"Ask the Rabbi" by R. Mermelstein

In one of your responses you advised the person to taper crimp .38 Special cases using the Lee Factory Crimp die, rather than the traditional roll crimp. Why? My understanding is that roll crimping revolver cartridges is SOP to the point of being dogma. For example, I use a Lee Factory Crimp die to roll crimp my .44-40 Winchester hard cast bullet reloads (at least I THINK it is a roll crimp).

Bill

In the infancy of modern reloading, perhaps 60 or 70 years ago, the roll crimp was all that was available. The C-H Tool and Die Co. invented the taper crimp die almost two decades ago. Continue to roll crimp if you want. However, you will have to check that all you case lengths are identical within, perhaps, .002 inch. If not, the roll crimp die will give non uniform degrees of crimp. If the case is a few thousandths longer, the case mouth will buckle and the round will not chamber. I haven't used anything other than a taper crimp die for 15 years for all my handgun loads; even for magnum loads using a slow propellant that require a very heavy crimp. The taper crimp die is far less fussy about small deviations in case lengths. Better to spend your time shooting than trimming cases. Your Lee Factory Crimp die is a different concept from both the taper and roll crimp. It, too, will overlook deviations in case lengths. I use Lee's Factory Crimp die on centerfire rounds that I handload for all my lever action rifles.

Sincerely,

R. Mermelstein