Hang-up problem w/Lee Powder Thru Expander in 9mm

[ryan3465]

Hey all,

I'm using a Lee 4 piece carbide die set in 9mm for my reloading. Im using mostly Magtech once-fired cases with a few Winchester cases thrown in. Here's the problem; I was belling the mouth of my cases the other night with the Powder Through expander die and when I would go to withdraw the case from the die, it would hang up inside the die as the case mouth was being withdrawn. I set the amount of flare on the case mouths to the absolute minimum that still allowed me to start the bullet into the case mouth. Anyone ever had a similar issue or have any idea as to why this may be happening? I have a Lee 38 spl/357 mag die set and have not had this problem with that set, so it seems to be just the 9mm dies that are having an issue. Thanks!!

 

[GT1]

When you say hang up, you mean sticking hard or you feel a tug as you lift away?

I load 9mm with Lee dies with mixed head stamps(Mostly Win though), it is not uncommon to feel that little bump or tug as I lift the handle. I've never had more than that.

 

[kingmt]

Keep backing the expander out until the jerking goes away. If it is just getting ironed back out you are ending up with less bell anyway.

 

[Mike 27]

What kind of press? I have noticed a little resistance and this is normal on my Lee challenger on the up stroke and it is normal. It is not as noticable on my LNL with the cam. As long as you are getting a slight bell and no damage to the case I would say this is normal. I can't recall which set of dies but one of mine is more noticable than the others, and it may be my 38/357. I have loaded thousands on the dies and no issue's. This is a hard one to say though without seeing and running it, but IMO as long as the cases are good and it is not that difficult to pull it through the cycle I would go with it.

 

[243winxb]

Powder Funnel/Expander Sticking in Brass

Happens with Dillon also. Reshape or polish the Powder Through expander. Or lube it. Starline >

The land for expanding case mouth is too long and when you begin to bell mouth the bottom of expander gets into the thicker taper of case and wedges causing it to be very hard to get back out.

 

[ryan3465]

Thanks everyone for the responses. I'm running the Lee 50th Anniversary press (if that's what they call the one that comes with the big starter kit). The resistance i feel is when i'm raising the handle on the press and the ram is being lowered and withdrawing the case from the expander die. I will definitely try the suggestion from kingmt and slowly back the expander die out until i dont feel such a noticeable hangup. Thanks again!

 

[ChefJeff1]

I think it is supposed to do that. It is designed to give a little shake to make sure all the powder goes through the die.

 

[Dr_B]

I get the same thing when loading 9mm, and I believe I am using the same press you are using. Similar things happen with .38's, .357's, and .45 ACP on my press but not as much tug when lowering the ram. But I have never noted any problems with the ammo later on. They all seem to chamber and shoot fine.

 

[GT1]

I'm guessing it is just the expander pulling off from being pressed into the case. It is not being 'ironed out' as you pull away and backing off the expander won't fix anything if you are giving it the required amount as is.

 

[Nick93]

Happens with Dillon also. Reshape or polish the Powder Through expander. Or lube it. Starline >
Quote:
The land for expanding case mouth is too long and when you begin to bell mouth the bottom of expander gets into the thicker taper of case and wedges causing it to be very hard to get back out.

^^^This^^

I had the same issue with my Lyman M-Expander after a while i decided to make it shorter and now no problems ...

Magtech brass has over thick walls so the expander reach the taper of the wall sooner make it difficult to take the case out after expansion ... the case might have a collar or ring at the end of the taper wall where the expander worked ... and it can produce problems in chambering with tight chambers

I dont know why manufacturers use such long expanders for the 9mm ...

Hope this helps !

 

[kingmt]

I'm guessing it is just the expander pulling off from being pressed into the case. It is not being 'ironed out' as you pull away and backing off the expander won't fix anything if you are giving it the required amount as is.

There is a ring at the bottom of the die. If you over bell the case it will size it back down before the case comes back out of the die. You end up with less bell then if it was just sized enough.

 

[GT1]

We are talking powder through expander dies, not a sizing die. Yes, Lee, it is why I replied since that is what the OP uses.

There is no ring in that die(I have it right here and a belled case), it doesn't size the case, it only bells. The inner wall doesn't come anywhere near it.

 

[snuffy]

Lee powder though expander dies are SUPPOSED to do that. As mentioned above, they are made to work with the auto disk measure, they want a little bit of vibration to make sure all the powder drops through.

That said, if it bothers you, simply take the expander plug out of the die, chuck it in a drill motor. Spin it while holding some 320 grit emery paper on the tapered portion of the plug. A good look at the expander may show that it's pretty rough. A slight sanding of that portion should help make it smoother in operation. Any reduction in diameter of the straight portion may result in more neck/bullet tension, which is NOT a bad thing.

As for an expander running into a taper as it goes too deep, the 9mm is a tapered case. The expander will run into LESS resistance, the deeper it goes.

 

[LeonCarr]

You can also dust the expander with a little powdered graphite and that will lubricate it without contaminating the powder charge.

Just my .02,
LeonCarr

 

[kingmt]

Ring my not be the right ward. I'll try to get time to take a picture. If it is over belled it will cause problems.

 

[kennedy]

Yes it is supposed to do that per the instructions provided by lee, it is supposed to help make sure all the powder dispenses. When I load .223 I accomplish the same thing by wacking the powder dispenser with the handle of a screw driver.

 

[Blue68f100]

Common problem with PTX. What you describe happen with the LNL too. Polish the PTX die and it will smooth out.

 

[Certaindeaf]

A solid reloading bench and interface helps in all things.

 

[243winxb]

As for an expander running into a taper as it goes too deep, the 9mm is a tapered case. The expander will run into LESS resistance, the deeper it goes.

The carbide sizing die pushes the taper to the inside of the brass, i think?? A steel die may not??

 

[Certaindeaf]

^
I think you're thinking of cam over.

 

[kingmt]

Lee Powder Through Die

Shoulder in die.



Over expanded case.



After it goes back through the die.

 

[kingmt]

My 9mm dies won't do this with the case in the shell holder they only size to .388 OD & will not stick in the die at all. My 380 ACP, 38 Spl, & 45 ACP will all flare to much & roll the mouth back in farther the if it was flared correctly the first time. If they are flared correctly there is no jerk as it comes out of the die. You can fell it leave the expander but it isn't a rough release.

 

[1SOW]

A small tug is normal. More than that, you can polish the expander, and/or using some Nu-Finish or other "polish" in you tumbler media will help prevent the belled lip from "sticking".

 

[BYJO4]

As several others stated, polish the end of the expander to eliminate any rough areas. This normally solves the problem.

 

[GLOOB]

^+1. Polish the expander ring. I have 6 Lee pistol die sets, and I had to do this on most all of 'em. After the first few, I could tell which ones needed polishing just by looking. The rough ones start out ok, but then they start galling brass. Bits of brass get imbedded in the expander ring, making the die stick harder and harder over time. This also scratches up the inside of the case mouth.