9mm loading help

[MAC10]

hey guys, i`m sure this topic has been discussed in here before so bare with me. i got the case bulge problem. seems no matter what i do to rectify this problem i still have it. called sinclair and they said the case might be sized smaller than needed. in other words, the inside die spec is quite a bit smaller than .355. which in turn is making it bulge when seating. also was told that the bullet may not be seated perfectly straight.( btw, using dillon dies) a few of these reloads won`t settle in my case gage the way it should because of the bulge. what can i do to fix this ? i would like to have no bulge at all just like factory new ammo looks. what say you guys? i am using quality bullets, barnes, berry, rainier. sierra. all give the same thing. next step is to buy redding dies and give them a try plus a redding competition seating die( sinclair said they seat perfectly straight.)

Edited November 11, 2010 by MAC10

[Action Pistolero]

It sounds like you are actually collapsing the case with the bullet. Try adding a little more bell to the case. The bullet will stay straight as it is seated into the case.

The Redding Competition seater die is a very good die but you still have to flare the case properly.

[mlmiller1]

The 9mm cartridge is a tapered round. This will sometimes give your reloads the look of a coke bottle. This will not hurt anything at all, actually it is kind of comforting. However, if you have a bulge really low on the case, near the rim, that is a different situation altogether. Those are commonly called "glocked" brass & will not pass a case gauge. Also, like Action Pistolero said, if you don't have enough bell, you will get a bulge at the top of the brass or base of the bullet. Start by trying more bell & see how that works out. 9mm reloads don't normally appear "just like factory new rounds".

MLM

[MAC10]

The 9mm cartridge is a tapered round. This will sometimes give your reloads the look of a coke bottle. This will not hurt anything at all, actually it is kind of comforting. However, if you have a bulge really low on the case, near the rim, that is a different situation altogether. Those are commonly called "glocked" brass & will not pass a case gauge. Also, like Action Pistolero said, if you don't have enough bell, you will get a bulge at the top of the brass or base of the bullet. Start by trying more bell & see how that works out. 9mm reloads don't normally appear "just like factory new rounds".

MLM

the bulge is in the middle of the brass. as far as the bell, i always put enough in so that the bullet easily sets in the brass. its easy to see the flare. was just wondering how manufacturers get theirs to look perfectly straight walled.

Edited November 12, 2010 by MAC10

[Action Pistolero]

Manufacturers use new brass. As we reload it time after time it gets an hour glass shape.

I mostly load 9x23 so with the longer length the hour glass really shows up. I started loading on a 1050 with a swaging die about 6 years ago and my brass now looks alot better. The swaging die supports the brass from the inside as the swaging rod comes up to the primer pocket. I don't believe the hour glass causes any accuracy or feeding problems. They just look funny.

[wide45]

Hour glass shape is a good thing. Means the round will be more resistant to set back. Set back is very bad.

[Sarge]

Hour glass shape is a good thing. Means the round will be more resistant to set back. Set back is very bad.

+1. When I DON'T see the hour glass shape is when I get concerned.

[noylj]

Is it just certain headstamps? May have thicker walls where the base of your bullets are being seated.

Are you using a standard 9x19 sizing die? You really shouldn't need a small base die and, if you do, you should look into the Lee Bulge Buster kit or scrapping those over-worked cases.

Is your expanding die opening up the case ID to 0.354" (below the case mouth flare/bell)? A lot of people seem to have forgotten about what an expander die's job is and all they do is bell the case mouth and shove a bullet in.

Are you seating the bullets too deep? Try a COL of 1.185" and see how that loads, feeds, and fits.

Is the bulge on one side or evenly around the case? If evenly around, then the bullet is going is straight.

Scrap those rounds or run them through a Lee FCD and use them for plinking.