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<  16ga. Ammunition & Reloading  ~  flared crimps?
Duff_McGruff
PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2016 5:02 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 25 Jul 2014
Posts: 12
Location: Iowa

I've been reloading the Herter's cheddite hulls and while I think I have good looking crimps with the use of OS cards, it seems like the crimp mouths are just slightly flared out. A lot of them won't drop into the chamber and need a little push. It's not much pressure just a nudge with a finger to get them in place but I'm wondering if there's an adjustment I can make to eliminate this? It also seems like too many of them are splitting on the crimp lines.

Feel free to critique my crimps as well. All are 18gr Green Dot under a SG16. The farthest left is a 1oz load. The rest are 7/8oz with filler. From L to R there is an OS card, a cheerio, and an undershot styrofoam wad.



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Charlie16ga
PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2016 5:54 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 28 Aug 2014
Posts: 924
Location: Eastern Tennessee

Mine match yours. After a reloading session I will pull out my M12 and test each round. Any that go through it are without a doubt ready. Any that are hard to cycle (since I use a collet resized) are blamed on crimp. Those are then rolled with hand pressure on a table. I could see using a low setting on a hair dryer to help if needed.

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John Singer
PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2016 6:32 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 03 Sep 2014
Posts: 398
Location: Rochester, MN

Are you reloading on a MEC? Are you familiar with this crimp adjustment that will allow you to taper the crimps?

https://www.ballisticproducts.com/bpi/articleindex/articles/mecadjust/mecadj.htm

I had the same issue with hulls when I used a Lee Load All. I no longer have that issue when loading with my MECs.

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4setters
PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2016 6:33 pm  Reply with quote
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Location: NW Arkansas

DMc; Most reloaders have adjustments in the final crimping station that should alleviate most or all of the flare your pics show. Its been decades since I've played with my 600 jr. 16 dies--I set them years ago and ain't messed with them since--, but there is a nut below the main plate that can be adjusted to provide some taper to the leading edge of finished shells. Note, I said taper, which facilitates chambering shells. (There is also an adjustment on the jr. for the depth of the crimp itself, located as a slot on the top of the central rod in the die).

Written instructions exist somewhere on how to make these adjustments--probably in the instructions that came with the reloader--but, as a man, I would reload and adjust the dies several thousand times before I read the instructions. . . . . . Just saying.

I'll bet one can also "google" these instructions on the internet for any particular reloader. My intent is simply to tell you there are adjustments that can be made on most if not all reloaders.

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1954 Win M12 IC
1952 Ithaca M37 Mod
1955 Browning Auto-5 Mod
1940 Ithaca NID M/F
1959 Beretta Silver Hawk
Ranger 103-II M/F
Browning A-5 Sweet 16
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4setters
PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2016 6:40 pm  Reply with quote
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DMc: Oh well, I got some of what I told you right. See John's website posted in his message above about the cam follower, cam nut adjustment. Anyway. . . . . . .

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16 gauges:
1954 Win M12 IC
1952 Ithaca M37 Mod
1955 Browning Auto-5 Mod
1940 Ithaca NID M/F
1959 Beretta Silver Hawk
Ranger 103-II M/F
Browning A-5 Sweet 16
Browning Citori Invector
Rem 870 Remchoke
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Duff_McGruff
PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2016 7:22 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 25 Jul 2014
Posts: 12
Location: Iowa

I should have mentioned that - yes I'm reloading on a MEC 600. Shooting a Citori so feeding isn't really an issue, would just be nice if they would plunk into the chamber.

I guess I'm not immediately seeing how to make the taper from the BP link. I know I can raise and lower the crimp depth with the screw on top of the final crimp station and the cam adjustment changes the crimp "tightness" taking out swirl or a hole in the center. Am I missing something there?
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Duff_McGruff
PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2016 7:57 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 25 Jul 2014
Posts: 12
Location: Iowa

Ok so I just went back and fiddled with the cam like the BP link suggested and then I took a little of 4setters lead and just messed with stuff till I got something figured out.

So I see that increasing the amount of cam will taper the shoulder but then you fight the swirl in the middle. So is it just a balance between the two? How much swirl can you live with?

Here's what I've come up with so far - I like the shoulder on this one but the face of the crimp is a little ugly.

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Duff_McGruff
PostPosted: Tue Feb 02, 2016 8:18 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 25 Jul 2014
Posts: 12
Location: Iowa

Ok - one more update - sorry, maybe it will help someone else. I took out some pre-crimp and have the crimp starter raised almost all the way up. This took enough plastic out of the crimp to make nice straight folds.

Thanks for the help! I was getting frustrated and think I just needed to step away from it for a bit.
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John Singer
PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 4:05 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 03 Sep 2014
Posts: 398
Location: Rochester, MN

One tip that I can offer: I have not done this when reloading 16 gauge but often do it when reloading 12 gauge on my MEC.

I will adjust the cam as shown on the BP website so that I get a crimp with little taper. I do this to keep from crushing a shell when reloading steel shot. After all the shells of a box of 25 have been through the crimp station, I will then adjust the cam counter clockwise for a deeper crimp and run each shell through the crimp station a second time to taper the shells.

If you play with it enough you will figure it out. Good luck.

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byrdog
PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 8:09 am  Reply with quote
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Raising the crimp starter was the right move to fix the swirl. But I like the looks of the crimps you got with that touch of center swirl, it locks the crimp down so there cant be any creep.

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16gaDavis
PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 10:58 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 24 Jun 2013
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Location: canandaigua - western n.y. (formerly deerhunter)

easy - peasey ... take a nickel and put it under the clamp . Put a washer on top of the clamp . Squeeze down on your finished shell until it wants to stop and just eaze it a little more . Does the same as adj the the shoulder adj . You'll get the hang of whats the right pressure and it'll make your shells come out great .

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DanLee
PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 11:42 am  Reply with quote
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Switch to a MEC Grabber or 9000. The last station will eliminate that flare by putting a bevel on the shell.

Dan
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Duff_McGruff
PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 11:59 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 25 Jul 2014
Posts: 12
Location: Iowa

John Singer wrote:
One tip that I can offer: I have not done this when reloading 16 gauge but often do it when reloading 12 gauge on my MEC.

I will adjust the cam as shown on the BP website so that I get a crimp with little taper. I do this to keep from crushing a shell when reloading steel shot. After all the shells of a box of 25 have been through the crimp station, I will then adjust the cam counter clockwise for a deeper crimp and run each shell through the crimp station a second time to taper the shells.

If you play with it enough you will figure it out. Good luck.


Thanks - I'll keep this in mind. I'm planning on loading steel for ducks and non-tox dove loads as soon as I can actually find some STEEL powder.
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pudelpointer
PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 12:04 pm  Reply with quote
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Also switch to a DR16 wad and get rid of all the filler.
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Duff_McGruff
PostPosted: Wed Feb 03, 2016 12:09 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 25 Jul 2014
Posts: 12
Location: Iowa

pudelpointer wrote:
Also switch to a DR16 wad and get rid of all the filler.


I plan on it once I use up my current stash and save up a little more cash in the "components jar" since I plan on ordering a case when I do.

Related question: how does the DR16 handle 3/4oz loads? Any need for filler?
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