

Understood, like I said it is just a thought and for OP to consider.

So far I've been using the FCDs to keep die setup simple and to be able to adjust crimp without disturbing the bullet seating adjustment. I did have a concern about mixed brass of non-uniform length creating problems for setting the crimp, but perhaps that would equally affect the FCD and the bullet seating die (with respect to crimping, not bullet seating). Maybe thats not a big deal in practice.

I do have a 4 hole Lee turret press, but now that I think about it that 4th hole doesn't have to have a die in it necessarily ... so I might give a try to seating & crimping at same time to see how it goes. At the moment, I use coated lead projectiles only for 44 mag & 45 colt.

"Swaging down lead bullets" should never be an issue unless you are going apech!t crazy and grossly over crimping. Slugs designed for revolvers all have a small "crimp cannelure" at the top of the driving band portion of the bullet. Whether they are coated, liquid alox lubed, or lubrisized in a Lyman/Lachmiller type machine. That is where the roll crimp goes. Or screwing up and roll crimping bullets for semi auto loads. That as a rule, don't have a crimp cannelure because they headspace off the case mouth.

Of the 30 or so cartridges that I load for. I only roll crimp ammo for magnum revolver cartridges. To keep them from having bullet jump under recoil. There is always some case length variations in pistol cases. Which most reloaders [myself included] just ignore. Case length means nothing on a taper crimp, and next to nothing on a roll crimp. Because the mouth is rolled into the cannelure.

I'm not trying to say there are no circumstances where it is advantageous to crimp/seat in different steps. If loading different slugs in one caliber using same dies and changing stems to suit nose design would be just one such.

Just that in the circumstances the OP asked about. It's not necessary to pull that handle 50 extra times for every box loaded.

The key to setting up a "seat/crimp" die properly is to get the "timing" of the two operations correct, as the handle hits bottom.

My own method is to adjust COL first, with the die body left notably high. Then once I have a "setup sample" for proper COL, and bell untouched. I back the seater way out, so I'm sure it won't interfere with adjusting the body to crimp.

One of the most useful tools I have in a drawer of my loading bench is a small 6" steel scale. https://www.amazon.com/300-inoxidabl...48457662&psc=1

Edge of a dark heavy bond business card also works. As long as it is straight and blocks light.

FOR TAPER CRIMP CASES...........Gently screw the die body down, using thumb and fore finger, and you will "feel" resistance when the belled mouth contacts the die. When that happens back up the die a quarter turn and do it again. To be sure of your starting point.

Then screw it down another 1/4 turn. And raise the ram full stroke. Lower the ram and using the scale as a straight edge on the side of the case. Hold it up to a light and look for wedge shaped light between scale and case at the mouth. Lower die another 1/4 turn and repeat. Until light disappears. LOCK DIE BODY. Taper crimp part is done.

Place case back in shell holder. Run ram to top. Screw seater down to JUST FIRM CONTACT on the crimped bullet. Lock it in place. Or with Lee die and their "O" ring setup just leave it.

YOU'RE DONE. When a belled case with a bullet sitting in it. Is placed in the shell holder and the ram raised to top of stroke. The seating/crimping operation is synchronized.

FOR ROLL CRIMP.......... follow above directions, but when the light disappears. Continue the downward incremental die adjustments, until desired roll crimp into cannelure is visually achieved. As you do so, use the scale between adjustments. IF you start to see light between the case, and the scale. STOP! You went just a bit too far. Back up 1/4 turn and lock it down. Any farther only serves to deform the case. And make it swell from material displacement below the case mouth. Which actually makes the bullet "looser" in the case.

I hope others find this method useful.

[Odd_Ball]

My own method is to adjust COL first, with the die body left notably high. Then once I have a "setup sample" for proper COL, and bell untouched. I back the seater way out, so I'm sure it won't interfere with adjusting the body to crimp.

One of the most useful tools I have in a drawer of my loading bench is a small 6" steel scale. https://www.amazon.com/300-inoxidabl...48457662&psc=1

I had actually been on the look out for a small straight edge anyways, so I ordered the 6" steel scale you linked above and its pretty nice. Easy to tuck away in the tool box. I also like the 1/32 and 1/64 scale gradations on the front, and the decimal conversations on the back.

Thanks also for the overview on the adjusting the bullet seater die to also crimp in one step, and especially on how to evaluate the level of crimp using the straight edge.