Hi,
Long time no see, but FINALLY managed to get out to the shed after a long delay due to work, weather and life in general getting in the way. Let's reload some 9mm Parabellum (Luger)! I have dies, bullets, primers, powder, fired cases, and a recipe. My press is an RCBS single stage Partner press.
So I wisely decide to assemble a dummy round first before getting the powder and primers out, and here is my problem. I took a fired case (Federal, boxed as American Eagle), and then going on the instructions in my four-die set from Lee, I resized it, belled the mouth just enough to accept the heel of a bullet (115gn Hornady FMJ), put in the die till it touched the shellholder then screwed it three turns back (as per die set instructions), ran it up...
NOTHING.
The bullet seating plug is screwed in all the way down. Screwing the whole die in does no more than crimp the case mouth ineffectually around/below the heel of the bullet.
I can't help but think the problem lies in the bullet seating plunger. If I hadn't belled the case mouth enough, I should be getting heaps of resistance and crumpled up case mouths, yes?
Fortunately I have oodles of ammo to shoot with tomorrow, but this is frustrating as all hell. I have gone through ALL the steps carefully, and I cannot for the life of me think of what I am missing. And yes, I've checked the dies and they most clearly are for the correct cartridge. What on earth could I be missing?
I'll be speaking to Lee Precision on Monday as a cross check, but right now I see a 9mm Luger Lee Loader in my future.
Long time no see, but FINALLY managed to get out to the shed after a long delay due to work, weather and life in general getting in the way. Let's reload some 9mm Parabellum (Luger)! I have dies, bullets, primers, powder, fired cases, and a recipe. My press is an RCBS single stage Partner press.
So I wisely decide to assemble a dummy round first before getting the powder and primers out, and here is my problem. I took a fired case (Federal, boxed as American Eagle), and then going on the instructions in my four-die set from Lee, I resized it, belled the mouth just enough to accept the heel of a bullet (115gn Hornady FMJ), put in the die till it touched the shellholder then screwed it three turns back (as per die set instructions), ran it up...
NOTHING.
The bullet seating plug is screwed in all the way down. Screwing the whole die in does no more than crimp the case mouth ineffectually around/below the heel of the bullet.
I can't help but think the problem lies in the bullet seating plunger. If I hadn't belled the case mouth enough, I should be getting heaps of resistance and crumpled up case mouths, yes?
Fortunately I have oodles of ammo to shoot with tomorrow, but this is frustrating as all hell. I have gone through ALL the steps carefully, and I cannot for the life of me think of what I am missing. And yes, I've checked the dies and they most clearly are for the correct cartridge. What on earth could I be missing?
I'll be speaking to Lee Precision on Monday as a cross check, but right now I see a 9mm Luger Lee Loader in my future.