9mm plunk test

[David2011]

Also, when you're applying crimp in cartridges that headspace on the case mouth (like nahmeel), your goal is to remove the flare first. Once you have your adjustment that removes the flare, add a tiny bit at a time more until you're convinced that bullet setback is unlikely. You can try pushing the bullet in against your bench, or take measurements. That's normally 1-3 thousandths beyond straightened width. Any more than that and you start deforming the bullet and then the case.

There is a specific SAAMI spec for the mouth diameter of the case. Measure it just a hair behind the mouth (.005"-.010") to avoid any burr that might be at the mouth of the cartridge. It is 0.380" or 9.65 mm. I measure the case mouth diameter for all autoloader cartridges I load to make sure the case will headspace on the mouth as designed. It's a good idea to pull a seated and crimped boolit to make sure it is not undersized when the mouth spec is correct.

[Tom W.]

My Ruger will pass a plunk test with almost any load that I make, but my CZ will jam if the boolit isn't sized to .357....

.358 shaves off a tiny ring of lead that gives me fits.

That's when I try to chamber one while I'm shooting, not when handloading the cartridge. The same COL as the rounds for the Ruger, just a wee bit less diameter.
It makes a difference.

[Conditor22]

I recently started using NOE Expander Plugs and find that my boolits seat straighter and have less tendency to get downsized.

With the 9MM I seat the boolit to depth (no sizing) then set the LFCD just to the point where the boolit will pass the plunk test.
Were talking diameter, not length. Then I work on length.

[JBinMN]

I use the NOEs for all my handgun calibers inside a Lee Univ. Expander die.
I would recommend them to anyone.

These others that have been mentioned may work fine, but I am sold on the NOE plugs. When I bought the ones I did they were about $4 each to cover a range of boolit sizes & they are worth every cent. I went and got 5-6 Lee U.Exp. dies to fit on Turret plates so I would not have to be changing dies, but only the NOE inserts if desired & will buy more of both in the future. IMO, they are just "that good". Of course, YMMV.

Between the 38 S&W expender & the rest listed, it seems most will do what is needed to expand the case large enough, if you get the proper size for the boolit being used & will help alleviate the swaging of the boolit when seating & then taper crimping( Or even roll crimp if that is what you are doing.)
Done properly, & within reasonable expectations of what size boolit you are attempting to sead & crimp, using them will usually significantly reduce the issue of fitting the case into a Go/No go gauge, as well as chambers for your firearms. At what I would call, on my limited income, a situation of low cost to get rid of headaches with plunking & chambering as well as fitting issues.

Just commenting for folks to ponder on...

[Kenstone]

I use the NOEs for all my handgun calibers inside a Lee Univ. Expander die.
I would recommend them to anyone.

These others that have been mentioned may work fine, but I am sold on the NOE plugs. When I bought the ones I did they were about $4 each to cover a range of boolit sizes & they are worth every cent. I went and got 5-6 Lee U.Exp. dies to fit on Turret plates so I would not have to be changing dies, but only the NOE inserts if desired & will buy more of both in the future. IMO, they are just "that good". Of course, YMMV.

Between the 38 S&W expender & the rest listed, it seems most will do what is needed to expand the case large enough, if you get the proper size for the boolit being used & will help alleviate the swaging of the boolit when seating & then taper crimping( Or even roll crimp if that is what you are doing.)
Done properly, & within reasonable expectations of what size boolit you are attempting to sead & crimp, using them will usually significantly reduce the issue of fitting the case into a Go/No go gauge, as well as chambers for your firearms. At what I would call, on my limited income, a situation of low cost to get rid of headaches with plunking & chambering as well as fitting issues.

Just commenting for folks to ponder on...

From what I can find, those NOE expanders only fit the Lee Universal Expanding die and not the powder thru expander die sold/included in every Lee pistol die set.
I'd love to use a Universal Expanding Die and a NOE plug but it would require another station for me, something I don't have.

NOE should see this as a opportunity to make/sell expanders designed to fit into Lee Powder thru the expander dies in use by many more reloaders on single stage/turrets/progressives.
I know I'd buy them.

The designed plug would simply be longer with a hole thru it, not that complex at all.
In fact I've emailed this via their website/contact us with no response.(and I will again with a link to this thread)
Something else to ponder,

Russman: sorry for the drift...again

[Kenstone]

The Lee "1R" bullets are more "blunt" than the normal round nose bullet. So, they must be seated deeper than a standard RN...

Yes, some RN have a step too, some don't:

That Missouri RN (called small ball) must be loaded way shorter (seated deeper) than a bullet with a step.

[JBinMN]

From what I can find, those NOE expanders only fit the Lee Universal Expanding die and not the powder thru expander die sold/included in every Lee pistol die set.
I'd love to use a Universal Expanding Die and a NOE plug but it would require another station for me, something I don't have.

NOE should see this as a opportunity to make/sell expanders designed to fit into Lee Powder thru the expander dies in use by many more reloaders on single stage/turrets/progressives.
I know I'd buy them.

The designed plug would simply be longer with a hole thru it, not that complex at all.
In fact I've emailed this via their website/contact us with no response.(and I will again with a link to this thread)
Something else to ponder,

Russman: sorry for the drift...again

I understand your & others dilemma about powder thru dies & I don't currently use any powder thru dies, but I actually weight each round made, so the issue is not at the top of the list for me.
For those who use the powder thru dies it sure would be nice to have something that had the hole thru the center.
{ Had those been available from NOE, I likely would have gone that way with powder thru dies instead of the Lee U.Exp. dies.)

( BTW, I am just kind of persnickety that way about the weighing/metering of my powder , along with the rest of building up my rounds. I am just a strange feller I reckon, but I like myself that way... LOL )

[GONRA]

GONRA hopes Russman does all these tests AT A FIRING RANGE and NOT in yer basement!
Sometimes you gotta shoot the stuck round out - then go home....