distinguishing from the seat and crimp die

[s-works]

Which die is the seat and which is the crimp?

thanks

 

[Leo]

The one with the adjuster knob is the bullet seater, the one with the sliding crimp collet is the crimper. Do you know how to adjust the dies in your press?

 

[csmith]

The die on the right looks to me like the lee factory crimp die. If you look through the die from the top you should see the size reduce down a bit about the middle of the die which I believe is what actually does your crimping.

 

[s-works]

For some reason I got stuck in distinguising the two. I have adjusted the resize/deprime and powder drop die. It deprimes them just fine. I set this up a few months ago and just have been too busy to finish. I need to get moving on this project.

 

[wolfman]

Which die is the seat and which is the crimp?

thanks

Generally the same die performs the seat and crimp function. Even on the Lee 4 die sets, the seating die can also crimp. In your case, the left die appears to be a seating/crimp die, and the right looks to be a powder through expansion die.

 

[rimfire_crazed]

Naaa.. it's a Lee factory crimp die for a bottleneck rifle cartridge.


The powder through expansion die looks like this:

 

[Aszerigan]

I'm assuming, but what everyone here has said is correct, left is bullet seat, right is crimp. Its impossible to tell for sure without photos of them on their ends.

 

[noylj]

Disassemble the die on the left--there will either be a crmping insert or a bullet seating stem. The die on rigth could be a taper crimp die or it could be a PTE (if there is an insert, then it is NOT a taper crimp die).
Take a picture of the disassembly.

 

[s-works]

i will take some pics tonight.

reputation added noylj...honored to have you answer my question with your first post!

 

[ckcollins2003]

As most have said, the one on the left is your bullet seating die, the one on the right is your factory crimp die. You can tell the crimp die from the others because it will have 4 metal plates that act like a collette around the neck of the rifle case. This squeezes together as you move the casing up into it.

If you still have the manual to your press, it will show you and tell you how to properly adjust these dies to your liking.

 

[Leo]

If you do not have the paperwork anymore, call LEE precision and they will send you a copy of the paper that tells how to use and adjust those dies. Just tell them what caliber. They are pretty easy people to deal with. I have had exactly one problem with one Lee die in the last 35 years. I called then amd explained, they asked me to make a measurement to see what part was not right. They said they were sorry and mailed me a new die body, no charge, because the 1st one was slightly off spec. Good Luck.

 

[wolfman]

Naaa.. it's a Lee factory crimp die for a bottleneck rifle cartridge.


The powder through expansion die looks like this:

If you take the powder funnel adapter off of the top (the part flat sided part at the top) this sure looks like the die on the right of the op's picture
I have four, Lee 4 die sets, and the factory crimp die, and seating crimp die, in all 4 sets, have an adjusting knob on the top, just like the left die in the op's picture.

 

[rimfire_crazed]

Pistol factory crimp dies look like Lee seating dies with twist adjustments.

Bottleneck cartridge factory crimp dies look like what the OP posted on the right hand side.

I've never seen a FCD for a bottleneck cartridge with twist adjustments. Crimp strength is determined by adjusting the depth of the die body in the press.

This is why i specifically said it was a factory crimp die for a bottleneck rifle cartridge in my post.

Lee FCD - Rifle:

Lee FCD - Pistol: