How deep can I seat?

[crabo]

I am trying to use the Ranch Dog 135 TL boolit in 9mm. I am trying to use it in a M&P and an AR. Sometimes it works, but it won't always go into battery. I know the deeper I seat it, the more pressure builds.

Lyman says 1.169 for col. I am at 1.168-70. Lyman says 5.4 of Power Pistol is max for a 140 grain boolit. I am running 5.2 with a 135 grain. I figure I should be able to seat a little deeper since I am below max.

I would love to use this boolit because I can cast, wd, and lube a buttload with very little effort. It should also be a great small game boolit because of the meplat.

Any advice on how much I can go deeper without raising pressure too much?

[fecmech]

As far as I know Lyman doesn't have any oal data for Ranch Dog bullets so their oal IMO is meaningless. If his site was still up you could get the data for that bullet but that's not to be. Maybe someone on the board copied the RD data and can give it to you. I would just seat it where it needs to be for function and work up from there.

PS: RD is on the board why not PM him for his data?http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?180849-380ACP-Ranch-Dog-Mold

[runfiverun]

craig you are going about it backwards.
start at the bottom.
set your oal.
then bring up your load.
the 9 is touchy to depth, minimize the risk.

[Larry Gibson]

You can seat the bullet as deep as you want to IF you drop the powder charge and work the load back up. It's the same loading principal (rule or whatever you want to call it) as when any componant is changed; drop back and work the load back up.

Larry Gibson

[Springfield]

Exactly right. Set it to the depth that feeds best, increase from minimum loads until it cycles properly. If no signs of excess pressure and it is still slower than you want than slowly increase the charge.

[crabo]

Thanks, I knew this, I just needed someone to kick me back in the right direction. I never loaded 9mm because I always shot real guns.

[williamwaco]

craig you are going about it backwards.
start at the bottom.
set your oal.
then bring up your load.
the 9 is touchy to depth, minimize the risk.


Exactly.

The correct OAL is the length that will cover the lube rings and feed reliably.

Many 9's will not reliably feed some brands of factory ammo.

Lower the powder charge, find the above AOL.
Then work your charge back up one to two tenths at a time.