Redding 38 Spec / 357 Mag profile crimp & Taper crimp dies !

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Ok,
My shooting buddy Ed insist that I need to Buy a set of Redding Taper Crimp and Profile dies for Shooting 38 Spec and 357 mag....
So I buy them ( not cheap) But to use them you really have to be sizing your bass undersize ( or should I say factory size...like for jacketed bullets)
I do not size my brass that small! I actually use a 38 Super die to size my 38 Spec & 357 mag cases because the cases come out closer to SAMI specs! ( I size my wife's 38 S&W brass in a 9mm Makarove to get it closer to spec)
I shoot .359" cast bullets in my 38 Spec and 357 mags!...These darn Magic Redding dies "resize" the cast bullets in the case when I use them!
Now Ed has been using these and shooting cast bullets since 1969 and swears by them and granted he shoot nice groups...but for me I think they are a big mistake!
Probably will be unloading these on e-Bay :rolleyes:
 

CWLONGSHOT

Well-Known Member
I must admit.... I really really like these Redding stand alone crimp dies and have them for all common calibers. I add a LEE new lock ring to 357 & 44 as adjustments are quick and easy. When I went to a turret single stage it made easy with the open extra station and crimping separately is always advisable.
CW

Sorry yes I meant to type, TAPER CRIMP die.
 
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JWFilips

Well-Known Member
But they resize Cast bullets inside the case ( especially the profile crimp die) ;)
Pull a bullet and it will be closer to jacketed size
 

dannyd

Active Member
I have loaded and shot about 60,000 38/357 rounds using the taper crimp die. Works great for me. Resize using Redding duel ring sizer both 38 and 357.
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
Ok I can Understand the Taper Crimp die because you adjust it for the amount of taper so You do not have to squeeze it down too munch....but the profile crimp die....if you want a roll crimp crushes the 359" cast bullets!
 

waco

Springfield, Oregon
I have had really good luck with the RCBS Cowboy dies. They are designed for cast bullets and give a roll crimp without decreasing the diameter of you bullet.
 

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Brad

Benevolent Overlord and site owner
Staff member
I own some profile crimp dies but rarely use them anymore. I love the crimp but they do size my bullets down.
 

462

California's Central Coast Amid The Insanity
I'm with Walter. I've used conventional RCBS, Lyman and Lee .357 dies, but am a recent convert to the RCBS Cowboy dies.
 

RicinYakima

High Steppes of Eastern Washington
Ok,
My shooting buddy Ed insist that I need to Buy a set of Redding Taper Crimp and Profile dies for Shooting 38 Spec and 357 mag....
So I buy them ( not cheap) But to use them you really have to be sizing your bass undersize ( or should I say factory size...like for jacketed bullets)
I do not size my brass that small! I actually use a 38 Super die to size my 38 Spec & 357 mag cases because the cases come out closer to SAMI specs! ( I size my wife's 38 S&W brass in a 9mm Makarove to get it closer to spec)
I shoot .359" cast bullets in my 38 Spec and 357 mags!...These darn Magic Redding dies "resize" the cast bullets in the case when I use them!
Now Ed has been using these and shooting cast bullets since 1969 and swears by them and granted he shoot nice groups...but for me I think they are a big mistake!
Probably will be unloading these on e-Bay :rolleyes:
I don't turn the 38/357 profile die down to the shell holder. I just go down to bullet size (mine are .358 or .360) plus case wall thickness times two. IF that doesn't crimp enough, then I go to a roll crimp die. I shoot mostly faster powder, so crimp is not very important to me, but bullet pull is.
 

Joshua

Taco Aficionado/Salish Sea Pirate/Part-Time Dragon
Over on the other site CharGar wrote a thread years ago on older steel sizing dies and older steel expanders. Why they are better. Basically they were designed to load lead bullets, whereas the later dies were designed to load jacketed, which meant smaller/shorter expanders, and tighter sizing dies.

I’ve read that the RCBS cowboy series has longer and fatter expanders like the older sets.

I have a steel set of RCBS dies that are year stamped 77. This RCBS expander is longer than my Lyman M die and almost twice as long as the powder through expander on the Lee set. It’s diameter measures .356”, this gives me .002” neck tension on my bullets that I size at .358”.

As long as I sort my brass and only use RP and WIN brass my wadcutters always chamber fine; with a light crimp using the RCBS seating/crimping die. I seat and crimp separately.

I get why these profile dies are helpful when loading for problematic auto cartridges that have tight chambers. Example: 32acp in the Beretta 81 pistols. But don’t see how they are especially useful when loading for revolvers. What am I missing?
 

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
Always been fond of RCBS dies. Never let me down. Any new ones are the Cowboy, if applicable.

For 9mm I use the carbide RCBS three die set but with some changes. First change was purchasing the RCBS taper crimp, separately. Original set came with a roll crimp. Then expander was changed out, to the Lyman M for cast. Original expander is just collecting dust for jacketed or undersize cast. Seating die is permanently set up for one specific bullet but not to crimp. Crimping is always done separately, with the RCBS taper crimp, with seating stem removed. As I accumulated bullet moulds/designs, I purchased extra seating dies.................. just tired of changing settings. Currently, using a Redding and a Hornady seating die. IIRC, the Redding could not be adjusted seat without crimping. I had to call the factory for a different seating plug. Hornady seater has the sliding collet to keep the bullet straight. A feature I prefer. Anymore, this is the seating die I would purchase, in the future.

