Welcome to THR
Like using check weights for scales, I recommend use of known standards/gages for calipers especially since caliper gears can wear and loose accuracy from use. Since measuring cylindrical objects could have different "feel" depending on the amount of pressure applied to caliper jaws,
I prefer to use pin gages to check my calipers with my eyes closed so I can get more consistent feel/readings (as bullets and finished rounds are cylindrical) and improper use of calipers and worn calipers will result in inconsistent measurements.
You also want to use the same size pin gage as the items you are measuring since different parts of the caliper gears can wear at different spots. Since I mainly reload 9mm/40S&W/45ACP, I have .355"/.400"/.451" pin gages.
Pin gages can be quite affordable to have for each caliber you reload for. Here's Vermont Gage .355"+ pin gage for $4.61 -
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ks-for-digital-calibers.821135/#post-10545265
Lee Classic Turret and Lee 9mm 4 die set ... Everglades plated RN 115 ... 4.1g of Ram Zip.
Looks like you are referencing Ramshot (Now part of Hodgon) load data -
https://www.ramshot.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/08/WesternPowdersHandloadingGuide8.0_WEB.pdf
- 9mm 115 gr Berry's RN Zip (Diameter .356") COL 1.130" Start 4.1 gr (1009 fps) - Max 4.6 gr (1089 fps)
- 9mm 115 gr Rainier RN Zip (Diameter .355") COL 1.140" Start 4.3 gr (1016 fps) - Max 4.8 gr (1113 fps)
Note that start/max powder charges for Berry's plated bullet is lower than Rainier plated bullet even though Berry's is loaded shorter and that's likely from larger sizing of .356".
So measure your Everglades plated RN and if it is sized smaller at .355", I would reference start/max charges for .355" sized Rainier load data of 4.3/4.8 gr.
Problem 1 is my OAL is not consistent. I want my length to be 1.140. 3 of them turned out that size and the others were as long as 1.146
As to your OAL variance, make sure you have large enough case mouth flare (So as to not cut into copper plating) to set the bullet base inside the flare and make sure you are not tilting the bullet during seating. Tilted bullets are expressed by one sided bulging of case neck and you should see even bulging around the case neck where bullet base is seated to -
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/bulges-on-9mm-case.848008/#post-11059827
Tilted bullets showing one-sided bulge (Winchester 115 gr FMJ)
Straight seated bullets showing even bulge all around the case neck
Lee bullet seating/taper crimp die uses stem/plug that contacts the RN bullet further down from the tip and you want to occasionally check/clean the dies for debri/build up.
Tilting of the bullet during seating is not the only source of OAL variance. Since the bullet seating stem/plug pushes on the side of the RN bullet, inconsistent nose shape can translate to OAL variance as well. But as other members posted, depending on the consistency of bullet nose profile and whether you are tilting the bullet during seating, OAL variance up to .005" is common, especially for new reloader.
If you want to reduce reloading variables, check out this step-by-step guide -
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-and-discussions.778197/page-10#post-11419509
Problem #2 is that after doing the crimp, there's a slight protrusion in the brass where the bullet is seated.
If you are using mixed range brass that's been reloaded multiple times, you will soon find that cases tend to get shorter as brass experiences repeated work hardening. And if you used longer resized case to adjust your bullet seat/crimp die, shorter cases will apply less taper crimp.
So measure some resized cases and use shorter case to adjust your die.
(
A note on the 4th Factory Crimp Die - FCD is essentially a taper crimp die with a carbide sizer ring to post-size finished round that is out-of-round like one sided bulged case neck from tilting of bullet during seating, etc. Since you are new to reloading, I would suggest you first learn to properly seat and taper crimp with the 3rd die to see what you could be doing wrong as the FCD will "erase" any mistake you could be making. I use Dillon, Hornady, Lee, RCBS dies and my FCDs stay in the die box)
As to amount of taper crimp, you essentially want to just return the flare back flat on the bullet. Since case wall thickness averages .011" at case mouth, I determine the amount of taper crimp by adding .022" to the diameter of the bullet. So for .355" sized bullet, I use .377" taper crimp.
And for straight wall semi-auto cartridge that headspaces off case mouth, I want a nice 90 degree taper crimp at case mouth as shown in below picture of bullet loaded with Lee combo seat/taper crimp die (Notice the even bulge around the case neck showing bullet didn't tilt during seating)
Problem #3 is that it looks like there are slight differences in the seating depth of the primers. They are all lower than the edge. It just seems a few are slightly lower than others.
If you are using the turret press with auto index, fouling crud can build up at the bottom of the primer pocket and could prevent consistent seating of the primer. To inspect and clean primer pockets, you could resize/deprime cases separately but most of us don't do that as depriming action usually removes most of fouling crud from the primer pocket.
For match grade rounds, I would separately resize/deprime brass so I could inspect and clean primer pockets then hand prime but for general purpose range blasting/plinking ammo, I don't. My quality control check is to load finished rounds in a tray primer side up and run my finger tip over to ensure primers were loaded below flush.
Check out this post for properly seating primers -
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-and-discussions.778197/page-10#post-11386382
And follow up post with US Army Marksmanship Unit guideline for primer seating -
https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-and-discussions.778197/page-10#post-11403561
Proper seating of primers is a 2 step process and if you stop at Step 1 with anvil tip not pre-loaded/set against the priming compound, initial striker hit may not result in primer ignition rather seat the primer deeper, setting the anvil tip against the priming compound. If this is the case, second/third primer strike will ignite the primer.
Step 1 - The initial resistance you feel when seating primer is primer cup being pushed down the primer pocket. Depending on the primer pocket depth, seating primer cup flush may not set the anvil tip against the priming compound.
Step 2 - The secondary resistance you feel is primer anvil feet bottoming with primer pocket and sliding up inside the cup to pre-load/set against the priming compound (.004" below flush) and face of cup deforming (.008" below flush).