I'm setting up my seat/crimp die for the first time for an Xtreme plated bullet. 9mm 124gr RN. (RCBS die set with taper crimp.)
When I follow the RCBS setup instructions I end up with a dummy round (no powder or primer) with a COL of 1.135" which plunks great in my Walther PPQ. At this point everything is seemingly fine.
But when I seat a bullet with this die setup the nose of the bullet flattens considerably and, even with that flattening, the COL is longer than 1.135". I don't have at my fingertips what that COL is.
I'm getting the following measurements from my calipers:
Base of the bullet: .3565"
Inside diameter of the case mouth: .3545
I'm not quite getting this. I can get the bullet to "snap" into the mouth. (Yes - it's tight. ) But given these measurements should I be expanding the mouth a bit more? It's feeling that way. I tried to follow religiously the RCBS instructions for the expander to do it "just enough". I'm figuring the case mouth is too tight for the bullet to be effectively seated without being crushed.
Am I not expanding the mouth enough? Or is there something else I should be checking or doing?
Thanks!
OR
When I follow the RCBS setup instructions I end up with a dummy round (no powder or primer) with a COL of 1.135" which plunks great in my Walther PPQ. At this point everything is seemingly fine.
But when I seat a bullet with this die setup the nose of the bullet flattens considerably and, even with that flattening, the COL is longer than 1.135". I don't have at my fingertips what that COL is.
I'm getting the following measurements from my calipers:
Base of the bullet: .3565"
Inside diameter of the case mouth: .3545
I'm not quite getting this. I can get the bullet to "snap" into the mouth. (Yes - it's tight. ) But given these measurements should I be expanding the mouth a bit more? It's feeling that way. I tried to follow religiously the RCBS instructions for the expander to do it "just enough". I'm figuring the case mouth is too tight for the bullet to be effectively seated without being crushed.
Am I not expanding the mouth enough? Or is there something else I should be checking or doing?
Thanks!
OR