Quote Originally Posted by Thegreg View Post
I have a Lee factory crimp for the .223. I did some experiments with it and personally found no advantage accuracy-wise to crimping. It's an extra step and puts more stress into the brass. I've heard that it improves reliability cycling through rifles like the AR15, but that's not an issue with the type of rifle I have.

New expander button is on it's way, will update with results!

Cheers
Greg
Its chief advantage is to dummy the loading into the landes effect. By loading into the landes the peak let off pressure is usually more consistant. Obviously if you are loading for a magazine length you dont get the ability as a rule.

This is proven, and I have seen the proof over all the rifles I have used when loaded to mag length. There is a science behind it. Clearly back when I was loading for F Class we did not have to worry about it, and I managed a 6fps ES on my load eventually (measured independantly be several chronos). Thank god I am out of that one

It produces next to no extra stress in the brass as it is right at the very end of the neck. It really only increases reliability where you have semi or full auto capability.

Another consideration may be a collet sizer which will produce a much better more consistant neck, but again it's Lee I use Lee in a Forster press, along side RCBS, Redding, Wilson and Forster dies and they all work well. True, you need to know what you are doing with the Lee dies and they need lubrication (of the collet and cone faces etc) but they work well