Quote Originally Posted by blueheckle View Post
Got one guys just need the long gauge to get my OAL , also need to get a bushing for my Redding Comp Neck die tks again for the help, Ps do you guys crimp and do you FS/ or neck size
FS/Neck depends on what you are after achieving. If you dont need to work the brass, then dont. More work means more work hardening which in turn means neck splits and case head separations will follow sooner, particularly if you FL size and the die is not set up properly for your rifles headspace. You do not need to bump the shoulders back more than 2 thou.

Crimping is a military expedient normally allied to pitch sealing of both the neck and the primer to keep the round weather proof. The crimp keeps the bullet tight in place where rounds are bounced about and vibrated in automatic weapons, aircraft etc however....

One of the reasons people load into the landes is to attempt to get a more consistent let off point which in turn can give a more consistent harmonic and tighter group. The downside is that it can cause dangerous spikes if you get it wrong, but certainly getting the OAL right has a huge effect on group sizes.

Lee claim that crimping has a similar effect to the above by, to an extent (as the inherent neck tension will be over the full bearing surface of the bullet and not just the canelure) creating a more consistent neck tension/let off point (or spike if you like).

I cant argue that either way, but what I have seen is that because all of my rifles are mag fed, I cannot load into or near the landes, and I was told to crimp my rounds for CSR use as it can tighten up the group.

It worked so I tried it on my .303 and .308 and it also produced better groups when applied to a round with an OAL on or near to spec. The dies are not expensive but it will require that the cases are kept properly and consistently trimmed.

In my opinion, it is an operation that is probably not worth doing unless you cannot safely reach a satisfactory group by seating for the rifle or bash the ammo about a bit (like chucking it into the splines of an AR barrel extension).

It is one more (albeit small) operation that will work the brass a bit more. Contrary to popular belief you do not need to have bullets with canelures in order to crimp as the crimp forms one, although when I crimp with canelures I do seat the bullet so that the neck rim goes just over the cenelure when seated.

Your choice It cant do any harm.