Reloading my first rounds tomorrow....

[Sig357]

Well I think I have what I need to get started. Today I prepped 100 9mm brass casings (i only have 100 primers at the moment) Brass has been de-primed and re-sized. Brass checked out good in Lymans case guage.

I believe all I have left to do is adjust the powder throw. I will be loading with the following components:

-Caliber: 9mm
-Primer: CCI 500
-Powder: Bullseye
-Bullet: 124 gr. FMJ
-Charge: 4.6gr. (minimum indicated in Speers #11 manual)

I have a couple of questions though:

1. SAAMI recommends an AOL of 1.169. I am currently seating bullets around 1.165", is this okay. Is there a Min-Max range I can work with?

2. I will be charging with 4.6gr. of Bullseye. Does this sound correct?? (just want to make sure.)

I will be re-loading tomorrow morning, and hopefully test firing in the afternoon. Please give me any tips you feel are necessary before I start.

Here is a pic of my bench.

[bootcamp]

Speer Manual #14 is quoting 124 FMJ round nose:

Bullseye Start charge 3.9gr
Max Charge 4.4gr
COAL tested: 1.135"

Might want to start a lot lower!

[Sig357]

Speer Manual #14 is quoting 124 round nose:

Bullseye Start charge 3.9gr
Max Charge 4.4gr
COAL tested: 1.135"

Might want to start a lot lower!

Thanks for that. I don't understand why there is such a difference in the charge listed. I believe I may have mis-stated. The bullets are RN but FMJ. I wish Lyman 48th had reloading info on this bullet.

[Brasspolisher]

Can't verify your data as I don't load with Bullseye, but you might also want to keep an eye on this thread ("Bullseye and 9mm Berry's 115gr RN and 124gr RN"):
http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/s...d.php?t=281966 Berry's are also TMJ bullets.

The OAL you're considering shouldn't cause any problems in and of itself, but you might want to check online for some alternate sources of data, especially considering bootcamp's post.

Nice bench, especially considering you're just starting out! Please don't leave those safety glasses hanging on the pegboard while you're loading, and come back and update us with the weight you decided to use and the results of your test session!

[bootcamp]

Thanks for that. I don't understand why there is such a difference in the charge listed. I believe I may have mis-stated. The bullets are RN but FMJ. I wish Lyman 48th had reloading info on this bullet.

The load data I posted was for TMJ/FMJ not Lead Round Nose (LRN) so what I posted is correct.

Make sure you taper crimp, NO ROLL crimping. Just enough to remove the bell. IIRC, I crimp to .378"-.379"

Good luck and i'm VERY glad to hear you are using your progressive in a single stage style manner for this first batch. If you are in fact reloading this batch in single stage, try to weigh your charges once every 20-25 rounds. I'm currently using Bullseye and it meters perfectly in the Dillon powder measure. It's just good practice to check charges.

Don't be afraid to ASK ASK ASK questions!!

[Antihero47]

1st order of business.... order a roller handle or get some gloves.

I just loaded 100 rds last night on my 650...

125g Xtreme Plated
CCI 500
3.1g Clays
OAL 1.125"

[problemchild]

550 or 650? It looks like a 550. If it is better be damn careful you dont half double stroke and blow your hands off. When one of those cases hangs up on the lip of the resizer and you have to back off a bit to adjust things to make it slip in you will throw a double charge and blow things up. Make sure you use a powder that fills the case not one that sits near the bottom or 1/3rd full.

If you want to see pictures of a 550 double charge let me know. I had been reloading for over 20 years at the time when it happened. I switched to the 650 with powder check alarm and auto-rotate index plate.

[Antihero47]

Looks like he already has a Dillon powder check die. He's going to be fine.

[gotsig]

Well I think I have what I need to get started. Today I prepped 100 9mm brass casings (i only have 100 primers at the moment) Brass has been de-primed and re-sized. Brass checked out good in Lymans case guage.

I believe all I have left to do is adjust the powder throw. I will be loading with the following components:

-Caliber: 9mm
-Primer: CCI 500
-Powder: Bullseye
-Bullet: 124 gr. FMJ
-Charge: 4.6gr. (minimum indicated in Speers #11 manual)

I have a couple of questions though:

1. SAAMI recommends an AOL of 1.169. I am currently seating bullets around 1.165", is this okay. Is there a Min-Max range I can work with?

2. I will be charging with 4.6gr. of Bullseye. Does this sound correct?? (just want to make sure.)

I will be re-loading tomorrow morning, and hopefully test firing in the afternoon. Please give me any tips you feel are necessary before I start.

Here is a pic of my bench.

Bootcamps #'s are good, but your looking for the best load for your gun. If it was me , I would load 25 or so @ starting charge and work up in .2 gr. incriments-so 25 @3.9, 25 @ 4.1, and 25 @ 4.3. If at anytime you see any signs of overpressure-STOP. Say your best groups are at 4.1 gr. now you load 50 or 100 ea. @ 4.0, 4.1, & 4.2 and see what you like best.
Also make sure you use your case guage for the finished cartridge.
Take your time. Stay safe. Have fun. And get more books!
Lee

[Sig357]

Thanks for all the help guys. It is a Dillon 650 with Powder Check. The Roll handle and Case Feed will be my next order, but I want to start slow.

