I have decided to start reloading for my 300 WSM Browning Stainless Steel Stalker. Price of factory ammo is getting a little stiff.

I have a question about crimping the bullet. I have read that if your going to use a bullet for hunting, it should be crimped, rather than just seated into the neck of the case. Now most bullets that I have been looking at do not have a groove in them, and in order to crimp them they must have this "groove". Or so it is written.....

When I look at the various factory loads (Winchester Power points, Federal Fusion, Remington Coreloks, etc) I don't see a "crimp" per say, it just looks like the bullet is simply pressed into the case.

Do I really need to worry about crimping the bullet into the case if I'm planning to hunt with it? If I have to, how in the world to I crimp bullets that have no groove manufactured in them for crimping?

Kindest Regards,

-Will in Maryland

Highly disagree. I do not crimp any of my rifle ammo. Even when I shot 300RUM. I have tried it with mixed results.

Oops, I do crimp my 45-70. You will find most if not 90% do not crimp rifle ammo. Keep it to pistol's and straighwalled rifle calibers.

Unless you are in the habit of dropping your ammo on the ground a lot, or are shooting 400+ gr bullets out of the dangerous game rifle, crimping isn'tnecessary in a bolt action.

If you feel the need to crimp your loads use the Lee Factory Crimp Die. It will work with any bullet "groove" or not.

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1169867624.2053=/html/catalog/dies-crimp.html

Many reloaders use the Lee Factory Crimp and claim increased accuracy. Give one a try, they only cost $8. Here is some interesting reading on the LFCD.

http://www.accuratereloading.com/crimping.html

The only time I crimp is for lever guns with a tubular magazine, otherwise no crimp. It's up to you though.

I was thinking the same thing when reading through this post. In a tube fed levergun you are pushing one bullet into the other to "force" it into the tube. I have had 30/30 reloads without a crimp push the bullet into the case further thus increasing the pressure of the give round. Not only that, but accuracy is diminished from round to round as a result. So yes, for levergun ammo, I would advise crimping but for magazine ammo I wouldnt think that it is neccessary.

THe SPeer #13 manual has a pretty good section on what to crimp or not. Give it a read if you get the chance. I dont crimp and of my rifle rounds either.

Crimping is not necessary in most rifles, but is advisable in a few as discussed above. If the bullet does not have a cannelure or crimping groove then the best advice is to use a taper crimp instead of a roll crimp. Just simply buy a taper crimp die. However be careful. Crimping can adversly affect chamber pressure. Work up to a crimp the same way you work up to a max. load. Tom.

the only rifle cartridges I crimp are my straight walled calibers and anything that I plan to use in a tube magazine rifle and semi autos.

I think a better way to state that would be "work up a load based on crimp pressure"