9mm crimp/seating problem...solved

[CRA]

I'll start by saying that I'm still wet behind the ears with reloading. I reload 9, 40, 45acp and .223, out of all of these, 9mm has been the biggest headache for me. Last night while I was ready to take a hammer to my lee pro 1000 (yes I know that's where the problems start, but I'm cheap) I realized something was happening while crimping and seating the bullet. 1 out of every 10 or so wouldn't pass the plunk test.

I took the crimping/seating die out and put it in the single stage press, where I only had to apply a little pressure, because I'm not resizing and primer and problem solved. So after many pulled bullets this has solved me wanting to give up on reloading 9mm.

I just wanted to share my story incase someone else was having an issue.

[Garyshome]

Dillon.........Problem solved!

[lobowolf761]

Or go with a Lee classic turret press. I use the four hole turrets. I do seat the bullets and crimp in separate steps. I've never had any problems reloading for the same calibers that you are.

[oldfart1956]

CRA why didn't the loaded rounds pass the plunk test? By that I mean did you find the issue and correct it? If you can dig up one of the rounds that didn't plunk put it back in the chamber and this time use yer thumb and push it in to where it should be. Now use a cleaning rod & jag and gently pop it back out. Look for what caused the issue. Any shiny spots on the mouth edge of the brass or rifling marks on the bullet? Measure a cartridge before and after running it thru the die in the single stage press. I'm curious as to what it did to make it plunkable. All the same manufacturer of brass? Cast boolits? Which one and what size? I'm using the Pro-1000 as well and I'm seating and crimping (actually just removing the bell) all in 1 step. Without issue I will add. It's all a matter of adjusting the die correctly and making sure all the cast boolits are a uniform size. Audie..the curious Oldfart..

[CRA]

I am going to get a turret press, just waiting to find a used one.

Unfortunately, I pulled all of the pullets so I can't measure them. But they would stick out of the barrel and not headspace correctly. I tried coloring the round with a marker and never really saw anything definitive. Of the ones that didn't plunk right, I really only had the problem with them in my STI 9mm, xd, and xds, which all have tight chambers. Any of the bullets that didn't pass the plunk test in them would feed and function fine in my LC9. And I did shorten up oal enough so that wasn't an issue.
They were with all of my cast bolts 125gn rn, and non matching brass.

[Motor]

I don't know if "tight chambers" is the most accurate term. Short chambers probably more accurate. I've had the same problem with XD's. The have very little lead in.

Motor

[mdi]

In the single stage you "only had to apply a little pressure". Perhaps you're crimping too much. I don't crimp any of my semi-auto ammo, I just use a taper crimp die to "deflare" the case. It's very easy for a heavy "crimp" to distort the case and cause chambering problems

[bedbugbilly]

I'm like lobowolf761 - I use a Lee 4 hole classic turret . . . and on all my ammo - 38s, 357s, 9mm, 45 Colt, etc. I seat and crimp in two different operations. For some reason, and maybe it's just plain "dumb luck" - I've never had an issue with loading 9mm. I use a variety of different weights/designs - 99 % are what I cast. I use a cartridge gauge to check the rounds and after initial set-up, just crank 'em out. I'm thinking that perhaps it's because when I was getting set-up to load the 9mm, I was advised to seat and crimp in two different operations. And, I'm also using the Lee 4 die set.

Glad you got it figured out and hopefully it's "clear sailing" from here for you!

[gloob]

The die does the crimping, not the press. And if there was something wrong with the shellplate, it would affect your 40SW, too. I would try adjusting your crimp die some more.

You could try lubing your 9mm cases. 9mm takes a LOT more effort than straight wall cases. This could be stressing the shellplate and/or frame, possibly enough to cause variation on your crimp. A lot of reloaders eventually start lubing 9mm. Not many of them stop. It takes very little time if you get the method down.

Also, before you go to a turret, here's the secret sauce for using a Pro 1000. Take your SS press and size/decap/prime on that. Then run them thru the Pro1000 to flare, charge, seat/crimp. Without the force of sizing and the primer cup rattling around, the Pro 1000 should be running like butter.

[CRA]

gloob, I'll try that on the next patch. I've been using the hornady case lube but there so much pressure going on to resize and flare. I think you're right about that causing the problem. Thanks for the input. I only wish that I knew about the site when I was first setting up the 1000.

[Rick W.]

I will also seat the bullet on my single stage RCBS Rock Crusher press on one run, then come back again with another set up to taper crimp. I haven't had much experience with multi stage presses. I guess with that many stages, it's just too much to do all at the same time. I'm more focused with one operation at a time.

[kryogen]

Thats why im buying a dillon...
the lee lm that i have is only decent to powder seat crimp. Cant reliably do it all at once.
lube 9mm cases or its just too rough on the press to do it all at the same time.
i hate economy tools.

[runfiverun]

you could also just try seating and crimping in 2 steps.

I do this on all of my roll crimped stuff and all but my 45 acp in the taper crimped guns.

[tazman]

I'm like lobowolf761 - I use a Lee 4 hole classic turret . . . and on all my ammo - 38s, 357s, 9mm, 45 Colt, etc. I seat and crimp in two different operations. For some reason, and maybe it's just plain "dumb luck" - I've never had an issue with loading 9mm. I use a variety of different weights/designs - 99 % are what I cast. I use a cartridge gauge to check the rounds and after initial set-up, just crank 'em out. I'm thinking that perhaps it's because when I was getting set-up to load the 9mm, I was advised to seat and crimp in two different operations. And, I'm also using the Lee 4 die set.

Glad you got it figured out and hopefully it's "clear sailing" from here for you!

I have been using the Lee classic cast 4 hole turret just as Bedbug has described and have had similar results. Recently, I have been using a Loadmaster and getting good results as well. It has 5 positions in the turret and allows for seating and crimping to be done separately as well.

[kryogen]

oh, and you ABSOLUTELY NEED to seat and crimp on 2 dies with cast bullets.
Single die works with FMJ, doesnt work with cast.

[gloob]

I don't need to separately crimp my 45ACP or my 9mm cast bullets.

My 45ACP bullets have a crimp groove, so they don't shave when taper crimping. Ok, that might be cheating. But my 9mm Glock has such a loose chamber, I don't need to remove enough of the flare to shave the bullets.

[tazman]

I don't need to separately crimp my 45ACP or my 9mm cast bullets.

My 45ACP bullets have a crimp groove, so they don't shave when taper crimping. Ok, that might be cheating. But my 9mm Glock has such a loose chamber, I don't need to remove enough of the flare to shave the bullets.


You gotta love it when your gun will feed anything.
My Beretta barrel has a loose chamber, but not that loose. I at least have to take the flare of the mouth of the case.