Crimping Question

Striper69 · Feb 3, 2018

I got a bunch of old Handloader magazines and one has an ad by Speer bullets saying that non-canellured bullets should not be crimped. They said it would ruin the accuracy of the rounds.

Some of the bullets I loaded up don't have the cannelure but I still crimped them.

What say you?

Red1917 · Feb 3, 2018

Handgun or rifle? I find neck tension is more than sufficient for loading 30-06 and don’t crimp them with or without a cannelure

kstone803 · Feb 3, 2018

I crimp em. Especially for pistol rounds. I'm still messing with 300 BLK for the AR but I've been crimping them since they're going through an AR. Neck tension may be ok for just a bolt gun, or maybe you catch the feed ramp wrong and get some bullet setback when you go to slam the bolt home. I believe I once read an article where David Petzal (godfather of all things reloading/shooting/hunting/Africa) stated that he crimped all his rifle bullets because he had at one time experienced bullet setback solely from recoil (likely a larger magnum cartridge). But I digress, so short answer is I say yes crimp em. Also I don't see how a slight circular indent (at the worst) will have any measurable affect on accuracy considering the bullet is going to be squeezed through a rifled tube that's going to smash/cut grooves in it at a high rate of speed.

BUFF7MM · Feb 3, 2018

I crimp everything, but that doesn’t mean that I make them like they were clamped in a vise, some are very light crimp and some are more. YMMV.

John from MD · Feb 3, 2018

It depends. :rolleyes:

Crimping is necessary in some instances whether or not you have a cannelure. If you don't have a cannelure, you can use a taper crimp die which will not deform the bullet but will give it extra neck tension.

When loading heavy bullets for a revolver or anything in a tubular magazine rifle, you must crimp or you will wind up with problems. Heavy bullets have been known to pull in the cylinder locking up the cylinder. Bullets in tubular magazines have compressed causing feed and pressure issues.

Moderate crimping doesn't hurt accuracy for the average shooter. When I was shooting long range rifles, I didn't crimp as it did affect the accuracy.

Pinecone · Feb 3, 2018

It depends on bullet and type of crimp.

In the old days, there was only roll crimping. And if you try to roll crimp on a jacketed bullet without a cannelure, you will have issues. When the die tries to roll the mouth of the case, there is no place for the metal to go. A lot of time, you will actually crush the case.

Now days, most die sets taper crimp. And you can do that safely with any bullet. It just squeezes the mouth of the case.

You can roll crimp a lead bullet without a cannelure.

BradMacc82 · Feb 3, 2018

For me, depends on what I'm loading.

55gr FMJ's with cannelure, crimp. Most of my handgun rounds, no crimp - I've tried to set them back using my body weight against the loading bench, stayed put, good enough for me. The .260, tried the Lee FCD on a few batches, noticed they shot a slightly different POI compared to my non-crimped, so no crimp on those.

Seabee · Feb 3, 2018

I roll crimp revolver and taper crimp auto handguns, all of them. Never had a need for crimping rifle unless it was tube magazine. Neck tension us usually enough for most rifles.

molonlabe · Feb 3, 2018

168gr Sierra match kings should not be crimped that go to great lengths to insure the consistency and dimensions of that round.

Crimping Question

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