Time to buy a bullet puller

Status
Not open for further replies.
W

Wedge

Member
Joined
Oct 6, 2003
Messages
1,611
Loaded up my first small batch of 9mm...and realized that I seated the bullets about 0.025 to 0.055" too deep. Grr. I was stupid and used a loaded cartridge to determine OAL and not the loading manual.

Fortunatley I did NOT shoot them, realized my mistake after only loading a few rounds and did NOT even get past bullet seating (no taper crimp was applied).

Load is Unique so that deeper seating depth means a more compressed charge and just cannot be good. I will say that I like Unique since it is impossible to double charge in 9mm.

Load is the Lee starting load of 5.1gr Unique for a 115 JHP. Rest of the loads will be at 1.125" OAL.

Glad I thought about what I was doing and double checked before I did something really stupid.
 
.025 is about 1/32 of an inch. that's, uh... precise.
.064 is 1/16 of an inch.

What is the volume of 5.1 grains of Unique?
 
5.1gr of Unique is 0.73cc, very close to the usefull case capacity of 9mm.

My fear is a dramatic increase in pressure due to increased set-back.

I figure if the manual says that 1.12" is the minimum OAL, then they wouldn't really recommend 1.10". Only the really light bullets or a powder like HP-38 had OAL of 1.10".
 
If you get an inertial bullet puller (hammer-type), I've read around here somewhere that you can use a shell holder instead of the multi-piece collet assembly to hold the shell. Haven't tried it yet myself.
 
Well, call me crazy, and an accident looking for a place to happen, but I would just shoot them instead of pulling the bullets. .025" (0.6mm) isn't so far out of the norm with that bullet that it is going to blow up your firearm unless maybe it's an old Luger and you don't want to take any chances with it. (Which gun is it, BTW?)

5.1 grains of Unique is below the starting level in several reloading manuals. You're going to get higher pressures with a medium to heavy load for that bullet than you will because you seated them a little too deeply.

If you decide to pull the bullets, tell us what you plan to do about those "loaded cartridges" you first used as a model?
 
the problem with using a case holder instead of the collet is that you have to take the whole thing apart to put the bullets in and out, with the collet you can just ease off on the twisty part and slide everything out into a small pet food tray
 
It is in a Glock 17.

The loaded bullets I used as a model were Remington UMC 115gr JHP of which I have shot over 1000. They match more closely with the OAL of the recommended HP-38 loads.
 
from what you have said, the load you are using is listed a for a 115gr jacketed. this means that it covers RN and TC as well as JHP. as a RN is longer than a JHP in most cases your load is well within spec. if it chambers with no problems then you are ok to fire it. i would say (with out calipers and samples on hand) that the length difference between a JHP and a RN is probably more than the seating depth discrepancy you have stated. in fact, i would go so far as to say you will probably have less pressure as loaded than you would if you used the suggested COL with a RN or TC bullet.
 
Thanks guys. They chamber fine. This OAL was listed for JHP.

I guess it is the internet hoopla around the .40 S&W glocks that has me a little nervous.

That and I am a "numbers" guy, working where the difference of a few microamps means the difference between yield and garbage...
 
I've got an inertia bullet puller and regret getting it. I have not been able to pull even one bullet using this and that includes ones that are not crimped. I am shooting 10mm. I will probably break down and get the hornady one you mount on the press.

Edit: I read Odnar's post and tried a shell holder and I have to say thery are popping right out now. It must be because of the slight slop that causes jarring and pops it out, but from now on I will be using it and not the collets. I still regret not getting the hornady puller and may get one, but for now the shell holder works great.
 
Last edited:
Tip: give the rounds a sharp 'whack,' and just one. Then measure it. This way you can reseat the bullets without having to scoop up all of that spilled powder and risk denting bullets as they are hammered from the cases. This won't take too much effort but you will spill some and not hit some hard enough. It is a trial and error thing, but I think it will save you some time.

I've done this on crimped and uncrimped cartridges and it works. This doesn't help with questionable loads, but for those that are short it is effective.

Oh, and definitely use the stell shellholders...the plastic/rubber ones are junk.
 
Last edited:
FWIW, I use an RCBS inertia puller and it works every time, even with heavily crimped rounds. For the few times I need it, it works perfectly.
 
UPDATE:

Mal H, I decided to go for it and shoot them. They were 0.02" off and as jr81452 said, the load data was for FMJ which is a little longer...by about 0.01-0.02" I loaded up some more and at 1.12" they looked "funny" too much bullet sticking out, so I ended up seating them at a 1.10".

5.1gr and 4.7gr. Wanted accuracy equal to factory.

I failed.

Accuracy was BETTER than factory, recoil was less, POA = POI with the 5.1gr. Cost is about 8 cents a bullet vs. 20 cents for the Remington UMC JHP which has more recoil and a TON more flash.

As expected the lighter Unique load was also dirtier. 5.1gr was fine, no dirtier than the UMC.

So pressure signs based on the cases, the report level, recoil, etc.

Found me a new load!

Thanks for putting up with my paranoia over blowing my hand off...
 
Did you shoot the first ones with your weak hand "Just in case"?
Click to expand...

He he, that's great.

No, I shot a few factory, then the 4.7gr, which were "barely" enough to cycle the slide and figured that the 5.1gr would be fine.

When I say barely I mean a couple of casings went up about an inch, hit the slide and then fell...

Mal, it worked great, though I think the precision of my job just wore off on me a little too much...at this point I think that I have a load I am set to run with for a while.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top