Reloading 9mm Brass - questions on brands and general advice.

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TacticalCanuck

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Howdy CGN

Hoping a few fellow enthusiasts will be able to help steer me in the right direction.

First, the background:

I'm new to reloading. Very new. I purchased a Hornady Lock and Load AP Press. I have to say, this thing is a beast. I followed the instructions to the letter on set up, and it was well worth the extra effort. THe powder drop is so very consistent. I measured 50 in a row and it varied at the most by .1, and at that not very often. I had a few minor issues with the large primer feed, but a quick call to Hornady solved the issue. If anyone has a feeder issue, simply adjust so the hole in the primer slide is slightly back from center, and just round the sharp edge of the primer slide where the primer sits. Otherwise this press has been fantastic.

I've got lots to learn and I realize the journey is just starting. My main goal is to load pistol ammunition, mainly 45 ACP, 9mm, 38 Special and 357 mag.

I have Vihtavuori powder for pistols. The right dies and shell plates. Patience, I have lots of that too :)

So now that we know I'm new, advice is welcome on any front of course that is relevant to reloading on a progressive press.

With 9mm ammunition in particular, I am noticing that the various brands of brass ( i have a mixed bag as most of my brass comes from wolf ammunition) don't all play well with the seat and crimp die. I get my settings adjusted perfectly for piece of brass, running it through the set up paces of die and seating adjustment, everything looks good. Run another piece through and the bullet will actually be loose enough in the crimp to turn. The only thing I can pick up on is that the brass is from a different manufacturer. The only conclusion I can come to is I need to sort the brass by maker, then set up the die for that particular one, and start to load.

Now I may be heading in the wrong direction with this, and I would hate to waste time. I am under the impression that being so new, there are things I just simply don't know. So that is why I'm throwing this out there. I've done many searches on seating the dies and all that good stuff. They show the same steps, which I follow. And yet some brass just won't seat the bullet well without slight adjustments.

I will note that with my .45 brass, also all from wolf and so a mixed bag, I didn't have this issue at all. they all played well in the sandbox together.

Thanks for taking the time to read all this, I'm new to the game, trying to give as much detail as possible. Last thing I want is to make a bad mistake that damages property or me. I want the shooting sports to have a good rep, with safety and knowledge they are a great deal of fun.
 
My dies can be set up for a roll crimp or a taper crimp. I use the taper crimp as it's more forgiving. I only use enough taper crimp to smooth the brass back out. ( take the bell out). Never had any problems. Have you checked the diameter of the projectiles? ( just a thought). I'd also like to add , that I'm a new reloader also , 9 months in. I'm sure somebody with way more knowledge on the subject will chime in soon.
 
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Sounds unusual to me. I have never had an issue with differing brands of pistol brass seating or crimping differently and I've loaded 1,000's of 9 mm and 45. I'd look somewhere else for the problem.

Check the length of the different brass. Crimping will vary depending on how high-up in the die the brass travels. Perhaps some of the brass is trimmed really short and doesn't hit the crimping surface of the die.

Out of curiosity, what type of dies are you using?
 
My 9 brass is not all the same length and I've never had a problem with a light taper crimp. Hornady brass is a bit looser. Maybe your belling the cases way too much and then not getting enough taper crimp?
 
lee factory crimp die is the best, it resizes the case one more time and it crimps it. I recommend a light crimp if you are shooting plated bullets, heavier crimps will cause the plating to seperate from the lead affecting accuracy, i like using frontier bullets ( and i get em for a good price), theres also campro, berrys drg, etc .
 
I sort the brass by head stamp then randomly check lengths. If they're all close, a thou or so this way or that, good to go. Using Lee dies, bell the case so bullets just start into the mouth, and use Lee crimp die for mild taper crimp, never any problems.
 
The brass isn't being sized correctly if seated bullets are loose enough to rotate in the case. Your sizing die should be screwed all the way in and backed off just enough to not contact the shell plate when the ram is up. Brand of case should not matter for handgun reloading.
 
I don't think the problem is with the dies. I use RCBS 3 die set and don't have that problem. Though a lee crimp die may be a good idea , I don't think it's necessary .
 
I load 9mm and I have never had this issue, and I load many different types of brass. I never sort pistol brass.

I use a Dillon carbide sizing die in station 1, Dillon powder die in station 3, redding seating die and a lee FCD. Once the bullet is seated I find that it is in there tight before I even get to the crimp station. Crimp is very light on my 9mm rounds.

Is there maybe a problem with the sizing of the die, or are you maybe expanding the case too much on the powder station? Have you checked to make sure that the projectiles are properly sized? Also, are you making sure that you are not loading any steel cases?
 
Not playing well with the seat and crimp die is possibly the case length. Set your calipres to .750"(trim-to length), use it as a gauge and check the lengths. Unusual for pistol brass to stretch but check it and trim as required.
Taper crimp only for 9mm and .45 ACP. There is no roll crimping cases that headspace on the mouth. Never seen nor heard of crimp dies that do roll and taper in the same die either.
Like tjhaile says, a case that lets you turn the bullet after seating and crimping is not sized right. The whole thing might be you not using the same 'force' on the ram every time. Or the sizer die isn't tight enough in the press.
 
