lee factory crimp die

[chadbr]

I am *sold*.

Reloaded my first set of 25-20's yesterday and had my first opportunity to use a FCD.

The crimps are just perfect.

I'm thinking of getting an FDC every caliber I load.

Am I looking through rose colored glasses or are these that much better than a standard crimp die?

Chad

[Cliff]

I use them and they are pretty user friendly. I think Lee has a good product here. Rather hard to mess up with their crimp die. ATB

[ollogger]

I like the LFCD i have 4, its a good tool
but for now ill stick my money in powder & primers
i get along with the standard die ok

ollogger

[J Miller]

I have four of them also. I'm not impressed. They don't do anything a properly adjusted seating die crimper wont do.
I consider the money I spent on them to be research expenses. I'll probably never buy another.


Joe

[Chuck 100 yd]

I have 8 or 10 at this time.
I like to seat bullets and crimp as separate steps and buying the FCD just saves me from having to re adjust my seating die all the time. I just lock my seating die ring so it don`t touch the crimp step and go from there.

[AJMD429]

The "real" FCD (see below) is one I'm fond of, and it is offered by LeePrecision.com in most "rifle" cartridges.

The "fake" FCD (see below) they sell for "pistol" cartridges doesn't have the septated fingers that are squeezed by the die, instead having a 'floating' carbide ring that certainly crimps the case, but more akin to a regular 'roll' crimp. Personally, I don't care for them.

Lee WILL make you a "real" FCD for about any cartridge for $30 - http://leeprecision.com/xcart/Custom-Services.html.

I'd been going to get around to having ones made for .45 Colt and .357 Mag for awhile, and had figured out how to use a .44-40 (Lee considers that a "rifle" cartridge) FCD die for .44 Mag.

RanchDog Molds now has some "real" ('Rifle' type) Lee FCD's for those calibers - AND .41 Mag, and .308 Marlin Express, & .338 Marlin Express, actually. Evidently he was smart enough to get around to it faster than me, and ordered a bunch (he's selling them for only $20 apiece, and hopefully making at least a bit of profit on them).

http://www.ranchdogoutdoors.com/index.p ... Path=53_54

"Rifle" type FCD - - "Pistol" type FCD -

[mav]

I started out with a Lee FCD for the 32-20. I have several other calibers now. I too, prefer to seat and crimp in separate steps. I ordered one of RanchDog's FCDs. I haven't got around to using it yet.

[Boreman]

I have 5 of them.They all perform very well.I like them because you don't have to adjust the seating die all of the time.I prefer to seat and crimp in 2 operations.

[Lefty Dude]

I have several LFCD's. They are most useful when you have different Mfg. cases in a batch. Example; My batch of 45 colt case's are of a mixed lot of various Mfg's and case lengths.
Because of the various lengths I can get the same crimp tension on all cases. Not so if I roll crimp.

Also useful when I load my competition 44-40 loads. I use a double crimp with the Unique powder & 250 gr. SWC.. I roll crimp first, then follow-up with the LFCD. I do this with only the heavy bullets, and ranges 100 yds - 300 yds. For loads 100 yards and closer I use a 205 RNFP and roll crimp only.

[damienph]

I typically prefer RCBS, Hornady, and Lyman dies in that order but I really do like the Lee FCD and have one for each caliber that I load, if available. Lee's case trimmers are great too. I sold my RCBS and my Lyman trimmers because I like the Lee style so well.

Their dies are certainly functional but usually only purchased when I can't find the one I really want.

[M. M. Wright]

I have several and really like them, especially for the "dash" calibers. A big +1 on the Lee trimmers too. I put one end in the drill press and it speeds up trimming.

[RIHMFIRE]

I like mine too!...good product!

[mikld]

Lee dies for rifle (collet type), excellent. Lee dies for pistol (carbide sizer ring), a solution for a problem best addressed elsewhere...

Yep, tried both.