Reloading update and questions

[johnk518]

[phdo]

[golfish]

Second question...should I crimp?

How do they fit in your cartridge gauge?
I crimp my 45 acp

[trackcage]

The amount of deviation you're experiencing is normal and I would not be worried about it.

Stick to the powder range listed in your reloading manual. Always verify that charge weight with more than one source.

Crimping isn't super necessary. I just remove the bell I added to the case during powder drop. I'm not really crimping down any harder than that.

I don't use a case gauge, but I do use my barrel when I'm working up a recipe. You need to test it one way or the other before you make a ton of questionable ammo.

[johnk518]

These were 9's and fit fine in the gauge. I guess having the crimp die makes me automatically think I should be using it. Also I'm using Dillon dies and the resizer doesn't bell the mouth.

The Powder is where I don't want to mess up, the inconsistency was from the powder dispenser to the bullet. If I weight the bullet assembled it is far more. But the difference is small; 4.08-4.10-4.14-4.08 always in the 100th rarely in the 10th. Again for this batch it won't matter because I was on the low end.

[ironhorse1]

All 9mm is taper crimped and that just means that the case neck is pushed against the bullet sides. Take a measurement at the case mouth. It should be .378" to match factory taper crimp.

The cartridge headspaces on the case mouth so no other type of crimp should be applied. The crimp die is only able to taper crimp anyway.

Your loads are much lighter than I would load Unique powder. Speer #14 recommends 5.2-5.8 with a 124 grain jacketed bullet.

Variations in charge weights is normal especially for Unique powder.

Your loads will be soft shooting and may or may not cycle your pistol.

I use 4.5 grains of Bullseye powder for 115-124 grain bullets as a point of reference.

irh

[phdo]

[ironhorse1]

Question? What pistol will be using these reloads?

The reason I ask is the Rainier bullet has a very large hollow point.

They work well in my Beretta 92 but some of the 9's don't feed them well.

Just a heads up if there is a problem.

irh

[XDJYo]

A few comments.

The Dillon sizing die doesn't bell the mouth since in the Dillon press, the belling takes place in the powder drop station.

The variation of the powder drop is not that big a deal unless you're on the max end of the recipe for that bullet/powder. My recipe for 45 ACP is 4.7 grains of Bullseye with a 230 grain FMJ. When I measure, it's usually between 4.6-4.8 grains. As long as I'm consistently in that range, I call it good and roll it. This is all for range ammo anyways. Besides, I don't need accurate ammo, I miss just the same!

[johnk518]

All 9mm is taper crimped and that just means that the case neck is pushed against the bullet sides. Take a measurement at the case mouth. It should be .378" to match factory taper crimp.

The cartridge headspaces on the case mouth so no other type of crimp should be applied. The crimp die is only able to taper crimp anyway.

Your loads are much lighter than I would load Unique powder. Speer #14 recommends 5.2-5.8 with a 124 grain jacketed bullet.

Variations in charge weights is normal especially for Unique powder.

Your loads will be soft shooting and may or may not cycle your pistol.

I use 4.5 grains of Bullseye powder for 115-124 grain bullets as a point of reference.

irh

My book (Lyman's) said for Unique suggested starting is 4.0 max 4.5 so I aimed for 4.1. Again for a 124 gr bullet.

I'm loading these for an HK P2000, USP9c, Kahr P9, and a CZ-75 BD.

I'll check the case mouth to make sure its .378, that was a no brainer and I apparently forgot my brain.

This is a lot of fun, and kind of addicting.

[ironhorse1]

I have some old Lyman manuals for reference.

Just FWIW Unique is listed at 4.3 for 891 fps and 5.8 for 1149 fps with a 124 grain jacketed bullet. 5.5 grains is listed as an accuracy load.

My first thought was you were using cast bullet data but I don't know which Lyman manual you are using for reference.

Keep trying loads and have fun.

irh

[noylj]

Reloading has always been a +/- 0.1gn activity. I have NEVER read of any comparison using as thrown charges, weighed charge to the nearest 0.05gn (as with standard reloading scales) or weighed charges of +/- 0.01gn. Particularly where the shooter had no idea what they were shooting at the time.
Next, are you shooting a 0.25 MOA gun? If not, then the external ballistics of +/- 100 fps will have no measurable impact out to at least 50 yards.
Finally, most pistols are, at best, 12-20 MOA and all the tricks to reduce a group by 0.01" are not worth even thinking about.

[smoothy8500]

Take a measurement at the case mouth. It should be .378" to match factory taper crimp.

Set your taper crimp to this number. Don't worry about a +/- .1gr fluctuation in powder loads.

[sofbak]

.."while weighting the powder, sometimes it would be off in the hundredth. I would get 4.06 then 4.1 but the deviation was always less then .1"

If you're getting that weight range consistency with Unique in a mechanical powder dispenser, you're doing very well.

[tawadc95]

+/- .1 is fine with me also.

Use the barrel you are shooting from as your case gauge, that's where the cartridge has to work properly.

Remove the barrel from the gun and set your crimp die up to plunk test properly or use the case mouth measurement from a factory cartridge your gun uses reliably.

Like ironhorse, my nines like .378.