9mm reloading giving me fits Options

[msredneck]

I am having some difficulty reloading 9mm ammo for some reason.

I'm not gonna call myself experienced yet but I've had little trouble loading 38 special, 40 s&w and 45 acp.

I'm using Lee dies and press.

I'm shooting a Glock 17 USPSA and have a lot of range brass that I use....yeah a bunch of it is Glocked

Many of my reloaded rounds don't quite pass the drop in chamber test of my Glock 17 barrel. I also have a Max Cartridge gauge.

OAL that I have tried is 1.115 and 1.125 I'm using Precison 147 Gr Moly bullets

I have even purchased the Lee Undersize die from EGW to try and take out any Glocked factor. The bullets chamber fine and seem fairly accrate using Universal powder.

I'm just wondering where I've gone astray...could I be flarring the case too much?.

I'm using little to no crimp and have tried crimping them more to no avail.

With it being range brass that I'm firing I have made no attempt to sort cases by length before loading...No doubt this could be a factor.

If some of you more experienced reloaders out there could give me some pointers I'd really appreciate it.

The U die from EGW seems to put a line around the bottom 1/3 of the case but did not solve this issue for me yet. The die is screwed into it just touches the shellholder...maybe I need to screw down another 1/2 turn?

The rounds chamber if I give them a nudge and then I usually have to tap them to get them out of the barrel or the max cartridge when they should just fall out. The max cartridge gauge and barrel are clean

Many thanks in advance for some tips

[Jman]

Welcome to the forums msredneck.

Couple thing to watch for. Bullet shape can easily cause the chambering problems you've indicated. Minimum COAL seems to work better in many 9mm pistols. Drop a dozen resized cases (only) into your chamber or gauge to see if they they "spill" out. Then, make up a few dummy rounds (no primer or powder) and experiment with OAL. The 9mm EGW U die has provided zero advantage for me. A standard Lee resizer/decapper works just as well and perhaps a bit better. Make sure it "kisses" the shell holder so you know your case in inserted completely. Measure your crimp. Should be the case wall thickness (times two) plus your bullet width. Just remove the bell. Speaking of bells make them as small as possible. Let us know if you have any luck. Be careful.

Jim

[DougCarden]

Do your rounds chamber and fire fine? Are you having malfunctions?
Most problems with 9mm come down to crimp, or lack thereof. The bullets you are using will allow an OAL of 1.130 easily. I would bet that the ones that barely drop in/out or are sticking are probably fine, and have a nick on the case rim which is catching the case gauge.
Remember for the coating on the bullets you will need to bell the case pretty good, more than you would for a jacketed bullet. When you use the crimp die you are just taking the bell off. Run your fingers along the edge of the case from bullet to primer end. It should be smooth with no rough edge. When I started I had a lot of problems with 9mm too....turns out I was not crimping enough.....go figure.

Good luck, and keep at it!
DougC

[Chris Christian]

A seperate taper crimp die is IMHO mandatory for semi-auto loads. That's one more loading step than revolver rounds require. You may have to acquire one (RCBS, Hornady) as some of the "factory crimping dies" in a three die set are crap.... that fourth die step makes a lot of difference. As for OAL... my prodcedure has always been to find a factory load in the same bullet weight/shape that feeds well... stick it in the shellholder... back off on the seating plug... run the loaded round up... and tighten the seating plug to a snug fit on top of the bullet. It seems to work, and any further adjustments are minor. I routinely pick up range brass and other than sorting out the crap headstamps, my RCBS sizing die (set right down to the shellholder) does fine, and I'm sure a goodly number of those range brass cases were fired from a Glock (IDPA range). Reloading perfect 9mm is a snap with a taper crimp die and full length resizing. Don't sweat the belling dimensions... open the case mouth enough for the bullet to make a clean entry and not shave, and the taper crimp die takes care of everything else. You don't need to sort cases by length. The 9mm... even on repeated firings... isn't going to stretch enough to make any difference. Your problems sound like crimp. A taper crimp die should solve them.
Chris Christian

[SA Friday]

U-die screwed all the way to the shell plate.

147gr Precision Moly bullets

1.130 OAL

Crimp set to just take out the bell and smooth out the case mouth on to the side of the bullet.

The above will run all day long in both my G17 and G34.

