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Whether 9x19, 9x21, or .38 Super: Most folks are very happy with the standard long-ogive, shorter bearing surface bullets. I find the Lyman 147gn .356" bullet mold (produces more of a "keg"-like bullet) performs better for me. Remember, the 9mm was never designed for a 147gn bullet, but they can be very accurate with the right size and the right lube.

Paul788: Obviously you have NOT used the Lock-out die. It is, in fact, almost too sensitive. Also, there is no battery that goes dead without warning. I run the Lock-Out die "loose" so when it locks, I can screw the die in or out a little to free it up. So far, I have not had a load error that it has found, which means I have not had ANY load errors with it on any of my presses. I give a big thumbs up to the RCBS

I love mine. Accurate and comfortable. Great sights and a good trigger. I would like to buy another in 9x19 or .38 Super.

The press should have come with a plastic tube. Primers will sometimes separate the anvil from the cup and jam up. Push UP to remove them. If you can pull the tube off, good. That will prevent the primers from spilling all over the press and floor. On my Co-Ax press, there is a plastic bottle to collect the primers. I always keep it empty enough that I can hear the primers drop into the bottle.

Todd: What was your conclusion while firing? None of them seemed all that bad and none were all that clean. Personally, I just don't notice my smoke, but I do notice the smoke from the person next me.

No, that is NOT normal. Your sizing die should size every case, no matter how thin the walls are, to slightly less than bullet diameter. The expander die should bring the case ID, over the length the bullet will be seated, to 0.001-0.002" less than bullet diameter. You need to measure case wall thickness, case ID and OD after sizing, expander OD (not the top section that flares/bells the case mouth), and the case ID after expansion. That will determine where your problem is. Right now, it sounds like the PTX or expander die is made for larger cast lead bullets. I have never hit this problem except for a few R.P. cases that were way too thin in the case walls and I scrapped them.

10mm Auto Bullet Weight Powder Weight Velocity Start/Max Power Factor JSP-SWC 220 2400 14.2 1139 Start 251 JSP-SWC 220 2400 15.8 1215 Max 267 JSP-SWC 220 296/H110 18.5 1235 Start 272 JSP-SWC 220 296/H110 18.5 1247 Start 274 JSP-SWC 220 296/H110 20.5 1352 Max 297 JSP-SWC 220 296/H110 20.5 1360 Max 299 JSP-SWC 220 AA9 14.3 1089 Start 240 JSP-SWC 220 AA9 15.9 1212 Max 267 JSP-SWC 220 Blue Dot 10.2 1068 Start 235 JSP-SWC 220 Blue Dot 11.4 1203 Max 265 JSP-SWC 220 IMR4227 17.0 1197 Start 263 JSP-SWC 220 IMR4227 19.0 1240 Max 273 JSP-SWC 220 N110 13.3 963 Start 212 JSP-SWC 220 N110 14.8 1155 Max 254 JSP-SWC 220 N350 8.5 960 Start 211 JSP-SWC 220 N350 9.5 1076 Max 237 JSP-SWC 220 Unique 8.0 1023 Start 225 JSP-SWC 220 Unique 8.5 1081 Max 238

When the cases come out covered in powder. Even with a used laundry softener sheet or paper towels, at some point you will see that your corn is bacally black and there is a dusting of powder all over the cases. I don't waste any money or time trying to extend the corn--it is checked and I start over with fresh. Walnut not only gets dusty, but I have had a whole LOT of cases that came out of the big Dillon tumbler with walnut powder packed into the case. Had to hand scrape each one.

BiggDawg: and the benefit to cleaning the case so thoroughly? Smaller groups? Press stays cleaner? Anything? How much was the media and the additives to the water and how bad is the drying time? Any problems expanding those squeaky clean cases? Unlike Dillon, I ALWAYS deprime before cleaning for 30 minutes in 20/40 corn and have NEVER had any media in a flash hole or in the primer pocket. If I did, however, it should be knocked out when a size the case since I haven't removed the decapper from any of my dies. Thus, about 30 minutes after sorting, inspection, and tumbling, I am ready to reload. Remember, wiping off the exterior of the case produces all the benefits one will get from cleaning cases. Any more is for ease, convenience, and "confidence".

This is generally a sign of cases with walls that are too thin (i.e., R.P. cases). The first thing that a reloader should do when something "odd" happens is start to measure. If your sized case ID is not smaller than your bullet diameter, your cases are too thin or your die is too large. Do not think of a crimp as holding the bullet. Too much crimp will actually pull the case away from the bullet and you will notice a bulge in the brass. Again, measurements will point to the problem.

RCBS 45-201-SWC or H&G #68 200gn L-SWC using 95% Wheel weights and 5% linotype, as-cast and tumble-lubed in LLA. For the no-smoke demands, Rooster Jacket or pan-lube with a good carnauba wax lube. For buying, I get great accuracy with MasterCastBullets.com hard cast 200gn H&G #68 and Precision Bullet's 200gn Moly-Koted L-SWC. The Precisions have gone up in price to the point that I will only be using MasterCast after I am out of Precisions, except for my as-cast bullets.

Really, I can not understand the "need" to go to such lengths for "clean" brass. 30-60 minutes of tumbling is more than adequate. A $26 40# bag of corn has lasted me for 10 years now and it is still about half full. Just the thought of having to separate out the SS pins and dry my brass seems like such a waste. Then, there are the $300 ultrasonic cleaners! At least those who "waste" perfectly good car polish in their tumblers can "claim" that it makes sizing easier... Just wondering if this is more than simply to make yourself happy with clean, shiny brass or if there is a real, on-target benefit that escapes me?

