Hey guys,

I am having a problem with loading .44 mag cases. Ussually, after I crimp a round, being .44 special or magnum, before the case gets pulled completely out of the die, it sticks, like it is catching on something. After I inspect the finished round, I can see no physical marks on the casing or bullet. The Dies I am using are Hornady custom grade. Ussually, the harder the crimp, the more resistance it has when coming out. Any help on this would be great.

My Lee crimp die does the same thing on .357 loads; I believe it's normal. Perhaps someone else here can offer specifics...

Ussually, after I crimp a round, being .44 special or magnum, before the case gets pulled completely out of the die, it sticks, like it is catching on something. Ussually, the harder the crimp, the more resistance it has when coming out.Check your crimp for a shiney ring around the casemouth and whether the crimp is flattened or rolled. A correctly roll crimped casemouth should appear rounded as it folds into the bullet's crimp groove and not leave a shiney ring. The ring tells you that you have either too much crimp or that the casemouth has missed the crimping groove. Either way, the crimper in the seating die has managed to force its way past the casemouth forming a shiney burnished ring. At the end of the ram stroke the crimper is pinching the casemouth against the bullet rather than rolling the casemouth into the bullet's crimping groove. When the ram is lowered, the casemouth has to be pulled past the crimper (like pulling a cork out of a bottle) giving that "sticky" effect. The more crimp you have, more of the casemouth gets pinched and it becomes harder to lower the ram. Try less crimp and make sure the casemouth is rolling into the bullet's crimp groove, you may have to make an adjustment to the seating depth. If I am wrong, I have done a lot of typing for nothing which is often the case! :D

Marshal,

I think what you just said exactly matches my condition. I am seeing a ring around the case mouth. I am positive that these bullets are seated to correct depth, because I measure them to factory spec. with a digital caliper. Could this possibly happen because of stuff getting accumulated around the crimping shoulder? Maybe I am trying to crimp to hard! Anyway, at least you didn't type all that for nothing! :D :D

thanks,
vanbuzen9

Could this possibly happen because of stuff getting accumulated around the crimping shoulder? vanbuzen9If you are loading jacketed bullets with a striated ring in place of a crimping groove, a roll crimp may not be your best choice. With your seater die set up as it is now, the casemouth is roll crimped into this ring until there is no further place that the brass can go and the crimping shoulder is squeezing itself over the brass. This is undesireable as the brass at the casemouth is being cold worked and made thinner and will lead eventually to premature casemouth cracks. You can back off on some of the crimp as long as the bullets are not jumping the crimp with your current loads or you can consider another method of crimping such as the Lee FCD. If you are loading cast bullets, the same thing is happening except that the casemouth is being forced into the softer lead. Either way, having the crimping shoulder squeezing itself over the brass will shorten case life. Lead bullets often come with a generous crimp groove so just make sure the casemouth is rolling into the groove and don't overcrimp. If you have a factory round handy, study the crimp and try to duplicate it. Hope some of this will cure your sticking problems. :)

I use a LEE .44 mag crimp die that has a "post-seating" carbide sizer ring at the base. I feel friction as the sizer ring passes the bullet on the up-stroke. The other posibility is over-crimping as others have mentioned..