Can't figure out what I'm doing wrong (reloading 9mm)

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Bynming

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Hey guys, so I've been tinkering for 3 hours with my new Dillon RL550B press and the machine itself is working great but I'm having a weird problem with my setup, I'm pretty certain it's user error but I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong.

I've been using once fired brass, titegroup, CCI primers and campro 115gr bullets. OAL is 1.125.

Essentially my process is:
1- Tumble the brass
2- Visually inspect everything
3- Size and prime (and, since I was having problems, check in a case gauge)
4- Bell the case and drop powder
5- Seat bullet to 1.125 OAL
6- Crimp


1 out of 4 finished cartridges would not fit in the case gauge after crimping, I have no idea why. What the hell am I doing wrong? The dimension at the mouth of the case don't seem to be the issue although I'm having a hard time determining that.
 
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Check to make sure you sizing die is firmly set in the press. Sometimes they can work loose and develop small amounts of play, which is enough to not completely size the cases.

Are they dropping into the gauge at all? And just not fitting flush? If so, then its probably something with the sizing die.

If the don't fit the gauge at all, then there is too much flare and/or the crimp die is not getting rid of it.
 
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silverfoxdj said:
Are you belling too much..
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I bell to 0.385 or so, which is much less than what the manual recommends, but I've tried belling more and belling less. I even sat a bullet on such a tiny bell that the cartridge fit in the gauge before crimping. The mouth of the case after sizing measures at 0.372, after belling at 0.387 (Dillon recommends +0.020, which would be 0.392) and mine measure 0.377 +-0.001 after crimping, seemingly. Most fit in the gauge, some don't. I don't know which part of the cartridge gets stuck.

Onagoth said:
Check to make sure you sizing die is firmly set in the press. Sometimes they can work loose and develop small amounts of play, which is enough to not completely size the cases.

Are they dropping into the gauge at all? And just not fitting flush? If so, then its probably something with the sizing die.

If the don't fit the gauge at all, then there is too much flare and/or the crimp die is not getting rid of it.
Click to expand...
The sizing die is not the issue as far as I can tell because I've had this happen on pieces of brass that fit in the case gauge after sizing, and wouldn't fit after seating and crimping.
 
Try one of your cartridges in the barrel you will be using to fire the ammunition. If it chambers and extracts with no problems, you will be good to go unless you are wanting this ammo to chamber in ANY firearm. Maybe you are using mixed brass and therefore not all cases are precisely the same size? I have experienced this while loading 40 S&W and any cartridges that do not precisely fit in my case gauge I check in the barrel, and they chamber and extract fine.
 
Take a problem cartridge and cover it in black marker. Try it in the case gauge several times.
Marker will wear off the case mouth or 3/16" up from the bottom of the case.
Should tell you what your issue is.
 
What die(s) are you using to seat and crimp? If it's one of those combination sear & crimp dies, you could be crimping too much and buckling the case.
 
G-Man_Quagmire said:
Try one of your cartridges in the barrel you will be using to fire the ammunition. If it chambers and extracts with no problems, you will be good to go unless you are wanting this ammo to chamber in ANY firearm. Maybe you are using mixed brass and therefore not all cases are precisely the same size? I have experienced this while loading 40 S&W and any cartridges that do not precisely fit in my case gauge I check in the barrel, and they chamber and extract fine.
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I'll do that when I try again tomorrow, thanks for the advice!

Rust said:
Take a problem cartridge and cover it in black marker. Try it in the case gauge several times.
Marker will wear off the case mouth or 3/16" up from the bottom of the case.
Should tell you what your issue is.
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Hmmm, good idea, I'll give that a try. Can't believe I didn't think of it :D

VanMan said:
What die(s) are you using to seat and crimp? If it's one of those combination sear & crimp dies, you could be crimping too much and buckling the case.
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I'm using Dillon's dies for everything. I adjusted my crimp very gradually but perhaps it's too much for some cases. I guess if the marker wears out as Rust says 3/16" from the bottom that's a sign ofr a buckled case?
 
