9mm dies not what I thought

[ebb]

Back many years ago i bought a 4 die set of lee 9mm reloading dies. Just now got around to using them, and i can see that they were made for a progressive press. I have loaded 38 spec for years and the third die seated bullet and crimped the bullet at the same time. I can accomplish this with the 4 dies set but it will take two more trips for all 600 of them through the press, if i had the 3 die set it would only be one more trip. So i was thinking, is my 38/357 seater/crimp die close enough in size to seat and crimp the 9mm bullets in the 9mm cases?

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

you don't need to use the Lee carbide factory crimp die (the seater will also crimp)...in fact, if you are loading cast boolits that are slightly oversize, which more often than not, is typical...then I would even recommend to NOT use the Lee carbide factory crimp die. Good Luck.

also, 38/357 seater/crimp die will not work.

[Ford SD]

Back many years ago i bought a 4 die set of lee 9mm reloading dies. Just now got around to using them, and i can see that they were made for a progressive press. I have loaded 38 spec for years and the third die seated bullet and crimped the bullet at the same time. I can accomplish this with the 4 dies set but it will take two more trips for all 600 of them through the press, if i had the 3 die set it would only be one more trip. So i was thinking, is my 38/357 seater/crimp die close enough in size to seat and crimp the 9mm bullets in the 9mm cases?

your 38/ 357 will roll crimp and possibly too tall to crimp with the short 9mm brass

if you wanted to go the other way, I have used the the 9mm to seat 38/357 in a 5 station progressive when I wanted to seat in one and crimp in another

[jetinteriorguy]

The seating die in the 4 die set is the same as the 3 die set, it will seat and crimp simultaneously if that’s what you prefer. They just add the factory crimp die for those who prefer to crimp as a separate step. To seat without crimping with the regular seating die you just run the seater down until the die contacts the case, then back it off one turn and set the seater accordingly.

[Land Owner]

Run a few cases through the expander die. Take them out. Really look at those expanded case rims. They're fluted, right?

Run those empty cases through the seat/crimp die and see how that taper crimp works the case mouth. It can be straight, tapered, or rolled depending on how far, or not, the die is screwed down.

Choose how you want to crimp your rounds: 1.) in one pass, as the bullet is seated, or 2.) in a separate operation.

From Lee:

9mm Luger Pistol 4-Die Set includes Carbide Full Length Sizing Die, Bullet Seating Die, Powder Thru Expanding Die, Carbide Factory Crimp Die

9mm Makarov pistol bullet seating die - there are two crimp shoulders in our pistol Bullet Seating Dies. The first shoulder applies a slight taper crimp and the second shoulder applies a full roll crimp. The closer the die is adjusted to the shell holder the heavier the crimp will be

I cannot think of a reason Lee would manufacture a 9mm Bullet Seating die, in a 4-die set, progressive or otherwise, that DID NOT have their two-way crimp capability.

[mdi]

you don't need to use the Lee carbide factory crimp die (the seater will also crimp)...in fact, if you are loading cast boolits that are slightly oversize, which more often than not, is typical...then I would even recommend to NOT use the Lee carbide factory crimp die. Good Luck.

also, 38/357 seater/crimp die will not work.

Yep, An FCD for handguns is a solution in search of a problem. Every die set I bought that that came with an FCD, the FCD was put in a drawer somewhere and a dedicated crimp die was purchased (taper, roll, profile, or collet). I prefer to separate seating and crimping...

[ebb]

Yes, the seater die does in fact crimp. I am not sure i understand how it does, but it does and I have proceeded to load some of my cases. A range trip on the 4th stopped all progress but I will resume ASAP. thanks for all of you guys helping

[Eddie1971]

I don't know but I find loading cast 9mm the step using the FCD is a must. Same with 45 ACP. Had way too many rounds not chamber when crimping with seating die, with Lee or RCBS.

[1hole]

I don't know but I find loading cast 9mm the step using the FCD is a must. Same with 45 ACP. Had way too many rounds not chamber when crimping with seating die, with Lee or RCBS.

Totally reliable autoloader feeding is what Lee's pistol FCD with its post seating/crimping is made for. People with fat chambers often think they're doing a better job of reloading than lesser folk but fact is they simply don't need an FCD because of their sloppy chambers.