9mm dies

[blkexp98]

I am trying to come up with some plans for some 9mm reloading dies. The catch is my current press is a RCBS Rockchucker (single stage). My rifle dies are all redding but looking through their catolog they say the ones with the competition seater are made for a progressive. I could just add a expander die seperatly but is Redding as good of a pistol die as it is a rifle die? Would i be better off just buying a LEE 4 die set and getting the competition seater later from Redding?

I want to upgrade to a Dillon 650 for pistol ammo but thats not in the near future so what do you think? Also feel free to add in any suggestions for parts to get a good 9mm setup together. I have some parts i know i need for rifle rounds but am new to loading pistol rounds.

[DougCarden]

How much do you want to spend?

I have used the Dillon 9mm dies, work great and I recommend the seating die if you are doing to load a lot of lead bullets. You can drop the stem out and clean the lube off of it whenver you want, and not have to readjust the OAL. I have used the Lee die set, it works great as well. If you are going to load a lot of lead bullets, I would also get the Lee factory crimp die. It will chamber after using that.

I currently use, and recommend the Titanium 9 mm die set if you are willing to spend the money. The resizing and crimp die is the best I have used in 20+ years of reloading. Even nasty Glock range brass gets resized to the point that it drops into the case gauge both ways.

When I set up the Titanium sizing die so it bumps the shellplate, then a 1/4 turn the brass always fits the case gauge.

I am also planning on getting taper crimp dies for the other pistol calibers I load for. I believe them to be that good.

Good luck!

DougC

[Sarge]

With a single stage press the lee dies would be great. With a progressive, where the idea is mass production(speed) dies like Dillon would be better because they are radiused on the bottom to help funnel cases into them at higher speeds. I used a U-die, which is just a modified lee die(not much radius on bottom), in my 550 and I had to be more deliberate in order to get the case into the sizer die more smoothly.

I know the competition seater die is an excellent die but I don't fiddle with changing oal's too much once I find a load I like so I didn't see the need to spend the money on it. If you want to adjust/change oal quickly and easily then they are the way to go.

Good luck!

[Flatland Shooter]

If you know there's a 650 in your future, why not go with the Dillon dies now?

Since I've been reloading for over 40 years, I have a wide variety of dies spread over many calibers and manufacturers. Presses include a Rock Chucker, an old Hornady and a 550.

For the past 25 years, all new die purchases have been Dillon. They work on all the presses and have never given me a lick of problems.

Bill

[G-ManBart]

Redding dies are just as good for pistol as they are for rifle rounds...no doubt about it. I put together a set of 9mm dies recently, but might make one slight change in the future. First die is a standard Lee resizing die. I haven't tried a Redding resizing die, but they might be equally as tight. I used a Lee powder through flare die, but you wouldn't need that on the 650. I added a Redding Competition Seating die, and a Hornady taper crimp die (they were out of Redding taper crimp dies at the time). With that combo I've had excellent results. Depending on your guns and source of brass, you may want to use an EGW/Lee U-die rather than the standard resizing die, but I would try the standard die first. If you do wind up using the U-die, I'd run a Dillon reszing die in station 1 (cases feed into it easier, and reduces the overall effort since the cases in the U-die aren't as tight a fit) and the U-die in station 2.

For what you're doing now, I'd order a set of the Lee 3-die carbide set (on sale $24 at Midway now), the Redding CSD and any good taper crimp die....that would leave you with minimal changes and you might be able to sell the excess Lee seating die to recoup some of your expense. R,

[blkexp98]

Thanks for the info.

I think G-ManBarts solution may be the best route since i want to end up with the CSD. I have read the Dillon dies are good but that also means ordering from a couple different places so that will bump up the shipping. Ill keep my eye on the Titanium carbide dies and may pick them up in pieces if i have any sticking or just not happy with the LEE's.

One thing i was just thinking about is how do you measure the length of loaded rounds? The FMJ should be pretty consistant but what about hollow points? For my rifle i use a attachment for the calipers to measure at the ogive. I feel like this is a really dumb question but at the same time i can see it being a issue. Are there any other special tools you have found useful for loading for pistols? I know im going to over think the details after loading for rifles but this is one area where that is some what of a plus.

[G-ManBart]

Thanks for the info.

I think G-ManBarts solution may be the best route since i want to end up with the CSD. I have read the Dillon dies are good but that also means ordering from a couple different places so that will bump up the shipping. Ill keep my eye on the Titanium carbide dies and may pick them up in pieces if i have any sticking or just not happy with the LEE's.

One thing i was just thinking about is how do you measure the length of loaded rounds? The FMJ should be pretty consistant but what about hollow points? For my rifle i use a attachment for the calipers to measure at the ogive. I feel like this is a really dumb question but at the same time i can see it being a issue. Are there any other special tools you have found useful for loading for pistols? I know im going to over think the details after loading for rifles but this is one area where that is some what of a plus.

I think most of us just measure with a pair of calipers from base to tip of the bullet. While that isn't what you want for rifle rounds, it's necessary to make sure they'll fit in the magazine.

Other than a case gauge to check your finished ammo, I don't think you really need any more tools. R,