New to pistol caliber reloading (10mm) general questions

Ryan500

Ryan500

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Okay a couple things I need to know, been loading rifle for a few years but 10mm is new to me.


I have 40 SW dies, set the sizer up by touching the shell holder plus 1/4 turn. Seems to size the whole case, am I running it right?

My dies came sans paperwork, who's can tell me how to setup my flare?

How often y'all trim pistol cases? Sized mine come out to .985", .007" shorter than my book says to trim too, good to go?

I'm sure more questions will come up, thanks for your help.
 
This was one of the first videos I watched when I got into reloading. The 2nd part (link below) talks about setting up your dies properly. Even if you don't use a Dillon 650 like in the vid (or load .38s), the steps you take and what you look for are the same no matter what brand of press you use.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rC7Oox01CSk&list=FLgO3FgDvzBgRg8txBRsf0BA&index=46&feature=plpp_video

I don't trim pistol cases. Ever. I've never even heard of it even being done or necessary. If it was a rifle case....then absolutely trim them down to length. But a straight walled pistol case will not stretch much, if at all. I load 9mm, .40S&W and .45 for pistol and .223 and .308 for rifle. I've only had to trim the rifle brass down.

BTW, if you're loading for 10mm, make sure you pay attention to the brass. 40 S&W/10mm have only a limited amount of firings before the brass has to be tossed (has to do with the thinning out of the material around the mouth of the cartridge by repeated full length resizing I believe)
 
I would trim brass that was to be used for competition or "self defence". Basicly if it needs to run flawlessly. It sounds like you are setting your dies up right, I only bell enough to prevent the case from scraping off bullet jacket or lead. I also use a Lee factory crimp die and use a medium firm crimp. Runs in my glock without issue ever. Runs in my 1911 pretty well (depending on mags) with jacketed Round nose.
 
Does my lee seater die not crimp it when it's seated? Made 1 yesterday and it looked crimped?? Or was that my imagination?
 
The seating die will crimp. I just prefer the crimp of the factory crimp die because it supports the case as it crimps so there is no case deformation. Just my own personal preference, I like the result better on my Dillion 550b than crimping with the seating die.

Just like so many things in reloading its hard to say if its better or worse for your own results unless you actually try it.
 
To set up a carbide sizing die, screw it down to the shellplate/shellholder and back it off slightly; just enough to keep the die body from touching the shellplate. The reason for this is to keep the carbide insert from being accidentally shattered.

Regular steel dies are normally screwed in slightly past contact with the shellplate for full-length resizing.
 
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