9mm luger reloading

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raf7

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Have been loading a long time. Need info on loading dies that will give max accuracy. Using RCBS now, but very old dies. Am getting flyers like the seat die alignment not as it should be. Have checked with factory ammo and not the pistol.
 
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Redding Competition seater dies help align the bullet with the case during seating. They are all I use, for pistol calibers.
 
The 9mm Luger or 9x19mm NATO is one of those cartridges who's dimension consistency is all over the place. Case mouth thickness, rim and groove dimensions, case length and even case capacity vary greatly from one manufacturer to another.

For best accuracy, sort and load your cases in batches sorted by manufacturer. Measure and sort your case lengths. These items probably will make more difference than the brand of seating die you use.

If you have problems with flyers, you might want to check your groove and bullet diameters too.
 
I just bought a set of new Hornady dies because the seater in my old set didn't have an alignment sleeve, and I found myself seating bullets slightly crooked. I'm hoping this fixes it. I originally planned to buy a new style Hornady seating die aby itself, but found a new set of dies at a gunshow that was only about $15.00 more than ordering a single die. The shipping on the single die woulf have been about $15.00 anyway, so now I have two sets of 9mm dies to mix & match.
 
I use mostly lee dies but for bullet seating I use Hornady due to the seating sleave.
I had problems with off center seating in 9mm but it was cured with the Hornady die.

using non mixed brass is best if you want consistent loads.
though non mixed brass can still vary due to manufacture batch variances.
 
Misaligned bullets in a 9mm are easy to see. If you have a bulge in the case at the base of the seated bullet that's not equal all the way around, you have an alignment problem. As an aside, the word match does mean a "contest", but it also means "the same". This is what you need to do to win your matches. Everything must be the same, from the way your ammos constructed, all the way through to the end, including your shooting technique. Make everything match, to win the match.
 
raf7 said:
Have been loading a long time. Need info on loading dies that will give max accuracy. Using RCBS now, but very old dies. Am getting flyers like the seat die alignment not as it should be. Have checked with factory ammo and not the pistol.
Click to expand...

More information would be helpful as to type of bullet and its weight, powder charge and the OAL of your reloads. Also which gun these are being shot through.
I suspect a set of RCBS dies reloading 9MM should last about forever.
I personally have a Lee set and the ammo works great.

Bruce
 
more info.

Here is the stats. for my loads.

Win brass
cci 200
6gr. Herco
XTP 115 gr.
XDM 5.25

The flyers I'm having are seriously out. Maybe a foot or more at 25 yds. I load for my Sigma and Taurus 40SW without the problem. This is not the first 9mm I've loaded for, but I can't remember this problem with the same dies.
 
OK that is useful info but I do believe you use CCI 500 as 200 is a large rifle primer.
Good powder and a quality gun and bullet what is the COL?
Another question would be how many times have you reloaded these particular cases?
MY 9MM cases get ugly after about five resizings. A visible band forms above the case head and bullets seated appear to bulge more on one side.
When I see a case in this condition it is marked for disposal. I can provide a photo of such a case. Also the primer pockets get loose about the same time.
Could this be what is happening to your reloads?

Bruce

Remington case on the left is overworked by sizing.

 
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Redding is all I use for rifle. Not sure it's worth the investment for pistols/short range work ???


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Sounds like the gun is the problem if you've loaded other 9mm with no issues. Is the Sigma 9mm or 40?
 
CCI500's is correct, obviously. I just received, from Midway the Hornady seating die with the alignment sleve. Looks good, but shooting will tell. The other 9 I loaded for was an earily Sigma, which S&W replaced for cause. Never did shoot very well, so really not the issue. Now using the XDM 5.25, which shoots factory loads really well. Case life could be an issue since I obsessively pick up brass. Looks ok, but what doesn't after cleaning. Really thank you guys for the comments......raf ps. current sigma is a 40.
 
I have been reloading for many many years. Earlier this year I spoke with the owner of a company who loads for Hornady in great detail about 9mm and various issues. He has reviewed these loads and quite likes them. I load thousands of rounds of 115, 124, and 147 gr bullets. I use Hornady and Rainier hollow points and Berry's. The C.O.L of the bullets I load are all 1.080 with a very slight crimp.

They cycle real nice through these guns. These are a little slower load but seem quite accurate and comfortable to shoot. I shoot a Glock 19 Gen3, Ruger 9MM, Smith & Wesson and Browning High Power. I have found that a faster speed sometimes can be an issue. Everyone has their own preferences though. These for me are good accurate safe loads.

Here are my recipes:

9MM 115 Gr
Hornady XTP - HP / Berry's RN
HS-6 powder @ 5.9 Grains
CCI-500 Primers
Velocity 1150 FPS
C.O.L ....... 1.080

9MM 124 Gr
Hornady XTP - HP or Berry's RN
HS-6 powder @ 5.6 Grains
CCI-500 Primers
Velocity 1050 FPS
C.O.L. 1.080

9MM 147 Gr
Hornady XTP - HP or Rainier JHP
Alliant Power Pistol powder @ 5.0 Gr
CCI-500 primers
Velocity 975 FPS
C.O.L. ..... 1.080
 
I failed to mention in my earlier post that I at one time was having a problems seating the bullets having many of them looking like a little off center or leaving a bulge on one side at the base of the projectile. I corrected this problem by belling the case more and holding the bullet quite straight as it entered the die. Start off slow and give the projectile time to center and start the seating process. Now I have few if any problems.

I myself seemed to be obsessed with picking up brass. I don't check it to closely until after polished. This is when issues with the brass seem to show up. I keep a magnifying glass handy and check most obvious scratches and bulges at the base.

One important thing to remember is that you may be picking up someones brass who may have messed up the brass from the beginning and now you have their problems.

I use RCBS dies and have since 1970. Many are the same dies from that time period. If you use clean brass you help eliminate scratches and crud buildup in the die. Proper sizing and proper belling from the start help eliminate most problems. Carbide dies I found are the best.

One cleans their gun, and I believe one should clean and inspect dies often as well. For what its worth, this helped me a bunch and got rid of a lot of frustration.
 
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