Newbie reloading help

[finn]

I am having trouble with reloading my 9mm ammo. About 1/3 of it isn't right. If you pinch the bullet and casing together the bullet goes down into the casing. There are several different makers of the brass. I'm using RCBS dies and a Hornady progressive reloader.I called RCBS today and they said that it was because I'm not using new brass that is to their spec.I don't see how that can make a difference.I'm pretty sure that most people are not using brand new brass for all of their reloading. Any help is appreciated.

 

[mssmith44]

It could be the expander plug. It could be a little oversize. I had the same problem with 38 super cases some time ago. See if it is common to a certain brand of cases. I load 9mm now with a lee u die. It is intentionally undersize to make sure that the cases are sized down to a size that the bullet gets held by the case. Under size bullets could be a problem too.

 

[bsmant]

Generally, for ammunition that is not intended for high precision work, mixed brass isn't an issue. The problem could arise from cases of different lengths which would make the taper crimp inconsistent, also different brand cases may have slightly different wall thicknesses, which can also be a problem.

I would suggest either trimming the cases to a consistent length or sorting by head stamp, and adjust your crimping die each time you change head stamp. Also you could try crimping with a Lee factory crimp die, which is typically a bit less sensitive to case length.

Good luck.

 

[Broom_jm]

As brass is reloaded over and over, it gets work-hardened, which results in the brass not being as ductile (springy) as it once was. For bottle-necked cases, it is possible to carefully apply heat to the case neck, annealing the brass and helping restore some of that ductility.

For pistol brass, when it doesn't hold onto a bullet very well, it could be the expander button in your resizing die is a little too big or maybe your bullets a .0005" undersized. An actual micrometer can help you make this determination, in either case. When everything else is right and the brass still won't hold a bullet with a proper crimp, it's just time to toss it.

 

[noylj]

Don't trim brass for cartridges that head space on the case mouth. All you are doing is increasing head space and losing accuracy.
When brass work hardens, in my experience any way, it get more springing. Annealed brass is dead soft and has almost no spring back.
The answer to ALL these questions is to measure your cases. Some cases have very thing walls. Sizing die are designed to take every case, thin or thick wall, down in ID enough that the case ID is smaller than bullet diameter.
The expander plug is designed to bring the case ID, over most of the length that the bullet will be seated, to 0.001-0.002" under bullet diameter.
If you are loading 0.355" bullets, the case ID over most the length that the bullet will be seated should, ideally, be 0.354". This will produce the maximum case-grip on the bullet and not cause case bulges or swaging down the bullet.
Thus, your problem is caused by one or more of the following:
1) case with extremely thin walls. This is most commonly found in R.P. cases and some imported brands. One needs to get a "undersize" sizing die or throw the cases away
2) A sizing die that is slightly too large and can't size cases with thin walls enough. Measure case OD, ID, and wall thickness of the problem cases and compare to cases that didn't give you a problem. Again, if is just a few cases out of a hundred or less, you probably are bettter off throwing away the cases.
3) An expander that is too large. This would tend to make ALL cases too large to hold the bullet. Measure the expander plug OD and the case ID. If the good cases are being expanded and the ID is still at least 0.001" less than bullet diameter and the bad cases are being expanded to bullet diameter or slightly larger, then the question would be why the expander isn't expanding all case IDs to the same size. This may be dead soft new cases vs. many times reloaded work hardened cases.
4) You are crimping too much and swaging the bullet down to a smaller diameter.
In all cases, you have to determine where the problem is being generated in order to solve it.
The good news is you found it now and not after you KaBoom your gun. Bullet set-back is to be avoided.

 

[billybob44]

GREAT POST..

^^^Is Right on..

I would venture to guess that one of two problems are involved:

1. Your size die is NOT screwed down enough. The die should make contact with the empty shell holder, in the fully up position.

2. Too much crimp.= The taper crimp on the 9MM should just remove the "Bell" on the case mouth caused by the expander die.
If you do not have a case gage, use the barrel from your pistol, to check for the same "Klunk" noise as a factory load, when dropping in a loaded cartridge.

FWIW: Yesterday I did some load development for 9MM, in two of my Glocks.

1. Glock 17 with a Storm Lake 9MM Stainless barrel. Factory length.

2. Glock 22 with a KKM .40 S&W to 9MM conversion barrel. 6" length.

I had two different bullets:

1. 125gr. Lee cast, that I casted with a Lee six gang mold, sized to .356", with a RCBS size die, and lubed with "Jakes Red" bullet lube.

2. 115 Rainier plated HP.

The #1 bullets would all run very well, and very accurate, as long as the velocity was OVER 1000 fps. At 1050-1075 fps they were perfect-at 1000 fps, had FTE on every other round, or so. This load, for me, also did NOT have any excessive lead deposits in either the Storm Lake, or KKM barrels.

The #2 bullets all ran very well. These loads were at 1150-1200 fps, yes border line too hot for plated bullets, but they did function well for ME, in MY barrels.

FWIW: The last loads that I shot were loaded with, what I call "Junk" brass-brass that was miss-matched, excessively tarnished, scratched, stuff that I sorted out from my name brand commercial, and Military brass.
These loads were loaded with the #1(Cast Bullets), and I just walked through the woods where I shoot, blasting these loads at rapid fire, and letting the junk brass lay where it fell=Did I say I was a "Brass Whore"==Left these in the woods!!

That was my fun yesterday at My Range...Bill.

 

[finn]

Thanks for all of the input. It led me down the correct path and now I know what it was. For some reason the sizer die was not correct. I replaced it with one that was the correct measurement and now it works great. It was off just enough that it worked on some cases but not others. I could have swore that it was something that I did but THIS time it wasn't.

 

[SSGSAD]

Thanks for all of the input. It led me down the correct path and now I know what it was. For some reason the sizer die was not correct. I replaced it with one that was the correct measurement and now it works great. It was off just enough that it worked on some cases but not others. I could have swore that it was something that I did but THIS time it wasn't.

Ask, and LEARN, THIS IMHO, is what INGO, is ALL about ..... Glad it turned out all right for YOU !!!!!

 

[billybob44]

Wrong Die in box?

Thanks for all of the input. It led me down the correct path and now I know what it was. For some reason the sizer die was not correct. I replaced it with one that was the correct measurement and now it works great. It was off just enough that it worked on some cases but not others. I could have swore that it was something that I did but THIS time it wasn't.

Did RCBS have the wrong size die in the set? I have not seen that happen before-if so, it would seem that QC is in question even with the good companies?? Bill.

 

[finn]

Did RCBS have the wrong size die in the set? I have not seen that happen before-if so, it would seem that QC is in question even with the good companies?? Bill.

That is exactly what happened. I'm not sure what it was for though. It's the 2nd problem that I have had with rcbs dies though. The last one was the depriming rod was bent just a little bit. When I took it back the guy that works at the Outdoorsman said that someone else had the same problem about a week before me. They just swapped out the die and let me be on my way.

 

[billybob44]

In the Overload mode??

That is exactly what happened. I'm not sure what it was for though. It's the 2nd problem that I have had with rcbs dies though. The last one was the depriming rod was bent just a little bit. When I took it back the guy that works at the Outdoorsman said that someone else had the same problem about a week before me. They just swapped out the die and let me be on my way.

RCBS has been known to be one of the best suppliers for the re-loader for some time. I'm sure they will make things right.

They are probably going through the overload of business with all the new re-loaders taking up the hobby.

Stick with them-They are a GREAT Company...Bill.