You are either not getting all the bell out or you are short stroking the resizing. The U die resizes to the inner webbing if set right, no bulged brass... DO NOT crimp the moly bullets. If you are doing anything but smoothing out the case mouth, you are going too deep. I've acutally left just a tiny tiny touch of bell in the mouth with moly bullets and they ran just fine in my glocks.

If you leave too much bell, the case mouth impeeds the cartridge from chambering loosely. It will probably chamber, but when you rack the slide, it will be really tight to get the round to eject. If you didn't get all the bulge out of the back of the case, it will stick in the chamber (either just outside of lock-up or barely chambering) and will be absolute hell to get unchambered.

[CJDOUBLETAP]

Probably need more crimp.

[Lonnie]

A crimp of .378 has always worked perfectly for me while using mixed brass and several different bullet types and weights.

[msredneck]

Thanks for the suggestions

The bullets fall right into the max cartridge gauge..They just don't fall right out.

I have to push just a little to get them into the G17 barrel all the way...then tap the barrel to get it to fall out

First round is a little rough on chambering put the gun seems to eat them just fine. When I've cleared a round after chambering I have a few marks on the moly but not bad at 1.125 OAL nothing at 1.115

I tried to set the bell just enough to get the bullet started good without shaving lead.

Using the Lee bullet seating crimp die...Precision says to not use the Lee Factory crimp die....I've tried the FCD and it doesn't help.

I really thought the EGW was gonna do the trick but so far not.

[safarihunter]

Sounds like your crimp is the problem. The factory seating/crimp die can give an irregular crimp. I would switch to a taper crimp die after the bullets have been seated.

[msredneck]

So I'm hearing ditch the Lee FCD and the bullet seating crimp die

Or use the bullet seating/crimp die to only seat bullets

Then go get an RCBS or Hornady Crimp die and do it as 2 seperate steps...seat em all then crimp 'em all

I think that's the message i'm getting....do I have it right?

Maybe a Dillion Square Deal for 9mm is in order...LOL! I have "mulled" that possibility over as well

FWIW, I shot 20 or 30 of them at some plates at 25 yards with pretty good success laye yeserday...Not a real test of acccuracy I know but they seem to function Ok....

But I want them "right"!

Thanks for the replies...I'm still a U class production shooter hoping to make D class soon and I have plenty to think about

[diego]

Sorry new to this game, but interested in are you using an aftermarket barrel? Have you tried loading 147 FMJ bullets or another weight bullet? Check and see if the bullet is causing the difficulty by using a black dry erase marker and coating your bullet and chamber it and see where it is highlighted

[Chris Christian]

Using the seating die to just seat the bullets, and then using a sperate taper crimp die to crimp them should solve your problem. If it doesn't you might have to make a minor adjustment (shorten) your OAL, but unless you have a bad chamber that's it.
Chris Christian

[redwoods]

Do what the previous post said....

To find out why it is sticking,
1. drop a factory round in the guage and then in the barrel chamber....does it drop out

2. Resize some cases and drop the cases into the gauge and chamber....does it go in and out freely

3. Load a bullet in the resized cases and do whatever crimping you do....does it go in and out freely

Find out at what point it is getting hung up and then do the magic marking thing by coating it all up and push/pull the round in and out and see where it is getting hung up.

I would guess your bullets are touching after the chamber in both the gauge and barrel.

Let us know.

Randy

[msredneck]

Thanks for help. I really appreciate it

I can already answer a few questions

1. Using stock Glock 17 barrel

2. I have a Lone wolf barrel I could try but have not yet

3. A 115 FMJ WWB round will drop in the barrel and fall out freely...The WWB falls in and out of the max cart gauge freely as well


4. My reloads fall IN freely on max cart gauge but DO NOT fall in freely on glock barrel..They need a little push

5. My reloads do not fall out freelly out of either the cartridge ga or the stock barrel

Another Q...How does one measure crimp? Digitial caliper around edge of case mouth with 147 Pre Moly coated measured .378 if I remember correct...bullet itself is .356 in dia.

