iflyskyhigh

I love a happy ending. [emoji4] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

They did last year, if that’s what you’re asking? So I assume they will this year. Got a smoking deal on 124gr JHP V2 last year. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

This [emoji1318] Hornady One Shot I put a couple hundred shells in cheap non stick baking pan, give it a squirt, shuffle, another squirt and good to go. I tried to tumble S&S coated bullets one time, took the coating off. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don’t understand what you’re saying in the first paragraph Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[emoji1319] It really is the way to go. Glad to see another convert. It smooths out the loading process SO much and since it doesn’t need to be removed....not sure why anyone would use lanolin lube on pistol cases at this point? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Pistol or rifle? For pistol Hornady One Shot is great. Doesn’t take much and doesn’t need to be removed after loading. I use homemade lanolin lube for rifle which I either tumble off as described above or wet tumble with stainless depending on what I’m loading for and how much processing I’m in the mood for. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What if .356 bullets work for them and don’t lead or smoke? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Alas! I knew I didn’t have the only functional FCD! I feel better. I love the M dies. I load 220gr coated lead for my 300 Blackout Subsonic. Couldn’t do it with the M die. So I guess I lied. I do still load coated lead. But its for rifle and the Lee FCD for riles works very differently. Sorry, I knew said I wouldn’t post again. I guess I lied twice. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is what always happens when anyone suggests a Lee FCD. It’s like the 3rd rail of reloading. I’ll start this post with I’m sorry. Sorry for the length. Sorry for hijacking your thread. Sorry if I didn’t offer the best advice in the best order. Now that’s out of the way... I’ve never had any of the issues stated previously. I don’t load coated, or lead bullets...any more. But when I did, I don’t recall having any of the issues described. I think I said earlier I don’t load plated any more, but then I remembered, I still load plated 147gr RN for my suppressed pistols and suppressed PCC SBR. I have a mix of RMR and Frontier plated 147’s. I load so many rounds, I forget what I have loaded. I pulled a few of those rounds, which I have ALWAYS run through the Lee FCD, because I thought “sh*t, maybe I’m wrong”. No swagging. No over crimp. Plenty of neck tension. And I’ve shot thousands of those rounds. Accuracy is amazing. In fact that’s the only reason I’m still loading plated bullets at all. The 147gr RN is the only plated projectile that I could get what I felt was good accuracy from. I was less than impressed with plated bullets in all weights and calibers. I have switched over to JHP and FMJ in everything else. But that’s another post. I for sure have accidentally over crimped a bullet before, but you can do that with any die. Part of the learning process. I’m also in no way saying you’re wrong if it happened to you. Just saying that it can and does work, even if it didn’t work for you. And yes, if you running .358 bullets into it in loaded thick walled cases, I can see how that would present some issues. But I would think a rational person would understand why that is, and that it doesn’t mean the die doesn’t work or doesn’t work as intended. That’s like smashing a thumbtack with a hammer and then being confused as to why the thumbtack is crushed. That all being said, I think most reloaders on here take the view “it didn’t work for me so it for sure is not going to work for anyone”. I take the opposite stance. It does work for me but that doesn’t guarantee it will work for you. It’s just a suggestion and another tool to try in your reloading toolbox. There are for sure tolerances within these dies, and Lee is not know for holding the tightest tolerances. Not to mention several other variables at play. Brass, bullets, press, barrels, throats, leads, lands, firearms.... I also agree with much of the other advice given on this thread. First and foremost, you will probably need to shorten you COAL for 100% reliability. I probably should have suggested that first, but I’d still try the FCD in addition too. It’s a great tool and I think it really shines when reloading mixed range brass in 9MM. And for sure pull a couple test test rounds. Make sure the bullet has enough tension, and that it’s not swaging your bullet, nor over crimping plated bullets. Over crimping plated bullets can drastically reduce accuracy and cause the plating to separate from the projectile. Ask me how I know. And lastly, then I swear I won’t post again, this thought of “improving your process”...I’m not saying it’s without merit, but if you have been reloading for a decent amount of time and have a pretty good grasp on what’s happening (which admittedly can take years) there aren’t a whole lot of things to change. Reloading isn’t rocket science. There are only so many things that can be “fixed”. If your sizing die isn’t set correctly that can lead to issues. I guess you can over or under seat a bullet. Over or under crimp. And primer seating? But those are all reloading fundamentals. Really the only other thing to do is sort brass. Which I’m never gonna do. It’s obviously personal preference. But I have neither the time nor the desire to sit in front of 5 gallon buckets full of 9MM and hand cull brass. I have a life, and would rather be shooting...or doing a million other things. I don’t even think that I’d do that if I was retired. Just sorting brass by caliber is mind numbing and monotonous with sorting trays. I just can’t fathom turning brass over and staring at headstamps. My time is worth money and I’d just buy new brass if I was having that much trouble. OR I’d just get a Lee FCD! [emoji95] Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Why? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I give all my pistol brass a quick spritz of Hornady One Shot before loading. Really smoothed our the loading process. Doesn’t require removal after loading. Cheap and one can will last a LONG time. Can’t recommend it enough. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Have you personally experienced this? Sincerely asking. I don’t load plated or lead any longer, but I did. And I never found that to be true, reference the neck tension and bullet puller finding. YMMV Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This is very good advice. As he said especially with plated bullets. Less is more. Doesn’t take much. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

