Crimp on .32 S&W Long wadcutter.

What would be a good crimp measurement for a .32 S&WL with wadcutter bullet? Right now my reloads measure at the body 0.335 and at the crimp 0.330. I'm having problems with failure to feed and I think the case mouth is catching. Should I crimp down to 0.325?

I’ll check tomorrow when I get back from the match. However, it might help if you indicated whether this is a new or existing issue, and what gun and type of feeding issues.

From memory crimp sounds good, but I might be confusing with 32 acp.

NO need for crimp measurement. Also, you do know it is a ROLL crimp?
You can do two things?
Use a factory WC round to set your Redding Profile Crimp die (you do have one, RIGHT?) 
or 
Adjust until the transition from bullet meplat to case feels smooth.
I find a VERY slight turning of the case mouth into/over the bullet improves feeding/accuracy. All of my bullets are seating just barely under the case mouth.
Look at the Fiocchi picture.
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gregbenner wrote:I’ll check tomorrow when I get back from the match. However, it might help if you indicated whether this is a new or existing issue, and what gun and type of feeding issues.

From memory crimp sounds good, but I might be confusing with 32 acp.

Pistol is a Benelli MP95 and a new problem, but trying a new bullet, Speer. The crimp looked "good enough" but maybe not. If there was a diameter I could crimp to instead of "looks good enough" I'm sure that would help.

noylj wrote:NO need for crimp measurement. Also, you do know it is a ROLL crimp?
You can do two things?
Use a factory WC round to set your Redding Profile Crimp die (you do have one, RIGHT?) 
or 
Adjust until the transition from bullet meplat to case feels smooth.
I find a VERY slight turning of the case mouth into/over the bullet improves feeding/accuracy. All of my bullets are seating just barely under the case mouth.
Look at the Fiocchi picture.
" />

Your picture shows a much greater crimp than I use, so maybe that's the answer. I have no idea what the difference is between a roll or a taper crimp. I currently am using a Lee Factory Crimp Die if that helps.

What Speer BULLET are you using? The HBWC  Plinker?  What were you using? I crimp to .332, and they feed fine on all of my 32s, including my MP90. Can you describe the feeding issue?

The Lee FC die is more of a roll.  But the crimp is placed by a collet and a sharp edge may still be present due to the small gap between the fingers of the collet.

gregbenner wrote:What Speer BULLET are you using? The HBWC  Plinker?  What were you using? I crimp to .332, and they feed fine on all of my 32s, including my MP90. Can you describe the feeding issue?

The Speer #4600 bullet, HBWC. Was using the Lapua 98gr. As soon as the case mouth comes in contact with the breech face / feed ramp it stops. The rear of the case hasn't even cleared the magazine.

Mike, my memory says the Lapus 98 was an actual .314 diameter, the Plinker, although advertised at .314 is more like .3125. Not sure, but that might result in a looser crimp?  what brass do you use, and are you resizing the brass (and if so, to what size)?. Presume you get the problem with all the magazine. Also, presume the bullets will drop into the barrel individually (i.e. the plop test)? 

When I switch from the standard Plinker (i.e. the 4600 you are using) to a larger diameter bumped Plinker, I change the resizing die as well and the powder thru expander die (I use the 2 stage one that Photo Escape sells).

gregbenner wrote:Mike, my memory says the Lapus 98 was an actual .314 diameter, the Plinker, although advertised at .314 is more like .3125. Not sure, but that might result in a looser crimp?  what brass do you use, and are you resizing the brass (and if so, to what size)?. Presume you get the problem with all the magazine. Also, presume the bullets will drop into the barrel individually (i.e. the plop test)? 

When I switch from the standard Plinker (i.e. the 4600 you are using) to a larger diameter bumped Plinker, I change the resizing die as well and the powder thru expander die (I use the 2 stage one that Photo Escape sells).

You are correct. The Lapua bullets measure .314, and the Speer bullets I have measure ~.313. Brass used in this batch is Magtech. I am not resizing the fired brass to avoid swaging it while pressing bullets into place. I'm using a universal decapper that doesn't resize the OD of the brass. Also have an oversized flare that opens up the mouth to .314 rather than the standard flare of .312. The Speer bullets can be pressed into place with finger pressure only. I then use the Lee Factory crimp die which also slightly resizes the OD of the brass / irons out the OD of the brass while crimping. The loaded rounds pass the plunk test, even on a dirty chamber. To be honest, I didn't check if this problem was limited to one magazine, but I did get "double alibis" so I'm sure it was happening with more then one magazine. I do have the 4 mags numbered, so this coming weekend during training I will pay more attention.

The Speer bullets are surprisingly accurate at 25 yards. This match was at the short line, so I was ok with using the .313 non bumped bullets.  I had a couple of failures to feed during slowfire, but that never bothers me as I have plenty time. The first timed fire string of 5, I shot a 49, so things looked promising. Then everything fell apart and I couldn't get 5 consecutive rounds to save my life, so I packed up and called it a day.

I have no experience with Magtech. But if you don’t resize, and the current problem bullets were last fired with the Lapua bullets, perhaps they need resizing? If you already have some loaded, I’d probably confirm it’s a problem with all mags first. Not much to lose. 

Do you have any of the Lapua bullets still?

gregbenner wrote:I have no experience with Magtech. But if you don’t resize, and the current problem bullets were last fired with the Lapua bullets, perhaps they need resizing? If you already have some loaded, I’d probably confirm it’s a problem with all mags first. Not much to lose. 

Do you have any of the Lapua bullets still?

Yes, I still have about 300 of the Lapua bullets. I'll load up 20-30 for compare testing for this Saturday. If memory serves me, I was using mags #3 and #4 at the match. I'll try the remaining loaded Speer rounds with mags #1 and #2 and see if the feed problem is still there.

Sounds like a good plan. Seems strange that solely a bullet change would cause feeding issue.