Does this hold true even for hunting loads?
 

What seems to be the majorative opinion and like most here have said, you don' t need to crimp bolt action ammunition. I understand this when shooting one at a time from the bench but what about hunting ammo? What about ammo that is bounced back, forth, up and down in your pocket or in the magazine of your hunting rifle? Seems to me that you would want those crimped. What do you do to insure your bullets don' t accidentally get pushed further into the case?

Thanks again to all those answering these questions.

Toby

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RE: Does this hold true even for hunting loads?
 

As long as you are not using one of the big magnums you don' t need to crimp ammo in bolt action guns. They are not subjected to the same recoil factors as guns with tubular magazines. Yes it does apply to hunting loads. You can always try a few with a very light crimp to see how it does. The slight increase in pressure could possibly help accuracy. It could also hurt it too. It' s all experiment. You never know til you try. Good luck.

RE: Does this hold true even for hunting loads?
 

I have never crimped any handloads including those for my large magnums and in over 30 years of hunting I have yet to have a problem with bullets moving in the case.I don' t believe crimping is at all necessary except for use in tubular magazines or big bore handguns.

RE: Does this hold true even for hunting loads?
 

I agree with stubblejumper. I have been reloading for appx 15 years and I have never had a bullet move on any of my handloads.
I have never crimped loads.

RE: Does this hold true even for hunting loads?
 

The only tubular feed rifles I have are a 30-30 and a 218 bee in lever action and I don' t crimp the shells in either one . I did try using crimps ,when I read it was supposed to improve the accuracy . well if it did it was so little I never noticed .

RE: Does this hold true even for hunting loads?
 

Toby,
I have been hunting with reloads in my bolt actions for the last 45 years and have never had a bullet slide from recoil (or anything else for that matter). A properly sized neck will hold a bullet verrry tightly.
During my immortal days, I reloaded for my .375 H&H, never crimped the bullets, and never had one move from recoil. Man I wish I had that pre' 64 Model 70 .375 now. I could probably trade it for an African hunt.

RE: Does this hold true even for hunting loads?
 

Toby,
In my 31 years of reloading the only rouns that I crimp are magnum pistols and autos. I can see where it MIGHT be necessary to crimp magnum rifle rounds or ammo for tubular magazines. My feelings on the topic of crimp are that it adds one more variable to your reloads - unless you have some secret way to make sure that each crimp has the same overall tension on the bullet when combined with the neck tension that is already there. I don' t see bench-resters crimping their rounds and if it was a big advantage they are the first to use it. I have never experienced bullets moving in the case necks in any of my weapons.

Reloading is about experimenting (within the limits of safety) so try it and see if it works for you.

PaulS

RE: Does this hold true even for hunting loads?
 

I totally and completely agree with Stubblejumper......crimping is required for ammo to be used in tubular magazines and heavy revolver loads.....heck with the rest of them uncluding the .375 H&H magnum.....crimps are not need there at all!!.

RE: Does this hold true even for hunting loads?
 

I never crimp for a bolt action except when hunting for amimals that can " EAT YOU" ! [:o] I reload .375 H&H for a friend who used this " cannon" for brown bears and didn' t want to take any chance of a feeding problem if a second shot was needed...;)