300 Win Mag - to crimp or not to crimp

Jpw2

Private
Minuteman
Apr 5, 2020
7
0
Just getting my first 300WM going, getting ready to order my dies and my question has to do with whether or not to taper crimp hand loads? It will be my first time reloading this cartridge, thanks for your input.
 
I generally don't crimp... unless I am planning on the ammo getting beat up. Load up a few rounds and run them through the gun without firing-- the same way that you will run the bolt the rest of the time. Measure OAL before and after- and see if you need a crimp. One of my guns will seat the bullet deeper if I run the bolt hard with no crimp- so I use a crimp as a band-aid instead of actually fixing the issue.

I haven't had better accuracy or consistency with a crimp but many people say they do.
 
1 crimp my 300 win. It’s only used as a hunting round for me and the ammo gets beat up. Flying/elevation change/riding in a pack I had some bullets slip on an elk hunt and that settled it for me.
 
I only crimp loads for revolvers and semi-autos. My 300wm is single fed with berger 210 vld’s so no reason to crimp, and there is no cannelure (which wouldn’t match my seating depth anyway).
 
I tend a very lightly crimp my rounds because they’re going to be traveling with me and rattling back-and-forth potential he in an ammo can or a box.

As such a light taper crimp is warranted....