Confused

[truck driver]

Picked up a FCD die from Preacher since he is going away from the 35 Whelen AI I thought I would give it a try and I did today with 4 different loads, 2 different powders and 2 different bullets of the same weight 200gr .358 cal.
The die was set to give to crimp .001". The case mouth with seated bullet measured .380" prior to crimping and .379" after crimping. The idea was to get a more consistent bullet pull when fired and lower SD which didn't happen and as a mater of fact the SD went up from 21fps to 59 fps that's a 38fps increase. There was a difference in temperature of 45* warmer but the velocity average was the same with each powder charge so the powder isn't temp sensitive. Also the groups opened up over an inch.

Should I try a heavier crimp or go back to what I was doing before, no crimp at all.
Sorry but no pictures since I was a little displeased with the results.

 

[jimbires]

you'll never know until you try . I only crimp pistol ammo . I've never found a crimp to help my ammo .

 

[truck driver]

you'll never know until you try . I only crimp pistol ammo . I've never found a crimp to help my ammo .

This is my first time trying it with rifle ammo as like you I have only crimped pistol ammo.

 

[rodell]

I have started crimping heavy loads, such as 416 Remington Magnum and some others. I have have definitely seen an improvement in consistency since I did.

I ran a test in the 30-06 of new and 1x cases a crimped and not. I found that crimping was far more important for new cases than 1x for consistency, but still contributed somewhat.

How many times have you fired the cases? Are they getting hard? Were you crimping into a cannelure? Also, if your case necks are not uniform, any uniformity is forced inward to the bullet and that can contribute to neck tension issues.

Here is an experiment. Take two unprimed, prepped cases. Seat the bullets, crimp one and not the other. Then, compress them with a force gauge and see how much they differ in force required to get the bullet to shift by a certain amount. The difference, if any, will tell you how much more real neck tension you've created. You can do it with multiple crimped rounds for consistency, too. Neck tension is more than the size of the neck, but how much
"grab".

I noticed a change when I went to wet tumbling. My cases were so clean I was getting a lot more neck tension. For such I backed down my sizing one size and things were a lot more consistent again. I also started using some auto wash soap with a little wax in it (Armor-All brand) and that helped, too.

 

[truck driver]

Rodell;
I have been annealing the cases after each firing so the necks are not brittle. They have been load numerous times and just how many I'm not sure.
The bullets I crimped were Nosler accubonds and Barnes TTSX so there was no cannelure.

 

[Alderman]

My normal procedure is to try without a crimp unless there is a reason to have one, such as a big magnum load.
If the results aren't good without a crimp, it just takes a minute to add a crimp to a few and get back to the bench to see if there is any improvement.
Sometimes the only way to get an answer is to try it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[truck driver]

Thanks for the responses from everyone. I didn't see any improvement from a light crimp and will try a heavier one.

 

[Silent Sam]

The only way you'll know is to try it. I saw an improvement with my 358Win and a few other calibers. I haven't had any that got worse. I didn't measure the crimp I just do a "medium" crimp by feel. I haven't annealed any of those cases and am on my 3rd reload. I tumble the cases clean before sizing/decapping and use graphite inside the neck to minimize stretching. I also trim every case, every time after sizing using the Lee tool.

 

[truck driver]

I do everything but trim my cases since the AI doesn't stretch and I only trim after fire forming so that they all have the same case length. Trim once and done.

 

[Silent Sam]

I just run mine thru the trimmer as a matter of habit. Very few actually get trimmed but I "know" they're all they're the same. Understand the case design minimizes case stretch during firing. Sizing can cause significant stretch by itself. Instead of measuring I just chuck them up... My ES & SD #s consistently have gone down and accuracy usually improved, never got worse. Based on that I crimp along with the beating hunting ammo takes. It's just insurance against bullets getting set back.

 

[FOTIS]

I crimp levers and handguns only

 

[truck driver]

I crimp levers and handguns only

I also only crimped hand gun ammo till I got curious to see if it would help me with the Whelen AI.
I'm trying to get everything I can get out of it accuracy related and not worried about the velocity since that wasn't the reason for making the chamber AI.
Starting to load up heavier weight bullets and see if they make a difference.
Wish Nosler would make some 225gr bullets so I can see if it will handle them better.

 

[preacher]

Hey uncle Roger...just saw your post. I crimped my loads hard! I started using a LEE FCD on uncannelured hard cast in leverguns, then the Barnes X. I liked my results so well I then started crimping everything, ha! I never had to trim any cases in my Whelen AI. You know, it started out as a factory 35 Whelen by Remington...everything was on the long side. My SILs Mauser 98 used the same new reamer ( it was originally a douglass barreled 358 win) his chamber neck is shorter than mine was, he has to seat a bit shorter, but everything else is the same. Sounds like JES' AI reamer was duller, (my rifle was first, then my smith's then my SILs)so your chamber would be just slightly smaller overall...maybe? I have personally found that on every monobullet, cannelure or not, a hard crimp has improved my results. My goal in using the FCD was to simply adjust a proper OAL in my levergun ( 444,45 colt, 45-70) for reliable feeding and to keep my Barnes X from being pushed out by some cartridges using compressed loads, ha. the accuracy was just a plus! As I said, I use a FCD on everything I shoot now. Good luck to you Pard. Oh yeah, Nosler does make a 225, Partition...were you thinking of one in the AccuBond maybe? Hey! Don't get me confused with the facts! lol

 

[30-338]

I'm shooting 225gr AB in my 35 WhelenAI.

 

[truck driver]

I'm shooting 225gr AB in my 35 WhelenAI.

I wish Nosler would make some .358 bullets. No one has them.

 

[30-338]

I'm shooting 225gr AB in my 35 WhelenAI.

I wish Nosler would make some .358 bullets. No one has them.

Didn't realize they where hard to get.

 

[truck driver]

Can't find Nosler .358 rifle bullets but can buy Barnes, Hornady, Sierra, Speer, Woodleigh and Swift.
I'm almost to the point that I want to rebarrel it to 338-06. The .338 bullets are more available and a better selection.
But then anything medium bore Nosler PT are hard to find since they are very popular.

 

[30-338]

Can't find Nosler .358 rifle bullets but can buy Barnes, Hornady, Sierra, Speer, Woodleigh and Swift.
I'm almost to the point that I want to rebarrel it to 338-06. The .338 bullets are more available and a better selection.
But then anything medium bore Nosler PT are hard to find since they are very popular.

I'm glad one I have is not my main hunting rifle as I have more than enough to last me.

If it help I could send you 3 boxes of the 225gr AB. Just PM address

 

[Elkman]

LG outdoors has 124 boxes of the 225 gr. AB.
Brownells also shows the 225 AB in stock as well.

 

[steve4102]

Can't find Nosler .358 rifle bullets but can buy Barnes, Hornady, Sierra, Speer, Woodleigh and Swift.
I'm almost to the point that I want to rebarrel it to 338-06. The .338 bullets are more available and a better selection.
But then anything medium bore Nosler PT are hard to find since they are very popular.

Not sure what you are looking for, but plenty of bullets here,

http://www.midwayusa.com/s?targetLocati ... 26Ntpr%3D1

and here.
https://www.midsouthshooterssupply.com/ ... nt-358-dia