I found some 9mm RANGE brass did not want to fit into the lyman case checker after loading , it was brass shot out of unsupported chambers and the size die could not push the bulge at at the rim back.
45 acp range brass is pushed through a LEE bulge buster no loading issues here.
 
I'm having the exact same issue with my new Dillon square deal b. Loading 9mm and I am able to turn the bullet once it is complete.
Will tinker with it more tomorrow but any help to OP or me would be great
 
There is something VERY wrong if you can turn the bullet in the case either before or after you crimp the case. The bullet is supposed to be mostly held in by neck tension with the crimp providing the last little bit.

Now part of this may be due to the 9mm cases having a slight taper instead of being a truly "straight wall" casing. But this implies that if the bullet can spin that you flared the casing FAR too much and it caused the whole mouth of the casing to open up too much.

The proper amount of flare is so slight that you can't really see it well except with the light shining off the case just right. You know when it's right when the bullet just barely sits in the mouth without trying to tip to one side or the other. And to do that right this means BARELY fits. If the mouth is flared any more than that you may be creating your own problem. And at the very least working the brass that much means a very short number of loadings per case before the brass splits.

Since the flare relies on the case length it is very normal to have some slight variation in the amount of flare. But it should NEVER be so much flare that you can insert the bullet with light finger pressure. And a bullet which can be turned in the casing says that you've ruined the neck tension.

Another possible cause for this loose fit might be too strong a crimp from the seating die. If the die forms a roll crimp instead of a taper crimp you may be crimping too hard and it's crushing and spreading out the case mouth.

This is why I far and away prefer a separate crimp die. And in the case of most semi auto rounds the best choice is a factory taper crimp instead of the crimp found in the seating die. A taper crimp die is not going to crush and spread the case. So the bullet should not be able to turn by finger pressure.

Also note that 9mm and all other "rimless" rounds headspace off the mouth of the case. So the proper amount of crimp is to just barely bring the lip in to be in line with the case wall and no more. You don't want to press the case mouth deeply into the side of the bullet. If you go too far it'll crush the bullet and thus ruin the neck tension again and also it may be extreme enough to allow the case to fit past where the mouth should catch and rest against the lip of the chamber.

This is where the "plunk test" comes in. When setting up the amount of crimp you want it to where the first test rounds will "plunk" into your barrel without stickiness of any amount. When turned over the round should easily fall out on its own without need for shaking or tools to pry it out. Start with too little and where it sticks and keep re-crimping a hair tighter until it falls freely into place against the chamber lip and falls out just as easily as you turn the barrel over.
 
A sized case is smaller than the bullet, so there is no way to turn the seated bullet.

Make sure the sizer die is almost touching the shellholder, to get a proper sizing.

The mouth belling die should be flaring the mouth just enough to start the bullet without shaving lead. I suspect you are over belling the case.

Last die should be the Lee factory Crimp die. Irons out any bulges and crimps ALL cases.
 
You must crimp 9mm - bullet setback can cause pressure spikes - nasty ones. I concur on the Lee Factory Crimp die, I wouldn't reload auto pistol ammo without one - I've loaded over 50,000 rounds of 9+45 the only issues I've had were squib loads caused by the operator being an AH. Sounds like you need to check your sizing die if the bullet is loose on a sized case.
 
OP , all the info is probably getting a little confusing. Just start from the beginning. Screw your sizer die in until it touches the shell holder and then back it off a half turn. Next size a case, the bullit shouldn't fit in this case. Next , bell the case, do this in small adjustments, you want the bullit to barely sit in the top of The case. Next step is the seating die, Place your case in the shell holder and fully raise the ram. Screw your die in until it touchdown the case( make sure the seating pin is backed out. Next screw your die out ,one full turn. Next is seating the bullit. Proceed to seat the bullit until you have desired COL. So now you have a bullit made to correct length . My next step is to roll out the bell.Now you back ou the seating pin , place your bullit in the shell holder and raise the ram. Screw the die in until you feel resistance . Lower the ram and screw the die in another 1/4 turn. Run your bullit through and you should have a slight taper crimp. If all is good , you then screw your seater pin in until it touchs your bullit and your now good to go. One more thing , the only time I've seen a bullit fit in a sized case , was when I used fired bullits. I guess they were made smaller in diameter after going through the barrel. If you follow all the steps in your instructions and your still having this problem, it's either your die is messed up or your bullits are to small.
 
Is it necessary to size the entire case? or just slightly pass where the bullet seats?

In particular for tall cases like 357 I used to size the entire case but now only do the top half which is still several mm below where the bullet seats.
Ganderite said:
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Make sure the sizer die is almost touching the shellholder, to get a proper sizing.
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Click to expand...
 
Pr589 said:
Sounds unusual to me. I have never had an issue with differing brands of pistol brass seating or crimping differently and I've loaded 1,000's of 9 mm and 45. I'd look somewhere else for the problem.

Check the length of the different brass. Crimping will vary depending on how high-up in the die the brass travels. Perhaps some of the brass is trimmed really short and doesn't hit the crimping surface of the die.

Out of curiosity, what type of dies are you using?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply. I have for 9mm the hornady dies. They include de-cap and resize, expander and a combo seat/crimp.
 
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