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I have never had any problem with Hornady's FMJ-FN and and they are marginally more accurate then the FMJ-RNs I have tried. If they were cheaper, like equivalent to MG prices, I would be stockpiling them. Is the Shadow that much different from the CZ-75? I load long for my 2 CZ75s (of course, they are from Czechoslovakia and not the Czech Republic) and ALL my other 9x19s. Have shot 9x19 for about 35 years, using 115 or 124gn L-SWC cast bullets and only had problems with COL with one Browning HiPower (a hair too long or too short and it would choke--never saw a gun so COL sensitive). Find the COL that works in your gun and practice. A very accurate load in many of my guns is a 124gn jacketed bullet and 5.7gn Power Pistol or 5.8gn Silhouette. If your gun will cycle it (or you use a weaker recoil spring), you can look at 4-4.5gn of Silhouette. Shouldn't be as good as it is. I am sure that no one else likes the powder, but 3.7gn of Green Dot with a 124gn FMJs has performed very well, giving me an average of 1.62" at 25 yards. An extremely clean load, but not as accurate (at about 3.75") with a FMJ is 4.2gn of PB.

The only reason I can even think to worry about "dirty powder" is if it interferes with functioning. Since I generally shoot about 10k rounds of 200gn L-SWC and 6.0gn Unique without any functioning problems between cleanings, I only see it as an aesthetic issue. YMMV. The only complaint you have that should be addressed is leading, and that IS NOT Bullseye's fault. Are your bullets at least 0.001" over the barrel groove diameter? If you haven't slugged your barrel, you need to. I find 0.357" lead bullets work well in most guns, but 9mm barrels can have groove diameters up to 0.362" or so. Right now, unless you are casting your own bullets, I find that jacketed bullets from Montana Gold, Zero, or Precision Delta cost as little or less than plated and are only 1-2 cents/bullet more than some of the less expensive commercial cast bullets. Buy 6-12k jacketed bullets now. I really like the Zero .38 Super 121gn JHP for 9x19, 9x21, and .38 Super.

Almost any cast bullet company will be happy to make 0.402" cast bullets for you. They will also be happy to sell you as-cast (unsized and unlubed) bullets at a discount and you can size and lube or just tumble-lube them yourself. I stopped sizing my cast bullets back around 1985 or so.

Every reloader should have a Lee Reloading Press (the little $30 one) for these types of operations. I could live without, but for the money--why would I? I had wondered also how well the Hornady collet bullet puller worked on pistol rounds (never having used one or seen one "in person"). The kinetic always screws up the base of bullets in my experience and, with the cost of bullets, I hate throwing them away.

The only inert dummies I have are the two I make when setting up dies or starting to load a new bullet. For practicing magazine reloads and what not, do you even need any inert rounds? If so, I would get snap caps for use. Your own dummies will start to suffer bullet set-back after about 3 trip from the magazine to the chamber.

Going back, I show Competition as being in the following burn rate: Clays, N320, Competition, WST, 231/HP38. Like all reloading, work up the load and watch for pressure signs. Maybe load with a soft primer (Federal?) so pressure signs are seen sooner. Obviously, the best way is to do so over a chrony and track velocity vs charge weight. The plot will be fairly straight, except for very low charge weight or high charge weights. I have seen the velocity go flat with increased charge weight (that is the point to stop) and sudden jump up from the expected velocity (also a good sign that you are over) before any sign from inspecting the case and primer.

I prefer AA2 and AA5 and many other powders over TiteGroup (AA2 and TiteGroup are very similar in burn rate), but I am a lone voice it seems. I do not understand any concern over sooty powders. So your gun gets dirty. It'll get dirty anyway. I think that acceptable accuracy, consistent charge weight, and any "special" performance "needs," such as high gas production/pressure for compensators or what the recoil impulse feels like, are way more important than sooty gun powder. I find 231/HP38 to be an excellent powder in most cartridges with no tendency to sudden pressure spikes. I don't notice any extra soot and no more smoke than other powders. Very well balanced a nearly universally useful powder for non-magnum handguns. TiteGroup I find is a very hot powder (just pick up a case after firing), it smokes with lead bullets and has shown some spikey-pressures in 9x19 and .40S&W in my guns--but not as bad as Clays. I never concern myself with smoke, but if you are shooting rapid fire, it could obscure your view--it never has for me, but it could. In the future, you might want to look at, in approximate burning rate, N320 (almost everything you want in a competition powder, except the price and availability), Ramshot Competition, WST, IMR PB, and Ramshot ZIP. These are all similar to 231/HP38. I find PB to be phenomenally clean burning in the 9x19. A virgin case, after firing, still looks like a virgin case on the inside. I think it is a rare reloader who doesn't have at least 10 1# powder cans on the shelf and will still to try other powders.