The worst seating die, I ever owned, is a Dillion. Never owned a Lee.
 

JWFilips

Well-Known Member
I get why these profile dies are helpful when loading for problematic auto cartridges that have tight chambers. Example: 32acp in the Beretta 81 pistols. But don’t see how they are especially useful when loading for revolvers. What am I missing?
Joshua,
Exactly my feelings also! ......But he kept telling me how good the were for loading wadcutters ( and his targets are really good!) so I bit!
But now I'm realizing something he failed to mention to me ....He shoots mostly factory lead hollow base wad cutters ( like Spear and others)
Doesn't matter if the bullets get sized down; they will obturate on the way out of the pistol
So I'm going back to the roll crimp I get from my RCBS die so the Redding Taper and profile crimp dies will sit on the shelf
 

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
I have a RCBS taper crimp die for 38/357 but the only time it's used is for bullets , like 9mm that don't have a crimp groove. I don't have a bullet mould, less than 158 grains for 38/357.................but have plenty in 9mm.
 

Charles Graff

Moderator Emeritus
Over on the other site CharGar wrote a thread years ago on older steel sizing dies and older steel expanders. Why they are better. Basically they were designed to load lead bullets, whereas the later dies were designed to load jacketed, which meant smaller/shorter expanders, and tighter sizing dies.

I’ve read that the RCBS cowboy series has longer and fatter expanders like the older sets.

I have a steel set of RCBS dies that are year stamped 77. This RCBS expander is longer than my Lyman M die and almost twice as long as the powder through expander on the Lee set. It’s diameter measures .356”, this gives me .002” neck tension on my bullets that I size at .358”."

Well that guy was right! He is still around, still buying old steel dies and still loading with them. He must have started a trend as old steel dies are in greater demand and bring larger prices, but nobody has given him a commission yet. Pity!

That aside, I have a full set of Redding Profile Crimp dies for revolvers and find little use for them. I do find taper crimp dies in 45 ACP and 38/357 to be useful gizmos.
 
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CZ93X62

Official forum enigma
Lots of steel sizing dies in my world. Tungsten-carbide size dies were a great idea, but most of them do too much diameter reduction to cases. A significant amount of my handgun brass now gets sized in steel dies.

I have taper crimp dies for some autopistol calibers. A taper-crimping die that also seats the bullet on the same press stroke is HERESY.
 

Winelover

North Central Arkansas
Been using RCBs carbide dies for the last 40+ years, without issue. I don't do powder puff loads. The 45 LC is mostly Ruger Only. The regular carbide sets I have are 9mm, 38/357, 44 Spl/Mag, and 45 LC. Also have the carbide Cowboy sets in 38/357 and 44 Russian/44 Special/44 Magnum. I get exceptional case life and never anneal. I talking 15-20 loadings per case. I keep track. You couldn't give me a steel sizer die.

I am also an advocate tor RCBS X dies for rifle calibers that are prone to stretching. Just today, I shot my 338 Mag. with RP nickel brass that's has 14 cast bullet loadings on it. Hasn't need to be trimmed since the initial trimming, as per the X-die instructions. Also have them in 243 and 270 Winchester..............I hate trimming brass. I don't do cast for anything under 30 caliber.
 
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Mowgli Terry

Active Member
38 Special: My steel RCBS dies for 38 Special and another set, for 357 Magnum, came from what appeared to be gear from an estate. The old thinking was that steel dies would size more than the nearly the original shape than TC dies. I did a run using the Lyman 358495 mold. Loading was done in a single stage press. It was not possible to tell any noticeable improvement in accuracy. When loading 38 Special in a 550 a Redding taper crimp dies is used. Turn the thing in too far and it will mash the bullets. Using the taper crimp dies makes some pretty reloads. Of course, beauty is to the beholder. There are plans are to do experiments with the Lyman 358063. We'll see how all this flies. It may be back to the roll crimp on that one. Roll crimp on 357 Magnum.
 

Charles Graff

Moderator Emeritus
It is very easy to overdo any type of crimp. When the crimp starts to change the size of the bullet, that is to far. I do know that some advocate using the crimp die to size the bullet in the case, but that is just to "icky" for me to consider. In my retarded reloading mind, the purpose of a crimp is to keep the bullet from 1. jumping into the cylinder gap and binding up revolver, 2. keeping the case mouth from striking the feed ramp on an autopistol and 3. to keep the bullet from being shoved into the case, in a tubular rifle magazine. Just use enough roll or taper crimp, depending on bullet and cartridge to keep that from happening and all is good in Crimp Land. Yep, I am sot in my ways!
 

slam45

New Member
i use the Redding profile and taper crimp dies as well as the rcbs cowboy dies but always use C4D M type expander dies with cast...then just adjust the crimp die to the dia. I'm looking for at the crimp... never had any round jump the crimp or resize the bullets... if the bullet has a crimp groove you cab roll it in enough with a profile crimp to work well... i find i don't require a heavy crimp very often... YMMV