just ordered my dies

[Netpackrat]

Bullet seating and crimping are best done as separate operations. You can use the Lee seating die to seat and crimp in 2 operations, but it will mean readjusting your die each time you change between those operations. In practice, that may not matter as much considering that the Lee lock rings suck ass, and can't be locked onto the die in a repeatable position such that the die will be in the same position after being removed and later reinstalled. This is why I install Hornady lock rings on my factory crimp dies.

Anyway, in general it is better and faster to use a dedicated crimp die, and the Lee factory crimp is usually the best of the bunch.

[blackeagle603]

Lee FCD. +1

Love mine. Have them in several handgun calibers.

[Combat Controller]

+1 NPR, the hassle factor will mitigate the $30 spent on the die.

[Fivetoes]

You don't have to lube with carbide dies but life is a bit easier if you do. You won't bang your head on the wall if you forget a case. Just a little bit will be enough.

[mekender]

ok so perhaps i am a total noob at this... but... the lee site says no crimp die needed... the guy that taught the basics of the process to me didnt crimp any that we loaded that night, and they have shot just fine... and now on here i am being told to crimp them...

somewhere there is a difference of thought in this process and i am confused by it.

[Fivetoes]

No crimp die is needed because the crimp die is combined with the seating die. You can seat and crimp in one operation. What CC and others are telling you is that it is a better idea to crimp as a sepatate operation, it is more accurate that way. The Lee crimp die is a godsend for crimping, there really is no adjustment to make and it is not that dependant on case length. When you first set up a crimp die you will mutter about there should be a better way.

[DKDay]

Tumble your brass before doing anything. It removes any crud, dirt and junk that may damage your dies. (Ask me how I know)

+1 I would just add that if you don't want to spend the $$ on a tumbler and media, you can wash your brass as well. I use dish soap with warm water in a plastic bucket. Rinse, dry and rock & roll.

[Rich Jordan]

And if you don't mind adding a step, but getting easier and more complete case cleaning with less chance of damage to your sizing die, consider the Lee Universal Decapper die; another "just works". Its decapping pin seems to be much stronger, and harder to damage than the one in the normal dies (or practically any other makers' dies), plus no worries about decapping dirty cases; they can't hurt this die.

Then you tumble, which helps get the primer pocket cleaner.

You should still leave the decap pin in the size die though; it will poke out any cleaning media that might get stuck in the flash hole during tumbling.

Lee decapper

[FastRope71]

Here is my suggestion for you. That being said, before you do anyhting else you need to get this

When you have read every page regarding the reloading process and the theory behind it, you are ready to start doing something productive.

Don't ignore that advice, Your face, hands, perhaps even your life are at stake. If that isn't enough to convince you: you could mess up your gun.

[Whirlibird]

ok so perhaps i am a total noob at this... but... the lee site says no crimp die needed... the guy that taught the basics of the process to me didnt crimp any that we loaded that night, and they have shot just fine... and now on here i am being told to crimp them...

somewhere there is a difference of thought in this process and i am confused by it.

Tell ya what, it's been a good day, I'm in a good mood.
E-Mail me and I'll give you the 1st Edition Lee Modern Reloading Manual for shipping cost.