Reloads not loading in 9mm - setup help.

[John_Q]

I think I'm losing my marbles - this seems like an impossible task.

I tried again this morning - I've completely removed the Hornady die. Then made 20 test rounds of a COL from 1.100 to a ludicrous 0.990
I've tried all of the with different crimp taper depths - all of them dont seat properly.

I put a marker around the brass and it rubs off on all of them at the mouth.

It's a no go with the RCBS die. How can it be this difficult? :banghead: At this stage I think I might just so and buy some new dies and get some FMJ's while I'm at it.

 

[Rule3]

With a crimp groove, you can deflare (not roll crimp) the bullet in the same step as seating, without making lead and lube shavings. Well, you could if it was in the right spot for your desired OAL, anyway. I wish they all had a crimp groove. My MBC 200 gr RNFPs have one, and they allow me to load my 45ACP faster on my SS press.

Those bullets were actually for the 45 Colt and can be used in 45 ACP. The OP is loading 9mm and has stated that the Crimp" groove" was created by him in over crimping the round. They did not have a cannelure to start with.

 

[Charley345]

John_Q

Are you measuring the diameter of the case mouth on your finished rounds? Are they at or less than .379" ?

Do you have any factory rounds that you can try the marker rub test on?

I know you are frustrated at this point. But once you get this figured out, you will have many happy years of reloading ahead of you.

Chuck

 

[Blue68f100]

Your gun has a tight chamber and the bullets your trying to use are oversize, not a good combination. To shoot lead you need to know the size of your barrel. Then pick a bullet that is 0.0005 to 0.0015 over that size. Lead is not easy to start out on like your finding out. But fit is every thing when it comes to shooting lead. Then the load has to be right to ensure a seal to prevent leading.

For now loose the lead. Load std jacketed bullets till you get comfortable and under stand the process better.

 

[918v]

Q,

In the pcs you posted the marker is rubbing off at the bullet nose, not the case mouth. What changed?

 

[918v]

Maybe you should go back to tue basics and prepare the brass one step at a time:

Size all the brass.

Flare all the case mouths.

Seat a bullet to say 1.1" OAL.

Crimp the round so the case mouth measures about .376"

Drop it into the chamber.

Either the bullet is too big or the throat is too tight. It's been known to happen.

 

[John_Q]

I'm going to go and get FMJ's tomorrow and see how it goes. I think your right - the lead bullets are too big. Previously I used the roll nose crimper on the Hornady and crimped it until it fitted. Not a good idea.

I've measured 3 factory round's - they are all 0.378, also measured 3 other types of factory rounds - all 0.379.

Mine all now measure 0.384, 0.385, 0.383 - as someone said a few posts above - this will not do...it will never ever work.

I'll get something like these? - or a different brand that I can source locally.
Remington Bullets 9mm (355 Diameter) 115 Grain Full Metal Jacket

 

[rfwobbly]

Mr Q -
So if none of your seating dies can be counted on to provide you with a good taper crimp, then I highly suggest you order one of these dies.



This is a pure taper crimp die, with no other adjustments. You can place this is the #5 position and it will deliver perfect taper crimps for a very low cost. I own 4 or 5 of these and they work extremely well. They will compliment your 3-die set by allowing you to use the last position for TC which gives you the best overall press performance.

Then use which ever one of your 2 seating dies you feel gives you the best bullet placement in position #4.

That should cure the issue.

 

[John_Q]

rfwobbly - thanks - that's not a bad option. Cheap as well. I'll first give the fmj's a go and then try a new taper crimp die. Maybe I should just order one anyone - its cheap

 

[rcmodel]

How about if you resize a fired case.

Then take a measurement of the case mouth.
What is it?

Don't expand & deprime it with the second die.

Then screw the RCBS Seating die down all the way against the shell plate and run the empty case in all the way.

Now measure the case mouth again.
What is it now?

Post the two measurements and we maybe can figure this out.

rc

 

[GLOOB]

Those bullets were actually for the 45 Colt and can be used in 45 ACP.

Figures. I love 'em. I guess there's little chance I'm going to find a .401" cast bullet with a crimp groove for my FNX!?

 

[John_Q]

Ok - some great news at last!!

First the case mouth size of a factory round that I shot - 0.351

I went out to buy FMJ's - 115gr - they measure 0.353

Without even resizing the mouth the bullet just slips in. Then putting that round (without even using the press) in, it plops into the chamber perfectly and falls out under its own weight!

OMG! Finally! ....does the dance of joy!

