MSR 9mm Rifle Loading

Status
Not open for further replies.
GW Staar

GW Staar

Member
Joined
Feb 26, 2009
Messages
3,691
My Grandson asked me to teach him how to load. I thought, great, be happy to start another shooter off right. Then he brings his semi-auto (rifle), 2 packs of Win. Primers, Unique, and a big box of Berry's plated round nose bullets......no dies.....I don't shoot 9mm so I've got to find a set of dies.

So now I hear about this new term "MSR" and I'm pretty sure this new rifle ..... is one.;)

Then I hear a regular Lee set isn't going to cut it.......this true?
That Lyman makes a "special MSR set" (read expensive) ....including a 'case gauge'.
That Federal makes a "special" line of ammo for MSR, Fusion or something.

Should I be spooked for real, or is it old age jitters dealing with something new? (only 45 years reloading, but I'm new at "MSR" unless it's just a new name for semi-auto.

And BTW, there are no 9mm dies period in town......isn't the rush on guns, ammo, and reloading starting a little early this election year?
.
 
Last edited:
For 9mm use regular dies. The MSR dies are really more focused on resizing rifle cartridges for AR (MSR = Modern Sporting Rifles a PC name for AR style rifles) based platforms. The 9mm will run just fine reloading with regular dies in a 9mm carbine.

The only change you might make would be to select slower burning powders from those published for your bullet to get a bit more velocity out of the longer barrel. Beyond that reload as normal.
 
Last edited:
Plunk test a sample of the sized brass (pre-flaring), and plunk test a sample of the final product.

Have fun!

ETA: and buy a 9mm.
 
Yes regular 9mm dies will work. I prefer carbide dies for pistol reloading. I reload 9mm using Hodgdon Universal powder and 115Gr plated bullets. I shoot the exact same load out of pistols with barrels ranging from 3" to 10.5" long. You might have to make a slight change for a 16" barrel but I doubt it. I know with reloading 40S&W, my reloads shoot fine out of pistols and 16" carbines. I use Universal for 40S&W also.
 
Standard 9mm dies will work just fine.
There are three ways to load for the PCC (Pistol Caliber Carbine is the more usual term.)
1. Same as for a pistol.
2. Slow burning powder for higher velocity in 16" barrel. Be cautious about this approach with those Berry's, it is not hard to get more velocity than a plated bullet is meant for. Unique is getting into that range, don't push the loads.
3. Reduced loads. A common pistol load is a 115 gr bullet at 1150 fps. PCC competitors will cut the load so they get the same velocity from the carbine to minimize recoil and support rapid fire.
 
That's pretty much what I thought.....but better to ask people who actually load and shoot 9mm......my experience is limited to .45 acp, .40 s&w, .357 mag......and I "Plunk" everything....

mcb said:
The only change you might make would be to select slower burning powders from those published for you bullet to get a bit more velocity out of the longer barrel. Beyond that reload as normal.
Click to expand...

I'll try the Unique he bought first, I know that's not a new application for it....I like it for .45 but that's a bigger case. I know it's fast but not as fast as some.....as least the longer barrel will most likely burn it up and not leave a lot of soot. Will start with minimum published load and see what happens.....? Jim: Lower than that is out of my experience.....don't want it too low either.....but I will look at all my published load data and find the lowest of the low know to shoot safely.

Thanks for the quick replies!......now if I can find (beg, borrow, or steal) a die set......Sportsman's Warehouse had zip! (not even zip powder...;) )
 
Last edited:
GW Staar said:
That's pretty much what I thought.....but better to ask people who actually load and shoot 9mm......my experience is limited to .45 acp, .40 s&w, .357 mag......and I "Plunk" everything....



I'll try the Unique he bought first, I know that's not a new application for it....I like it for .45 but that's a bigger case. I know it's fast but not as fast as some.....as least the longer barrel will most likely burn it up and not leave a lot of soot. Will start with minimum published load and see what happens.....? Jim: Lower than that is out of my experience.....don't want it too low either.....but I will look at all my published load data and find the lowest of the low know to shoot safely.

