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9mm brass inconsistencies


Lucreau

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I’ve used Nevada ammunition once fired, Fenix ammo once fired and one other companies once fired brass, all fully processed. I’m averaging 4-6 that do not pass my hundo case gauge and I’m also using an EGW U-die. Is this the norm for fired brass? Just want to make sure I’m not losing my mind over nothing, or is there a place out there that has consistent gauged brass? Or is the only way to get the consistency to buy new brass? 

Thanks in advance 

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What diameter bullet? As bullet diameter increases, failures increase.

 

Some brass is thicker and/or harder/more resilient. CBC fails often, even loading jacketed bullets.

 

If the brass isn't roll sized it could be expanded too near the extractor groove or have extractor dings, crooked bullet seating will cause failures too.

 

5-6 per hundred does not bother me. Practice pile.

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I buy fully processed brass from Ammobrass, and have a 0% failure rate.  I load on a Hornady LnL using their dies, a Mr. Bulletfeeder expander/funnel and a Lee Carbide Factory Crimp die.  Every single one falls into and out of my Shockbottle case gauge.  BTW, this is mixed HS brass.

 

I bought some 40sw brass from LEO brass (never again) and had issues with the case rim not going into the gauge.  It was always extractor claw marks on the rim that raised a burr.  It I filed the burr off, all was well.

 

IMO, buying fully processed 40sw is not worth it, because the Lee FCD cures all the Glock bulge problems.  9mm is a different story.  Since the case is tapered, the Lee FCD only sizes the first 3/8" of the case.

Edited by zzt
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13 hours ago, Lucreau said:

 I’m averaging 4-6 that do not pass my hundo case gauge.   Just want to make sure I’m not losing my mind over nothing  Or is the only way to get the consistency to buy new brass? 

 

Really no reason to worry about it.

 

As has been said above,

1.  the 4-6 that failed the gauge might work in your chamber  and Not Be  a Problem at all   

2.  if not, they go into your practice pile and no problem at all.

 

No harm, no foul.

 

No reason to buy New Brass for five times the cost because of 4-6 "failures".

 

Try loading those 4-6 and see if they fit into, and fire in, your gun.    :) 

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Suggest you check the bullets that failed the hundo to see if they plunk/spin in your barrel.  The hundo I have is tighter than my barrels.
I second this, the hundo is a tighter than most chambers and most slight failures (not sticking out to the extractor grove) will function just fine. Check them in you barrel and you'll probably see that you're good to go.

Bullet diameter can affect this, when loading .356 coated I get 2-3 per hundred that don't sit flush but with .355 plated I might get 1 every 300.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

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So once they fail the hundo, I chamber check them and they also fail the plunk test. It seems most of the fail to gauge rounds are right around the case rim. But if this is somewhat around the norm for the amount to not pass that is pre fired brass then that is fine with me. Just wanted to make sure it wasn’t who I was buying from that was the issue. 

Thanks for all the responses!

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It sounds like more a problem of your resizing die. Either your die is not screwed down enough to size completely, or the die you're using has a concave shaped sizing carbide ring, which doesn't allow complete resizing of the brass.

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5 hours ago, Postal Bob said:

It sounds like more a problem of your resizing die. Either your die is not screwed down enough to size completely, or the die you're using has a concave shaped sizing carbide ring, which doesn't allow complete resizing of the brass.

I will try setting the u die a tad deeper to see if that helps. And I’m unsure about if it has a concave shaped sizing ring. It’s the EGW U-die

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  • 1 month later...

I actually ran into this recently, of course right after I posted in the 9mm/1050 dies thread about how I wasn't using an FCD b/c my dies were setup well and I wasn't seeing any issues lol.  Doh.

 

Anyway, it all started when I decided to try the Lee 9mm sizer decap die when I snapped a c-clip on my Dillon sizer/decap die.  Found the Lee didn't really size any deeper than my Dillon, so went back to the Dillon with a new c-clip.  Then, my next run of 9mm I got a lot of rounds failing the case gauge.  Wasn't quite sure what was going on, but figured I might have bumped something so reset each of the dies.  Took a bit of trial and error, but found I had too little bell out out of the powder drop funnel, and also was crimping too much.  I had been crimping to .375, mirroring a factory round crimp measurement (with Dillon crimp, not a FCD).  With my .356 Acme Coated that was too much, leaving lines on bullets when pulled.  I put a touch more bell in the drop station due to loading coated, and reset my seating die to 1.13 OAL, then set my crimp die to .378 - this resulted in a clean bullet when pulled.  I think 378 is good middle ground, gives me a bit of room since I am running mixed 9mm brass, so if the case length is off and I sometimes get 377 or 379, both are well within tolerance for dropping into the case gauge without issue.

 

I agree with above, a lot depends on bullet type, size, and diameter.  I guess I need to spring for a Hundo... I've held off since one I don't shoot competition or anything, and hadn't had any problems that I had noticed in the past, and also loading up those things looks to be a pita tbh.  But maybe I'll pick one up instead of just spot checking rounds coming off the shellplate every once in a while.

Edited by 78Staff
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Look into a roll sizer.. i used to just load the 9mm and one day got a few that wouldn't chamber. After that i started to roll them all.. worth the investment if you shoot alot.. 

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