9mm OAL question.

[Axis II]

I am loading 9mm luger with 124gr extreme plated bullets with 4.2gr of hp-38. I started loading them at an OAL someone on here recommended and it was a little shorted than 1.150 hodgdon recommends for berrys plated bullets and it was a sweat load. if I took my time I could place all 18rds in a baseball from 15ft. well I haven't loaded 9mm in a few months and found the die to be loose so reset it up and ran with hodgdons 1.150 and shot 50rds today. well for some reason they are slinging all over the place and way far left. I drew a orange golfball size dot on a piece of computer paper and aimed for it and couldn't hit it to save my life they were about 6-8inches all left.

Could changing OAL and also my factory crimp die cause such an issue? I want to say my old seat depth was at 1.140 but dummy me didn't write it down and accidently deleted the pdf on the computer.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

With plated bullets a heavy crimp can tear the plating. It should be just a kiss to remove the flare. I shoot for .000 to .002 reduction in case diameter at the edge. Changing the oal won't cause that much difference. Reloader magazine did a test that showed dropping the oal to 1.050 without drastic changes in accuracy.

It is highly recommended that you keep a written notebook of your records. If you first enter on the computer, print the sheet and file it in a notebook. You never know when the zombie apocalypse will strike and destroy your computer.

 

[Axis II]

With plated bullets a heavy crimp can tear the plating. It should be just a kiss to remove the flare. I shoot for .000 to .002 reduction in case diameter at the edge. Changing the oal won't cause that much difference. Reloader magazine did a test that showed dropping the oal to 1.050 without drastic changes in accuracy.

It is highly recommended that you keep a written notebook of your records. If you first enter on the computer, print the sheet and file it in a notebook. You never know when the zombie apocalypse will strike and destroy your computer.

What part are you measuring to see how much crimp?

 

[Dudedog]

I use the FCD on my 9mm loads but you need to go light on plated bullets. To much crimp and you can reduce the bullet dia. If you have one left from the last batch you loaded pull the bullet and measure the base. If not maybe load one then pull it. Just a guess but maybe you are over crimping since you had to re-adjust the dies.

 

[egd]

I may have been the one who suggested that load. That's what I used with the RMR plated 124's. I used an oal of about 1.130. I still use the same charge and oal but only now with the RMR fmj they make themselves. The FMJ seem to be just a little more consistent and about the same price.

 

[Walkalong]

maybe you are over crimping since you had to re-adjust the dies.

Yep, may be crimping accidentally (Perhaps heavily) after re-setting the seater. Go back and adjust the seater die body so you just remove the bell and perhaps .001 more. Set it so the longest cases get the bell removed, which means the shortest will get a tad of inward "crimp". Then set the seater plug to get your OAL. Then skip the FCD

dummy me didn't write it down and accidently deleted the pdf on the computer.

*Sigh* Start documenting everything every time. It's hard to feel sorry for folks when they don't help themselves. Every time I make a change to my digital (Excel) log I save it on two separate hard drives, one laptop and one desktop, and two external drives connected to the desktop, which is not hooked up to the internet. Every once in a while I save it on an external hard drive which I then put back in the safe. Long ago an IT guy told me, if you don't save it in three different places, you don't own it.

Too many times we have folks ask about a problem and relay the same story, I had a load that worked great, but.....

 

[2bfree]

You Might have an OAL, crimp problem,but, I will say I doubt no matter what your crimp or OAL is it would not cause a 9mm to be off by 8 inches at 5 yards. Just my two bits worth.

 

[Axis II]

You Might have an OAL, crimp problem,but, I will say I doubt no matter what your crimp or OAL is it would not cause a 9mm to be off by 8 inches at 5 yards. Just my two bits worth.

I'm going to run some factory through it today and see what happens. If I draw a circle Right in the middle of a piece of computer paper, hung longways the rounds will hit just the left edge and some off the paper. sights seem tight and straight too.

I'm going to adjust the crimp die and seater and see what happens. It's looking like using the die instructions isn't much help.

 

[muncie21]

If you're having trouble setting your seating and crimp dies, it may be helpful to use a loaded factory round to get your dies in the ballpark.

 

[LeftyTSGC]

As stated, I wouldn't worry about changing your OAL as long as your adjusting your powder and working it back up. I set my Xtreme 124gn HP at 1.100. with my load of BE-86 i get about 1050fps and great accuracy. But, as with all, only put a light crimp on those plated bullets. Shot from a Sig320C.

LeftyTSGC

 

[SwaneeSR]

Long ago an IT guy told me, if you don't save it in three different places, you don't own it.

This seems like good advice - nice.

I record loads in a spreadsheet. All the really great load development is in my notebooks. My primary concern would be a house fire. I would have to admit I am currently not prepared for the loss of my old school paper notebooks. It sure would be annoying trying to duplicate your favorite loads.

 

[Doublehelix]

Long ago an IT guy told me, if you don't save it in three different places, you don't own it.

Yep. I store my reloading data in a spreadsheet, *AND* an old-fashioned hand-written notebook. Then I back up the spreadsheet onto a backup drive and to the cloud.

 

[Axis II]

I started putting it on the laptop because i lose track of papers and started cleaning stuff up on the laptop like old trail cam pics and such and deleted the recycle bin and sure enough the reloading sheet went with it. Now i have note cards I'm tacking to the pegboard on the back of bench and putting stuff in the computer and soon a note book as soon as i remember to buy one.

 

[Axis II]

I made another dummy round and pulled the bullet and measured several spots and its not moving. I then made another dummy and pulled the bullet and its good as well so my crimp isn't that bad. I took Walkalongs advice and readjusted the seat die and all plunk and drop freely in my cause gauge. i put a small label on a ammo box and it looks like the old load was 1.140 not the 1.150 i used last night. I loaded 50 at 1.140 so we will see if that helps and not crimping so much. the lee instructions seemed to be crimping a little much. it didn't change the bullet but i felt more resistance than i think i should have.

 

[Walkalong]

I finally got to the range and shot a new test load in .357 Mag. A light plinker/target load. I got to the range yesterday, but as I was getting the range bag out, work called for the third time. I ended up going in four times. After the third time in today I made it back out to the range and shot a target at 7 yards with the chrono at 5 yards, as I often do getting numbers and checking accuracy potential. I was a little sloppy today, but the load showed promise.

Here is an example of the Excel Load Log and what stuff I write down for a handgun load. Sometimes I use a whole blank page with nothing but lines for notes to review a few loads and make notes about them. I can switch it around any way I want to make room for more notes if needed.

Shot with a 4" 586-3 with a Doctor red dot sight using an EGW mount. Someone had it drilled and tapped at some point. I pulled two down jerking the trigger, and got sloppy side to side, but it showed potential. I am going to bump it up .1 and try it again.

Document, document, document. I have already saved the excel file in four places.

 

[Walkalong]

The gun as I bought it. Sight worked great, but was bulky.

 

[Jesse Heywood]

What part are you measuring to see how much crimp?

Measure right at the case mouth. As Walkalong said, you only need enough crimp to remove the bell.