kbis...I thank ya for the invite, but I am married to a headstrong woman and I made the mistake of telling her that beings as how I had dragged her all over the place while I was in the Navy and the job that I have has done the same, that she could pick the place that I retire to. But...Things could change. Who knows...

Crimping subject???Who cares. I believe we have covered it quite well and will probably do it again in the future...

I crimp 100% for my straight wall rounds (44mag & 375win), I normally don't crimp for other rounds unless, a crimp gains accuracy or recoil moves the bullet. I struggled big time with a Remmington Custom shop 300win mag. The gun was shooting 1.5 to 2inch groups with 4 powders, 2 different die sets, change scope twice, The gun just shot everything around 1.5 inch groups, I tried all tricks on the lands, kissing the lands,just off the lands, set back, you name it I tried it. not bad, but,I was expecting more from this gun, just for shit's and grin's I spent the 8 bucks, and tried a lee crimp die and my groups went to .5 and .6. I have picked up lee crimp die for most of my gun's and I figure for the low cost, it's worth a try. The time factor to run the rounds through one more step is no big deal to me if I gain accuracy. I crimp my 338win mag, because the 275gr loads move the bullets during recoil. The crimp loads shoot the same as not crimped, but, the bullets in the magazine walk so they get crimp....hope that helps

I know that we have really beaten this subject down, but please bear with me with one more question.

Is it safe to assume (yes, I know what assume stands for ) that most people think that a crimp seems to help with accuracy and constant velocity??

I am loading 243 and 308 both to be used in a Handi Ultra. The 243 prints great groups at 50 yards ( I have not tried it at 100 ) but the speed is all over the place. 5 Shots were meassured from 2945 fps to 3065 fps. The 308, I have not meassured, but I have been shooting it a 100 yards and am getting vertical stringing of about 2.5" which could be a result of different bullet speeds especially if I am getting the same spread of velocity as I am with the 243 or am I just wishing.

I am using the Lee factory crimp on 45/70 and it seems like a no brainer to use even for me :).

Thanks for your input.

Ken

The Handi Rifles are very sensitive to resting the rifle on the front forearm. Rest the rifle on the metal portion of the action just in front of the trigger.
The Handi's are also sensitive to not properly pulling the trigger which can lead to uneven ignition of the charge. When you pull the trigger pull it all the way back and hold it there until after recoil. It's a feature specific to the Handi's.
Try these two things and fire your test again.