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To crimp or not to crimp?

Shaun Miller

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 21, 2006
58
1
58
Utah
I am sure this has been covered before but my question is pertaining to Semi-autos, Crimp or no with bullets without a cannelure? I know that in 308 FGGM and BHA match they are are not crimped and they seem to fun fine through my ar-10.
 
Re: To crimp or not to crimp?

Not saying that its right or wrong, but I have loaded and fired 1000's of rounds in my LR308 and various AR's and I dont crimp anything but pistol ammo. I have never had any problems.
 
Re: To crimp or not to crimp?

The only ammo I crimp is for pistols and tube magazine rifles and I don't have any problems with the functionality.

I have noticed that the crimped ammo that is otherwise identical to the uncrimped reloads that I run through my 30-30 do not shoot as well.
 
Re: To crimp or not to crimp?

If your neck tension is right I would ask why you would crimp? I thought crimping was found mostly on MIL ammo? Similar to that they do to the MIL primers?
 
Re: To crimp or not to crimp?

Chiller,
I know the bolt slams home pretty hard on the ar-10 do you think neck tension will keep the bullet from sliding forward?
 
Re: To crimp or not to crimp?

I use a SLIGHT crimp in the 223 I load for an AR. But it seems to like it. I do not crimp for anything else except lead pistol bullets.
 
Re: To crimp or not to crimp?

Bottle necked cartridges shoot better for me with no crimp.
I have never had any bullet pushed in deeper from recoil, but I am not shooting 577 Nitro Express.

45 Colt rifle shoots more accurately with a crimp compared to seated long and jammed into the lands. That is different from my bottle necked cartridges.