Bootcamp, thanks for the crimp measurements. I have set the die to just remove the bell, but now I have your measurement as a double check.

I have postponed my reloading today until I acquire couple more reloading manuals. I was going off Speer #11 which the minimum listed is 4.6gr. I am sure glad I posted here first since that charge is too hot. I purchased Lymans 49th, but it has no info on FMJ/TMJ 124gr.

Here's a question:

Will OAL vary when reloading mixed brass? I hand picked all the brass to the same head stamp just to be safe.

[problemchild]

Thanks for all the help guys. It is a Dillon 650 with Powder Check. The Roll handle and Case Feed will be my next order, but I want to start slow.

Bootcamp, thanks for the crimp measurements. I have set the die to just remove the bell, but now I have your measurement as a double check.

I have postponed my reloading today until I acquire couple more reloading manuals. I was going off Speer #11 which the minimum listed is 4.6gr. I am sure glad I posted here first since that charge is too hot. I purchased Lymans 49th, but it has no info on FMJ/TMJ 124gr.

Here's a question:

Will OAL vary when reloading mixed brass? I hand picked all the brass to the same head stamp just to be safe.

Good! 650 is the way to go. That dang 550 is an accident waiting to happen.

[pepsi2451]

I have postponed my reloading today until I acquire couple more reloading manuals. I was going off Speer #11 which the minimum listed is 4.6gr. I am sure glad I posted here first since that charge is too hot. I purchased Lymans 49th, but it has no info on FMJ/TMJ 124gr.

Thats strange, Speer #14 lists a starting charge of 3.9 and a Max of 4.4 for bullseye with a 124 grain bullet.

Here's a question:

Will OAL vary when reloading mixed brass? I hand picked all the brass to the same head stamp just to be safe.

The brass shouldn't make a difference, its still the same distance from your shell holder to the plug in your seating die.

[bootcamp]

Thanks for all the help guys. It is a Dillon 650 with Powder Check. The Roll handle and Case Feed will be my next order, but I want to start slow.

Don't rush. Amazing at how fast guys will spend YOUR money. Remember, a big part of reloading is based off of SAVING money. I am perfectly happy with my 8-ball style handle and DON'T plan on changing them on ANY of my 3 presses.

Bootcamp, thanks for the crimp measurements. I have set the die to just remove the bell, but now I have your measurement as a double check.

Remember to set the crimp die up with a dummy load. A primerless/powderless brass case with a bullet seated already. Do not work with an empty case to try and remove a bell.

I have postponed my reloading today until I acquire couple more reloading manuals. I was going off Speer #11 which the minimum listed is 4.6gr. I am sure glad I posted here first since that charge is too hot. I purchased Lymans 49th, but it has no info on FMJ/TMJ 124gr.

You can work with the data specs I gave you for the 124gr FMJ & Bullseye. Looks like we have at least one guy confirming the Speer data.

Here's a question:

Will OAL vary when reloading mixed brass? I hand picked all the brass to the same head stamp just to be safe.

COAL WILL vary with mixed brass. I will dedicate a 1hr session of sorting head stamps for a particular caliber. I do this at least once or twice a week. I sort just enough brass to last me a few reloading sessions.

Here's the reason why COAL WILL vary. Different brands have different brass wall thicknesses. Winchester, for example, will have thicker brass walls than say R-P Remington-Peters. So your Winchester will get fed through your Full Length re-sizing die and the OUTER diameter will be (for example) .380". Keep in mind your inner diameter measurement will be smaller than R-P due to the brass wall thickness... Your FL resizer doesn't know or care about the inner diameter, just the outer diameter, obviously.

So now you take and FL resize your thinner walled R-P brass. The outer diameter of that case will ALSO measure .380" But the inner diameter MAY be slightly larger than that of the Winchester brass...

So when seating the bullet in slightly thinner walled (R-P for example) brass it will seat deeper because of the looser tolerances due to the thin wall (not much, we're talking thousandths here). The thick walled brass (WIN or FIOCCHI) won't seat the bullet as loosely and will be more accurate when using the seater plug/crimper.

This is why setting the crimp accurately is important for semi-auto pistol bullets. The constant recoil can lodge an uncrimped bullet (still in the magazine) deeper into the case if left uncrimped causing an unsafe bullet to be shot. Not too tight, not too loose.

Again, the differences are not much. Maybe .003 to .008 difference. For the same headstamp, I see .001-.002 difference in OAL. When loading mixed headstamps, I'll see up to .008 difference.

[bootcamp]

Another thing to add that i've found on my Dillon. When setting your seating depth make sure all of your stations have a case in it. If you set the seater die by itself, the slight play in your shellplate can give you false readings. Then when you're in production, all your spaces in the shellplate are full and there isn't any or much play in the shellplate, throwing your COAL off from what you originally set it to.

This IS the case on my 550, may or may not be the same for the 650.

[Sig357]

Another thing to add that i've found on my Dillon. When setting your seating depth make sure all of your stations have a case in it. If you set the seater die by itself, the slight play in your shellplate can give you false readings. Then when you're in production, all your spaces in the shellplate are full and there isn't any or much play in the shellplate, throwing your COAL off from what you originally set it to.

This IS the case on my 550, may or may not be the same for the 650.

Excellent tip, thanks again. I set the depth with all other stations empty, so I will double check depth with a case at every station.

Glad I am taking this slow. I would have myself up already..