9mm Recipe for a beginner

[em9sredbeam]

With titegroup, start with the min load, because there is not much of a difference between the min and max, and pay close attention to an accidental double charge.

[Diabolus]

Is this for plinking or will you be involved with any of the sporting organizations such as USPSA or IPSC?

[lowend65]

Just plinking loads for now.

[Diabolus]

Just plinking loads for now.

Reloading is a lot of fun, and if you ever get involved with competitive shooting you can make custom loads to give you more of an advantage.

[jonzer77]

What kind of gun are you going to be reloading for?

[johnny1290]

Bill Steele is really breaking off the knowledge! He's right on!

As a guy that learned to reload on a pro 1000, I can tell you I would've been better off practicing on a $30 Lee single stage first. I bought one anyway to do rifle on and other stuff, so it wasn't money wasted.

As I'm sure you've heard, the priming is the tricky part of the pro 1000. It actually works just fine once you get it dialed in, I just didn't know what I was doing and mauled primers LOL

I build hotrods(not great or anything) so I have some mechanical skill, and I wanted to throw the press out the window many times.

I couldn't get it over 50 rph for months. Then finally it all clicked and I can do 350 rph no problem.

Bill's right, if you don't want to get a single stage(consider it a class fee), then just do one round at a time so you can focus on the individual stages.

Just a thought. Good luck, you'll figure it out.

Oh! Don't set the chain length unless the ram is all the way down! I've broken that so many times...LOL

[jonzer77]

I think you will be fine using the Titegroup, you just need to be fastidious in your approach.

The Lee Auto Disk is a very reliable drop, so once you get the weight dialed, you only need to assure nothing went wrong with the powder drop by looking into each case and verifying the powder is there and at the proper level. A nice LED desk lamp shined down in the case will allow you to see exactly what is in the case. A double charge will be apparent if you somehow do it. The Pro 1000 with the chain return is almost impossible to double charge if you fully cycle the lever each time.

Do one round at a time through the whole cycle until you get really comfortable with the operation of the press. If you get in the habit of checking the powder charge by looking into the case before setting the bullet, in no time if something is wrong alarm bells will go off in your head.

I have loaded many tens of thousands of handgun rounds on my Dillon 550B and have never had a squib or double charge, that press doesn't auto index like the Pro 1000, so you can do it. You just have to look.

Good luck, have fun.

I agree with loading one cycle at a time as well so you can learn the process and you will know what doesn't feel right. Another tip for avoiding double charges is to focus only on reloading and don't listen to the radio, watch tv, or try and have a conversation with anyone while reloading. If someone walks in or interrupts you, just stop what your doing and then start over once you are ready again. You can also double charge a case so you can see what it will look like, then immediately dump the double charged case in the hopper.

[stand125]

If you double charge a 9mm with titegroup you will know since the case will be pretty full of powder. The key with Titegroup and 9mm is to make sure that each case has powder in it ( bright light ) and that it is about 1/2 full and not almost full. I love titegroup in all my pistol calibers.

[stand125]

Reloading is a lot of fun, and if you ever get involved with competitive shooting you can make custom loads to give you more of an advantage.

Yay, over the other guy reloading to give him the advantage You will at least be on an even playing field

[stator]

I went into a gun shop on Castro street in Mtn View, many many blue moons ago. I asked the same question, "want to get started in reloading 9mm".

He sold me a RCBS rock chucker kit, some bullets, CCI primers, a reloading book, and Alliant Blue Dot. He said Blue Dot is safer to learn reloading with and once I have some practice, come back and buy some Bullseye. I did and I still reload plinking with Unique which is want most recommend for beginning reloading now. In fact, my locknload is filled with Unique right now.

With that said, I recommend you start out with Unique; particularly if you are also starting out with a progressive press.

Titegroup is too fast for beginning reloading in 9mm, imo.

I have an over-abundance of Unique since I don't reload 20 gauge anymore. You can have 1/2 pound or so if you want.

[gotglock99]

I use 4.1 grns of Titegroup for 115 grns, c.o.l. Of 1.150.

[lowend65]

UPDATE
I actually loaded some rounds today. Had a lot of startup problems, but worked through them. Broke the goddamn powderdrop chain twice... took me 3 hardware stores to find one that was long enough.
Dialing in the powderdrop was easy. Lee's chart was dead on at 4.0 Grains on my scale.
I did 4 successful rounds.
Am having issues with primers not feeding properly, and the powder dropping through the unprimed cases. Started getting frustrated so I stopped around 4pm, but will take another crack at it tomorrow.


One thing I have to say: Lee's instructions SUCK. There is so little information included with the press, it was really frustrating having to come back into the house and watch videos on how to zero the shell plate and tighten the ram screw. This info should really be in the manual

[Bill Steele]

UPDATE
I actually loaded some rounds today. Had a lot of startup problems, but worked through them. Broke the goddamn powderdrop chain twice... took me 3 hardware stores to find one that was long enough.
Dialing in the powderdrop was easy. Lee's chart was dead on at 4.0 Grains on my scale.
I did 4 successful rounds.
Am having issues with primers not feeding properly, and the powder dropping through the unprimed cases. Started getting frustrated so I stopped around 4pm, but will take another crack at it tomorrow.


One thing I have to say: Lee's instructions SUCK. There is so little information included with the press, it was really frustrating having to come back into the house and watch videos on how to zero the shell plate and tighten the ram screw. This info should really be in the manual

Somewhere way, way back I remember watching a guy that made a video for tuning up the primer system on one of the Lee Progressives. It went into exacting detail on how to deburr the plastic feed ramps, etc.

Maybe Cowboy T will happen along and help with your primer issues, he is the master of all things Lee.