Problem loading cast 9mm cases

[jacobslagle018]

So I have a problem when trying to load some 9mm brass. I use a lee 124 gr RN mold for all of my bullets with a black coat of PC for lube. I then run them through a .3578 sizing die. Whenever I use brass with a CBC, RP, and WIN headstamps, I cant get the rounds to fit in my case gauge. Is this because the bullets are sized larger than normal? Is there anything I could do that would make those problematic headstamps work? Thanks for any advice.

[twc1964]

Jacob,i had a similar problem with cbc brass. i was using jacketed 115's and when seating bullets, the case would buckle slightly. cases were resized and mouths belled but no go. i sorted these out because every bad reload was in these cases. not sure why but maybe we both can learn from others here.

[bangerjim]

Geeeeeeeeeeee.........funny you should ask!

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?242403-Anyone-dislike-loading-9mm

I see I am among an esteemed large crowd that has all kinds of problems loading 9's....to the point of forgetting about it.

I am probably going to sell all my loading dies, molds (2) and 2K rounds of brass and move to something else like a 45ACP.

banger

[bcp477]

So I have a problem when trying to load some 9mm brass. I use a lee 124 gr RN mold for all of my bullets with a black coat of PC for lube. I then run them through a .3578 sizing die. Whenever I use brass with a CBC, RP, and WIN headstamps, I cant get the rounds to fit in my case gauge. Is this because the bullets are sized larger than normal? Is there anything I could do that would make those problematic headstamps work? Thanks for any advice.

A bit more info would be helpful. I just finished dealing with a problem with loading cast in the 9mm.... I was getting a bulge in the cases, on one side....large enough to prevent chambering. So, what do your finished, loaded rounds look like ? Are the cases bulged, especially on one side ? I load 0.357" boolits myself, so I will presume that you do get some case bulging - but that should be evenly distributed around the case, at the point where the boolit bases are ending up.

Besides bulging, the only other issue that comes to mind is case length. Are you sure that your cases are not too long (beyond the maximum allowable dimension) ?

As for chambering problems, some chambers, if particularly short, don't like certain boolit types. So, boolit shape or seating depth might be an issue.

A photo of (one of) the problem rounds would be helpful, or at least a more detailed description of these rounds.

[Throwback]

I have never had any of the issues with 9mm others have run into. I have never run into any oversized bores either although they certainly exist. I have never had any reason to run a bullet as big as .3578 (let's just call it 358 okay) in a 9. I did accidentally load .358 Lee TC bullets in the .38 Super once and they failed to chamber. I don't have a problem when I size to .356. With an appropriate powder and alloy, and sizing smaller, you should be all set.

[tazman]

When I size at .358 I have to make sure the crimp is absolutely perfect or the round won't chamber properly.
I now size at .357 and have no problems with feed, function, or accuracy with my 9mm.
I use boolits weighing 95gr, 105gr, 120gr, 125gr, 135gr, 147gr, and 155gr. Some see more use than others, but they all function and shoot well.

[jacobslagle018]

Well I went to do some measuring of finished normal and problematic cases, but as far as the calipers go, they are the same. Below are some pictures. The first shows a case that will fit the gauge normally. The second shows one that does not pass the gauge. Really not sure what is going on, but for some reason those headstamps cause this to happen. They just will not cooperate.

http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k528/myfragis*****/Mobile%20Uploads/20140520_221610.jpg (http://s1114.photobucket.com/user/myfragis*****/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140520_221610.jpg.html)
http://i1114.photobucket.com/albums/k528/myfragis*****/Mobile%20Uploads/20140520_221552.jpg (http://s1114.photobucket.com/user/myfragis*****/media/Mobile%20Uploads/20140520_221552.jpg.html)

[frkelly74]

Would a taper crimp die help? I have been using an older Herters seat/crimp die and have had zero problems with chambering rounds using random found brass and the lee 125 gr truncated cone boolit sized in a .357 push through die. I am shooting them in a hi-point carbine. The die I mentioned has a sliding cylinder that taper crimps the case after the boolit is seated. it is nice and it works nice and I had never seen one like it before.

[petroid]

More info please. Are you sizing before and after PC? How are you flaring and crimping? Your gun may just not like those headstamps or your sizing is an issue, or you're over flaring or under crimping.

[jacobslagle018]

I size after I PC the bullets. These cases work if I use plated rounds with no problems. I do flare the cases and I crimp with the bullet seating die.

