9mm Reloading Help Please

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BRICK_2027

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Hello All

Recently I got a new batch of 124gr FMJ 9mm bullets from Everglades ammo. This is the third time I've ordered from them, I've pretty much gotten all of my projectiles from them recently for 40 s&w and 223 rem. I should note I haven't had any problems with their products before which makes me believe there is some user error going on.

Anyway I'm running into some problems in the bullet seating step of the reloading process. I am seating the bullet consistently to 1.145" +/- 0.001 and ALL of the rounds I've loaded aren't fitting in the EGW chamber checker. The case is not sitting flush in the chamber checker which is cause for some concern. I ran a few through my dad's XDs and wouldn't you know it I had 2 FTE and 2 FTF in 20 rounds.

I am using Lee 4 die set. I am doing crimping and bullet seating in two different steps as I've seen a lot of problems can stem from doing them both in the same step. There doesn't look to be much case bulge and honestly I can't seem to find where the problem is at. I've adjusted the crimp to more and less, I've backed the seating die out decently far and screwed the stem in more. You name it, I've tried it.

After resizing and decapping the brass I put it in the chamber checker and it fits perfectly. Even after flaring the mouth I placed it in the chamber checker and it still fits perfectly. This is what is making me think there is a problem in the bullet seating step. I've cleaned the dies so there's no build up in there. I just really cant seem to find the problem.

Any help would be appreciated. I will try to respond to anyone in a timely manner. Thanks in advance!

I can post pictures if necessary, I'm just not home at the moment
 
After resizing and decapping the brass I put it in the chamber checker and it fits perfectly. Even after flaring the mouth I placed it in the chamber checker and it still fits perfectly.
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I'm new at this but let me just ask a question. Have you used this "chamber checker" before and did it work correctly? And, have you tried a "plunk test" using just the barrel (removed from gun...) to see if it fits?

I load 9mm and not had problems with it like learning the roll-crimp for .38/357.

I'm sure someone much more knowledgeable will be along to give you some more ideas. Good luck!
 
1.169" is the SAAMI max COL for 9 mm. That would be for a military style elliptical profile RN bullet. As shapes get wider and more blunt is when you generally have to seat them shorter.
 
Just a few suggestions for you

Make sure you're not over crimping, just use enough bell/flare to set the bullet in straight, all you need to do is remove the bell/flare, very little crimp is needed on straight wall brass. Plunk test your rounds in the barrel of your gun, most barrel chambers are larger than gages.

I was having some issues as you are , it could be a nick close to the rim preventing the round to go all the way in the gage. I eventually purchased an U die (undersized .001) from Lee which sizes the shell further down. Seemed to help. Check your sizing die, screw it down to the shell plate then back off slightly so you can size the case as far down as possible.

Also check the bullets size .355/.356
Good luck, take your time, do one step at a time, you'll figure it out. It can be aggravating sometimes, but hang in there.:)
 
Wow thanks everyone for the quick replies.

I have used the chamber checker before and it works fine. I've checked my rounds in there before as well as some factory rounds which work great.

In terms of the COL, what would you say is a normal size for a 9mm. I'm using true blue powder and the minimum is 1.142" so i just keep it a little on the higher side so that there is room for error.

I've checked about 10 random bullets and all of them were 0.355" with no variance between any of them (which is nice, and why I believe this is an error of mine somehow).

I use very little crimp on all of my rounds, especially 9mm. I don't want anything fishy going on with the neck tension. I have also seen the "U-die". I don't want to purchase something and then have that not be the solution (i guess i could return it though, lol). Why would I back out the sizing die if I want to make sure that the cases are being sized properly, wouldn't it be better to screw in until it touches the shell holder, then go and turn it in another quarter/half turn?

Thank you all for the information. I'm just going crazy because this is happening to every round, not just one or two. I will try to seat the bullet in deeper but I don't know if that will do anything. I just don't understand how it was working and then all of a sudden, BOOM, now they don't want to work. Thanks again for all the help!
 
I load on A Dillon 550b and per set up instructions says to screw down until it touches plate and back off slightly, then snug the lock ring.
 
Hmm, I never saw anything about backing the die out, but I'll give that a shot because that's something I haven't tried.
 
