Hornady LNL AP - Anyone use the .357 PTX for 9mm?

Printable View

03-16-2019, 05:38 PM
gareth96

Expanders for 9mm and 45 ACP?

Just got a new Hornady LnL AP.. and new to reloading 9mm cast (PC'd).

Pulled a few 9mm bullets and they are getting sized down/swaged on seating from .357 to .355. Barrel slugs at .3555, so loose fit.. The seater is properly adjusted, it's just that the expander isn't expanding the case enough and I'm getting terrible accuracy.

Same is happening, but less so, with my 45 ACP. I've been reloading 45 for a while now on a single stage.

The PTX expander for 9mm or 45ACP aren't doing the job. I tried adding my current expanders (Redding, RCBS); and they aren't opening up the case enough for my boolits either.

So, was wondering what the options are out there for a larger size expander? I saw the NOE plugs that work with the Lee universal expander, and saw the ones on Buffalo Arms that would work in my Redding/RCBS dies. Any others out there that are better? I'm thinking the .356-360 plug for the 9mm, and .452-456 for the 45 ACP?
03-16-2019, 11:24 PM
Bzcraig

The PTX for 38/357 is much shorter and may not work but I haven't tried it. I can't imagine how the seater die can swage a bullet down though. How are you crimping?
03-17-2019, 10:54 AM
gareth96

The expander isn't opening up the case enough, so a .357 bullet is getting jammed into a .353" case (what it measures after being opened by the 9mm PTX). I'm using a taper crimp and have tried from just closing the bell, to a decent crimp.. bullet is still undersized, and accuracy stinks.

My bullets are pulling at .355", and I plugged the barrel at .3555.. so want my bullets .356 or a smidge over I'd think.
03-17-2019, 02:17 PM
onelight

Quote:

Originally Posted by gareth96

The expander isn't opening up the case enough, so a .357 bullet is getting jammed into a .353" case (what it measures after being opened by the 9mm PTX). I'm using a taper crimp and have tried from just closing the bell, to a decent crimp.. bullet is still undersized, and accuracy stinks.

My bullets are pulling at .355", and I plugged the barrel at .3555.. so want my bullets .356 or a smidge over I'd think.

That makes a lot of sense some of the Lee factory crimp dies are the only crimp dies I could think of that might size the bullet when crimping.
03-18-2019, 12:07 PM
Burnt Fingers

Lyman M Die or the NOE sizers in a Lee die.

Or you can get the custom Hornady PTX from Uniquetek http://www.uniquetek.com/product/T1580
03-18-2019, 07:16 PM
gareth96

Well, earlier today I ordered the PTX .357, the Lee Universal Expander, and the NOE plugs for .356 and .451.. See what happens..
03-19-2019, 11:08 AM
Drew P

I’m doing it yes. I ended up turning a step into it on my lathe also to give it that M die shape, and it works great. That was mainly to keep it from shaving bullets though.
03-20-2019, 10:22 AM
Silverboolit

For my 9mm, I use the LEE PTX die with the insert for .38 S&W, not the .38/.357 insert. All is well and it doesn't resize my slugs.
03-20-2019, 12:57 PM
Kenstone

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silverboolit

For my 9mm, I use the LEE PTX die with the insert for .38 S&W, not the .38/.357 insert. All is well and it doesn't resize my slugs.

Yes, a common "fix" discussed many times here in the past, a $3 drop-in fix:
https://leeprecision.com/pm-expan-plg-38-s-w.html
A direct replacement into the LEE 9mm ptx die.
03-21-2019, 12:25 PM
Drew P

It’s the right die diameter?
03-21-2019, 08:01 PM
gareth96

Quote:

Originally Posted by Silverboolit

For my 9mm, I use the LEE PTX die with the insert for .38 S&W, not the .38/.357 insert. All is well and it doesn't resize my slugs.

What do you use for powder charging? Does the Hornady LnL AP powder dispenser work with the Lee PTX die?
03-21-2019, 09:59 PM
Kenstone

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew P

It’s the right die diameter?

"die diameter?" :-?
The expanding diameter on the LEE 38S&W PTX is bigger/longer than the 9mm PTX plug because most cast bullets loaded 9mm are a bigger dia, 0.356/0.357/sometimes 0.358.
jmo
:smile:
03-22-2019, 12:19 PM
Drew P

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kenstone

"die diameter?" :-?
The expanding diameter on the LEE 38S&W PTX is bigger/longer than the 9mm PTX plug because most cast bullets loaded 9mm are a bigger dia, 0.356/0.357/sometimes 0.358.
jmo
:smile:

what I meant was the outer diameter part of it that would fit inside the Hornady powder die, or are you using the lee die body somehow?
03-22-2019, 01:49 PM
Kenstone

Quote:

Originally Posted by Drew P

what I meant was the outer diameter part of it that would fit inside the Hornady powder die, or are you using the lee die body somehow?

Sorry
I don't know if a Lee expander will fit/function in a Hornady powder die, I doubt it.
I posted about using the 38S&W Lee expander as a reference to what I and others use for 9mm cast (oversized) bullets.
Hornady or an aftermarket company may make/sell an equivalent 38S&W expander that could be used to duplicate this Lee swap.
I didn't mean to imply a Lee expander would work in a Hornady die.
:killingpc