RCBS Seating Die

[deerdad]

All the ones I have seen for 9mm are a combo taper crimp/seating die. Does RCBS just have a seating die without the taper crimp or can the TC be backed off so it has no effect on the seating die? I already have a taper crimp die after the seating station. I would rather keep the two as separate operations.

 

[Fixxah]

Read the directions. I know Hornady can be set up for seating only, not sure about rcbs.

 

[deerdad]

Duh.... I should have tried that first. Yes it says it in the instructions. Thanks.

 

[EddieCoyle]

You can back off any seating die so it doesn't crimp.

 

[deerdad]

Yeah I wasn't sure how the combo seating/crimping die worked. All I have are the Lee dies. Starting to get an idea on mixing dies. Going to use the Dillon decaper/sizer along with their powder die, the RCBS for seating and then the Lee fcd. Been trying to read a handful of different reloading forums and what people seem to like or dislike about different dies.

 

[gerrycaruso]

Some people prefer seating and crimping in separate operations. I can see where this may make a difference in some rifle loads. If you're shooting 9mm out of a handgun offhand, I doubt that most shooters are good enough to see a difference. I have dies from Lee, Lyman, RCBS, Dillon and Redding. Backing out the die to eliminate the crimping feature is possible with all of them.

 

[EddieCoyle]

Some people prefer seating and crimping in separate operations. I can see where this may make a difference in some rifle loads. If you're shooting 9mm out of a handgun offhand, I doubt that most shooters are good enough to see a difference. I have dies from Lee, Lyman, RCBS, Dillon and Redding. Backing out the die to eliminate the crimping feature is possible with all of them.

Here's where I think it's important to separate seat and crimp (and it has nothing to do with accuracy):

The only time I do it is when reloading lead bullets in rounds that get a taper crimp (9mm, 10mm, 45 ACP, etc). With a taper "crimp", all you're doing is flattening out the flare you made with the expander die; so you're pushing the case mouth back into the side of the bullet. At the same time, the die is finishing seating the bullet. With the case mouth pushed into the side of the bullet while it's still being pressed into the case, the case mouth shaves a lead "hair" off the side of the bullet and leaves it either in the die, on your bench, or stuck to the case mouth (which affects headspace and might end up in your gun).

Separating the seat and crimp eliminates this problem.

It happens with plain cast lead and also coated lead bullets. Plated and jacketed bullets don't have this problem because the copper plating and jacket material is too hard to scrape off like lead.

Lead bullets for rounds that typically get a roll crimp (like revolver ammo) have a crimp groove, so the case mouth doesn't really touch the bullet while it's moving.

 

[EddieCoyle]

then the Lee fcd.

I hate these dies for new reloaders. If you don't know what you're doing, they can be f***ing dangerous.