REMINGTON 14-1/2 CARTRIDGES/CRIMPING / Bulletin #6

[nambujim]

We learn something new every day with these rifles and this time it has to do with crimping. I have been using Redding Dies to achieve a "factory crimp" on my 38 Spl., 9MM, 44 Spl., and 45 Colt reloads for some time now but for whatever reason didn't use their counterparts for the 38-40 & 44-40.

I keep several "dummy" rounds made up in both 38-40 & 44-40 to test the feed, load, and ejection of 14-1/2's when they visit my shop. I use the same die to load each one and make sure they are of the proper length to function well in these "annoying" & "fussy" rifles.

I have an early 14-1/2-R in 44-40 that is not only fussy about what it digests but "quirky" to the point of being "annoying". This is a 19,000 serial gun and if you are just a hair off on OACL it will not cooperate and if the brass is a bit nicked it makes matters worse, I refer to it as "my worst case scenario gun".

I'm not known for my brevity but I'll make an attempt this time around by stating emphatically..........."The use of factory crimp dies made all six of my Model 14-1/2's happy". The rounds I loaded normally left an ever so slight brass lip where it met the bullet, the factory crimp rounds are completely smooth with the result being improved feed. Please note that I use a fairly hard 200gr RNFP Lead Bullet for my 44-40 and a 180gr RNFP Lead Bullet for my 38-40's.

I run these dumb tests in my so as to impress people with percentages.
Before using the Redding Factory Crimp die on my 44-40 my 14-1/2-R would give me some sort of problem 13% of the time, this with rounds that would work 99%+ in all the other rifles/carbines that I have. I just shucked 200 rounds through this piece and nary a problem. My rifles all ran about 99% without a problem (2 minor feed problems every 200 shucks), the last test all were perfect. The fact it took this long for me to discover this reloading phenomonen does not speak well of me but in my defense I rarely go to the range anymore so resort to playing in my shop.

I like Redding dies, got turned on to them by my "gun writer" friend Charlie Petty who seem to prefer them but his shop seems to have an equal amount of RCBS, Lyman, Lee, and others. I see that Lee makes a factory crimp die for the 30-30 which should work just fine for the .30 Remington and Redding makes what they call a "profile" die that looks to do the same thing. I guess maybe I'll just have to invest in one, if it works as well I will have a LOT of reloads to "re-crimp".

It is "my" opinion that the 14-1/2's are more critical in this area, I am hardly a reloading expert, I learn slowly, and in checking some old rounds (late 20's) they are crimped just like the ones I turned out using the Redding die. These are the same cartridges I use to set my seating die.

For information!

Jim Peterson
Charlotte, NC

[umcpumpgun]

Jim, I have been using Lee factory crimp dies on the mod 14- 14 1/2-and mod 25 ammo with the same results for a long time. Also they work very well on lever gun ctgs. They are a lot more insensitive to brass lenght on these very thin wall ctgs you mention than a standard roll crimp. If anyone has ever loaded these thin wall Remington rounds without keeping them trimmed very close to the same lenght they know how easy it is to bulge or buckle one of them. They will save a lot of brass that would otherwise get damadged as well as make things feed a lot easier. Right on Jim!!!