Now to use the dies and apply some taper but I dont think I will have any troubles from here onwards.

Thanks for ll the help guys - I really appreciate it.


To close - what can I do with those lead rounds that have been giving me hours and hours of trouble?....I'd like to melt them all down!

They are clearly too big (Or my chamber is too tight). Will they one day in the future magically work or are they useless to me. Does it mean I can't shoot lead bullets (Specifically these types) or do I need to look for another brand that is 0.353 or thereabouts (The ones I have are 0.356)

Just had a look on MidwayUSA - all the lead 115gr are 0.356? Guess I can't use those.
https://www.midwayusa.com/find?userSearchQuery=9mm+115gr+lead

For now I'll stay clear of lead and revisit them in 6 months to a year

 

[kingmt]

I would suggest you just hold on to them for a while.

You are going to run those through the sizing die?

 

[John_Q]

Going to expand the mouths and then the taper crimp die.

Just loaded a round - perfect! Never been so happy to hear the plopping noise

Its soooo easy now!

 

[Rule3]

Figures. I love 'em. I guess there's little chance I'm going to find a .401" cast bullet with a crimp groove for my FNX!?

I use them for both 45 Colt and ACP. MBC put them in the 45 ACP section for the original XD's that would not feed SWC. The XDm will.

 

[rcmodel]

First the case mouth size of a factory round that I shot - 0.351
I went out to buy FMJ's - 115gr - they measure 0.353

Now I think you have a defective measuring device.
I doubt anyone makes .353" 9mm bullets.

But regardless of that.
DO NOT attempt to load them without sizing them first.

Now to use the dies and apply some taper

A taper crimp is NOT what holds the bullet in place during feeding.
Case neck thension does that, and that come only from resizing the fired cases.

 

[John_Q]

Checked a few more bullets - .354 and .353.5. What should they be measuring?

Cool - I know I must resize them first. I got so excited the first one I resized incorrectly and the bullet dropped all the way in

How do I know if there is enough tension holding the bullet in place?

 

[kingmt]

.355 or .356" is what they should measure.

 

[918v]

I think your measuring instrument is off, or if you have a metric caliper then your math is off.

Or maybe I'm off and your bullets are .353". Who knows, different land, different specs?
One thing I want to add, if you didn't know it, Lee sells bullet sizing dies that work in a standard reloading press. They are cheap and you can size the bullets in .001" incrementsa until they fit your bore/throat like a glove.

http://leeprecision.com/new-lube-size-kit-.356.html

midwayusa sells them for $15 or so.

I have a feeling the bullets you measured are actually .355". I also have a feeling the lead bullets you think are .356" are actually .358". I have a feeling your barrel has a .357" throat. and this Lee sizing kit will give you .3565" bullets that will work. But first you should confirm your mearurements.

BTW, Lee will make custom die sizes for you if you ask.

 

[John_Q]

Thanks - I"ll look into the bullet sizing die - might be well worth getting.

Anything is possible at the moment. I'm just chuffed the fmj's work

 

[Fishslayer]

Now I think you have a defective measuring device.
I doubt anyone makes .353" 9mm bullets.

THIS photo really has me believing the original cast bullets are .358" slugs...

Ummm... OP... You DID zero your caliper, right?

 

[GLOOB]

+1. Sounds like the OP has one of those special calipers that measure objects all the way down to -0.002.

 

[John_Q]

Just some feedback - I got some CMJ 124gr 9mm bullets - they load and shoot perfectly. No gun jams or anything. This is much more like it!!

 

[mingansr]

Now Lee has a seating and ROLL crimping die and that die is backed out NOT to crimp if, as I have, a Factory Crimp die is used. Don't know anything about r c b s dies, but have you guys figured out what kind of dies the OP in fact has? Just wondering

Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2

 

[rfwobbly]

Just some feedback - I got some CMJ 124gr 9mm bullets - they load and shoot perfectly. No gun jams or anything. This is much more like it!!

Well a happy ending at last !!

► Now comes time for some "damage control", to make sure this doesn't happen again. Good reloading comes from good measurements of both powder weight and physical size. Did you ever work out what was going on with the calipers? This is a game of hundredths of a millimeter or thousandths of an inch, so you must have accurate instrumentation to advance or achieve any bullet accuracy.

► If you are measuring in metric units that's OK. Just tell us and then we'll do the conversion on this end so that you'll get the exact message we're trying to send. We don't need you "believing" you understand. We need you to KNOW you understand.