[layusn1]

I'm getting ready to load up some 9mm lead bullets someone sent me. I've got them lubed up with some Lar's carnuba red, applied by hand sine I have no way to size/lube so they are as cast from a Lyman mold..2 cavity 120gr trucated cone. The question is, do I crimp them or not? I know I need to put some extra bell in the case mouths to get them in there right and undamaged? If you crimp them does that reduce the critical diameter needed to not cause leading or do you crimp just enough to get the case mouth back within spec.? Would this be the same size as a FMJ bullet? I searched on castboolets but the answers are really vague and seem to go more into the theories of softening the surface of the lead if you crimp so any suggestions would be HIGHLY appreciated. Thanks.

[Bullet]

Only crimp enough to remove the bell.

[glockgod]

Get yourself a taper crimp die- works nicely on autoloading cartridges. With taper crimp case length isn't QUITE so critical. As said just remove the bell. I take the barrel out of my pistol and test the loaded rounds. If you can drop them into the chamber easily you should be good to go.

[RustyFN]

I use the FCD on them and it works great. I crimp just enough to remove the bell, same as plated.
Rusty

[layusn1]

Cool, I have the FCD for 9mm so I guess I will load up a dummy and very slowly turn the crimp die down enough to make sure it drops into my barrel. Thanks guys.

[Bullet]

layusn1
What diameter are your bullets?

I have and use a Lee Factory Crimp die. These dies have a sizing ring in them. I think I’ve read that they are OK to use with lead bullets, but I don’t remember for sure. Don’t lead bullets usually have bigger diameters than jacketed bullets? If the sizing ring is sizing the lead bullet I don’t think this would be good. Maybe someone could comment on this or explain this.

[layusn1]

OK...I need more help. I put a bullet in a case and set it to the right length and crimped it but it won't chamber. I have crimped the living snot out of it. The brass is in the bullet and I can BARELY catch my fingernail between the bullet and the brass. This bullet is SERIOUSLY crimped in there. Any thoughts?

[lgsracer]

Need to be sized. They come out of the mold over sized.

Cheapest way is Lee

http://www.leeprecision.com/cgi/catalog/browse.cgi?1186887457.2961=/html/catalog/lubesize.html

[Bullet]

The brass is in the bullet and I can BARELY catch my fingernail between the bullet and the brass.

There shouldn't be any room between the bullet and the brass. The brass should just touch the bullet.

[layusn1]

There shouldn't be any room between the bullet and the brass. The brass should just touch the bullet.

Yeah, I know...but the brass shouldn't be so far into the bullet that you can barely feel the edge of it. It is buried in the lead. My Speer lead bullets loaded and shot fine. I'm afraid your right on the resize...will this kill the lube I spent hours hand applying?

[caz223]

If the bullet isn't sized correctly, the factory crimp tries to post size it down so it will fit in your chamber.
You've seen the result.
I'd try a different approach.

[layusn1]

Yeah, guess its the Lee kit until I decide I like doing this enough/can afford a better lube/sizer. I was hoping to shoot these. The guy that sent them to me said he shoots them as is out of the mold. I don't see how unless he sent me his diameter rejects.

[Walkalong]

O.A.L. could be too long.

[RustyFN]

If the bullets were sized to .356 it should be no problem. I am loading 125 grain sized to .356 and they load great. The post sizing ring in the FCD doesn't come into play.
Rusty

[layusn1]

Nah, Oal is in accordance with the Lyman manual so that cant be it. Any further in the case the case mouth would go over the Shoulder of the bullet anyway. I'm sure its a sizing issue. I was just hoping I did something stupid I didn't know about loading cast bullets.