Thanks for the quick replies!
Click to expand...

It was only a suggestion for if you want to achieve more velocity from a longer barrel. Any load data that is safe for a 9mm pistol will likely work in you carbine just fine.
 
I don’t do anything special for my 9mm carbines, never been a fan of trying to hotrod blow back firearms. Do him a favor though and go buy some good JHP’s too, for him to try.

A carbine, especially with an optic on it will demonstrate how inaccurate Berry’s plated bullets are at distance.

The Berry’s are fine for closer stuff and general plinking though.
 
Thank you gents!

Last night I deprimed more than 200 rounds of 9mm on my Lee APP in about 20 minutes (including setup time for the pipsqueak brass)....went to bed, smiling.

Just now filled up my Thumlers with pins, a gallon of cold water, a 2 second squirt of Dawn dish soap, a .45 acp case full of Lemishine (how I was taught) and of course all the 9mm brass. Set the timer for 2 hours, turned it on......and heading to work for a few hours.....hoping this is a good day!:) So far it is....partly thanks to you guys.

Outside here in NW New Mexico is a balmy 86 degrees.....should be 90 when I put the brass out after the initial towel dry....to soak in the sun. Should be dry as a bone by this evening.

Next, find out if I can trade 9mm bling (on my good friend's brass) after I hurt his eyes with mine.....for to borrow his 9mm dies this evening......he's a sucker for bling and he doesn't own a tumbler....;) wish me luck. Heck I'd even offer to trade him his dies for a new set when it comes in.....
 
Last edited:
Shiny brass may not shoot any better but it makes me :)

I have 3 sets of 9mm dies, 2 Lee, 1 Hornady.
Both the sizers from my Lee sets size tighter. (normal Lee sizer not the U one)

2nd some type of FMJ or JHP, RMR is a great source and about the same price as plated with the THR 5% discount.
I used Unique in 9mm and it shot well, but I didn't care for it as with my measure I could have a + or - .2gr swing. (I just made sure I allowed for the .2 and had no issues.
I happen to like using the Lee FCD on 9mms some people like it, some people hate it, not much middle ground...

I am in Southern Ca, when it's 105+ outside brass dries real quick in the sun and may get to hot to touch! ah summer......
 
Well, brass is finished.....I thought I'd share the after process.....imo it's not so hard I'd go back to corncob any time soon!:)


Next: Transfer to the terry cloth for preliminary drying...

Now off to the drying rack in the back yard. Turned out perfect....B.G., my friend, won't stand a chance resisting that bling....
IMG_3400.JPG
Yes, I got permission from the wife to use her old terry cloth table cloth.....she still likes me....

All that's left to do is rinse the pins a little and pour them back into the tumbler to be left open until it dries. When dry the pins go in a clear plastic jar, and on the shelf.

I use a little rare earth magnet to wave over any strays and put them back with the rest........there isn't one pin left in any piece of brass done this way....and I've done quite a few batches ..... .223, .308 included.
 
Last edited:
I thought maybe you rigged up a gizmo to clean the brass in the dishwasher. :D (Beware of SWMBO!)
By all means make some blocks to raise the green monster so you can turn it in the sink. I'm thinking an old silverware tray or pan.
And I hope you congratulated him on his new gun. It's good to be a grandpa.
 
cfullgraf said:
I never heard of MSR die sets before today.
Click to expand...

Me three!.....before last night anyway....a result of my researching of 9mm in rifles! MSR spooked me. I hate playing catch-up, but I'm too old to catch everything.

Check this expensive "MSR" Lyman set....comes in 9mm too.

https://www.lymanproducts.com/msr-precision-die-system

Federal MSR Fusion ammo: From Guns & Ammo magazine Sep 2, 2016!

