LE Wilson 9mm die, OAL, etc.

[gonoles_1980]

I have some 9mm's I loaded up for the first time, the OAL is 1.125 with a 124 gr Xtreme FP copper plated bullet. Looks like the two factory bullets I have are 1.112 (RN) and 1.075 (HP), both factory rounds are 124gr bullets.

The two factory bullets drop right into the gauge. The bullet I loaded has the rim of the bullet sticking up out of the gauge.

I measured the bullets at the crimp, the two factory bullets measure .3765, my load measures at .3805 at the crimp.

I'm thinking to resolve, I need to adjust the crimp on the FCD slightly tigher.

 

[Walkalong]

Yep, your not removing all of the belling. Adjust the FCD down a hair.

 

[rcmodel]

+1
Crimp .376" or slightly more depending on case mouth thickness & bullet diameter you are using.

And foreget the case gage for testing seating length.

Take the barrel out of your pistol and use it to check it.

The loads should drop in the chamber all the way flush with the barrel hood.
Then fall back out of thier own weight.

Especially with FPS & cone shape bullets, you will have some full dia bullet shank sticking out of the case if seated too long.
And they will hit the rifling leade before full chambering in some guns.

Your case gage can't test that.
But YOUR barrel can.

I suspect your 1.125" FP loads might be too long.
rc

 

[rodregier]

Some of the stubby projectiles engage the leade of the barrel (end of the chamber transition to the rifling) really early. Which means you have to seat them pretty deep to avoid running into the leade.

"Plunk" test with freefall drop is the gold standard as rcmodel described. Several critical dimensions that vary between different mfgr barrels which are not checked in the same way by any of the gauges. {sigh}.

 

[gonoles_1980]

Thanks guys...

I used the FCD and it passed the gauge test. Then then I disassembled the gun and pulled the barrel, it passes the plunk test, it protrudes as much as the factory bullets do, I used them for comparison.

I only have 21 of these bullets, so I'll probably use them now, and see about seating lower.

 

[2 Horse]

The X-Treme 124 FP are just like the Hornady 124 FP and the manual says to seat them at
1.060. The old 3rd edition says 1.050 for coal.
Myself I run with the old 1.050 coal, hope this helps

 

[gonoles_1980]

I went with the COL from Hodgdon on the 124 gr Berb HBRN TP which said 1.15, which seemed long to me, so I dropped to the 1.125 based on my factory bullets being shorter. Unless someone says there is a safety impact to being 1.125, I'll shoot these and see how they feel. They do seem like they could be seated a little deeper. I believe deeper seating means more pressure?

 

[rcmodel]

Should be no safety issue.

But you never said what powder and charge weight you are using.

If you started out with a MAX load?
There could be.

rc

 

[gonoles_1980]

I started out with a middle load...

The 124gr Berry had 3.9 to 4.4 and I went with 4.2 of W231