OAL question

[WDN41]

fairly new to reloading, But I found a recipe for 9 mm which works well with
my FNP 9. I'm using 4.6 gr of HP 38 with 115 Gr copper plated Round nose bullets from Extreme, and trying to size to 1.13 in.
Using a Lee single stage press with Lee dies. I'll seat 6 or 7 and then measure
them all, and find that I have lengths ranging from 1.121" to 1.134"
I've tried to give the press handle a constant stroke, and am still getting
this variation.
Any suggestions what might be causing this, or is that to be expected from
entry level equipment?

[sofbak]

I was having the same situation the other night loading xtreme .40's on a lee classic turret. All the other bullet brands I have used (Nolser, Delta Precision, Mo B Co., and Berry's) in multiple calibers including .40, I got much more consistent results. Usually hit the desired COAL within +/-.002". But with the xtremes, I had about the same tolerance band that you observed.

Frankly, I think its the xtreme bullets......I had other dimensional issues with these too.

[HighLander51]

1.121" to 1.134" is not going to matter. Load up 10 with the same head stamp brass and see how well they group, you'll see.

[sofbak]

1.121" to 1.134" is not going to matter. Load up 10 with the same head stamp brass and see how well they group, you'll see.

All mine were same mfg., same head stamp, and same lot number. That doesn't help. I had no issues and saw consistent coal with Delta Precision or Nosler in .40.

Only variable in the comparisons is the bullet.....

[Leethe4th]

Only variable in the comparisons is the bullet.....

Sounds the same as what happened to me when I first started reloading a couple of years ago. Would weigh and measure and check again, then someone told me to just go shoot them and see how accurate they. After that I stop worrying about it.

[cpatbay]

It's not going to matter; especially for handgun rounds.

[sofbak]

1.121" to 1.134" is not going to matter. .....

Sounds the same as what happened to me when I first started reloading a couple of years ago. Would weigh and measure and check again, then someone told me to just go shoot them and see how accurate they. After that I stop worrying about it.

It's not going to matter; especially for handgun rounds.

All of the above I agree with. With his load wt., and bullet wt,. it's not going to create a hazardous situation.

But the OP was asking:

.....Any suggestions what might be causing this, or is that to be expected from
entry level equipment?

And from my recent experiences with xtreme products, that is my theory on the cause of his large variation in oal. ymmv

[HighLander51]

And from my recent experiences with xtreme products, that is my theory on the cause of his large variation in oal. ymmv

But that makes no sense. The OAL of the loaded round is independent of bullet length. Think about, the press has a positive stop on the downward stroke, so it doesn't matter if the bullet is +/- .020" variance in length, the press stops at a certain point, which determines OAL of the round. Something else is going on. Now if there are significant changes in bullet diameter, like variations of +/- .0003" then the seating pressure would change which would change the OAL. So to the OP, measure up the OD of a hand full of bullets, with a micrometer reading to .0001" and see what that yields. Plating may not be that precise, don't know because I don't use them. I run either Bear Creek moly lead or Montana Gold.

[sofbak]

But that makes no sense. The OAL of the loaded round is independent of bullet length. Think about, the press has a positive stop on the downward stroke, so it doesn't matter if the bullet is +/- .020" variance in length, the press stops at a certain point, which determines OAL of the round. Something else is going on. Now if there are significant changes in bullet diameter, like variations of +/- .0003" then the seating pressure would change which would change the OAL. So to the OP, measure up the OD of a hand full of bullets, with a micrometer reading to .0001" and see what that yields. Plating may not be that precise, don't know because I don't use them. I run either Bear Creek moly lead or Montana Gold.

My lee seating die doesn't contact these bullets at the tip of the bullet but somewhere along the profile. Additionally my original "squawk" about these xtreme bullets was with variances in diameter.

Whether it's one or the other, or both I plead the definition of apathy-"I don't know and I don't care." But I can definitely say that the oal problems I have encountered are due to some dimensional variances in these bullets. No others that I have reloaded have given me anywhere near the wide tolerance band I get with these.

[Bumslie]

10 thou variance? Is your locking nut secure? Are your threads backing out as you reload?

[sofbak]

10 thou variance? Is your locking nut secure? Are your threads backing out as you reload?

No, I thought of that, so I match marked all the interfaces between the turret plate, the lock nut, the die body, and the depth adjustment with a fine sharpie. There is no movement. between any of them.

And as I said, the brass was all from the same mfg,. same head stamp, same lot number, and the powder and primers were the same as used previously.

The only variable here was the bullets: DP and Nosler-no problem. Xtreme-wide variance.

[Bumslie]

*^^ no offense, but I was replying to the op. Unless you're the op with a second account?

And highlander is right.

[sofbak]

*^^ no offense, but I was replying to the op. Unless you're the op with a second account?

And highlander is right.

No, not the OP with a dual account. Just another reloader having the same issue with poor quality xtreme bullets.

And no, H51 is not totally correct. the oal may be independent of bullet length, but it is not independent of bullet profile or diameter where it contacts the die. The die does not contact the top of the bullet, so the bullet profile and diameter have an effect on seating length measured to the top of the bullet.

[stilly]

No, not the OP with a dual account. Just another reloader having the same issue with poor quality xtreme bullets.

And no, H51 is not totally correct. the oal may be independent of bullet length, but it is not independent of bullet profile or diameter where it contacts the die. The die does not contact the top of the bullet, so the bullet profile and diameter have an effect on seating length measured to the top of the bullet.

WHOA!

Thems fighting words! Just like Calling LEE equipment ENTRY LEVEL...

Perhaps there is an issue with the seating die and maybe the seater stem...

Hands are up; fists made...

[HighLander51]

No, not the OP with a dual account. Just another reloader having the same issue with poor quality xtreme bullets.

And no, H51 is not totally correct. the oal may be independent of bullet length, but it is not independent of bullet profile or diameter where it contacts the die. The die does not contact the top of the bullet, so the bullet profile and diameter have an effect on seating length measured to the top of the bullet.

Well I am assuming the OP has the correct seat die profile for the right bullet, flat or round, but it still doesn't matter. If his loads group tight with the variance in OAL, it becomes independent. Now if the longer loads group significantly better than the short loads, ok, but they won't. Assuming everything else is correct, stance, grip , sight picture and trigger control, no one is shooting Bullseye at 50 yards. So if you can hold 3" groups at 7 yards offhand, you are better than 90% of average shooters.