9mm sizing is harder

D

dyl

New member
Is it just me or is resizing 9mm brass significantly harder than non-tapered cases like 40 S&W? I'm on a Lee Loadmaster and feel like I actually have to lube the cases. All my other handgun calibers I don't lube since I have a carbide sizing die as first station. It actually plays a role in what I feel like loading that session since 40 or 38 takes about 1/2 or 1/3 the effort on the handle. I was going to transition to 9mm but if this keeps up that won't happen.
 
First off 9mm is a tapered case and one of the easiest to load so what are you doing wrong. Are your cases bulged and you are not using a bulge buster or is it simply that you drive a vehicle with power steering and you have no muscles in your arms.

Now where I am coming from is I have been reloading for almost three deckades, drive vehicles including pickups with manual steering and even have a tractor that is tiller steered so I have worked with my hands all my life.

Can you show a photo of your loading bench? If you are having problems now maybe you do not have good ergonomics.
 
Lube the cases prior to resizing....even if you use carbide dies...if nothing else, it will make the press run smoother. I lube all handgun caliber cases...

( I reload about 20,000 rds of 9mm a year...in a Dillon 650 press with carbide dies...and I use Dillon's spray lube all the time). There are a few cases out there...like AMERC ...that are a little more difficult to size / or S&B because they use some kind of adhesive on primer pockets...( but I sort the brass after its cleaned - and toss those out for recycling).

Spray lube is easy to use....lay all the cases flat in a "cardboard box lid" like the one a case of office copy paper comes in -- spritz them with the case lube...roll them around ....let them dry for about 20 min ....and run them thru the press...
 
You obviously need to buy a tractor. ;)

What sizing die are you using? How do you have it set up? Is the press hard to cycle when only sizing a case in station 1 with no other stations in the shell plate occupied? Is there a significant difference in effort required with all stations filled than with all stations occupied except #1?
 
9mm always seemed harder than .45 to me. With the taper you need to make sure you're not over-sizing. Very possible to do with some dies. That would make it feel even harder.
 
You're not imagining things, 9mm can be considerably more difficult. I use a little Unique and it slickens right up.

On a side note I have to wonder if carbide can wear out. When my dies were new, it didn't seem to have near the effort it does now after 10-15k cases.
 
Even though I use carbide sizing dies in 9mm, after bumping enough powder out of the Dillion powder horn, I decided to lube the cases. Lubed cases slide into the sizing die and the amount of effort goes to virtually nothing. And I fire the cases with the lube on as extraction function is improved and removing the lube from the cases is a bother.
 
The beauty of carbide dies is that you do not have to use lube. I've loaded several thousand 9MM without lubing. Cases that have been fired in a Glock are a little harder to size than others but not excessive. I have used an RCBS Jr, a Lyman Turret Press and now use a Dillon 550.
 
From the Lee 2nd edition:
Carbide dies usually eliminate the need to lubricate the cases. There are exceptions.............Tapered cases such as the 9mm and 30 M1 Carbine need some lube.
Click to expand...

I don't lube 9mm, but I resize on a single stage press, so the additional bit of needed force is not an issue for me.
 
The 9 has a tendency to stick in the de-prime/re-sizing die. I've not considered using a spray lube in the interest of time, but it couldn't hurt.

The other route you could take is throwing your brass directly into your cleaner for an extended period of time. The down side, having to do it again once you de-prime, size and expand. I let my brass run in a vibrating cleaner with Zilla media for no less than 2 1/2 hours. Not only is it very shinny, it's smooth, almost slippery.

With regards to Pa-Joes' observation, I rarely find cases that are "military crimped" and when I do they don't pose any issue de-primining. The case is simply too short to cause resistance and foul the process, at least that is what I've found thus far.

Good luck. Stay patient.
 
I have to agree with the folks who mentioned the GLOCK fired brass. It is more than just an occasional issue... it's pretty much the rule that GLOCK 9mm cases will be bulged. At least in my experience. I am looking at these bulge busters... they look like a handy tool.

Also, though the carbide dies don't require lube, I find that a quick spritz makes the whole project run so much more smoothly. Honestly, what's an extra 10 minutes when you consider the ease and reduced friction wear on your tooling. That's my $.02 anyways.
 
We have had similar discussions in the past. A lot of us will apply a tinch of lube on about every fifth piece of brass to keep things moving easier.

It does not require it but makes life easier. Just like a laxative or rare occasions. :)
 
Even with my old RCBS Jr press is isn't a big deal. Pretty easy on a Dillon or Lyman turret press. I do use RCBS dies, don't know about others.
 
I have to agree with the folks who mentioned the GLOCK fired brass. It is more than just an occasional issue... it's pretty much the rule that GLOCK 9mm cases will be bulged. At least in my experience. I am looking at these bulge busters... they look like a handy tool.
Click to expand...

Glock 9mms don't bulge brass anymore than any other brand. I've reloaded many thousands of Glock 9mm cases from a 19, 17, 34 and 17L, and have never seen any unusual bulging.

Bulging was a problem with .40 & .45 Glocks, especially the 2nd gen Glocks, which started the 'kaboom' issue. Modern .40 & .45 Glocks are much better.

There are no bulge buster dies for 9mm because of the taper. They only work with straight wall cases that can pass completely through the dies.
 
Evolution gun works sells a undersized 9 mm sizing die as well as other calibers. The dies are made by Lee for EGW to their specs. And no you cannot buy the dies from Lee directly. They have to be purchased fro EGW
 
I'm typing on a phone so this will be short and likely have errors. As far as accusations of being a girly man my bench press is doing just fine thanks. As far as "easiest to load" are you referring to 9mm being easiest to load to correct specifications or the easiest effort on the press? I was concerned about the disparity in effort compared to my other calibers. Station 1 is decapping and resizing, station 2 is priming. 3 is expander and powder, 4 is bullet seater, 5 is factory crimp. No Glocks in 9mm.

I may try to back off the resizing so that I just get neck tension deep enough to be useful . Station 1 seems to provide the most effort but it does stack by some. And it looks like using lube is pretty common for tapered cases. Thanks!
 
Another, but more expensive, option is to go to a Redding two-ring sizing die. These are for tapered pistol cartridge cases. They have one carbide ring the size of the one you are using now, but it's up higher in the die so it only sizes the case below the mouth as far as is normally over top of the bullet. For the lower part of the case they have a wider ring that resizes the wider end of the taper less than it resizes the mouth.
 
I do notice that 9mm is a bit more difficult than straight walled cases, but to the point of adding another step like lubing. is there another benefit to lubing other than effort, because I just don't find it that difficult.
 
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