Not sure how I mark up a Black Moly bullet to see where its rubbing...white chaulk?...They do show a few marks when I chamber one in the G17 and unchamber it...Its a Precison 147 Black Moly truncated cone...It might be a tad long on Oal at 1.125 I can go back to 1.115 but I will still have the failure to drop free issue

Many Many Thanks again folks

This post has been edited by msredneck: Nov 5 2009, 12:56 PM

[Chris Christian]

If Win White Box pops in and out without problem... the problem is in your crimp on your reloads. Throw away the crap crimp die you've been using... get a taper crimp die... run the seated bullets up into that until you smooth out the case mouth and add a very slight degree of taper. The exact dimensions on the crimp don't mean squat at your stage. Fine tune the crimp degree after you get your reloads to feed reliably. The taper crimp die will get your rounds feeding, if as you say, factory stuff drops in and out. The exact degree of crimp makes more of a difference in 10-30 fps per load... but just get a damned taper crimp die and use it. There is such a thing as beating a dead horse to death. Just get a damned taper crimp die.
Chris Christian

[Jman]

If Win White Box pops in and out without problem... the problem is in your crimp on your reloads. Throw away the crap crimp die you've been using... get a taper crimp die... run the seated bullets up into that until you smooth out the case mouth and add a very slight degree of taper. The exact dimensions on the crimp don't mean squat at your stage. Fine tune the crimp degree after you get your reloads to feed reliably. The taper crimp die will get your rounds feeding, if as you say, factory stuff drops in and out. The exact degree of crimp makes more of a difference in 10-30 fps per load... but just get a damned taper crimp die and use it. There is such a thing as beating a dead horse to death. Just get a damned taper crimp die.
Chris Christian

Chris, with all due respect. This is a beginners forum. Being a bit harsh, no?

Jim

[sandman]

If Win White Box pops in and out without problem... the problem is in your crimp on your reloads. Throw away the crap crimp die you've been using... get a taper crimp die... run the seated bullets up into that until you smooth out the case mouth and add a very slight degree of taper. The exact dimensions on the crimp don't mean squat at your stage. Fine tune the crimp degree after you get your reloads to feed reliably. The taper crimp die will get your rounds feeding, if as you say, factory stuff drops in and out. The exact degree of crimp makes more of a difference in 10-30 fps per load... but just get a damned taper crimp die and use it. There is such a thing as beating a dead horse to death. Just get a damned taper crimp die.
Chris Christian

Chris, with all due respect. This is a beginners forum. Being a bit harsh, no?

Jim

+1 Lets please practice what we preach AND brag about all the time. This is a great place to get answers. Lets keep it that way.

[msredneck]

If Win White Box pops in and out without problem... the problem is in your crimp on your reloads. Throw away the crap crimp die you've been using... get a taper crimp die... run the seated bullets up into that until you smooth out the case mouth and add a very slight degree of taper. The exact dimensions on the crimp don't mean squat at your stage. Fine tune the crimp degree after you get your reloads to feed reliably. The taper crimp die will get your rounds feeding, if as you say, factory stuff drops in and out. The exact degree of crimp makes more of a difference in 10-30 fps per load... but just get a damned taper crimp die and use it. There is such a thing as beating a dead horse to death. Just get a damned taper crimp die.
Chris Christian

Chris, with all due respect. This is a beginners forum. Being a bit harsh, no?

Jim

+1 Lets please practice what we preach AND brag about all the time. This is a great place to get answers. Lets keep it that way.

[msredneck]

Hey folks...no hard feelings...I got the message!

I'm a Mod on a gun forum as well so I know how it goes

One more...

Recommendations for a Taper Crimp Die

Forester? Redding? Recommend one and I'll do it

Oh Yeah you already said RCBS or Hornady...guess it doesn't matter

Thanks

This post has been edited by msredneck: Nov 5 2009, 05:03 PM

[Chris Christian]

How many times does the same question have to be answered with the same answer and then comes the same question again... as if none of the many previous answers were even read?
Chris Christian... Bye!

[Jman]

Hey folks...no hard feelings...I got the message!

I'm a Mod on a gun forum as well so I know how it goes

One more...

Recommendations for a Taper Crimp Die

Forester? Redding? Recommend one and I'll do it

Oh Yeah you already said RCBS or Hornady...guess it doesn't matter

Thanks

I use Dillon taper crimp die for 9 and 40. Excellent.
Jim

[sandman]

I was going to say the same thing about the Dillon's. Mine seems to work pretty well.

[msredneck]

I was going to say the same thing about the Dillon's. Mine seems to work pretty well.

I got the Lee finally set right just a little while ago...Had to actually turn the die In two complete turns to get it...I was quite surprised....any way Many Thanks

especially you Chris!....

This post has been edited by msredneck: Nov 6 2009, 05:21 AM