9mm Case Gauge - Rejected Rounds

Zee705

Zee705

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I've been checking every single 9mm round I load with a case gauge while also checking to make sure that the primers are seated deep enough.

How many of your 9mm rounds fail the plunk test in your case gauge? I'm running at around 3% failure rate.

I've set the rejects off to the side for now. Is it normal to have that many hand loaded 9mm rounds not chamber? Should I just pull the bullets/powder and toss the cases?

I'm new to loading and I'm not sure why this happens or what to do with the failed rounds.

Thanks
 
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get a lee factory crimp die. Carbide sizer on the bottom of die sizes cartridge while crimping so every round positively chambers
 
I have a Lee 4 hole turret press. I bought the Lee 4 pack of dies (deprime/resize, powder through/flare, seat, crimp). Is there a different crimp die I should get?
 
Zee705 said:
I have a Lee 4 hole turret press. I bought the Lee 4 pack of dies (deprime/resize, powder through/flare, seat, crimp). Is there a different crimp die I should get?
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check that you get enough crimp on it. maybe another 1/2 turn and it will 'plunk' right in...
you may want to just try them at the range as is and see if they give you a problem to feed or take your barrel out and see if they seat fine or not.
 
Seeing that you already have a carbide factory crimp die in your kit and using it, your problem may be that you're seating your bullets on the long end so the odd one gets seating a little too long?

What's pills are you using and what's your OAL? What's the OAL of the rejected ones? Are the failing to seat because of the case not fully sized or not enough crimp or too long?

Also, verify that your sizing and crimping dies are kissing the shell plate when under load.
 
Your loading a plated bullet and over crimping may be bulging the bullet above and below the crimp.

The taper crimp is used to streamline the case mouth and not to hold the bullet.

I'm using the same Lee 4 die set but I'm expanding the case with a Lyman type M die with my plated bullets and the crimp is only .001 smaller than case diameter.

Testing Rainier Ballistics plated bullets
https://gunbot.wordpress.com/2012/12/24/testing-rainier-ballistics-plated-bullets/

Pull one of your rounds and see if your crimp left a compression ring around the bullet. If it did you are over crimping your plated bullets.
 
Zee705 said:
3.2 grains of Titegroup under 147 gr Campro RNFP
1.115 OAL

I'll double check the OAL of the rejects and make sure my ram is touch the bottom of the die.
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I use the same press/dies and very similar load as you except I use 3.1 grains of TiteGroup under 147 gr CamPro RNFP
1.120 OAL along with CCI primers. I successfully use this load in a 9mm 1911 and a GrandPower K100 Target.
 
MET said:
I use the same press/dies and very similar load as you except I use 3.1 grains of TiteGroup under 147 gr CamPro RNFP
1.120 OAL along with CCI primers. I successfully use this load in a 9mm 1911 and a GrandPower K100 Target.
Click to expand...

It's a popular load for a reason, they shoot extremely soft out of my M&P.
 
wow, 3.1 grains of titegroup is really light. I think most guys I know load 3.4 grains, but to each his own.
As for the sizer, I check all my loaded ammo with a 100 round case gauge. If it fails the 100 round gauge, I have a single gauge by Dillon.
Typically it fails because the brass is bulged near the base/primer. If that's the case, then I just put the cartridge in a "special box" that I use for plinking.. basically some fun rapid firing at the range.
Your length should be fine, I load them between 1.10 and 1.12 for the 147's.

I wouldn't pull them apart, if they fit in your barrel fine, just shoot them (assuming brass and everything is ok)
 
RePete said:
When you are checking the ammo in the barrel, check fir high/very slightly high primers.
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I have been checking but I think I'll be a little more diligent about it now. Light strikes can be a nuisance in competitions. Any rounds I'm not 100% confident in will get tossed in my practice ammo jar.
 
1) Make sure your shell plate is tight.

2) When setting up your dies make sure that all stations are occupied to reduce variances.

3) Always lock your dies down when the shell plate is in the upward position.

4) Make sure your resizing die is as close to the shell plate as possible. On my Dillon 650, using Dillon dies, my sizing die just touches the shell plate.

5) Toss the case gauge and use your least tolerant barrel. e.g. CZ.

6) Crimping 9mm should be called de-belling, lol. Just take the bell off the case mouth. Generally the "crimp" measurement will fall somewhere between .377-.379.

P.S. I'm not sure how others are telling you that your OAL is fine. They don't know that, I don't know that, only you will know. Use the following method to find the OAL that work for your barrel(s).

Cut and paste from another site:

*Note: If being used in multiple handguns load to the shortest OAL while remaining in the "safe zone". Make sure your rounds pass the plunk and spin test. Make sure they function properly in the magazine.

Fit a new jacketed or plated bullet into a fired case. (No powder; fired primer.) If you try 2 or 3 bullet/case combinations you'll end up with 1 or 2 where the bullet is a snug "push fit". Set the bullet out to an OAL of like 1.300". Any OAL longer than what you need. Working with your barrel REMOVED from the gun, slide this "test cartridge" into the chamber. At some point it will stop going into the chamber. In other words, whatever the bullet is striking is keeping the test cartridge from going in all the way. At this point, if you continue to push, the bullet will slide back into the case until the mouth of the case comes to rest on the end of the chamber. So whatever the bullet was striking has pushed the bullet back into the case. Follow?

Finding%252520OAL%2525201.jpg


Finding%252520OAL%2525202.jpg


Finding%252520OAL%2525203.jpg


Now, slowly and carefully withdraw the test cartridge and measure its new length. Do this with other bullets and other cases until you start to see the same number again and again. That measurement is your exact chamber length for that bullet in that barrel. Now of course we need a set-back distance off the rifling, so subtract at least .015" from that number to obtain your maximum OAL.

Finding%252520OAL%2525204.jpg


So let's assume your test cartridge keeps giving you a number like 1.177". We subtract our setback and get 1.177" - .015" to equal 1.160". You see I've backed off an additional .002" because 1) it's simply easier to read on a caliper, 2) the chances of finding a load for 1.162" is impossible, whereas 1.160 is probably pretty good, and 3) we're talking less than a human hair, so gee whiz give it a break!
 
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Zee,

Evidently, your are using range brass... and let me welcome you to the bulged brass World! [insert fireworks and cheers here]

Common to 9mm and .40SW calibers, the bulge is caused by cases not fully supported by the chamber. I call those "glocked brass". Here's an illustration stolen from ar15-com:

chamber.jpg



Depending on brass and loads, most cases are successfully reloadable and the use of Lee FCD increases that rate. However, some stubborn cases have "memory" and the bulge will spring back: they are the ones that will not fit your case gauge.

Many .40 reloaders fix the issue by systematically processing their brass trough a "bulge buster" die. If you have cash to spare, you may care to invest on a Case-pro-100.

Word of caution: if the rounds failing the case gauge show pressure signs like a ring near the web or head, pull them and discard. Yours hands and face thanks you in advance.

Be safe & tight groups.
 
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