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Hard Crimp vs. Soft Crimp #193853 08/08/2018 1:37 AM
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bscott Offline OP
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Would someone be kind enough to tell me the difference between the two. I have been doing a lot of loading of late for my .357 FA. I ran across an article noting a special note to hard crimp the bullet.



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Re: Hard Crimp vs. Soft Crimp [Re: bscott] #193854 08/08/2018 3:00 AM
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98Redline Offline
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Never heard that term used in relation to crimps before.
Maybe the difference between a taper crimp (soft crimp) and a roll crimp (hard crimp).

Re: Hard Crimp vs. Soft Crimp [Re: 98Redline] #193855 08/08/2018 4:23 AM
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Bob Roach Offline
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When loading for my 38 Special that I will shoot in combat match's I will use a Soft Crimp. My 800 - 900 fps load using a 158 lead bullet will not require much crimp to keep the bullets in place.

When loading HOT LOADS a HARD CRIMP would be appropriate to keep the bullets from backing out of the shell case during recoil. The heavy weight of the bullet has a tendency to stay where it is when the gun is fired. With a heavy recoiling round this will have the same affect as an inertia bullet puller backing the bullet out of the case more with each round fired.
With a Heavy Recoiling Single Shot this is a non issue.
With a revolver, or magazine fed bolt action bullet set back is a consideration.

Bob R


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Re: Hard Crimp vs. Soft Crimp [Re: Bob Roach] #193859 08/09/2018 1:29 AM
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PsTaN Offline
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Anyone have pics of what they consider a heavy/hard crimp as opposed to a light/soft crimp?

I'm interested ...


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Re: Hard Crimp vs. Soft Crimp [Re: PsTaN] #193860 08/09/2018 2:18 AM
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Chance Weldon Offline
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I've heard of taper and roll crimps, but not soft or hard crimps.


Formerly TN Lone Wolf

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Re: Hard Crimp vs. Soft Crimp [Re: Chance Weldon] #193865 08/09/2018 5:14 AM
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Bob Roach Offline
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I believe the Soft vs Hard Crimp will mainly apply to the Roll Crimp. The more that you adjust the Crimp Die down, the more crimp that is applied to the shell case in the crimp groove of the bullet. With loads that do not recoil a great deal, you do not need to apply a great deal of crimp (Soft Crimp).
With a round that recoils a great deal, Normally Magnums, you need to apply more crimp than you would with a light recoiling round to prevent the bullet from backing out of the shell case (Hard Crimp). With a revolver you will have 4 or 5 rounds in the cylinder that will experience the bullet pulling force of heavy recoiling rounds being fired. Each round fired will exert force on the remaining rounds in the cylinder. This can lead to a bullet being backed out of the shell case to the extent that it will lock up the cylinder. The same thing can happen in heavy recoiling magazine fed firearms. A consideration, you have a bolt action that holds 5 rounds total in the magazine. You fire a round, and top the gun back off. Do this a few times, and the four rounds that have never been chambered have experienced a lot of bullet pulling recoil.
You are limited to just how much crimp that you can apply by the shell case. At some point increasing the crimp will buckle the shell case.

Soft Crimp: Just enough crimp to keep the bullet in place on a light recoiling round. Does not work the brass a great deal.

Hard Crimp: The crimp die is cranked on down to apply the maximum amount of crimp without buckeling the shell case.

Bob R


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Re: Hard Crimp vs. Soft Crimp [Re: Bob Roach] #193873 08/10/2018 1:53 AM
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PsTaN Offline
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A general search yielded this thread from another forum and it does have a pic that represents 3 degrees of crimp in .44 Mag. Mine look like the load on the left.

Crimp Pics


PsTaN

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Re: Hard Crimp vs. Soft Crimp [Re: PsTaN] #194252 09/06/2018 4:43 PM
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BushytailBasher Offline
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In a revolver I usually go for just starting to flatten but not anywhere as much as the load in the middle. In a single shot however I do not crimp anything my 357 max loads are loaded to hit the lands and that's crimp enough. Mike Bellm told me not to crimp in a single shot even with H110 and w296. He's of the opinion the only reason to crimp is to prevent the bullet from moving under recoil which will never happen in a single shot.

Re: Hard Crimp vs. Soft Crimp [Re: BushytailBasher] #194261 09/07/2018 3:21 PM
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freedom475 Offline
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Most important thing about crimping...is to crimp in a separate step. Do not crimp as you seat! A spacer washer under your die as you seat makes this job really easy.

Heavy vs. Light is the most used crimp terminology.

A 357 bullet doesn't really need much crimp because the bullet is so light.

Case neck tension is a powerful part of a crimp. So if you apply a roll crimp really heavy you will buckle your shell slightly and reduce the neck tension...this is hard on brass and seriously reduces your crimps holding power. This is greatly amplified if you seat as you crimp because the seating stem continues to seat as the crimp is being formed.

Keep in mind that if you over-crimp "some" jacketed bullets..you can mis-shape your bullet and compromise the jackets integrity.


Mister, why do you carry a 45? "Because Sam Colt don't make a 46."
Re: Hard Crimp vs. Soft Crimp [Re: freedom475] #194592 09/28/2018 2:05 AM
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doc with a glock Offline
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Interesting article about crimping and types:

https://gundigest.com/gear-ammo/reloading/crimping-handgun-cases

The Speer manual addresses crimping for magnum revolvers with description and pictures.

Doc


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