some 9mm die questions pls

[milprileb]

I have a Lee 9mm reloading die set so I am not in a panic but....

I eyed my Pacific 38 Spl 4 die set and my RCBS 38 spl 4 die set and I wondered
if the seating die and crimp die for 38 Spl would work on 9mm ? I suspect the
flaring die would if it were not so long as I know it bottoms on 9mm interior base but I also suspect there is some of the flare bode the M sizes ( sort of ) the 9mm cases.

Have any of you gents tried 38 spl die sets for 9mm on crimp, bullet seating and flaring cases?

[David2011]

The 9mm cartridge headspaces on the mouth so you don't want a rolled crimp. The cartridge could go too far into the chamber. The 9mm bullet is .355" daimeter; the .38 is .358. The spec case mouth diameter of the 9mm is .380" and the .38 is .379" Mainly due to the requirement of a tapered crimp on the 9mm I would use the Lee dies.

They would be fine for bullet seating only.

David

[milprileb]

Dave, Thanks for the note. I had forgotten 38spl does a rolled crimp! I cannot believe
I forgot that .

[noylj]

You can, and probably should, use a .357-.358 expander if you are shooting cast bullets. The standard 9mm expander is not large enough and the cast bullet may be swaged down or bulge the case where the case wall is thinnest.
The best roll-crimp die is the Redding Profile Crimp Die. The "best" taper crimp is any company's taper crimp die or the Lee FCD. However, the FCD can swage a cast bullet down--but, it does give me an excellent taper crimp.
The main reason for the FCD is because too many handloaders are NOT using a properly dimensioned expander (and some don't even use an expander, they just flare/bell the case mouth) and get bulged brass that won't chamber.