Quote: "Fusion MSR ammo is currently offered in four calibers: .223 Rem., .308 Win., .338 Federal and 6.8 SPC, all of which can be found chambered in ..."
That was four years ago!.....for all I knew, they offered it in more calibers today.....but researching more not in AR's shooting pistol calibers....I guess.

So MSR is just a new marketing name for floating firing pin, Modern Sporting Rifles! ;)

Jesse Heywood said:
By all means make some blocks to raise the green monster so you can turn it in the sink. I'm thinking an old silverware tray or pan.
And I hope you congratulated him on his new gun. It's good to be a grandpa.
Click to expand...

Never thought of that.....next time. And yes he got congrats.....not my choice for a first firearm.....but then I'm old and senile.

Grandson had something come up tonight so couldn't stay to play anyway.....so I sent him home with his primers put into APS strips and my APS hand primer.....he was tickled with the bling too....who isn't? Anyway I ordered him a Lee three die set tonight....found one at Titan..... I needed an excuse to order a few more APP parts anyway. Thanks for all the replies.....9mm is new ground for me.
 
Last edited:
Advertising BS, although I assume it's a very nice die set that will work well.
 
The Lee dies should work fine.
I would have ordered the 4 dies set for a little more an got the FCD, but that's me.
 
I shoot and load a lot of 9mm. I have used lee, rcbs, and Dillon dies for a variety of loads on a very wide variety of platforms. I have never experienced a problem related to the dies.

one thing I will add is, I prefer a second die for the final crimp. The bullet seating/crimp dies that are one unit tend to be difficult to set up and less reliable. Hope that helps!
 
Stockwes said:
The bullet seating/crimp dies that are one unit tend to be difficult to set up and less reliable.
Click to expand...
I agree they are not as easy as setting up a separate seater and crimper, but are not difficult, and mine have been perfectly reliable.
 
K.I.S.S.! The "MSR" (I've heard of that term, but it is very rarely used) is designed to use a pistol round. So, start reloading for it using pistol round methods and data (never heard of "MSR dies"). I have two rifles chambered for handgun rounds and I started using hand gun data and methods. For my 44 Magnum, I still use "warm" hand gun loads even though I have used my T-Rex Killer loads in it a few times (I have a load for my Rugrer SBH of a 265 gr RNFP over a near max charge of WC820) and for my 45 ACP I have gone to slightly slower powder, but usually stay with pistol data and consider the added velocity as just a bonus...
 
My Dillon dies load all my 9mm ammo. I use the same ammo in all my pistols as well as my AR9 and my Ruger PCC.
 
Walkalong said:
Advertising BS, although I assume it's a very nice die set that will work well.
Click to expand...

For the Lyman die set, I'll agree the "MSR" moniker is an advertising gimmick. The small base sizing die is useful and the case gauge may be useful.

RCBS has been selling "AR" die sets for a several years which includes a small base sizing die and a taper crimp die.

I did not know I was ahead of the curve, I've been making my own "MSR" die sets since 2005 or so. I subscribe to the notion that all my cartridges used in semi-auto rifles should be small base sized. So, if one is available for the cartridge, I bought it.

Cheap insurance against chambering problems. While standard sizing dies work fine most of the time for cases reloaded for semi-auto rifles, I've had chambering issues with cases fired in other rifles and sized in a standard sizing die.

Lyman's including 9x19 in the MSR line is interesting. I guess the sizing die may be designed to deal some with cases fired in unsupported chambers or something similar.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

Palladan44
New rifle load .223
2
Replies
33
Views
947
JSneezy
J
D
  • Locked
223 brass not fitting in the case gauge
2
Replies
33
Views
6K
Walkalong
Walkalong
M
  • Locked
458 Socom Sizing issues
Replies
20
Views
1K
JimPGov
J
J
  • Locked
Dillion Square Deal B question
Replies
5
Views
825
Blue Thunder
Blue Thunder
J
  • Locked
Hornady 9mm die set
Replies
6
Views
577
Nomad
N
Back
Top