crimping factory 9mm?

[boomer92266]

i have a ruger lcr 9mm and while it hasn't jumped crimp yet, i still think about when it might. all my ammo is freedom munitions all 3000rds of 124 and 135 grain. i was wondering is there a way i could go through the ammo and crimp it tighter? if i could, what would be the cheapest way of doing it? thanks for any help.

 

[Twoboxer]

Lee FCD?

 

[WIL TERRY]

IF IT AIN'T BROKE DO NOT---NOT!!!---FIX IT.
Autoloading pistol cartridges do NOT jump crimp perse', they are deepseated in the magazine by bouncing forward under recoil, or are deepseated during feeding up a feed ramp. [...a damned rare thing in any factory ammunition..]
You can EASILY screw up and loosen projectiles by overcrimping. ANY 9MM cartridges of any length needs NOTHING more than the correct taper crimp to FOREVER hold their place in the cartridge case.
And so it goes...

 

[Cheesewhiz]

What Wil said. A taper crimp is just to remove the bell from the newly loaded case and slightly fold the case onto the bullet. Crimping them again and you probably will lose neck tension and if you really over crimped the round would not headspace properly, which is dangerous.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

I agree with Wil and Cheese. Shoot em !

 

[Jimbo357mag]

The caveat being that the LCR uses moon clips and if you give then a heavy crimp nothing happens.

 

[powder smoke]

I agree with most of the posters, If it aint broke don't fix it.

BTW crimp jump only happens with high horse power loads near maximum never heard of
crimp jump in standard pistol loads. ps

 

[loaded round]

From my many years of loading 9 MM and 45 ACP ammo, I've found that any quality seater/crimping die designed for these two cartridges will put a decent taper crimp on both. The 4 die sets used on progressive press like the Dillon's do have a separate crimp die, but totally unnecessary in a 3 die set. The Lee FCD is nice, but a total waste of money in my experience. If you want to use it in a non progressive press, fine.

 

[mikld]

OOPS!.

 

[mikld]

Have you any experiences that would confirm your fears? I've never heard or experienced any "set backs" on any factory ammo (I even fired a bunch of questionable East European 9mm ammo and while a bit "hot" they all fed, chambered, fired with no problems).

But if you want to crimp some factory ammo (and possibly ruin it) any standard taper crimp die form any of the major reloading tool manufacturers will work...

 

[Rick Courtright]

Have you any experiences that would confirm your fears? I've never heard or experienced any "set backs" on any factory ammo (I even fired a bunch of questionable East European 9mm ammo and while a bit "hot" they all fed, chambered, fired with no problems).

Hi,

Agreed!

It's not unreasonable to think that someone who produces millions of an item per day that we, as handloaders, may only produce 1000s to 10s of thousands of in our loading lives, MIGHT just know a thing or two about doing so? I'd leave the factory ammo as it is, and IF (big word!) there's a problem, switch brands...

Rick C

 

[Ka6otm]

Leave the ammo as it is.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

Have you any experiences that would confirm your fears? I've never heard or experienced any "set backs" on any factory ammo (I even fired a bunch of questionable East European 9mm ammo and while a bit "hot" they all fed, chambered, fired with no problems).

But if you want to crimp some factory ammo (and possibly ruin it) any standard taper crimp die form any of the major reloading tool manufacturers will work...

I have found plenty of factory ammo with loose bullets. To check the ammo don't shoot the last round in a mag or a cylinder. Take it out and examine it and check the length to see if it has jumped crimp a little.

 

[Rodfac]

Well, the LCR is a revolver...so jumping the crimp might be a valid question...set back as such doesn't occur in revolvers, it's an auto pistol phenomena.

I wasn't aware the Ruger made the LCR in 9mm...a check on their site seems to confirm that you can get an LCR in 9mm...learn something everyday. Wonder what the ejector star looks like, or does it use some sort of half moon clip?

I'd agree however, that 9mm rounds do not need to be re-crimped, as it were...and also that excessive crimping will also actually reduce case neck tension...

Rod