Does anyone know of a company casting the Lyman 356637 147 grain round-nose flat-point bullet. I get good accuracy from the standard long-nose 147 grain bullets, but the Lyman is supposedly based on military accuracy testing and, to me, looks like a "better" bullet.

Put a paper or thin metal cut-out to act as a shim Check the bushings for one that goes on tighter Get an O-ring with a larger cross-sectional diameter Check to be sure that the bushing and the press adapters have not cracked.

Yes, just be sure you have a bushing. What would make you think that it wouldn't? In fact, in many calibers, all I use are Lee dies in my L-N-L AP.

I can't believe buying a Redding die for what? Close to $90 or more? when the Lee FCD and bulge buster kit (and the recommended Lee Reloading Press) works great. My Hornady New dimension sizing dies size a bit lower than other sizing dies, but it simply forms a raised ridge at the case web. I do not think any sizing die can remove the bulge any where near what the bulge buster/Redding dies will. It is just very hard, for me sometimes, to push the head of the case through. For .40, I simply run all my deprimed, inspected, and clean cases through the bulge buster out in my garage before the cases ever come in the house for loading.

I run two old 1050s (one is the nickel-wash model) and NEVER have seen any tension on the bolt other the from the cam and NEVER had any problem. Have you called Dillon? Something is out of adjustment. It might be time to ship it back for an overhaul. It is almost like getting a new machine back.

EGW is a custom Lee die made for EGW and sizes a case down more than needed by anyone shooting safe pressure loads. I "know" that my Hornady new dimension dies size lower than my Dillon, Lee, and RCBS. I "know" that I have only had a few lead bullets swaged down with the Lee FCD and I "know" that it gives me an excellent crimp. I also "know" that after 35 years of picking up range brass, I have only hit bulged 9x19 cases in the past 4-5 years and consider it a sign that a lot of people are NOT loading to the manufacturer's recommendations. After finding quite a few pick-up cases with that "ridge" from the bulge being shoved and ironed down during sizing, I have finally had some 9x19 cases to scrap.

Unless you are competing, 115-125gn is the "normal" 9x19 bullet weights. The 147 is actually a very heavy bullet for that little case and you need to remember not to push it to max unless you use a slow powder. In fact, if you aren't competing, you might want to consider 231/HP38 as your "fast" powder for 9x19 and Silhouette, AA7, and HS6 as your go-to powders.

I always enjoy everybody jumping in with their pet powder of the week and NOT answering the OP's question. This is all I have: Bullet Weight Powder Weight Velocity Start/Max Power Factor L-RN 124 Competition 2.4 837 Start 104 1.050 Cu P-HBFP 124 Competition 2.8 835 Start 104 1.060 Ranier HP 124 Competition 2.9 802 Start 99 1.110 L-RN 124 Competition 2.9 943 Max 117 1.050 Cu P-RN 124 Competition 3.0 845 Start 105 1.160 Ranier RN 124 Competition 3.0 851 Start 106 1.160 Ranier HP 124 Competition 3.2 906 Max 112 1.110 Cu P-HBFP 124 Competition 3.3 945 Max 117 1.060 Cu P-RN 124 Competition 3.5 948 Max 118 1.160 Ranier RN 124 Competition 3.5 964 Max 120 1.160 Personally, I would call Ramshot and ask them.

