Roll Crimp vs Fold Crimp
 

Having never reloaded using a roll crimp, what is the advantage of it vs fold? Does it lower PSI? Thanks, Steve

Roll crimps do give a lower PSI. Usually you're using a built-up wad column instead of a plastic one-piece wad, but depending on your load, you can roll crimp over a plastic wad and OSC. The built-up wad column also helps reduce pressure. Most of what I load pretty much have good pressures as I don't make snotty game loads. Even the 8g loads are technically low pressure compared to what they used to shoot in those guns.

Mike is correct. Most guys do it because they like the way it looks "vintage". All my loads are below 10k psi so to me the squeeze is not worth the juice. Besides they are not conducive to volume reloading. But they do have that cool factor.

In the last six months or so I’ve gotten heavily into roll crimping. Lots of good advice given from members on this site and some trial and error have yielded what I consider pretty good results. If you want advice on it, feel free to reach out. I’ve had the loads tested alongside regular crimp loads and find they do have lower pressures.

It’s just one of those things…
I shoot a Trojan but also a Damascus hammer
I drive a Chevy but also once in a while my ‘76 Triumph
My Mec can punch out the 12ga target loads, but there is just something about the slower process of loading a box of perfect 2” roll crimped shells.
The next step will be paper hulls :)

Beware! Paper hulls may be addictive.

Some paper hulls definitely load better than others. I find Federal Gold Medal and Fiocchi paper to load the best whether they are fold crimped or rolled.

I’ve only roll crimped 8 and 10 gauge . And all that were rolled were for buckshot , balls or slugs . I find it a bit time consuming but then again I find single stage presses time consuming . Sorry the only pics of rolled in my phone are 10 gauge balls and slugs .

They're almost too pretty to shoot
No argument there, Keith
Buzackly! Cheddite 12 and 16 paper roll perfectly, but the yellow paper 20s don't. They looked like a kindergarten art project.

Many years ago, I had Tom Armbrust test my 12 and 16 roll crimp loads and from several recipes i had for plastic star crimped loads. What I found was interesting, in that they resulted in approximately 500psi lower pressures, irrespective of recipe or gauge. A 6700psi 12gauge load came back at roughly 6200psi, and a 6000psi 16gauge load came back at 5550psi.

Something someone told me, or maybe I read, was that is was important to keep the depth of the rolled edge the same as it's width. Excessively deep rolled edges can produce Higher pressures.

Never had or felt the need to roll crimp since all of my reloads were low enough pressure. Not all paper hulls are the same, Federals are the best for “aroma therapy,” Cheddites are ok but I only get 3 or 4 reloads before they show songs of deterioration.

What differences, if any, do you see in the patterns they produce. When roll crimps were the norm many decades ago, the manufacturers touted the move to crimping to prevent "blown" patterns. Any truth to that in your experience?

I'm getting ready to finish up a pile of spent 12 ga. hulls. When I do 16 ga. paper hulls is next, finally got some from BP (been out for some time.) When I do I'm going to load some with the same load but roll vs. crimp. Then off to the pattern board. Several of us here in my area have discussed this over and over, only the pattern board knows for sure. I'll report to all with result. I've switched from the magic marker and counting holes to the photo app and special targets. Costs not a lot and REAL easy!

Roll crimp because it’s cool! (You don’t drive a Corvette just because it gets you from Point A to Point B.)

-Victor

AMEN!

As the saying goes, “Wrap your ass in fiberglass!”

I roll crimp for my 2 1/2" HH Hussey. https://i.postimg.cc/2SJ544Tg/DSC00744.jpg https://i.postimg.cc/vmfGfC4t/DSC03978.jpg

Couldn't help myself. I got some 16 ga. paper hulls in finally and started to load some. Got a box done with star crimp and then decided to take the time to roll some.

Would like to know how you feel they compare to plastic. Which 16ga would you be using?
I seem to be able to get some pretty good crimps in 12ga and 20ga plastic.
And the roll crimp in 2” 12ga look great.
But the 16ga always seem to be not quite right no matter what hull.
And I think I’ve worn the screws out on the MEC trying to get the adjustment right

I did a box of paper 6 pt. crimp first and made no changes to my press, same as I do 2 1/2" Cheddite plastic, same results, very nice clean crimps plastic or paper. My early attempts at roll crimping were "ify" at best (tools from BP and Precision) then I bought the tools from the fellow several here recommended, totally different results. Try www.thereloadersnetwork.com, you want the 4 pin roll crimp tool. I now have a full set 10,12,16,and 20. I made the "machine" seen above to drive with an 18v drill on the screw driving speed, works like a champ. Couldn't find a small bench top drill press with sufficient torque. I load a tray (25) hulls, no crimp. Then go to the roll crimp rig, card'em all, then do'em all one after another. Having the heat the power tool generates in the roll crimp tool definitely helps in my opinion, certainly in plastic. I use a tiny bit of candle wax about every 10 to 12 rounds to lube the tool, seems to help.

I also highly recommend the hull vise from Precision, works much better than the lever operated one with the rubber pads.

Speaking of 2 1/2" loads, cooked off 3 boxes of decades-old RST 16 ga. 2 1/2" Lite (7/8 & 1 oz.) loads shooting SC yesterday out of my very early 16 ga. 30" Fox Sterlingworth bored M&F. Finally adjusted to the dimensions of the new replacement stock (compliments of Tom T.) and ran wild on some truly goofy targets including an impossibly high arcing mini that had to be a 45-50 yard shot straight up. One of my flattest shooting Foxes, bead must be on bird dead-on for a sure kill. Load and dimensions are a marriage made in heaven for this particular gun. Hot and hazy on the course but it beat the hell out of mowing the lawn! Limited out on Gatorade afterwards.