[Silverboolit]

I have had nothing but trouble with CBC brass. I just throw it into the recycle bin.

[tomme boy]

Do the rounds that do not fit in your case gauge fit in your chamber of the gun? That is the only case gauge that you really need.

[tazman]

I have to agree with tomme boy on this one.
There are some wide variations in chamber size in different 9mm handguns. Also the case gauge is designed to fit all guns, not just yours.
If it will chamber in your pistol, shoot it.

I did have an issue similar to this with feeding in my 9mm. I found I needed to seat the boolit and taper crimp in different operations. When I was trying to do it all in the seating die, I ended up with too loose a crimp. The slight flare at the end of the case would hang up part of the time. If I tightened the crimp down, I would get a small amount of lead peeling from the boolit at the case mouth during seating. Now I don't crimp in the seating die and use a fourth stage to crimp with a Lee taper crimp die. All my feeding and chambering problems ended. I haven't had a single chambering issue since I started doing this.

[DR Owl Creek]

Do the rounds that do not fit in your case gauge fit in your chamber of the gun? That is the only case gauge that you really need.

+1

That's all that matters.

[HATCH]

this may sound totally crazy but have you taken a sized case and tested it in your guage then loaded it and tested it again?

I ran into a problem of bulged bases (glock brass)
I use a Lee Carbide Factory Crimp die and it solves all my problems.

[canyon-ghost]

Although I find RP cases to be only a tiny bit thinner than Winchester, you might use the caliper to check case thickness at the mouth. There is usually a difference in case wall thickness that causes that last 1/16th not to chamber. Were you to use an RCBS belling die and then the seating die to crimp, you'd find that any size bullet fits until you apply the crimp. I try to use a medium hard crimp for the thicker ones because I like Winchester cases and can buy them bulk at the reloading shop. Have noticed that CCI Blazer cases slip together easier. I've noticed that some cases (and Win qualifies) are harder brass and take more pressure to crimp right. The idea is to crimp with half the case mouth showing, where you can hook you thumbnail under it, and half holding the bullet well enough that a round sitting upright on the table would take a hammer to dislodge the bullet. This isn't to say you apply enough crimp to buckle the brass or bulge it at the crimp line. It should be perfectly straight up to the crimp.

If I can't push the bullet with my thumb over the top, while it's sitting upright on the bench, and it's going to take a hammer to push it back into the case, it's enough crimp. Sometimes, I have to experiment with adjustment. I turn the seating die 1/16th of a turn at a time. Throw away the ones I need to (using a tubing cutter to release the powder from the brass), and go on with life.

[canyon-ghost]

As far as keeping track of crimp adjustment, I'm using a metal scribe (welder's scribe) to draw a small line on half that knurled knob atop the seating die. That way, I can tell exactly where I start and finish along with, where 1/16th of a turn ends.

And yes, even though the avatar is a 44, I am strictly talking about 9mm. I have three of these little devils.

In roundnoses like that, check that your seating die is adjusted and clean. If you clean the lube out, you get more bullet length, and they may seat farther out. Then, you'd need to adjust the seating plug down just a hair's width.

[Handloader109]

Try what Hatch said, empty case check. I haven't used this brand, but have had issues mainly with oal with my glock and Walther. Do use the lee fcd and it helps. One thing that I have found with the PC boolits is that you might be sizing down, but you don't size the nose /radius of the boolits. A couple of thousands of pc makes a difference between hitting the front of the chamber or clearing. Seat a few thousandths deeper and the problem goes away.

[bedbugbilly]

Have you tried sizing the same bullet to 357 to see if the problem persist? I have a feeling it's a combination of your bullet and that particular head stamp.

I'm assuming that you are sizing to what you are due to your bore size? If you haven't tried .357 - try it and see what the results are in terms of any leading, etc.

I must be one of the other luck ones as I've never had any issues with reloading 9s. I use the Lee 356-120-TC - size to .357 - TL with a lox/paste wax. No leading problems and I use range brass and don't even pay attention to head stamps. I'm using the Lee 4 die set and love the FCD. I know some don't like 'em but it works well for me and they all fit the cartridge gauge and shoot straight. I haven't tried powder coating but it looks interesting so will give it a try at some point in the future.

Good luck - you'll get it figured out - don't get frustrated and give up. There's a solution for any problem! :-)