Here's a tip. Get yourself a lee CARBIDE FACTORY TAPER CRIMP DIE . Remove the guts and run your loaded rounds threw it . I had the same problem awhile back and it works. 9mm , 40 ,45 . You probably have some cases with a bulge , this will help
 
Another thing to check is that you are using the correct end of the insert in the seating die that matches the profile of your bullet. If you are using the flat nosed profile on round nosed bullets, the bullets may not get properly centred as they get pushed in to the case. Could cause bulging on one side of the case.
 
Bynming said:
1 out of 4 finished cartridges would not fit in the case gauge after crimping, I have no idea why. What the hell am I doing wrong? The dimension at the mouth of the case don't seem to be the issue although I'm having a hard time determining that.
Click to expand...

Won't fit as in too long, too short, too wide? A picture would help.
 
PitBull1973 said:
Here's a tip. Get yourself a lee CARBIDE FACTORY TAPER CRIMP DIE . Remove the guts and run your loaded rounds threw it . I had the same problem awhile back and it works. 9mm , 40 ,45 . You probably have some cases with a bulge , this will help
Click to expand...
This "sizes" loaded rounds? So you're basically suggesting that I continue doing what I'm doing but do the extra step with the bullet in? Or does the Lee crimp die replace the Dillon crimp die?

VanMan said:
Another thing to check is that you are using the correct end of the insert in the seating die that matches the profile of your bullet. If you are using the flat nosed profile on round nosed bullets, the bullets may not get properly centred as they get pushed in to the case. Could cause bulging on one side of the case.
Click to expand...
Yeah I'm using the rounded internals for the seating die.
 
pts.fa said:
Won't fit as in too long, too short, too wide? A picture would help.
Click to expand...
I unfortunately disassembled all the bad rounds earlier but I suppose I'll try tomorrow and if I get more I'll take pictures. It goes in almost all the way, it pokes out by roughly 2-3 milimeters. In some cases I can jam it down but that doesn't feel good.
 
Bynming said:
This "sizes" loaded rounds? So you're basically suggesting that I continue doing what I'm doing but do the extra step with the bullet in? Or does the Lee crimp die replace the Dillon crimp die?

I use it on my Dillon 650 at the last stage. It will squeeze the case back to factory dimensions if you have cases that are bulged.

Measure the base of the case above the rim and compare it to a factory round after you resize them. If you still have a bulge use my method
Click to expand...
 
Moose_Master said:
Get your cellphone on a stand or something and video 30 seconds (on HD) on what yer doing and I bet my boots the issue will be pointed out right away.
Click to expand...

Doubt I can get good footage with my Nexus 4 but if the other tips don't work out I'll try to do that.

PitBull1973 said:
Bynming said:
This "sizes" loaded rounds? So you're basically suggesting that I continue doing what I'm doing but do the extra step with the bullet in? Or does the Lee crimp die replace the Dillon crimp die?

I use it on my Dillon 650 at the last stage. It will squeeze the case back to factory dimensions if you have cases that are bulged.

Measure the base of the case above the rim and compare it to a factory round after you resize them. If you still have a bulge use my method
Click to expand...
If I could be spared the extra step it'd be great... If my crimp die also wrecks the brass it seems like that's a problem with the die :(
Click to expand...
 
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Try adjusting your seating depth. Rounds with too long of an OAL will not fit either your gauge or your pistol. Too short will bulge the case, but I don't think this is happening if your OAL is 1.125" and you are using short 115 grain bullets. If all else fails, try gauging your rounds with your pistol barrel instead of the case gauge; you may not have much of a problem after all if they all fit freely into the chamber.

If all your sized cases fit the gauge, that eliminates sizing as the problem. Crimping to .377" at the case mouth seems reasonable, so crimping is probably not it, either.
 
Some of my pulled bullets were swaged though, so I'm wondering if maybe something is happening because I'm using different types of brass with the same crimp "setting"?
 
Tossing this out there before going to bed. Is it possible that this is happening because I haven't sorted brass by length or brand? I know I have some brass that's .742 long up to .748 and now I'm noticing that I have some that measure at .738. I'm thinking that may have messed with my crimp.
 
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