I'd guess the rounds are too long and hitting the rifling. Are the "defective" rounds any longer than the rounds that work?
Maybe you're short stroking the press. I.e. not fully seating the bullet.
Maybe the ogive on the bullets aren't uniform and some are fatter than others.
 
If I were you I would look up in the seating die to see if you have a flat nose profile seating stem in there. It sounds to me like your seating the bullets crooked.
That will cause a bulge on the side of the case and make it tight in the gauge.
 
Where did you get the minimum 1.142" OAL?

Most manuals show the OAL they used, but that does not mean it will fit in your chamber. You might have to seat the bullet deeper to fit in your chamber because they are not all the same.
 
So how would I fix that problem with the ogive on the bullets? I don't think that's a problem that I can fix.

I tried the magic marker thing and I don't see anything that seems out of the ordinary. If anything it seemed like in the middle of the case there was a small line but I don't know how I'm affecting any of that.

The oal is the Min OAL listed in the manual I have for the powder that I am using. When I get home I'm going to try a few things. I'm going to try and seat the bullet deeper see if that helps. I'll also redo the plunk test with the marker.

I specifically want all these rounds to fit the chamber checker because I have several pistols that I shoot and I just want some uniformity. If it fits the chamber checker, it'll fit my pistol and feed effectively
 
So how would I fix that problem with the ogive on the bullets? I don't think that's a problem that I can fix.
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If the bullet is seated too far out, you solve it by seating the bullet deeper.

You can seat the bullet to any length you desire. If you seat it deeper than what was used in the manual, pressure will go up if you use the same charge weight of powder. To reduce pressure, reduce the amount of powder.

Which manual are you using?
 
Look at your manuals again. Lyman uses much shorter OALs than 1.142".

Even the Lee manual lists shorter OALs than 1.142".

The "official" minimum OAL is set by SAAMI, and for the 9mm Luger is 1.000". See page 27 here: http://www.saami.org/specifications...tions/download/Z299-3_ANSI-SAAMI _CFPandR.pdf

That said, you can load any bullet to any OAL you want as long as you adjust your load accordingly. The main consideration for OAL is whether it fits in the magazine and chamber and feeds reliably and the pressure does not exceed recommended maximums.

Give us the details on your load data. How much True Blue is the maximum in the manual? How much are you loading?

You might want to download Western's loading manual. It has lots of True Blue data. http://www.ramshot.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/WesternLoadGuide1-2016_Web-1.pdf
 
A picture of the round not fitting in the 'chamber checker' would be nice. If you're using a typical case gauge, it's open on both ends, so case OAL would not prevent it from seating properly. That leaves you with cartridge diameter.

Several things could affect diameter. It is easier to see a picture of a few rounds that don't fit and ones that do, rather than spitball on the internet.

P.S. I'm frankly surprised that a bell'd case would fit your 'chamber checker'. My Dillon case gauges will reject a 9mm cartridge if there is any 'belling' of the case mount.
 
Run some cases without seating a bullet but crimp them as though you had seated a bullet (it would be best to not charge it with powder), then see if they fit your chamber checker. That will tell you if the bullet is involved or just your crimp.

I have had some 9mm bullets that wouldn't check, I use a Lyman case gauge, because the rim got dinged by the extractor or had been loaded several times. I found that if I placed the round in the gauge backwards it would tell me if the rim was dinged up.

That's my two cents worth at the moment but I do have a pocket full of pennies.

Bryant
 
Okay that is very helpful. What is the best way to build up my own loads? I'd be totally fine doing that but I don't know a safe way to do it. I understand lower powder and work up but what would the starting powder be? I won't be home and able to do anything until tomorrow but I will give you my numbers then.

I will post a picture tomorrow morning as well if the round not fitting. It's not much, but it's not flush with the gauge on top of I've had some malfunctions. And honestly I thought the same thing when I put the case that's flared into it, totally thought it wouldn't fit.

That sounds like a good idea I will try that. The only thing I'd be worried about is because the bullet wouldn't be seated it may crimp too much and not give an accurate read. But I'm gonna try that out for sure.

Once again, thank you all for the help. I don't know anyone who reloads, mainly me and my dad just go to the range and shoot and I kind of enjoy that. But I have been thinking about giving a competition a go, seems like fun
 
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