To crimp or not to crimp

[The Moose Whisperer]

What is the verdict with the veteran reloaders - crimp or no crimp?

[catnthehat]

I don't crimp the majority of my ammo except for tube mags and heavy stuff, neither of which Ii load for much anymore.
338 lapua does not get crimped BTW.....
Cat

[John Spartan]

I crimp as most of my guns are tubular magazine leverguns.

[Dick284]

I only crimp tube magazine rifle ammo, and that's it. Even my M1 Garand gets no crimp since 168gr. match bullets have no cannalure.

[Scott N]

I only have bolt action rifles and I never crimp. If I had an African type rifle, or like the other guys had already mentioned, a lever, I would crimp.

[Pathfinder76]

I don't crimp, but use redding bushing dies and constrict necks .003.

[The Moose Whisperer]

Thanks for the info gents. I started into reloading with my .45-70 and use a Lee factory crimp with good results as most of the info I found indicated the45-70 should be crimped. Then I started loading for my 243W and 300WSM and haven't been crimping them b/c it didn't seem that common in these caliber/gun (bolt) combos. Just wanted to see if I was missing something.

On an unrelated mattter (yeah, that's right, I'm hijaking my own thread) do you guys recall your first big game animal taken with a reload? I have killed quite a few big game animals, but this will be the first year I will be hunting with ammo I loaded myself and I'm getting pretty excited about the prospect of dropping something with the home-rolls

[Scott N]

Originally Posted by The Moose Whisperer

On an unrelated mattter (yeah, that's right, I'm hijaking my own thread) do you guys recall your first big game animal taken with a reload?

My first animal taken with a reload was my best pronghorn buck to date. Everything else since then has been with ammo I loaded myself. It's satisfying to harvest something with a round you loaded yourself.

[Leverboy]

All lever calibers get crimped. My .257 Weatherby and .30-06 shoots tighter groups uncrimped.