Redding 375 H&H dies - crimp question

[AzDak42]

I haven't reloaded a whole lot with a crimp, and this weekend, I had sort of a train wreck at the bench working with some new Norma 375 H&H brass and a new set of redding dies.

(I really wish I had some cheap brass to start with... I hate mangling top shelf brass!)

Here's what I ran into. After getting the bullets seated to the top of the cannelure, I then followed the die directions and slowly turned the die down into the press in small increments to get the crimp going. I went from no crimp to distorted case shoulder in one small adjustment.

So.. thinking I just bunged it up with two big of an adjustment, I repeated the process and managed to do the same thing again. Two ruined cases.. with 375 H&H case prices... that's not cheap...

Anyone crimp using the Redding dies? Any tricks? Anything I'm missing. I decided to cheat and just order up a 375 H&H factory crimp die from Lee. I figure if I can't get the crimp I want, I'll at least have a fall back.

Thoughts? I'd sure appreciate any advice.

Note to self: Order the bullet puller collette before you start reloading a new caliber...

 

[Guy Miner]

I seldom crimp rifle ammo - not even .375 H&H. Of course I am shooting a single-shot rifle, so that may explain part of that. Usually though, simple neck tension is more than enough to hold the bullet firmly.

However, if you do want to crimp - consider doing it in two steps:

1. Seat the bullet on all the cases you're loading.
2. Adjust the die to slightly crimp, and put them all back through, crimping each one.

That usually avoids the mess that can be created when trying to seat and crimp in one operation.

Guy

 

[balew6254]

I never crimp any of my 375 H&H loads used in my Sako or #1. They all shoot fine. If you are going to crimp, I would use Guy's method or get a Lee crimp die.
Bruce

 

[SJB358]

The LEE FCD is a work of art. No mangled cases and the crimps are TOUGH!

If you do it the other way, the way Guy described is how I have done it in the past. I never try to seat and crimp in the same pass.

 

[rick smith]

Should go without saying but remove or raise the seating stem before crimping. Rick.