LnL 9mm crimping issues, need advice

[bullseye308]

Check a sample of 20-30 bullets and see if they are all the same size. It might be the bullets and not the dies.

 

[George P]

It is more likely that your issue is with your Sizing die than your Seat/Crimp die. This is because your bullet should be held in place by neck tension, not the amount of crimp you're using.

Your Sizing die has to be all the way down until it touches the Shell plate. I would also recommend, when setting up your press, you use brass with all identical headstamps...I personally don't load R-P 9mm cases at all; too thin.

It is also possible that you are over crimping your loaded rounds. When you overcrimp, you are compressing the bullet and the case mouth. The brass of the case springs back; the bullet, not so much. This often allows the bullets to spin in the case.

It is also likely that your "older Hornady 3 set dies" are roll crimping your cases. Older Hornady 9mm die sets had a Seat/Crimp die that roll crimped rather than taper crimped. This would provide an excellent opportunity to get a separate Taper Crimp die and separate your seating and crimping. I've never crimped with my Seating die, except when starting out with my original RCBS 9mm set

As already mentioned, you need to set your seating depth with all the die stations filled with cases

Thanks!. After walking away yesterday, am going to start completely over, starting with the deprime/sizing die

 

[mstreddy]

OP, please keep us posted.

 

[George P]

So after going back, and readjusting, the main change was to back off the flare die until the OD was .038. So far, the first batch seemed to come out OK; the test will be tomoorow at the gun club.....

Thanks to all for help and suggestions, and if this doesn't, I'll come with Plan D or am I up to E, F, or G by now?

 

[cheygriz]

Lee Factory crimp die.

 

[Dudedog]

Hornady seems to have two sets of 9mm dies,
546516 is the taper crimp set I have, true taper crimp.

My Lee 9mm dies are taper crimp.

I like the FCD in 9mm but if the cases are not sized down enough it will not fix the problem

You know its one of those things when you roll around to plan A1

 

[Skgreen]

back off the flare die until the OD was .038.

Going purely off memory, I believe that is the same amount of flair for 9mm suggested by Hornady when using their PTX system..