Just getting started and it is a bit overwelming.I just purchased a RCBS Rockchucker supreme kit to get started,also a tumbler and set of dies.I bought a RCBS competion set for my 7mm,my question is do I need to crip the case for the 7mm.The competion die set does not have a criper with it.Did I make a mistake buying this set or is it not nessecary to crip that caliber?[]
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It's not an obsession...it's a way of life
I wouldn't worry about it. The reason the competition dies don't crimp is because competition shooters generally don't crimp, and if they do they use a separate crimp die because the seater crimp is rarily very even or consistant. Crimping, unless done absolutely perfectly every time which is near impossible, usually reduces accuracy. I have yet to see a rifle cartridge that requires a crimp, and I do not crimp my rifle loads. There are three reasons I can see crimping for a rifle. 1) You are loading a very compressed load and the COL tends to "grow" after the bullets are seated because the powder pushes the bullet out. 2) You are shooting a semi-auto that tends to push the bullet into the case when feeding and chambering. 3) The bullets back out of the case during recoil (usually only with very heavy bullets, heavy recoil or poor neck tension). Any of these would either require crimping, or a load change.
My suggestion would be to not crimp at all unless you experience one of the three conditions above.
Thanks for the help!I wanted a good set of dies upfront and it seems the competion dies will be easier to load with and adjust bullet seating and repete the next time around.
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It's not an obsession...it's a way of life
I would add two additional reasons to crimp rifle ammo:
1. For lever action rifles.
2. Big game rifles 458 ect or rifles chambered in other straight walled cases such as 45-70, 44mag, 444 marlin, 45 colt, 357 mag ect.
Normally in a bolt action rifle bottle necked cartriges do not require a crimp. Crimping could cause pressures to increase. Also Ive read its not safe to crimp bullets which do not have a crimping grove.
I doubt than any cartridge intended to be used in a bolt action gun requires crimping and further doubt that it's adventageous to do so with the possible exception of extremely heavy recoiling guns.
Your dies are the tapered cri;mp type and they work real well. have fun with reloading,and read,read,and read more one can,t read enough to gain the knowledge in reloading. Ive been reloading since 1956 and i still learn stuff. vangunsmith
Welcome to reloading. I began doing so primarily for Cowboy Action Shooting in mid '99. I also hand load for .30-06 and .300 RUM.
The Speer manual that came with your kit is an excellent reference document. The explanation of the actual reloading sequence with each die, etc, is outstanding. I compared it to the most recent Nosler manual and the Speer manual really teaches you the process. The Nosler manual covered the same steps but, had I not known what was being covered based on experience, it wasn't as user friendly. Take the time time to read through the manual - it's well done.
I started out with the Rock Chucker Master kit, which was the predesessor to the Supreme kit.
Good Luck!
New Reloader HELP!
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