[TheTinMan]

Lee FCD: Excellent crimp die. Crimp dies are crimp dies, and the Lee does a great crimp. The carbide ring is not a sizing ring, it simply will "iron out" any bulges due to poorly seated bullets or bulges left in the case. It can swaged down lead bullets that are several thousandths over nominal bullet diameter. Remove the carbide ring and you'll still have one of the best, if not the best, crimp dies around.
Redding crimp die: The only Redding crimp worth the money is the Profile Crimp Die for roll crimping. Other than that, taper crimp is taper crimp.

The Lee Factory Crimp Die does more than just crimp, whatever you want to call the extra "feature".

My guess is that some class 06 manufacturers like the LFCD for cosmetic reasons, not because it produces superior ammunition.

The only crimp die I ever had problems with was a regular Lee taper crimp. The contact surface was rough and burnished case mouths in a bad way. No such problems with Redding, Hornady or Lyman crimp dies, although Redding has the best finish polish of the contact surfaces in my limited experience.

 

[TheTinMan]

If you have to buy a taper crimp die, then I would go with the Redding Profile Crimp die. I have one I use for roll crimps on .45 Colt. For my .45 ACP, I use a Hornady taper crimp die. I refuse to buy Lee as a matter of principle.

Simple typo: "If you have to buy a roll crimp die..." And I couldn't agree more.