More 9mm woes

[onelight]

My 38 s&w expander opens the case about right for .360 bullets that is to large for .358 bullets they will push in the case by hand A .360 bullet would not chamber in any of my 9s . As far as I am concerned that is to loose .
Be sure you need that large a bullet.

[Bashby]

Back to the photo in your post #46, it shows that you are using the powder through expander die with the plug you got from NOE. The plug from NOE is to be used with the Lee Universal Expander Die. Suppose that could be part of your problem with length? Usually, it is suggested that one use a magic marker to coat the wear surface of the expander plug so you can see a wear pattern and note how deep the plug goes into the case. I think I see a tiny mark on the side of the plug that is supposed to show us that. But that means that only the expander is inside the case, it does not show that the flare is anywhere close to actually doing the intended job. You may need to ruin a few cases to see just how deep you need to go to either get a flare or hit the inside taper of the case and that will stop you. Looking at the middle expanding plug, you will see a brighter area on the expander plug just where it about comes to the end of the part that goes into the case. Is that actually how deep the plug is being inserted, or just clean and not marked. Again, slather that plug down with black ink and show exactly how deep you are getting those plugs in the case. Do several pieces so it is really clear what you have done. If you are too timid, and not going deep enough, the flare can never take place.

I believe the Lee universal die has the same dimensions as the powder through die, as in it uses the same expanders.
I marked it better with the sharpie so the depth is easier to see.



In the next photo, I stacked more washers on top of the NOE expander push it into the case further. I didn’t quite get to the step as you can see with the sharpie Mark. I could go deeper, but I’m bulging the case pretty bad, and my boolit goes in too far By hand (not enough neck tension).

[Bashby]

I think that may be cause you had it set wrong . Like I said I use the lee through powder die with the 38 Special expander and it works great. In post 49 Whisler confirmed he uses a 38 SW expander and it works well to . You can set it up and not have to load a single round, and still see the flare . I am not trying to insult you it just seems everyone else gets it to work, then you should be able to as well. sometimes its just the small detail that is over looked . If you would like we can walk through it step by step ?? Again not trying to insult just trying to help

I have threads on here and other forums where I’ve been working on this for a while . I’ve determined that my 38/357 expander is too small and swaged boolits. My 38 s&w one has a taper to it. It does not go deep enough and stages my boolits. No offense taken and your advice is noted.
I use mine with a lee drum powder measure. Are you adding powder with a funnel by hand or do you have a powder measure ?

I am not familiar with the press but I do not see a on press prime option, so that adds a step for sure. So how are you actually adding and seating a primer with that press ?

Here is the Lyman ram prime die setup I’ve been using




Here is my powder measure. I mount it in my press and hold the prepared case under it, drop the charge, then put it in a tray. I charge all that I’m reloading then switch the press over to seat the boolits.




ETA: I now have an RCBS universal hand priming tool that I haven’t had the chance to use yet. It should be faster and easier than the Lyman ram setup.

[cstrickland]

Yes I was not familiar with your press, so I was thinking a single stage like a lee challenger or RCS rock chucker, where you have a on press primer option. Your press is realistically a lee hand press mounted, so yes you are going to have more steps then what I laid out, as on a single stage you can combine two sometime three steps in one.

the hand prime will be a little faster or at least in my experience it has.

if you are convinced the lee expander will not work then modifying the NOE is a good option. As stated you can do it with the tools you have, but it will be a slow process. If you know someone with a lathe it will be much quicker. I wish you luck on getting that modified and working !

[Burnt Fingers]

What about priming and dropping the powder charge? I’m still on a single stage press and have never used a progressive, but it seems to me I’d need a stage for:
1 size
2 expand
3 flare
4 prime
5 seat
6 crimp, unless I do it in stage 5.

ETA: forgot another stage to drop powder.. that makes 7.

You're way overthinking this and your step 2&3 are the same thing.

On my Dillon 650 presses it goes like this.

1. Deprime/resize
2. Prime, flare, powder drop. The prime happens as the case comes into the station on the down movement of the press.
3. Powder check.
4. Bullet seat
5. Flare removal.

[whisler]

I'm using my 38 S&W expander (Lee) in a Lee 9mm powder through die (in place of the Lee 9mm expander) and it flares nicely & allows me to seat my 0.3575 boolits without swaging them down and with adequate neck tension.
This is what works for me.

[sigep1764]

Im on a 550C. I deprime/resize on a single stage.
Stage 1. Expand with Lee Universal Expander and NOE Expander Plug and prime on the down stroke.
Stage 2. Lathesmith custom powder thru expander and flare.
Stage 3. Seat.
Stage 4. Crimp die set to just remove flare or bell.