Just to go back to some basics, it seems that I have been getting a lot of calls and e-mails about the simple, yet complicated procedure of putting the bullet into the case. This is simply known as bullet seating.

It is another one of those areas in which controversy certainly reigns.

Bullet seating depth is at best, a trial and error thing. In some reloading manuals, there is listed an Over All Length (O.A.L.) for the cartridge. Really this means little, because if the OAL is longer than what your magazine is, or longer than what your chamber will accept, it is useless.

Bullet seating depth IS significant to group size, and especially important when loading Barnes X or TSX bullets.

Barnes X bullets need to be seated “at least” .050 from the lands. Start from there and seat the bullet deeper .010 at a time to see if groups get any smaller.

DO NOT seat Barnes X bullets so they engage the rifling as some bench rest shooters advocate. Barnes X must have a running start before engaging the lands.

The new Barnes TSX bullets have 3 or 4 relief grooves in the bullet, and so far, they have not been as critical to seating depth as the old X bullets were.

In fact, sometimes these grooves can be used as a cannelure, and can be in the perfect spot to crimp them if you wish to do so.

Most bullet manufactures put a cannelure on their bullets that could or should, be crimped. This cannelure is great, except it is not always in the spot where the bullet shoots best, but it usually is in a good place to attain a working OAL in hunting rifles.

The question is often asked, “Why crimp anyway”? Crimping is used to hold the bullet in place. It all started with the tubular magazine 30-30’s to keep the bullet from being pushed back into the case.

It is also used in high recoil guns, as it helps hold the bullet as it is slammed into the front of the magazine during recoil.

If you will take note on factory ammo, practically every hunting round is crimped, regardless of manufacturer. This is even on bullets from Sierra and Nosler that don’t normally have a cannelure on them.

For factory ammo applications, they do put a cannelure on them so that the factory can crimp them. Why? All factory ammo is loaded in nice virgin brass. If you put a nice smooth bullet into a smooth virgin case, it takes very little to move it. Crimping it is the only way to hold it into place.

In fired cases, like reloaders use, there is carbon in the neck, and after resizing them, there is enough friction to usually hold a bullet in place.

Does crimping benefit performance?

Yes, I think so. I could go into a long complicated set of charts and graphs, but to keep matters short, I have found that crimping into a cannelure seems to give a bit more uniform performance, especially with slow burning powders. Maybe it holds the bullet a bit longer and promotes more uniform ignition, but whatever it does, it seems to work for me.

Most die manufacturers have a “crimper” built into their bullet seating dies. This is OK, except it makes uniform case length very important, as the case is literally bent into place. If the case is a bit longer than the norm, excessive crimping can occur and the case buckled.

A much finer apparatus is to use the LEE Factory Crimp Die. They are not very expensive, and work like a charm. You must, however purchase a specific one for each caliber, as they squeeze the top edge of the case into the cannelure very nicely. If a case is a bit shorter or longer than the other, it matters little.

Remember, do not try and crimp or pinch a bullet that does not have a cannelure on it as you will buckle the case or damage the bullet.

Some shooters will argue that crimping will detract from accuracy, and others argue that it is a necessity to have a firm uniform crimp to achieve uniform ignition.

It is just the sort of thing that will keep the campfires lit all night. So give crimping a try. You really have little to loose, and you just might find it works better for you too.