And there it is... He’s not wrong. But typical. No constructive advice. Just snarky sarcasm. Another issue you might have is that even though they plunk when testing, again due to the variations in 9MM brass, the test rounds you loaded up to plunk test worked, but because you are at the long end of what may work in your barrel for COAL, once you started loading many ended up just a touch longer than what you barrel will accept. You may need to shorten OAL by .005 to to .010”. Our Canuck friend is correct. That’s any easy place to start. But I still personally like the Lee FCD and stand by my advice. It works. It’s cost effective and I have found no down side to it when used correctly. Especially in 9MM mixed range brass. I’m sure you know this but when you start changing variables, only change one at a time and see what effect it has. I’m not one of those reloaded who say my way is the only way or the correct way. Take it or leave it. No skin off my back. Hope you figure it out. I know it can be frustrating. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I believe that’s the seating die I have. It’s very cost effective (especially if you can find it on sale). Very happy with it. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yes sir. Position 5. Last thing. It’s my personal opinion of course, but I don’t believe you need a high end seating die for pistol stuff unless you are making Bullseye ammo. I have always just run the Lee seating dies on my 550 because that’s what came with the Lee die kits. I started off using Dillon dies, but found because of the radius on the Dillon dies mouth it wasn’t sizing the brass all the way down. Switched over to the Lee dies and that solved a good chuck of my problems. The FCD solves the rest. The radius on the mouth of the Dillon dies is supposed to make them more conducive to running in progressive presses. While the Lee dies don’t have the radius mouth and aren’t specifically designed for progressive press, I have never had an issue making ammo as fast as I can pull the handle. When I bought my 650, for all my pistol calibers, I went with the Lee undersize sizing die, Redding progressive seating die (in picture), and Lee factory crimp die. The only reason I went with the Redding die as opposed to the Lee is because I wasn’t buying the Lee whole kit. Midway USA had a good deal on the individual dies I wanted so it just worked out. The Lee and Redding die are designed and operate very similar to each other. I will say the Redding is a nicer built die, but honestly I can’t see any difference in the ammo produced. You might need think about ordering the Lee Deluxe 4 die 9MM kit. Lee pricing is weird. Can you get the whole 4 die kit for not all that much more than just buying it the FCD. Again, they are relatively inexpensive, so if you don’t like them, you aren’t out much. They are available on Amazon. Depending on where you live you could probably have them today. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I do think you will be happy with it. They are less than $20 on Amazon (I believe). If it’s not for you you aren’t out much, and if it’s solves your problem...$20 well spent. The Lee FCD size in two ways. It has a carbide ring the runs over the length of the case. Much like a normal sizing die. Just doesn’t squeeze the case and contents down quite as much as a normal sizing die would. It is oversized instead of undersized. That’s the part that should eliminate your issue. Then it also has a standard pistol taper crimp in the top. Just like any other taper crap, less is more. Just take the bell out. Don’t need much. Just screw it in till it kisses the shell plate plate. Lock it in. Screw the taper crimp all the way out. Run a case up into it. Screw the taper crimp down till it’s pretty good and hand tight. Back the case out a smidge. Give the taper crimp another tiny bit of down turn. Run the case back up and you should be good. For the first 20-30 rounds reach up and make sure the taper crimp is still snug with each new case. If you started off will a “bigger” case when you set it you might have to turn it in just a tiny bit more. It will obviously crimp the over sized cases just a touch much then, but if you have the crimp set light enough shouldn’t make a difference. Hope it works for you. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Don’t over think it or try and reinvent the wheel. For practice ammo or even match ammo with mixed brass you don’t need to waste a ton of time trying to isolate the problem. The problem 99% of the time time is the nature of mixed 9MM range brass. The solution: [emoji3596] Lee Factory Crimp Die. Solves 99% of issues with 9MM loading mixed range brass. And no it’s not a band-aid for poor technic or whatever else someone will surely say. 9MM and mixed range brass seems to be or CAN be a RPIA more so than other handgun cartridges. For whatever reason there seems to be more variance in brass from brand to brand and lot to lot of 9MM. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

