Finally set up the drill press for roll crimping
 

It has been sitting in the box for 2 months and I finally got around to having it put together. It looks to leave a nice even squared shoulder roll crimp, the drill press gives you a bit more downward force the shells are a little bit shorter than using a hand drill. I hope perhaps this will give a bit better compression and powder burn. The 8 ga Remingtons crimp just as nice as the Winchesters, perhaps its because I coated the roll crimper in mica it leaves a smooth polished looking crimp.

:I tried a Precision Reloading crimp for my 16g on a DeWalt drill. After a dozen tries I threw it against a wall (the drill, not the shell, I can use the shot again :rotf::rotf::rotf: )

those are factory looking crimps ....you have mastered the koll crimping school with a A PLUS.......real nice....charlie

I have a PR roll crimper for the 10 ga in my opinion its a worse design compared to the BPI one even though most people seem to say the 4 pin PR one is a better design. I suppose if you have a 100 ton press that can hold the shell in place otherwise it just spins and spins. The BPI crimper works fine and requires very little force to get a decent roll crimp. I think the problem people run into with the BPI crimper is they are probably using a way too high rpm.

I think the most ideal setup would be to run a custom pulley and slow it down to 120 rpms +/-.

Youll have noticed that is a fiber overshot card instead of the typical cardboard ones. I have found out the thin cards dont work well with large shot sizes like im loading T, F, buckshot etc. The card sits unevenly they bend on top of the large shot it doesnt seal good just a few things I seen. However you can use a fiber wad cut thin and the fiber conforms on the bottom to the shape of the larger shot sizes, but the top part where the crimp is sealing against it will remain flat giving a nice flush crimp.

So I was doing some late night experimenting and figured out how to get my 10 gauge hulls to crimp. I cut a piece from a 8 gauge fired hull to use as a sleeve so I could use my 10 ga hulls in my 8 gauge vice. The 4 pin roller does leave a nice crimp but its alot more sensitive to down pressure than the 1 pin.

Im testing different crimp depths as well, not sure what difference it makes.

Wow! I should have stopped by there and learned something instead of Jimmy's Hotdogs yesterday. Nice job man!

If you're talking about Albany thats about 45 mins from me, used to go up there when we would deliver quail. I definitely think there is a little bit of learning curve with roll crimping. From what I have noticed compared to problems other people have had. You want to have the shell in the vice where it will keep from spinning too much while crimping. However I have seen a issue other loaders have had where they had the shell in there too tight and it buckles the case or nawls up the mouth when the crimper bottoms out. With how I have mine the when the roll crimper bottoms out it will just spin the case and go no further.

If you were using a vice jaw that didn't fit the shell, a 1000 ton press might not work until you crush the shell head. If you do rifle work, the barrel clamp is exactly like the hull clamp jaws and requires tightening with a big wrench and a lot of pressure to get it to hold with an insert which exactlyfits the barrel. I have roll crimped with both a hand drill and a big drill press and they both work easily with any of an assortment of 1, 2 and 4 roller crimpers. None of them are ever tightened more than slightly finder tignt and can be held in place on a table top by hand holding. I think the secret is simply use a jaw that fits, lube the crimper and run 300-500 rpm. I use my stationary dril press set at about this speed because that particular press is used mostly for metal work and has an x-y vise permanently mounted. I have quit using the actual crimping vice. I simply clamp the hull jaws between the drill press vice jaws and center the first hell under the crimper. From there on I can even change gauges and not have to adjust anything.

610rpms is the lowest mine goes, using a hand drill I have done it and extremely slow speeds like a hand cranked roll crimper does which work well also. I couldnt do the 10 ga hulls by hand they would just spin the 8 gauge is much easier though.

I really need to get to the range soon and do some patterning testing on all these loads.

I ve got a drill press but have never used it to roll crimp my 8 ga shells but I need too...my roll crimps are not as nice as yours....I get some good roll s from time to time with the hand drill but some times they don't look to good...bugs me when this happens...charlie

Charlie you could probably get one of those drill guides for your hand held and you would get more even roll crimps. I seen a guy on youtube use this mini table top drill press as well https://www.ebay.com/itm/39323292122...3ABFBMqub2gelf

you surprise me with your computer skills...it looks like a good thing...charlie

Charlie computer work is what paid for my 6 frame 10 gauge haha.

Milton, I use a MEC Sizemaster to hold my shells on my drill press table. No slippage, and it does double duty!

SRH

I dont have any sort of reloading press I am literally hand loading everything :rotf: . I could fit all my loading tools in a small pouch well besides the drill press. If I was doing fold crimps I would get a press, I dont think anyone makes the hand held fold cimpers anymore.

I ve got some presses but mostly I load by hand the 8 ga and 3 1/2 inch 12 ga...I don't shoot as much as I use to....really like to load the odd stuff like round ball and buckshot in the 8 and 10 ga...killed lots of cans and paper targets with these loads...charlie

It's not a press, Milton. It only resizes the case heads, and you can interchange collets for any gauge. I can do from 10 ga. down to .410. I actually bought it when I used to reload for a short 10. I never had a 10 ga. press and only used hand tools like you describe, except for the Sizemaster. I picked up 3" 10 ga. duck load hulls in blinds and would resize the heads in the Sizemaster, after shortening them to 2 7/8", for use in my LC Smith 10.

It's a valuable tool for someone that picks up used hulls. All presses will resize, but not all use a collet to do it. Collet resizing is absolutely effortless.

Im not sure if any of the shot sizes im loading would even feed through a press.
With the weight of the T and F shot it only takes about 3 scoops of my dipper to fill the shell anyhow.

Ive been surprised at how durable the nickel plating is on this BPI shot, I crushed one with some pliers and still non of the nickel came off.

I need to pick your brain more about that

I havnt gotten around to resizing 10 gauge hulls, I have been using new hulls.
Resizing my 8 gauge hulls is pretty easy by just using a small amount of mica on the case head.

I have a list of reloading things I want to get this year but we'll see how it goes.

I use hard wood clamp jaw pads in the drill press vise. Wood jaws quick to make & give good friction. Drill hole shell head size then split the block with the bandsaw . Gap left by the saw cut gives enough movement for the jaws to grab the case with light pressure.

Was using the wood jaws as prototypes intending to make a set out of aluminum indexed with dowel pins . Work so well never made the aluminum jaws.

William

Keith and Milton, my bad for calling it by the wrong name. The Sizemaster is indeed a press that uses the collet type resizing, but the tool I have is called a SuperSizer. My apologies for using the wrong name and causing confusion. I just realized my error.

I think mine is still set up on the drill press table, from my last loading session with 3" .410 nickel plated shot loads. I'll take a peek in a few minutes and, if it is, I'll snap a pic and put it on here tonight. Again, sorry for the confusion I caused.

I took two nylon blocks, tipped them 45 degrees and used a end mill to mill a " vee " in each one. They're used in a cheap drill press vice. Any size shell will work.
I have both the BPI and PRing roll crimpers in 12 and 10ga and prefer the PRing one with 4 pins. It works just fine and I don't slow down the drill press. JMHO, but I think they work better when warm, and the higher speed helps warm em quicker.
Funny, I never thought of using my Sizemaster. Da.

Nice Paul! I do have some old cutting boards

I went to some effort to set my PW 375 to handle and star crimp 2 7/8 10 G. Its easier to preform all the size, prime, charge, insert wad &/drop shot operations on the PW. Then switch to the roll crimper final step. Ponsness Warrens final crimp is performed off the press anyway,.

William

For me it just feels like the 4 pin design takes more force to do the crimp.
I was preheating my roll crimpers but I havnt noticed much of a difference. Im sure the hull type probably plays a part on which method works better.
If I order some brass cases this year though I probably wont be doing much roll crimping in the future. While the initial cost is high they last forever.
I use a 1 ton arbor press for resizing my 8 gauge shells, after firing they dont change in dimensions at least non I could read on a digital caliper.

I went a similar path, some serious effort and a bit of machining to transform a Pacific 266 to run my short 10s on. I have 3 others set up for 20, 16, and 12. Been using one since high school and wanted to stay with the same press system. After much effort and some serious profanity I "got there". I'm now getting great 6 pt. star crimps when I want them and pull the loaded hulls off before crimping to roll crimp. I ended up building what amounts to a drill guide to use with a hand drill, works great. Been a labor of love but very satisfying in the end.

William Davis, why can't you finish the crimp (star crimp) on the 375? I can't get a good 10 gauge crimp on mine because I think I need a starter crimp. However, don't understand the need for a roll crimp. My empties are rough cut to 2 7/8 but from then on, things get difficult.

A self-opening shell holder I made for my drill press vice from nylon pipe insulation blocks.

https://imagizer.imageshack.com/img924/8633/Oc2ouW.jpg

I'd think a start crimp station would be a must. Doubt you'll be able to get any kind of a consistent quality crimp without one. These are new 3 1/2" Cheditte hulls cut to 2 7/8" then loaded with an OSC under the crimp.

fine looking crimps....charlie

Finally got around to snapping a couple pics of my Supersizer setup on the drill press table. It is so simple and quick to use....... one 4"-5" stroke of the handle, downwards, holds the case tightly for crimping. Just as quickly as the roll crimp is done I release downward pressure on the handle and a spring raises it, releasing the hull from the collet. No handles to screw and unscrew, just a quick downward movement and then upward.

https://www.jpgbox.com/jpg/69115_800x600.jpg

Collets can be changed to accommodate any gauge, for resizing and then for roll crimping. Works so fast you can crimp several per minute. And, I like to work fast when roll crimping plastic hulls. Seems to work better for me when the crimping head stays warm.

I finally loaded of a few 10 gauge rounds for the first time in about a year. I still don’t own a drill press so I headed over to a buddies house to use his. Loaded some up for my modern 3.5” Browning Gold turkey federation 10 gauge today. It took a good 3 seconds VS a 5 to 10 minute battle for each one using a cordless drill. It also the crimp was a lot more even. I still had to hold my shells by hand but they didn’t hurt at all when using the press VS pressing into the roller with a cordless drill.

https://i.imgur.com/Qx8chmj.jpg

Now if I could just find someone with better handwriting.lol

what am I doing wrong......the rounds all look factory to me....charlie

I went back through this thread and tried to see what you posted. It seems you use a hand held drill like I did when I first tried roll crimping last year with my quad pin roller. It took me a frustrating 5 to 10 minutes per shell to get the crimps half way descent looking. Complete pain in the butt with a hand held cordless drill. I only did about 15 shells last year. By the time I was done my hand was extremely sore. It was my first time, and only time, trying to roll crimp. I loaded up the 9 shells in the photo yesterday and headed over to my buddies house who owns a drill press. I put a little petroleum jelly on the pins and lowered it to my first hull while running at the lowest setting. I let it spin for a couple of seconds barely touching the hull to warm up the plastic and then gently lowered the press till it gently “bottomed out”. I held my shells in place with my opposite hand so they wouldn’t spin when applying force. The drill press is a life saver. I’ll never try and crimp again without using one.

My Dad said he was in Harbor Freight the other day and they had a 180 rpm drill press for $500, I think that may be the way to go.

The press I used was a WEN. Looks similar to the $89 Harbor freight press. Crimped four more today I loaded up in 2 7/8” 10 gauge. Took all of 3 seconds ea at the most.