Redding profile crimp die?

[ddixie884]

Anyone have an opinion? I have had these dies for a few years but have always crimped with some other die. This is a 4 die set. My fear is that it may be reducing the OD of my cast bullets. Share please.........

[wildcatter]

I use nothing but in every revolver caliber I shoot, in my opinion a must om heavy loads with H-110, I feel it does give my absolute best accuracy, I get very uniform ammo, and load cast 99% of the time. Only handguns I don't use it with, a my semi-auto's, and most single shots.

[wheelguns]

I also use the profile crimp dies, and like them. I really don’t see how they could swage your bullets down. The redding dies can be adjusted from barely a crimp to a very heavy crimp. I would make a dummy round and then pull the bullet. Measure the bullet before and after. Usually it is the expander, or lack of, that swages down a bullet.

[dhd]

I considered them a must for heavy magnum loads in 357, 44, 45/454 until I got one for a new FA97 327 Federal. I was having some issues that pointed towards undersized bullets, but my bullets weren't undersized. I finally pulled my head out of wherever I had placed it and pulled a couple loaded rounds down for measurements. Between the Lyman M die and the Redding Profile Crimp die, I was sizing my bullets down close enough to .0012" to call it .0012" (measured carefully many times with a good micrometer). If those bullets weren't bumping up, then they were rattling down the barrel...

The Lyman M die mic'd to .3095" and the Redding Profile Crimp die was contacting the loaded round as soon as the case mouth entered the die. The PCD was really doing a job on those loaded rounds. If I were loading jacketed bullets, I'd probably be fine, but I don't plan to shoot anything but cast.

None of the other PCD's I have size down the loaded rounds so much. The dies I use for the 327 are actually 32 H&R and so is the PCD (that's a non issue as they are basically the same except the 327 being longer).

A NOE expander for Lee dies fixed the undersized expansion issue, and I started just using the Lyman roll crimp feature in the seating die. I seat and crimp with separate dies. The little 97 is a very accurate revolver with properly sized cast bullets!

Long story, but it fits your question I believe. In 357, 44, and the 45's I have very good luck, but not so much with the 327. YMMV.

[wheelguns]

I haven’t had any problems with my 32 profile crimp die, but have had problems with lyman m-dies being small. I miked my 45 colt m-die at .448”. Now all my die sets have lee universal expanding dies with noe inserts.

[bradshaw]

Mar 29, 2020 19:12:22 GMT -5 ddixie884 said:

Anyone have an opinion? I have had these dies for a few years but have always crimped with some other die. This is a 4 die set. My fear is that it may be reducing the OD of my cast bullets. Share please.........

*****

Most of my shooting with the Redding Profile Crimp was with .44 Mag. Mostly Sierra bullets, out to 200 meters. Did not see any appreciable difference between Profile Crimp and roll crimp of same load. Chronograph results----Oehler Model 33----of 10-shot strings showed a bit more deviation with Profile Crimp. Used a Profile Crimp on .357 Maximum, also, with similar results. Apprehensive of bullet distortion, I avoided heavy pressure. Combined Profile Crimp, followed by roll crimp; decided it redundant.

As I read in dhd’s post, the Profile Crimp may serve a specific need. I did not have a problem with recoil pull (bullet jump), always wanting case tension on the bearing surface to hold the bullet for consistent ignition.
David Bradshaw

[dhd]

I have no idea if my specific PCD for the 32's would he considered undersized by Redding, but it does swage (for the lack of a better word) my bullets down. I've measured rounds with bullet seated before running them in the die and afterwards and there was a measureable difference. Between the M die and the PCD it wasn't a good thing for cast bullets. I was beginning to believe that my FA97 was my first Freedom Arms dud. It isn't!

My point to the rambling posts is don't assume your dies size your handloads to what you want them to be, measure everything. If you're like me (anal or OCD) and spend some time trying to make perfect ammo with perfect cast bullets, don't forget the dies. I did assume and I will try to remember not to again.

My issue was with my PCD and cannot speak for anyone else's 32 cal PCD. I'm in the process of opening it up a couple thousandths so I can use it, or at least feel like I did something. I will continue to use the Lyman roll crimp feature in their seating die regardless if I get the PCD sorted out for the 327.

[wheelguns]

I know where you are coming from DHD. I assumed that my 45 colt m-die was the correct size, and when I measured it, I was very surprised.

[wildcatter]

I to have used the 32 PCD and had better results. I will say they are a better more uniform heavy crimp than any roll crimp I have used. These are extremely compressed loads w/H-110 in 327 federal and a 136 grain cast HP, ignited with a Federal Small Rifle Match Primer, with the PCD and Redding dies @ 50 and 100 yards. The 100 yard group has been duplicated more than once, and that single flyer comes from a marked chamber every time, not the load or dies, but the cylinder itself.




But I also believe thru many years of testing them with HEAVY LOADS many highly compressed! with H-110 or 296, I do see a difference in my accuracy and my Extreme Spread being improved using the PCD. I have found a benefit with many of my cast loads and do contribute it to the better crimp giving better ignition with the combination of cast bullets, and a harder to ignite H-110 and 296 ball powder which are one in the same.

Jacketed bullets I have no idea, as I do not have a use for them in any of my revolvers. As for Lyman as well as Hornady Dies, I owned one set of each, and replaced them immediately with Redding or RCBS, so I have no idea their worth. I also don't use my die set expander's, the powder die in the Dillon 550 does that job, and I expand no more bell than needed to start a bullet. I do have a very tight seat and the bullet does swell the brass on all my reloads for my handguns. Again always with cast, I have no use for jackets on any of my revolvers. 

I do not touch the bore of my revolvers when cleaning them either. I may every couple thousand rounds, but have never had accuracy deteriorate, or have leading, using the tools I am stating. 

[rkrcpa]

I use them for all of my revolver loads. I prefer to crimp separately and they do a good job. Unlike the Lee dies, these have no sizing ring.

[sixshot]

Fine shooting Wildcatter!! Who would have thought a cast bullet would do that?

Dick

[wildcatter]

Not sure Dick other than some here, but do you think we could get that out of a jacketed bullet that weight? I don't just love cast because I'm cheap,,, but years ago I thought I was getting better performance out of the same weight bullets, with less pressure than I could when I used jackets.

I'm also lazy, and for me once the size lube and revolver are mated up properly, I really see no reason to clean a well seasoned barrel? But found absolute accuracy played out in a short time using jacketed bullets.

Then years back, a conversation with John in the shop at Freedom Arms, I was informed my chamber and forcing cone life would be much better using heavy for caliber cast loaded at the top end that I was running then, than would be possible with Jackets. That was when I was having updates to the firing pin and he informed he was installing a new cylinder with updated chamber's to help with the erosion on that very early 454.

We learn from others Dick and many have contributed to my success, as well as you! Thankfully I've always had good advice and been fortunate enough to know, and listen to the right people! My thanks to all of them!