Hornady AP 9mm Die Layout

The list as you have it will certainly work if you plan on feeding bullets by hand. I generally drop the Powder cop is station 3 and use a bullet feeder instead. Station 2 UP is priming.

.40

Mine is
resize/deprime/prime
flare
powder
seat
Lee factory crimp die

I bought a powder cop and never opened it up. I like to look at the powder in the case as I set the bullet on.

egd said:

Mine is
resize/deprime/prime
flare
powder
seat
Lee factory crimp die

I bought a powder cop and never opened it up. I like to look at the powder in the case as I set the bullet on.

Click to expand...

This is what I do also except I opened the powder cop die and tried it for a couple minutes. It's just as easy to watch for powder in the case as it is to watch the powder cop die.

I don't care for powder thru expanding and I prefer to seat and crimp in separate steps, so I set mine up:
1 - Resize/deprime
2 - Expanding
3 - Powder Drop
4 - Bullet Seat
5 - Crimp

Which does require four die...

ShootMeStraight said:

Just wondering how those loading 9mm on the Hornady AP have their dies layed out. I’m looking into getting one and was thinking:

1 - Resize/deprime
2 - Flare/Powder
3 - Powder Cop
4 - Bullet Seat
5 - Taper Crimp

Click to expand...

If you want to use a bullet die and want to seat and crimp with two dies then drop the powder cop as it’s no problem looking in a 9 mm case for powder. When I do load 9mm I don’t use the PTX as I get a better expansion from a RCBS die than the Hornady PTX but that’s just me and others may not. For all other calibers I load the Hornady PTX works great.

ShootMeStraight said:

Just wondering how those loading 9mm on the Hornady AP have their dies layed out. I’m looking into getting one and was thinking:

1 - Resize/deprime
2 - Flare/Powder
3 - Powder Cop
4 - Bullet Seat
5 - Taper Crimp

Click to expand...

My setup is just like yours.

Decap - Size - Prime on 1st pass. (I do a bunch at once, Store 'em till I need 'em)

2nd pass:

1- Charge & flare (Hornady powder drop w/RCBS Pistol Powder expander: https://www.rcbs.com/powder-measure/progressive/353701.html
2. RCBS lock-out die
3. Bullet feeder (die w tubes)
4. Seat
5. Crimp

reddog81 said:

This is what I do also except I opened the powder cop die and tried it for a couple minutes. It's just as easy to watch for powder in the case as it is to watch the powder cop die.

Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what I thought as soon as I saw it. If I've got to watch something it might as well be the powder.

ShootMeStraight said:

I assume you are using lee dies if you are flaring and dropping powder in separate stations?

Click to expand...

Actually it's a mix. they are:
Lee
Hornady
Hornady
Hornady
Lee

I use two different 9mm setups on my LnL, one for FMJ boolits and one for coated lead. All dies I use are Lee.

For coated lead my setup is:
1. Resize/deprime.
2. Custom NOE flair die for oversized cast boolits.
3. Hornady powder drop.
4. Seating.
5. Taper crimp.

For jacketed boolits I use:
1. Undersize U-die
2. Empty
3. Powder drop with Hornady PTX.
4. Seat.
5. Lee FCD.

I do prime on press. I find the Hornady PTX fine for jacketed bullets, I much prefer my custom expander for coated. I’ve got the Hornady powder cop but after years of looking in cases I couldn’t break the habit and quit using it for pistol but use it for .223 rounds.

ShootMeStraight said:

Just wondering how those loading 9mm on the Hornady AP have their dies layed out. I’m looking into getting one and was thinking:

1 - Resize/deprime
2 - Flare/Powder
3 - Powder Cop
4 - Bullet Seat
5 - Taper Crimp

Click to expand...

This is how I set up for 9mm and .45 ACP, with a PTX in the powder measure, except I use an RCBS Lockout Die. It's miles ahead of the Powder Cop.

This is my 9MM setup on my LNL

Pass 1
1 - Size/deprime
2 - Expand (M die)

(I have Hornady PTX but since I am doing 2 passes might as well get it out of the way, might need to try the RCBS one)
Wet Tumble/Dry

Hand Prime

Pass 2
1 - Powder Drop (Hornady, or Lee Autodrum./Disk...just depends)
2 - RCBS Lockout Die
3 - Bullet Feeder
4 - Seat (Hornady Die)
5 - Crimp (Lee FCD)

ShootMeStraight said:

How’s the Hornady 9mm seat/crimp die?

Click to expand...

I use the Hornady seat/crimp dies and have for 10's of thousands of rounds and it works. Just be sure, as you would with any die you own, to read and follow the instructions.

ShootMeStraight said:

1 - Resize/deprime
2 - Flare/Powder
3 - Powder Cop
4 - Bullet Seat
5 - Taper Crimp

Click to expand...

Mine is very close:
1 - Resize/deprime
2 - Flare/Powder
3 - RCBS Lockout Die
4 - Bullet Seat
5 - Lee FCD

I prefer a lockout die that’s going to lock up the press rather than eyeballing a rod going up and down. I visually check for powder before placing a bullet on the case mouth. Please refrain from starting the Lee FCD debate. Good luck!

re: the Hornady seat/crimp die. I guess I'm just too stupid to make it work. I about pulled my hair out trying to get it set up and just gave up. It wasn't worth it.

I don't really have any die allegiance... I use whatever I bought. Standard 5-die setup on my ProJector...

1) Size/prime
2) Flare
3) Manual powder drop
4) Bullet seat
5) Crimp die

I've always actuated my powder drop by hand, it allows me some amount of feel and control on what is going on, particularly with rifle powders.

I have a mish-mash of dies... RCBS and Hornady being the leading brand, but I also have Redding, Lee (taper crimp dies...) and maybe others. Even when using a roll crimp, I prefer to crimp in a separate step, so very often I have a 2nd 'seat' die if only to use as a roll crimp die. I bought a 5-station press for just this purpose.

Size/Prime
Flare/Powder Drop
Powder Cop
Bullet Feeder Die
Bullet Seat/Crimp

Because quite a number of my brass had bulges near the base I've been going with this for a while.


PASS ONE:
#1 Resize all brass.

Then I chamber check all the brass using a 50rd checker.

#1 Flare then prime
#2 Powder drop
#3 Powder cop
#4 Bullet seat and first crimp
#5 Lee Factory Crimp Die

I've dumped all my older brass and in the future, when and if I reload 9mm again, I will only be using my own, once fire brass. So things may change.

Lyman M die
Powder Drop
Open for powder inspection
Bullet seat
Bullet crimp
Cases are cleaned trimmed prepped and primed before they come close to the Hornady projector