Seating and Crimping in the same stroke of the press.

[Bessy]

Yes, I have managed to get my .440 Corbon Magnum seating/crimp die to work and yield the exact right COL and also crimp depth at the same time. It took me about three tries, and that's with 38 years of experience. This is something that you have to accomplish by getting the seating stem set within 1/8th of a turn of being rifht while also getting the die within 1/8th of a turn of being right in the press AFTER you have locked the die nut in place. Yeah, it takes practice.

Yup. I changed bullets for my 44mag and it was a PITA to get it all set up perfect again. I am leaning in the direction of getting a separate die to crimp with.

Here is a trick, that might make it easier.
1. Get your COL set up first... leave the die backed out a little so no crimping happens.
2. Now back out the seating stem.. and get the crimp right where you want it, lock down the die. You should now have one fully completed round for index, that has the proper COL and crimp.
3. Use the completed round to reset your col, since you backed out your seating stem to get the crimp right. Screw down the seating stem until you feel it just kiss the completed round, then back it out a hair. Then of course check col with the next round you seat/crimp.. should be very very close if not spot on.

[goalie]

Here is a trick, that might make it easier.
1. Get your COL set up first... leave the die backed out a little so no crimping happens.
2. Now back out the seating stem.. and get the crimp right where you want it, lock down the die. You should now have one fully completed round for index, that has the proper COL and crimp.
3. Use the completed round to reset your col, since you backed out your seating stem to get the crimp right. Screw down the seating stem until you feel it just kiss the completed round, then back it out a hair. Then of course check col with the next round you seat/crimp.. should be very very close if not spot on.

What you described is what I referred to as a "PITA."

[bensdad]

1. Get your COL set up first... leave the die backed out a little so no crimping happens.
2. Now back out the seating stem.. and get the crimp right where you want it, lock down the die. You should now have one fully completed round for index, that has the proper COL and crimp.
3. Use the completed round to reset your col, since you backed out your seating stem to get the crimp right. Screw down the seating stem until you feel it just kiss the completed round, then back it out a hair. Then of course check col with the next round you seat/crimp.. should be very very close if not spot on.

There you go. Bessy explains this better than the instruction sheet does (the one that came with the dies). It's also pretty close to being a one-shot deal. So long as you don't mess with anything, and you turn things out carefully, and check your specs frequently, you can pull your die out without changing anything so it's already set (almost perfect) for next time.

[Bessy]

1. Get your COL set up first... leave the die backed out a little so no crimping happens.
2. Now back out the seating stem.. and get the crimp right where you want it, lock down the die. You should now have one fully completed round for index, that has the proper COL and crimp.
3. Use the completed round to reset your col, since you backed out your seating stem to get the crimp right. Screw down the seating stem until you feel it just kiss the completed round, then back it out a hair. Then of course check col with the next round you seat/crimp.. should be very very close if not spot on.

There you go. Bessy explains this better than the instruction sheet does (the one that came with the dies). It's also pretty close to being a one-shot deal. So long as you don't mess with anything, and you turn things out carefully, and check your specs frequently, you can pull your die out without changing anything so it's already set (almost perfect) for next time.

For those of you loathe setting stuff up... I've been using the lock and load quick change system. I've also shimmed my singe stage press to match my progressive. So I can setup dies on the single stage, then move them over to the progressive.

Here is the example...
http://ultimatereloader.com/?p=450

He shows it with a hornady lnl single stage, but I use the same system between my LNL progress and lee classic cast single stage.

[diskdoctr]

I have decided to just use a Lee Factory Crimp Die and save the headaches. Thus leaving the current 3 die set adjusted as is. Thanks for all the input and advice, it is very much appreciated