Factory vs custom

[wrench459]

I starting the long road to reloading.
Thought that it might be nice to have some factory specs that real world.
What other dimensions should be included?

[wrench459]

Starting my deep dive into reloading.
After getting my dies set half-ace
I made a reference round to be kept in the die case.
Afterwards I punched out a few dummy rounds for testing purposes.
I got ~ .004 variance....is this normal?

[Urny]

Probably. I just measured 10 .45 ACP reloads, 200 grain Montana Gold FSP, which varied .004 just like yours, and 10 9mm Remington-UMC HP which work great in my SCCY, which varied .009. Maybe you can get better consistency using the sort of techniques bench rest shooters use, but there probably isn't much point in it. Bullets are not identical, whether purchased from the big companies, or home cast.

Good luck with your reloading venture. This year I hope to start reloading for 9mm too.

[wrench459]

Found a great respect for the job that primers do.
Loaded up 11 empty shell casings with CCI-500 primers.
One of them when in hard..more than likely cocked sideways or my inexperience with reloading.

Anyway I set that one aside
I've always wanted to know how they work.
Installed the round in my 995.
Pulled the trigger(outside, pointed in a cool location) and wow flame shot out the end of a 16 inch barrel.

[wrench459]

I did notice that the rock-chucker locking rings are a bit lacking.
I'm going to try some Hornady's just for grins.

[Lefty Red]

Yes, nothing is perfect in home reloading. And everything is just respectfully guidelines.

I have reloaded and the one good thing is that you can adjust your ammo to match your situation and weapon. You can make a powder puff load for training your noise/recoil shy shooting friend to barn burning hunting loads.
But also know that tweaks only go so far. So don't sweat it too much.

I hand dip my powders and use a single stage press, Lee Classic Cast with a Hornady Lock'n'Load bushing in it to speed up dies changes. Just down sized and sold my last Dillion progressive.

It's fun reloading, not trying to chase your brass everywhere.

Lefty


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[wrench459]

Yes, nothing is perfect in home reloading. And everything is just respectfully guidelines.
It's fun reloading, not trying to chase your brass everywhere.

Yep, Red I'm having fun and learning about the subject.

I think that I'm going to try some federal 100 primers. Right now using CCI 500's. Had a miss fire with the CCI's just once.
Double hit it.. fired fine.

[Lefty Red]

Yes, nothing is perfect in home reloading. And everything is just respectfully guidelines.
It's fun reloading, not trying to chase your brass everywhere.

Yep, Red I'm having fun and learning about the subject.

I think that I'm going to try some federal 100 primers. Right now using CCI 500's. Had a miss fire with the CCI's just once.
Double hit it.. fired fine.

I got some CCIs from the big scare a few years ago and they suck! Was getting so many misfires and jamming the press I called Dillon is bitch at them. They said they were getting three or four calls a day about CCI primers. So I quit using them. Winchester or Remington only.

Lefty


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[wrench459]

I been playing around.
With Independence 115 gr JHP
OAL 1.061-1.064
Case .750
Bullet .531

Took the Oal of the bullet(.531) then subtracted the case length(.750) for a total of .219.

Err for my math experts .750-.531=.219

So the bullet is seated .219 into the casing ?

.312 + .750 = 1.062 which is where I rounded the numbers off.

Now let's get to my real question.
Most if not all of the spent casings that was picked up are under .750 in length.
This tells me that the 9mm shells gets shorted after firing.
Is this correct?

[Freightman]

I have a CPX2 I traded for the previous owner shot only cast from it, I shoot only cast (haven't shot a factory load in 10 years) I use the Lee 125 gr round nose Powder Coated. I have found it to be very accurate, and I am not a exceptional pistolaro. I can keep them on a 3" circle at 60'. I have tried starting loads to max loads all have performed well. If you cast a bullet to fit + .002 there will never be any leading, with powder coat they are easier to clean. My barrel slugs at .356 and the throat will take a .359 so that is what I cast and load. With the powder primers ,cases(free), lead (free), it cost me $1.54 per 50 rd. box.

[wrench459]

Freightman said...


^^^^^^

[DANM99]

Umm, no cases ever shorten after firing. No surprise that your cases don't match SAMMI specs, and OAL is an individual thing, and firearm specific. Freightman has the right of it. Casting your own bullets is the best way to actually save money reloading. If you buy projectiles, savings go way down even if you buy bullets in lots of 1k. The extra bonus you get by casting your own bullets is that they can be more accurate than anything you can buy factory. As for sticking to a specified sammi OAL, that is over rated. I determine OAL with a 'plunk test' and then checking magazine fit. With barrel in hand, drop a known factory bullet into the chamber and note how the head sits flush with the back of the chamber area. Make a bullet that is obviously a bit too long, and plunk it into your chamber. You will see that the case head sticks out farther than the factory one did. Slowly crank down on your seater die adjustment, running the test round back thru it, and rechecking chamber fit with each quarter turn. Stop reducing OAL when your test round seats flush like the factory round. Make sure your test round drops free easily. At this point, make a half dozen or so, and test them in your magazine. They could still be too long and bind in your mags. If they bind, then reduce your OAL till they run smoothly thru your mags. When satisfied, lock down your seater die and leave it alone till you change bullet style and then you will have to retest. If you are loading for multiple pistols in the same caliber you will have to test your first bullets in each pistol. Likely, you will be OK for all, but you need to be sure. I have no trouble making the same rounds for all four of my 9x19 pistols but it is possible that one pistol will have a tight chamber or magazine, and you will have to make all your bullets to fit that one, or make a special batch for the tight one. That is pretty much how I determine OAL for pistol bullets. There is, of course, a lot more to the reloading process than I mentioned here. You should have at least two good manuals and follow their recommendations carefully. Enjoy!

PS....I did not even mention crimping. Most, but not all seating dies will apply enough crimp to lock your bullets in place during feeding. You don't need a lot of crimp, just enough to keep your bullets from moving in or out during the firing process. I really like the Lee factory crimp dies for semi auto ammo.

[wrench459]

I don't crimp any 9mm reloads.
First size to ~.373(.355 OD bullets)
then bell the mouth out to ~.380
then close the bell for .377 OD.
This is using neck tension.

[jimbojr85]

9 mm is one of the easiest cartridges to reload. I like powders that fill the case and I load to duplicate factory ammo (compared by chronograph). In addition I never trim or sort 9mm cases - shoot them until they split or you lose them in the grass.

[wrench459]

...or you lose them in the grass.

You really don't lose them
the brass gremlins steals those loose cases while your not looking.