Question on Lee 9mm 4pc die set, decapping?

[Madmax]

Hello all,

Noob question here. I am just staring to reload and have question on the Lee 9mm carbide sizing die.

How far out is the decapping pin suppose to be? My pin is out .3285 inches, but on some of the videos I have watched the pin looks like it is not as far out as mine.

Decapping and sizing my first 9mm round took a bit of force. I want to make sure I am not doing something wrong. Did not know if I should try and back out the decapper clamp.

Thanks for any help!

 

[CZ9shooter]

My decapping pin sits about flush with the top locking nut/bolt at the top of the die. I have removed it a time or two and put it back in that position with no problems.

How would it effect the force needed to resize? Either it is sticking out too far and restricting the travel of the press, or not enough to push out the primer. If it was out too far, the first stroke of the press would probably push it up anyhow.

 

[anothernewb]

I think some 9mm's just come out hard. I've noticed in my once fired brass there's usually a few that are really stuck in there good.

 

[Gadawg88]

The exact position is not important as long as it is long enough to push out the spent primer. The normal position, as the prior poster said, is to have the top of the pin roughly flush with the top of the decapper clamp on top of the die. It is designed to slide up if it meets with too much resistance, hopefully before it snaps. If you want or need to raise it up more that is not a problem either. It's hard to judge what "a bit of force" may mean, but my experience using the Lee Classic Turret press with the Lee carbide die set for 9mm is that it does not take much effort to size a piece of 9mm brass. If you feel it is not right then take the die out, re-read the die instructions and re-do the set-up.

 

[gamestalker]

There is no precision adjustment necessary for the decapping pin. Approximately 3/8", or enough to pop the spent primer out. Just be careful not adjust it too far out or the expander plug will deform the web and flash hole.

GS

 

[JamieC]

As has already been said, set the pin flush with the end of the decapper top. What kind of brass are you using? Are you using carbide dies? Some brass will require nearly no effort, some can be a bit of a ... I recently started adding some lube to the brass, I'll lay a couple of hand fulls down in a box, (don't want to get lube inside the case), lube 'em, dump them in with all the other brass and mix them up, helps. I've loaded thousands without lube, just don't see any downside to adding a little. I have some on hand now since I've started reloading 223. After doing a bunch of them, 9mm is super easy, although once I got the right amount of lube on the right places of the 223, they weren't so bad.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

As the others said, the top of the decapper should be flush with the top locking nut.

Yes, the 9mm does seem to be a little harder than other cartridges to resize. I place 50 cases on the bench in the formation they would be in a ammo box. I then hit the outside of the batch with One Shot spray lube along the long side of the batch which hits every fifth case with lube. The little bit of lube I add makes the resizing MUCH easier than without.

 

[Madmax]

Hi,

I am using a Lee Hand press with the Lee deluxe pistol die set in 9mm Luger. The brass is once fired 9mm. So far I have done up one dummy round. This round needed a bit of force that I know is hard to compare since this is my 1st round ever done.

My fear after reading and watching youtube is needing to much force means something is wrong. I think I might be a bit to nerves about doing something wrong.

I wanted to clarify that the pin being out was not why the force was needed. I could not find that covered in my ABC reloading book. I think I understand now that is not the problem.

I did put the round in a LE Wilson max case gauge and it fits good. I am using Hornady XTP 115 gr bullets. My dummy round is at 1.0905 inch. I will be using 3.5 gr of Bullseye when I make the rounds for real.

 

[pretzelxx]

I set mine about 1/16 from the bottom of a casing when it's all the way up, just figured not a ton of extra sticking out works good so I'll keep it that way

 

[deadeye dick]

As said before to the top of the die. I us a dry silicone spray on the die holder where it fits on the press and the ram for ease of operation

 

[1SOW]

I also use level with the top. It works well with any 9mm headstamp including sealed and crimped WCC Nato cases. I'm still using the same depriming rod that came with the 4-die set that came with the LEE turret press mannnny thousands of deprimes back.

 

[ddc]

I'm just a little bit ahead of you on the learning curve with reloading and an LCT. It takes a while before you learn just how much force is normal and how much means something is wrong.
Two different cases (same cartridge) can take significantly different amounts of force to resize.
If you started out with a batch of brass that was on the easy end of the force spectrum and then you ran into a difficult case it would be natural to question if that amount of force was reasonable and expected.

 

[Gadawg88]

You are being cautious and asking questions. That is a good thing. Do your homework and post questions here if you need help. There are lots of great people with decades of reloading experience here willing to help out. I am still a rookie with only a little over a year under my belt in reloading. IMO this is the best source of reloading help and knowledge on the web, hands down.

I have never used the Lee hand press but I have watched videos of it in use. I don't lube my handgun cases on the LCT, but if I was using the hand loader i sure would give it a try. Can't hurt and should ease the force required to size the round considerably.

If you haven't already seen this thread, I suggest you read through it. It describes what is commonly referred to the "plunk test".
http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=506678. Case gauges are fine, but what really matters is that it cycles in YOUR gun.

Another thing to be aware of is that you have proper neck tension on your completed round so you don't get bullet set-back. Measure your completed round then, with your hand, press the tip of the bullet into a hard surface pretty much as hard as you can. Measure it again and if it is shorter you may have a neck tension issue.