Make up two inert dummy rounds and load to the longest COL that fits your magazine and feeds and chambers. Use the two dummy rounds to load the magazine and verify function. Too many take the minimum COL in the manual as the target COL. If you are using Clays, do NOT even consider trying to determine a max load or reduce the COL under the manual's COL. In fact, except for low pressure .45 Auto at 750fps, I don't consider Clays to be a "safe" powder. It seems to have a hockey stick like pressure curve and needs to be respected. Still have no idea why Clays and TiteGroup are so popular.

Not close at all. Looks like brass shavings and there was no impact force. You can slowly crush a primer without it going off, and I have deprimed live primers and NEVER had one go off and, if it did, it would be contained. It takes a certain level of impact force. I have had a primer go off twice in well over 30 years. The bang didn't seem that bad and the impact forces kept the anvil and body from flying around. No, I don't wear hearing protection and I always have my glasses on anyway. The only time I need safety equipment is while casting--heavy pants, gloves, and goggles. Still, in 30 years of casting, the "equipment" has never been needed (but when needed, it would be VERY needed).

There are very few manufacturers who will push a heavy for cartridge bullet with a fast for cartridge powder. There is where KBs happen very quickly. N340 or 3N37 are much more likely to be recommended.

I have fired lots of mixed brass vs. matched brass and have found no significant difference. One time the mixed is more accurate and another time the matched brass is more accurate. However, in all cases, the difference was about 0.5".

I find that the "best" sizing dies are the Hornady New Dimension TiN dies. They size lower than others. Otherwise, the others all seem to be equally good. I find that the FCD, used with jacketed bullets, not only crimps as good or better than other taper crimp dies, but the sizing section guarantees chambering without affecting the bullet. With oversize lead bullets (say, 0.454" bullets in the .45 Auto), I have had some swaging so don't use it for lead bullets. Right now, I run all my .40 and .45 cases through the FCD/Bulge Buster.

Foxbat: Yes, some people have the need to put down others brands to justify their selection. They live in a world where what they bought is the BEST and the rest is junk. I have for years told people I knew who wanted to reload exactly why the Hornady was right for me and then described the other presses. So far, only one has gotten a Hornady. The rest went along with the Range Experts and bought the full-up 650 with case feed. One even bought two presses at the same time. I don't think any of them have loaded more rounds per year than I have, and they have the comfort of knowing that many agree with their decision. However, they have spent a GREAT deal more money for their press or presses and a Great deal more for caliber conversion kits. I gave up my L-N-L to my son after I became the "proud" owner of two 1050s and my wife felt that I had enough presses and could give him one. The 1050s are really great, and they have a very positive primer seating system. However, I have had more problems with the primer feed than I ever had with the Hornady. At one point during the on-going recession, I considered selling my three 1050s and going back to a L-N-L, but my wife wouldn't hear of it.

There are some Blue Kool-Aid folks who write disparaging things about the competition's products. Just because someone writes something doesn't make it so. I have a L-N-L and the primers not seating on my press were caused by the shell plate getting loose. I have never had any timing problems. During a move, the wire-guide for the primer slide got bent. Hornady sent me a new one and the plastic "thing" that connects the wire to the top of the press. If someone has a complaint and they haven't contacted the manufacturer, I can only shake my head. The only press that I have worked with that is in any way "better" is the Dillon Super 1050.

A hollow point of a given weight can not be shorter by much over a FMJ of the same weight. The lead removed from the HP has to go somewhere. Work up the COL that is optimum for your gun and a specific bullet. Don't just assume.

If you are firing rifle bullets that have MoS2 powder burnished into the bullets, some people have found rust and attribute it to moisture getting under the moly on the barrel. For pistol bullets, you will be firing Moly-Kote, which is MoS2 in a polymer binder. I have never seen any residue with it nor worry about it. You should always clean your barrel before switching from jacketed to lead/moly-kote and vice versa. My only gripe with Moly-Kote bullets is that they are getting to be the same price as jacketed bullets, so for 9mm and .38 super, I am starting to use jacketed bullets. Check prices for Montana Gold or Precision Delta jacketed and compare to plated and commercial cast bullets.

I have fired lots of boolits in my 9x19s and .38 Supers, with comps and without. The 9MM-124-CN 402 has been accurate. Shoot them as-cast and tumble-lubed in LLA. 8.2-8.6gn HS6 and 4.2-5.1gn Red Dot are accurate.