The guy in this article said it barely functions most pistols unsuppressed. https://modernrifleman.net/2015/10/19/freedom-munitions-subsonic-9mm-round-up-147-grain-standard-versus-165-grain-hush/ I’m guessing even though they say it should work in unsuppressed guns, it probably just doesn’t provide enough back pressure without the can to cycle the action. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

This is probably the best advice. I’m still shooting bullets that I bought Black Friday last year. That’s the time to stock up. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Precision Delta and RMR are all I buy now as well. I have a couple thousand Everglades, and they are good bullets as well, but after they are gone I probably won’t purchase any more. They just aren’t really competitive pricing wise unless they are having one of their big yearly sales. I have to give the nod to RMR over the other brands though. It’s all personal preference of course but I prefer the shape of the RMR JHP to the the PD JHP, and I find it to be just a touch more accurate than the PD. And most of the time the price is better. It’s probably gun dependent too. I originally purchased the RMR 115gr JPH for my G17 Open Gun. The accuracy in that gun was SO far superior to anything else I tried that I decided to try them in my other 9MM as well. Sure enough they were a winner every where I tried them, and like I said the price is right. Even when they aren’t on sale. If they are sale (like now) you’d be hard pressed to beat them. I will probably still purchase PD when they have their big yearly sales, and I have a couple thousand left right now. But RMR is the go to going forward. Between RMR, PD, Everglades, Montana Gold, and Rose you really can’t go wrong. They are all amazing bullets, I think it really just comes down to price, and again RMR is tough to beat. There is certainly no reason to buy Hornady or Nosler unless some one is basically giving them away. And with the small price difference between JHP/FMJ to plated/coated I don’t see plated/coated making any sense either. All just personal opinion of course based on personal experience. No one is wrong and to each his own. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

RMR is having a sale. 7% off. I use and adore their 115 multi purpose JHP. One of the most accurate I have tried. Holds true in every 9MM I own. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think it means that you insinuated the split would cause the demise of STI, but since the split happened 25 years ago, it’s tough to make that connection. Not that it couldn’t have been a slow burn, but the split as a catalyst for the downfall of STI would probably be easier to connect if it had happened with the past few years. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Ya. Sorry I see that now. Typo. I meant TS/Checkmate Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I think you’re incorrect. If you look at the picture in post 6 (which is the same on the double alpha website), I clearly have the thicker, not the thinner style trigger guard. So I accordingly order the TS/Checkmate insert. My gun is brand new 2019 production. Doubt it would have the old thinner style trigger guard. I’m guessing if I would have ordered the TS insert my trigger guard would have been too thick to go in? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk