9mm Dies

What press, what bullet, what brass?
Back when I was loading single stage, an extra pass for a really nice crimp seemed like a lot of work, but I did it. That was so long ago that a taper crimp was accomplished by taking the decapping pin out of the sizing die and screwing it partway into the press so I could just bump the case mouth flare into the entry radius of the sizing die. I eventually discovered and bought a taper crimp die.

There is some number of loaders going against the grain and crimping in the seater because they have taken up the fourth station on a Dillon 550 with a bullet feeder. So it can be done.

I think Lee dies are adequate; I don't have any sets but I have undersize sizing dies and carbide factory crimpers for those special occasions. Also a case body cannelure tool made out of a collet crimp die by the gunsmith to my design.

If you load like I do, I seat and crimp my auto cartridges in separate operations. I find my ammo is more user friendly. If I were buying to cover all my bases and wanted to save a few bucks I would just get the Lee 4 piece. The factory crimp die works well on taper crimps. Seating/crimp dies work but there is a lot of adjustments to make to one die. If you reload range brass you'll want the factory crimp die.

Lee dies are good to go. I load fmj, jhp and plated with the FCD. Carefully so the bullet diameter is not reduced.

I use a Lee 3 die set. I never heard the Lee stuff is polarizing. I've had problems with RCBS dies, but never Lee. You probably aren't loading match 9mm anyway.

eddiememphis said:

Lyman 8 hole turret. Not sure, not sure.

Right now it is just a math exercise, trying to see if I can reload for less than the $.32 per round I am paying now. Brass and bullets would likely be whatever is available. Obviously the whole thing depends on primers.

But for now, I am researching dies.

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At todays primer cost, it's costing me 22 cents per round with free brass and RMR bullets.

.10 primer (worst case) + .10 bullet +.02 powder.

I've used both the Lee 4 die and the Lee 3 die set to make 9mm ammo. I've loaded around 50K rounds. Can't tell the difference using the separate crimp die. Either works great for me.

Lee dies are fine. I would go with the 4 die set, but that's me. I don't mind the extra step. Haven't shopped dies in awhile, what's the price difference between the 3 and 4 die sets?

I use the same turret. I use rcbs carbide set and an LFCD. I have a Lee universal decapper... that floats from turret to turret.

Just get them all and finish with a Lee Factory Crimp Die

Lee dies are great. I recommend the 4 die set. https://leeprecision.com/4-die-set-9mm-luger-carb.html

eddiememphis said:

Lyman 8 hole turret

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Lee 4-die set with FCD. The Lee powder-through expanding die is made for a powder meter but I use a funnel and throw each charge by hand off the scale pan. YMMV so you know if you do go with the Lee 4-die set and don't want to throw every charge you might look into a Lee perfect powder measure, too.

I've always used RCBS 3 die sets for .357, 38, 9mm, .40 and .44 mag. I don't understand why you'd need an extra step for crimping. I know some folks argue its better, but I've never had anyone articulate a convincing argument as to why it would be. I do use one Lee die, a 9mm undersized die. Works great. My loader gives me enough stations where I have 2 carbide sizing dies, an RCBS followed by the Lee (I removed the primer punch from the Lee). I get almost 100% to pass my Hundo gauge that way. Really cuts down on the failures.

My experience...... about 95% of all pistol shooting, the brand of dies doesn't matter. The Lee four die set will usuallybe enough. If your shooting competition and want the most consistent loads then spend the extra on dies.

Docendo Discimus said:

Lee dies are great. I recommend the 4 die set. https://leeprecision.com/4-die-set-9mm-luger-carb.html

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I agree, I have them for all my pistol rounds.

My thought and methods for 9mm tools; I have a plain Lee die set w/o an FCD and I believe my taper crimp die is a Redding. I don't recommend the "controversial" FCD as I have never run into a need to post crimp resize any of my handloads. I did knock the carbide ring out of the only FCD I tried abut the resulting "crimp" was just so-so, so my preference is a separate "deflaring" die (my semi-auto handlads are not "crimped", just deflared). This has worked quite well for several thousand vaious 9mm rounds for 4, pistols and one revolver..

HowieG said:

I use a Lee 3 die set. I never heard the Lee stuff is polarizing. I've had problems with RCBS dies, but never Lee. You probably aren't loading match 9mm anyway.

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I use RCBS, Lee and Lyman dies. Like them all in that they do what they are suppose to do.

My dies run the spectrum of manufacturers and I have only had one problem with Lee. It involved dies for .30 Luger. Following Lee's instructions for set-up, I crushed 3-4 case mouths. As it turned out, the instructions were incorrect...not the dies.

I've been using the Lee 4 die set for years. While the FCD is not always necessary, sometimes you will find it helpful and handy to have.

9mmepiphany said:

I don't like the Lee powder through expanding die and prefer another which uses the M-die profile (mine is a Redding)

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This one?




It’s the only die I replaced in my Lee set and I really like it.

They are all the same, high quality and higher quality and very hight quality

just get the cheap stuff, we are making bullets not sending a probe to Mars