njl

With different bullets having different profiles, diameters, and lengths, I don't see what doing the above would accomplish.

Doh! I already bought the RCBS powered trimmer. I haven't even gotten around to setting it up (haven't tried doing any rifle reloading yet). The RCBS was quite a bit cheaper than yours...so I guess I'll see how it goes.

My guess is your rounds are too fat for the gauge. What brand of brass have you been using? Maybe try seating the bullets a little longer. BBI's run fat, and if you're seating too deep, fat bullet + thicker part of the brass = oversized round. Have you taken measurements of the cartridge right around where you think the base of the bullet sits? You never did say if she's shooting the factory barrel or an aftermarket one. They'd have to be really oversized to have problems in the factory barrel.

I've loaded some of BBI's 130gr, and have similar issues with the gauge, but Glock chambers are so loose, my Glocks have no trouble shooting them. Is that G34 using the factory barrel or some aftermarket "match" barrel? I did have to load a little shorter than I'd first attempted. You should check to make sure your OAL isn't too long and the bullets are hitting the rifling. BBI bullets are the widest 9mm's I've seen.

That's awfully slow for 4gr Clays. Are you sure about your chrono and your scale?

If you think 4gr was soft, try 3.7 I can pretty much guarantee you that 3.7gr won't make major though.

You didn't mention if you need to make PF or just want a functional target shooting load. At that OAL, depending on the gun, 4gr Clays may be just under major...but 4gr is also what Hodgdon publishes as max load. Lots of people go over 4gr...but you could also shorten the OAL to more like 1.220-1.230 if that feeds in your gun.

The trouble with most red dot sights on pistols is the need for special (expensive) holsters to accommodate the pistol with the mount and sight. The one exception to this is the very small red dots modeled after the Tasco Optima / Docter (I'm not sure which was first). These generally sit on the top/rear of the slide using an insert that anchors the sight to the slide's rear sight dovetail. These typically don't interfere with most holsters. Another problem with dots on a combat pistol is there's generally no room and no provision for a BUIS, so if the dot fails or is damaged, battery dies, etc., then you have a pistol with no sights.

Warm up time? I think you're confusing the Eliminator (beam scale) with the Determinator (electronic scale).

I haven't checked that...but It's a reasonably substantial table, so I don't think it's moving, particularly the elevation of each end of the table. I've been thinking about moving the scale off the bench (AFAIK, that's actually recommended) to either a side table or a shelf hung from the wall.

I bought a Dillon Eliminator because I'd lost faith in my Lyman 1000XP (it would drift, sometimes just not register anything, etc.). I've got two questions about issues I'm having with the Dillon. 1) Since it arrived, I've had to have the adjusting foot nearly all the way unscrewed in order to zero it. It's so close to being all the way unscrewed, that it actually did fall out of the threads while trying to zero it the other night. 2) I've noticed that when I remove and replace the sample pan, the scale sometimes doesn't quite go back to zero...and I'm constantly readjusting the zero, pretty much after every time I dump the contents of the pan. Someone just posted something on GT about a similar problem with his Ohaus 505, resulting from the sample tray being bumped by dropping a bullet on it. Is it possible something happened to mine in shipping, or I did something wrong in its setup?

With heavier bullets and smaller powder charges, you can fit a double charge in a 9mm case. I just posted in another thread that I accidentally double charged 3.4gr (6.8gr) of Universal Clays loading 147gr while clearing a primer jam. It was quite noticeable, as the powder was nearly to the top of the case.

Yeah...it was one of those "duh!" moments. For some reason, it didn't occur to my while clearing the jam that I was double charging a case...but as soon as I was done clearing things and assessed the machine, I was like "wow...I double charged that case, and it fit!". I wonder how bad the damage would have been from 6.8gr of Universal under a 147gr bullet?

BTW, I found out last night that with the 3.4gr Universal load, a double charge will fit in the case...but it'd be one hell of a compressed load. I had a spent primer fall in the way of the primer slide, and just keep it from going all the way forward. While clearing that, I pulled the handle all the way down. After dealing with it and priming the case in station one, I noticed the case in station two was a few mm from overflowing with powder.

Better hurry. I ordered 2k from TJ Conevera last night. His site says there are only 3 1000's left in stock. I shot a bunch of these (the 3.4gr Universal, X-Tremem 147, 1.120") today, and I really like them. 4.3-4.4gr Universal under a 124gr FMJ/CMJ/JHP works well too, but the 147s have way less recoil...which I know sounds silly for 9mm.

Since I have some more personally collected data now, I have to amend this. In a G17, if you load on the short end, Hodgdon's published max load for 147gr jacketed bullets with Universal Clays will (at least with X-Treme 147gr plated bullets over my Chrony) just make minor PF. The difference in feel between these and the 124gr load I've been doing is at least as big as the difference in feel between factory (Blazer) 115gr and my 124gr load. I'm loading some ammo now that I'm guessing will be used for the upcoming GSSF match with the X-Treme 147s, 3.4gr Universal, and an OAL of 1.120". This is right between Hodgdon's and what I've read is Lyman's published max load.

What data did you base that load on? It's 0.3gr beyond what Hodgdon publishes as max load for 147gr. I've read that Lyman previously published a 147gr max load of either 3.5 or 3.7gr (can't remember which, and don't have that manual). I haven't been able to find any other data suggesting it's safe to load 147gr with more than 3.3gr Universal.

I recommend the lighter colors. White worked out well. I used a sharpie to draw an indicator on the knob as to which direction of rotation results in more powder. Writing on black isn't so easy.

Not really. I posted it over there after not getting any responses here initially.

3.4gr Universal at 1.120 got me into the 88xfps range in a G17 (don't have my data with me now). That's right about 130pf, which I think should be fine. I ran some through a G26 as well. Lost some velocity of course, but I wanted to see that they'd function. Accuracy with this load was very good...shooting hand held at 10yds, it gave me nice small groups with multiple bullets using the same holes. I only ordered 1000 of these to try out, and I started into the second box last night, loading more of the 1.120" with 3.4gr Universal. I can see getting spoiled by these. My 124gr loads were already noticeably softer shooting than factory 115gr ammo. These 147gr loads are much softer shooting than the 124s. Shooting factory 115gr after some of these 147s would probably feel like shooting a .40. I'll have to look at what I have on hand in 124gr and decide if or how much more 147 to order.

The difference in COL isn't actually caused by case length variation. It wouldn't be unless you had some weird sort of press that seated relative to the case mouth.

I shot some more of these today (same load batch) while the weather was a little nicer. They grouped much better. I did some with 3.4gr Universal, and they grouped even better. I think I'm going to load a bunch with Universal.

Might want to reconsider Lead and Universal. I watched the video and it looks like you're smoking quite a bit.

I haven't heard from anyone else who does it quite like this...but if you get a tube of Lansinoh lanolin, you can put just a tiny dab on your right hand, up high on the index finger or thumb. From there, using the opposite digit, get a tiny amount of that on the pad of that digit and rub the two together. Then as you're picking up brass from the brass bin and manipulating them into station one, they get auto-lubed. When you feel that the lube is losing effectiveness, replenish the lube on your thumb and index finger tips. I've been doing this with 9mm and .45acp, and most of the time have not done anything to remove it. A couple times, realizing I was using too much, I did wipe off the finished cartridges. With these calibers and carbide, you don't have to lube...but it runs so much smoother and easier, once you try it, you won't want to go back.

By that logic, assuming things don't vary from batch to batch (which they certainly could), I should probably stick with PD for 124gr JHP and X-Treme for my non-JHP loads.