Lee Factory Crimp Die

cknwax

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I have been waiting for months for Lee to open their custom die shop. I needed a factory crimp die for my 404J. I called today and they took my order and said it would be 8 weeks. I have seen in the past where people were looking for this die. The door is finally open.
 
@cknwax does Lee require you to send a dummy round for the 404J crimp die? They did a few years ago when I ordered mine.
 
THANKS. Getting in line.
 
Just called Lee Precision. They took my order and charged $140 for the .404 Jeffery FCD. Sending a blank round to them this AM.
 
FYI Lee 416 Rem factory crimp die will work on a 404 Jeffery. Sometimes the whole internal collet will come out but most times ok. If it does come out easy to put back in.

The main thing is case length. The 416Rem is 2.850" and the 404J is 2.860". My new Norma brass is around 2.870 and I trim it to 2.860". Works fine.

I crimp on a Lee Classic press so no cam over-perfect for the job IMHO I wouldn't do it on a cam over press. You don't need a heavy crimp.
 
Rec'd the FCD (.404 Jeffery) and it does the job (as do all my other FCDs) on my RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme press. Long wait is ended in plenty of time for my Tanzania hunt.
 
I have been waiting for months for Lee to open their custom die shop. I needed a factory crimp die for my 404J. I called today and they took my order and said it would be 8 weeks. I have seen in the past where people were looking for this die. The door is finally open.
Thank you for sharing this information. They did a custom 470 die for me a couple of years ago and it works perfectly
 
I had a complete set of dies for my wildcat 25 a FL, seating die, collet die, cartridge trim pilot and factory crimp die made by Lee over 10 years ago and the are still going strong. Even back then I had to wait 3 months but it was well worth the wait. Customer service was second to none.
Bob
 
I asked them if they'd ever do loader kits for the .375 H&H again. The answer was 1000 unit minimum order at $41. I guess it's not all roses. Cool thing is that I got a Lyman 310 tool that will load the .375 much more efficiently. I did want a loader kit though.
 
I asked them if they'd ever do loader kits for the .375 H&H again. The answer was 1000 unit minimum order at $41. I guess it's not all roses. Cool thing is that I got a Lyman 310 tool that will load the .375 much more efficiently. I did want a loader kit though.
@Forrest Halley
You didn't speak to the right person mate. I'm sure Patrick would have helped you out.
 
@Forrest Halley
You didn't speak to the right person mate. I'm sure Patrick would have helped you out.
@Bob Nelson 35Whelen that came straight from John Lee. It's a different mindset and the custom tooling doesn't include the Lee Loader Kit. But how about this: I encourage you to contact him and ask and see if maybe you have greater persuasive powers than I do. To be clear I'm looking at the hand press kit for the mallet not dies for a press.
 
I just checked. They do not offer one in 450-400


I'd second guess that answer.

As a Wisconsin native I can say that we're a bit of a simpleton crowd thinking of pedestrian calibers and cheap-cheap-cheap due to the prevailing scandinavian and dutch sensibilities. As such, Lee (a Wisconsin company) is beloved for their low prices but they don't get many requests for calibers that are often in "luxury" or "foreign" genres.

Bottom line, Lee makes tons of stuff that work on large bores but they never think to advertise it as such in their product catalogs. You need to look at the neck and rim dimensions of what you own and then cross-reference it to other things like Martini-Henry, Sharps, and lever gun calibers. It's highly likely they make something that will put a factory crimp on a 450-400NE.

On the opposite end of the spectrum but a similar scenario, Redding is in New York and high-end precision shooters are their bread and butter. They also don't openly state that have anything to suit nitro express guns in their catalogs. After a lengthy call with their engineers, I found a dozen shell holders and other items I needed but I had to order them as "Cheytac" or "Dakota" related products but they worked with Jeffery, Rigby, Gibbs, Holland, and other British calibers.

The only companies that actually understand nitro calibers and cater to them are RCBS and CH4D, everybody else accidentally has what we need and they don't even know it.
 
The Lee FCD is particularly well suited for lever action-tubular magazine
cartridges like the .348, 33 WCF or 45 Govt. /50 AK/50/450. Their die
places a proper crimp where best needed to discourage any bullet movement in the case.

I have these dies in at least 5 calibers, one of which is the 450 Alaskan-which generates
considerable recoil with 400gr or bullets of greater weight and mass.
 
Certainly Lee produces inexpensive loading tools and related gear. I own a number of their products, but I would not call them "cheaply built", rather 'affordable' and more than adequate for the job.

Their FCD is brilliant. I have them in about every rifle caliber that I reload.
 
The crimp built into the seating die is usually adequate, and will work fine while waiting for the LEE.
 
I'd second guess that answer.

As a Wisconsin native I can say that we're a bit of a simpleton crowd thinking of pedestrian calibers and cheap-cheap-cheap due to the prevailing scandinavian and dutch sensibilities. As such, Lee (a Wisconsin company) is beloved for their low prices but they don't get many requests for calibers that are often in "luxury" or "foreign" genres.

Bottom line, Lee makes tons of stuff that work on large bores but they never think to advertise it as such in their product catalogs. You need to look at the neck and rim dimensions of what you own and then cross-reference it to other things like Martini-Henry, Sharps, and lever gun calibers. It's highly likely they make something that will put a factory crimp on a 450-400NE.

On the opposite end of the spectrum but a similar scenario, Redding is in New York and high-end precision shooters are their bread and butter. They also don't openly state that have anything to suit nitro express guns in their catalogs. After a lengthy call with their engineers, I found a dozen shell holders and other items I needed but I had to order them as "Cheytac" or "Dakota" related products but they worked with Jeffery, Rigby, Gibbs, Holland, and other British calibers.

The only companies that actually understand nitro calibers and cater to them are RCBS and CH4D, everybody else accidentally has what we need and they don't even know it.
Do you have a spreadsheet on this? This is valuable knowledge and I'd like to know more about what you've learned in this area.
 

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