Crunchy Frog: I find the Hornady expanders to be among the best, and mine certainly expands and flares the .38 Special cases I have. I would ask Hornady if you can send it back for inspection. There may have been an error when machining it. The problem I have had with most expanders is they don't expand the case, over the length that the bullet will be seated, enough for lead bullets. For 9x19, most of my cast lead bullets are 0.357". This means that the case should be expanded to 0.356" ideally and and 0.355" at a minimum. This has led to me ordering custom expanders. Otherwise, I find that I either swage the bullet down in diameter, and lose accuracy and get leading, or I get a bulge in the case where the bullet pushes out on the thinnest wall section. If your problem is simply flaring/belling the case mouth, you can use the expander to expand and get a PTX that will simply flare. Lee makes their Universal Expander Die that only flares and DOES NOT expand. I think that there is a flare-only PTX made by powerfunnel.com?

As soon as Midway notified me, I went to their site to order. It was already gone. Went to Starline, and they were already out.

The minimum COL should be 1.015", with 1.125" being "better." I generally load to 1.140-1.155". You will have to determine what works best in your gun(s). Why do so many n00bs expect to find data for their particular bullet. I have never read a manual that said anything about only using data for your specific bullet. And every new reloader must have read at least two manuals before even considering reloading. Let's look at the newest Hornady manual. For 9x19 with 115gn jacketed bullets, they show the HP-XTP and their FMJ-RN as using the same loads, with only the COL changing. For 9x19 with 124gn bullets, they group their HP-XTP, FMJ-FP (that they were stupid to discontinue), FMJ-RN, and their swaged lead L-RN together. Again, only the COL changes for each bullet. Then, you can look at the .38 Super where they group all jacketed bullets from 121-125gn with the same loads, again only the COL changes. It seems to me that new reloaders should read their manuals and learn how to work out the best COL for their guns and bullets and not think that there is one bullet/load that is the best.

I show 6.2gn start and 7.4gn Max, with a 7.7gn for 170+ PF. Work up carefully from .38 Super starting loads. The .38 Super +P is 5.7-6.2gn Auto Comp.

Never force the press. Any problem, clear all cases from the shell plate and determine what the problem is. Even if you are sure what the problem is, clear the deck any way and work those cases off one at a time. Some times, though, you just want to force the issue, figuring that what ever breaks was the problem. Don't do it.

I have always wondered about those that claim that they get leading in their compensators using FMJ bullets. I shoot lead bullets in my compensated guns and have no lead issues. Re: the exposed lead on a FMJ. The time of exposure is so short and the heat capacity of lead is so high, that there simply isn't time for the lead on the bullet base to "melt." Many FMJ bullets have been examined after firing and the base is not affected by the flame front. There is, however, melted lead if the bullet doesn't seal the bore and the hot gases blast past the bullet. I prefer JHPs as they have always seemed to hold the edge in accuracy. The question is, have any of those using the CMJs found that the FMJs actually did lead? For me, it is FMJ from Precision Delta or JHP from Montana Gold or Zero.

I know one thing, even with a surprise break, my eyes still blink when the shot goes off. Just like my eyes blink if the is an explosion nearby or a load is dropped. The thing is are you blinking before the shot (thus, indicating that you are forcing the shot) or with the shot. I can't control all my reflexes, but I can concentrate on the target and a smooth squeeze of the trigger.

I always run a t-test. It looks at the mean and std. dev. to determine if the data meets the null test (not statistical difference between the sets of data) at a given confidence/fiduciary level. ANOVA is comparing just the variance, as I remember.

In my case, it would be on a 1050. I have not had it find a bad charge. It is, however, very sensitive and will find the charges about 0.2gn over/under. I really think that they are too sensitive. However, I know that the charge is correct if there is no stoppage. So far, my only problems are with load development with out the Lock-Out die. I would use the Lock-Out die even then, but I can't find a powder funnel that fits the top of the Lee PTE die. All the funnels hit the primer tube and don't sit tight. Have considered grinding off part of the funnel to work, but haven't done so. In my load development over the last 6 years, I have had 2 squibs. Cranking out loads with the LockOut die, I have had no problems.

a.roberts: All I saw on their site was a 180gn L-TC. Do they make special orders? Thanks.

Does any one make a bullet feeder, besides Lee, that feeds a bullet to be case at the seating station? I hate to lose the RCBS Lock-Out die and I am not going to seat and crimp at the same time. Thanks.

My .40s (2 Paras and an EAA Witness) like 1.200-1.220" COL. If the magazines are tuned, what were they tuned to? You can slow cycle by hand and see where the magazine is releasing the round and if the round will go up or plow into the feed ramp. I can't use slow hand cycling to verify the rounds will feed reliably, but it does show me where problems could be. Have you simply dropped a bullet into the chamber and determined what your barrel's max COL with that bullet? I find that my best COL is often about 0.01" less than the barrel's Max COL for a specific bullet. The only thing to watch out for is if the longer rounds flatten out as they go down the magazine and cause a jam. Be sure to load at least one magazine full and verify that the length works in your magazine before you load several hundred.

I would look at Montana Gold 121gn IFP or 124gn CMJ if you like quick return to battery or 147gn CMJ if you want a more gentle push. It all depends on what you like and can shoot best.