Bullet getting "trimmed" by case

[SeabeeMan]

I've been reloading for many rifle calibers since I was a kid but this is my first go at reloading for my pistols...and its with my own cast bullets to boot!

I'm casting wheel weight lead which has been melted, **** cleaned out, cast into ingots and fluxed before casting into a Lee 9mm 124gr RN mold and dropping them straight into water. They have been sized with the Lee .355 sizer and lubed w/ Alox. I'm attempting to reload using a Lee 4 die set and have set them up following the directions in my Hornady LNL-AP press.

I followed the directions to set the expander die against the shell plate and back it out 1 full turn and adjust until it accepts the bullet. I ended up screwing it back in about 1/2 a turn at this point to get the bullets to start to enter the case mouth. I've confirmed that the bullets mic out at .355. At this point, the case is "shaving" the bullets down to .349 as they try to seat. I'm nervous about giving the cases more flare for fear of cracking, but I can't see anything else I've missed.

[wallenba]

It sounds like you need to chamfer the inside of the case mouth. A lyman "M" die in place of the normal expander will work wonders with cast boolits too.

[mooman76]

Try expanding the case more. Brass is pretty flexable and it should expand enough to load your boolit without shaving. Lee dies will only expand so much so it's hard to over do it. Camfering the case mouth would help too if you haven't already.

[SeabeeMan]

I readjusted the expander die and backed it off 1/3 turn from the shell plate. The case now accepts the bullet cleanly and it crimps just fine. They feed in both 9mm pistols.

Would I see longer case life from going with an M die, or will I be all right to proceed as I am now?

[wallenba]

I readjusted the expander die and backed it off 1/3 turn from the shell plate. The case now accepts the bullet cleanly and it crimps just fine. They feed in both 9mm pistols.

Would I see longer case life from going with an M die, or will I be all right to proceed as I am now?

Case life won't be affected. The place the "M" dies excels, is in the way it 'squares' the boolit base in the case prior to being seated. It pretty much guarantees the boolit will go down evenly and concentric. No off center seating from a boolit that might tip a bit before straightening out.

Here's some info on it. http://www.lymanproducts.com/lyman/dies/pistol-die-details.php?brand=1&cartridge=5&die=19

The graphics show an "M" die, but the nomenclature is refering to a taper crimp. Don't get confused by this, it's an error in their site. Click on instructions and scroll down to neck expanding. If interested, it also is available as a "charge thru M die", that mounts a powder dispenser. Two birds with one stone.

[SeabeeMan]

I think I'll pick one of those up. I don't need to worry about the charge-through die since I have an LNL-AP press with a case activated powder drop. It's amazing what people throw away!

[wallenba]

I think I'll pick one of those up. I don't need to worry about the charge-through die since I have an LNL-AP press with a case activated powder drop. It's amazing what people throw away!

If you get one, keep in mind that the expander is threaded onto the stem. Most people experience it loosening during use, changing it's setting as it gets lower. So, use some loctite on it before setting it up.

[462]

Rich Kildow,
Welcome.

Using blue Loctite on the expander plugs threads is excellent advise.

Additionally, pull a boolit and check its diameter. Your seemingly small .355" size may not be affected, but it is not uncommon to have a seating die that swages down a boolit.

Aside: I don't own anything in 9 mm, but isn't .355" a rather small-for-caliber boolit? Did you slug the barrel? Generally, you will need a boolit .001" to .002" over groove dimension.

[SeabeeMan]

462 - I think you're right. I was sizing them based on the instructions with the Lee mold (obviously lee is going to recommend lee products) and they were casting at .357-.358. I only loaded 25 of those sized bullets to try this afternoon. If they are all over the place, I'll melt the remainder back down and try without sizing them.