9 MM 115 gr crimp

[ditchdigger1]

Just set up to load some 9 mm 115 gr ammo. I set the COL at 1.130. This only gives me about 0.12" to crimp. After crimping, I cycled a dummy round through my pistol with no problems EXCEPT the COL changed to 1.125. I used the same crimp setting that I have been using on my 147 gr loads. Has anyone else had this happen? Is this change in COL a problem? If so what is the solution?

 

[1006]

Crimp it tighter -- when it hit the feed ramp, it was pushed backwards into the case.

 

[RamRoddoc]

Crimp it tighter -- when it hit the feed ramp, it was pushed backwards into the case.

Roger that^

Turn your die in about 1/8th turn and do a few and cycle them to see if they hold their measurement. If not do another 1/8th turn.

I typically back the crimp die off and put a fresh seated round in then tighten it to contact and do 1/8th turns until the crimp holds the bullet firmly but not too much or it will distort the bullet body and accuracy will suffer.

 

[ditchdigger1]

I gave that a try. I now have a crimp mark on the bullet, and bullets still move back about 0.005" to 0.007" when I cycle a dummy round.

 

[Springfield 1911]

Leaving it long like that you probably aint gonna have any over pressure issues unless you are loading at the top end of a published load. If crimping aint working, you might have put too much bell in the case mouth and weakened the brass. How many loadings has this brass had?

 

[ditchdigger1]

Case mouth bell: Cases are belled just enough to feel a slight bell. I made the mistake of over belling case mouths when I started reloading. Reloadings: not more than a 3rd loading. I generally load at or around the starting load.

I am guessing that the problem is that the 115 gr projectile only allows a very small grip surface (less than one eighth of one inch).

 

[Clearance_Clarence]

What pistol are you loading for? If its a CZ you will need to shorten your coal.

But try this, pull the barrel out of your pistol.........take one of the round that you loaded and drop it into the chamber....loaded round should drop in to where it should, and should drop out. If it doesn't fit the chamber all the way like it should then shorten coal and try again.....

Once you have ammo that chamber checks ok, put the slide on and chamber a round, and check to see if coal has changed.

 

[07JKX]

pick up a lee factory crimp die and your worries will disappear.

as for the set back question... you will not experience issues with pressure. I set all of my plinking 9mm at 1.125 and run it through the lee factory crimp die

 

[ditchdigger1]

Pistol is a Sig P226. Dummy rounds drop right in and fall right out without a hint of a problem. The last stage in the Blue 650 is a Lee FCD.

Does anyone have any experience with shorter COLs with Berrys 115 gr FPDS bullets? My data calls for 1.130". I see some load data as short as 1.1"



Thanks for all of the suggestions.

 

[Springfield 1911]

Those are what I load for plinking rounds. I have never noticed a problem before with setback, especially when the Berry's are 356 in diameter. I still think that maybe the brass is weakened and not holding properly. I set mine at 1.126 so it could be the gripping surface as you thought.