9mm reload cartridge gauge

MarshallX

MarshallX

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Ive loaded about 50 once fires 9mm luger cartridges, and all but 3 of these will plunk down in a lyman 9mm cartridge gauge, the 3 outliers stand proud by almost 1mm. When dropped into the chamber of my sig 226, the plunk in and sit just as deep as any other of the reloads, I measured this depth with calipers. It seems based on the lines formed on the side of the brass case, that the sizing die ( rcbs 9mm carbide dies ), dont resize that far down.

The question I have, what test should really be the determining factor, easy in and out of the case check gauge or easy in out of the chamber? I assume the case gauge is the min size the cartridge should be, while the chamber its more forgiving. 20211209_140839.jpg20211209_140943.jpg
 

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Not an expert, but I use the plunk test on the barrel. I don’t own a gauge for 9mm I never saw the point.

Are the headstamps on your brass all the same?
 
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Nah they are mixed head stamp, and I did check if other similar head stamps do the same, and they do not. The culprits here are a WIN and FC stamped, checked others, they plunk in no issues. Just these 3 of the 50 or so I loaded.
 
9mm is common and abundant. I check the brass before I put powder in them. Any that don't drop in flush and falls out freely I toss.

There is tolerance so that even if it doesn't size properly it may fit your firearm. some of them may have dented or scratched up rims that are bent out of shape. There is reasonable expectation that any properly sized ammo will work properly in any firearm of that caliber. Ultimately it is your choice if you want just shoot it or take it apart and put it in a different case.
 
The gauges are purposely made on the same side so the rounds fit in most guns. If they pass the barrel plunk test then they fit your gun. I have a couple gauges here that came in with stuff I bought. When I tried them I found that my ammo was out of spec. About 10% the gauge was rejecting. Never knew I had a problem until I used the gauges. My ammunition functioned well before I used the gauges. Put that gauge on a shelf as a reminder to NOT BUY useless products. Absolutely garbage.
 
Only problem I have seen was on a fellow's Ruger stainless 1911 9mm , match ?( tight) chamber and the dies he used did not size down far enough and the brass would hang up.
the brass was fine in a couple other guns, one was a NP 29? , and a CZ or something.
there was a bit of swelling near the base of the used brass, new brass was fine.
 
Reverse the case and see if it will fit in the gauge base first. You may have a ding in the rim that prevents the case from entering the gauge mouth.
 
bigedp51 said:
Reverse the case and see if it will fit in the gauge base first. You may have a ding in the rim that prevents the case from entering the gauge mouth.
Click to expand...

Lol. I don't use a gauge for pistol rounds but do for rifle. When I've encountered this same problem I run them through the sizing die again and re-check. If it failed again I toss it.

I will admit that it never occurred to me to try to reverse it to check the rim.

Thank you for this.
 
Roll sizing is what you need to get rid of the bulge at the bottom. I use 10x10 case gauge block (purchased from FTP if I remember correct), they are a bit more forgiving compared to Lyman, Hornady single gauges.

3D printed case feeder + motorized roll sizer. This was early development, now it has a 12V DC motor with speed control...
 
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The best test is using your barrel. Next best is a case gauge either single or multi. Someone (is it Lee?) makes an undersize sizing die that sizes down a couple of thou. For me, all my 9mm goes thru a roll sizer and since doing that, no issues period.
 
aakoksal said:
Roll sizing is what you need to get rid of the bulge at the bottom. I use 10x10 case gauge block (purchased from FTP if I remember correct), they are a bit more forgiving compared to Lyman, Hornady single gauges.

3D printed case feeder + motorized roll sizer. This was early development, now it has a 12V DC motor with speed control...
Click to expand...

Thats quite the contraption. Does that resize the entire case or just remove the bulge and the case head?
 
Ganderite said:
Just use the plunk test. It also checks the OAL and makes sure the bullet does not hang up in the chamber throat.
Click to expand...
This. While the gauges are cut to SAAMI specs that is not necessarily true for the chamber of any particular gun. I reloaded a bunch of 9mm ammo for my CZ 75 Tactical Sport. The rounds all dropped easily into a Lyman guage but when I used them in the gun they would not chamber. It turns out that the chambers on a lot of CZs are tight and even though my rounds were under the maximum length for 9mm the bullets were seated out too far for the barrel and jammed in the chamber throat so I had to seat them all deeper to get them to chamber. However, the same guaged checked rounds functioned in my STI Trojan with no problem.

Ergo, if they 'plunk' in the barrel they should always work. However, if they 'plunk' in the gauge there are no guarantees.

BTW, while roll sizers do an excellent job of getting rid of bulged cases they don't do it cheaply. Count on spending in the vicinity of $1000+ to do one calibre.
 
I will roll size the 9mm brass to get rid of the bulge. No other best way.
Roll Size will put the case back to spec but you still need the sizing die.
The Dillion Die size the case further down but still not to the very bottom.
So Roll size the case will make sure everything at the bottom of the case back to spec 100%

 
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Below the case does not have enough crimp around the case mouth. This will cause the case to extend above the top above the case gauge and not chamber properly

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Below you can see the case mouth has the proper crimp when look at with a straight edge. This will allow the case to fit the case gauge and chamber properly.

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I compete with my CZ so I use one of those 10x10 blocks to gauge my ammo. I get picky with my match ammo even though I know if the brass is a little proud of the gauge, it'll be ok. This past summer I had three back-to-back weekend matches that required about 1000 rounds of 9mm. No way I'd plunk those into a barrel, one by one.

I never gauge my practice ammo. It goes from the press to a bulk box. If I didn't compete, I probably wouldn't own a gauge.
 
I load an average of 5,000 rds of 9MM every year and have done so for the last 20 years. Some years more seldom less. Early on I decided to load all my 125 gr bullets to 1.1". I load to make a power factor of about 135. I have never had a failure to feed during competitions and practice sessions. I have had the odd time where for some reason or another the crimp was not applied leaving the belling to cause a failure to feed. The 9MM case is about the easiest to reload. I use a Dillon or Lee sizing die in my 550B. From my experience, most failures I encountered early on were due to the length of the cartridge. This is why I settled on 1.1". Using hobby equipment as we do, OAL may vary .001" - ,005", but well within Lyman's recommendation for the 356402 bullet and the BDX 125 gr FMJ I use.

I cannot remember the last time I gauged a cartridge destined for any of my 9MM pistols or carbines. The only time I might move away from my 1.1" length is if I am loading 115 or 147 gr bullets. Either of the two have info available for the OAL. I follow the sources suggestion wit a reduction of .001 or .002. Again I don't seem to have any failures across several pistol designs.

Take Care

Bob
ps If you are going to gauge your bullets use the barrel you intend to shoot them through. Not sure what a decent case gauge might cost you for the 9MM but there are better uses for you money for certain.

pps I have never concerned my self with the minor bulge at the base of the case. This bulge is a result of firing the case and is left unsized by the sizing die. The bulge was greater when the cases came from Gen1/2 Glocks. Since then Glock changed the design of the barrels. Since the Gen 3's Glock barrels support the case as much as any of the popular pistols and the infamous "Glock Bulge" has all but disappeared from the scene.
 
Case checker after resizing, if the brass will not drop in and out. GET rid of the crap. That will take care of one issue before it drives you nuts and or confuses you. I was too cheap early on.
 
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