Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting No cannelure

I got some pointed flat nose bullets from a guy here on the fire to play with before I buy a mold. They are 170 grain LBT style supposedly. They weigh about 180-181 after sized and lubed.
Anyway, there is no cannelure to crimp into. I have always crimped cast bullets in the past-especially for a tubular magazine. Is this lack of cannelure a problem? I shot a few and didn't have a problem but no long term experience.

What caliber and cartridge? I don't worry about crimping with 173gr Lyman cast bullets in 30/30, they have enough bearing surface and the neck is long enough that I've never had them seat themselves deeper, the 30/30 also doesn't generate much recoil to batter them into the cases.

For 45/70 loads on the other hand I roll crimp them because of the added recoil. If you're load in them in a light recoiling cartridge and they are a tight fit in the case neck I don't think you have anything to worry about.

30-30

Neck tension and a bit of flare to the case mouth before seating is your friend. Don't try to crimp unless you have a taper crimp die and even then be gentle.

Look for about .001-.002" of tension.

If you find the need to add a crimp with no canalure, the lee factory crimp die will do the deed.

I've never crimped cast bullets in rifles and haven't had any issues.

I've never NOT crimped. I just got a Lee factory crimp die for 30-30 yesterday. No time to load anymore right now.

I too am in the camp that never crimps, for rifles. Just revolver ammo. Of course, I don't own a tube magazine rifle either, so I can't speak to that issue. (My lever guns are Savages.)