I'm new to reloading, just starting up on 9mm. I'm using a progressive Lee press and running into 2 issues right now:
-some primers haven't seated in fully, can this be a problem? I fixed it by putting more pressure but I've got 3 or 4 rounds on which I can feel the primer sticking out just a little with my finger nail.
-I've got 2 rounds which chamber fine but don't spin inside the chamber, fine to shoot or not?
Reloading/Handloading thread I suppose.
Other urls found in this thread:
shootingtimes.com
youtube.com
twitter.com
-turn the die down 1-1000ths of an inch until it seats flush
-Dont know what spinning means. elaborate
-What do you mean turn the die? The primer is already in, just not properly seated, it's not entirely flush with the case.
-Plunk test:
shootingtimes.com
The round doesn't rotate freely.
>-I've got 2 rounds which chamber fine but don't spin inside the chamber, fine to shoot or not?
What this user said
The case is fucked if it fails the plunk test. This has happened to me and I'm extremely lucky I didn't blow the gun up
You're a cunt
If you're using the primer arm that mounts to the press itself, you control primer seating with the pressure on the arm. Just crank on the bastard a little harder. You can loosen the nut that holds the arm in place and move the arm out to make it longer. Longer arm, more leverage, more force on the arm. Be CAREFUL using the arm at full length and seating primers. Slowly add pressure until it is seated fully. If you apply angry gorilla force on that arm at full length you will detonate a primer.
Addendum: UNIFORM YOUR PRIMER POCKETS! If you are using excessive force to seat primers, your brass has undersized or dimpled primer pockets. You will need to trim the inside of the primer pocket to uniform, standard size. I use this goober. Has small and large primer trimmers and cleaners, a deburring tool, and chamfer tool. Lyman case prep multitool.
-some primers haven't seated in fully, can this be a problem? I fixed it by putting more pressure but I've got 3 or 4 rounds on which I can feel the primer sticking out just a little with my finger nail.
Check the primer pockets. Some ammo brands have crimped primers (usually military stuff, rare in commercial ammo) and some have undersize primer pockets. In those cases you need to ream the primer pockets before reloading the case for the first time. Also check how dirty the pockets are, a really dirty primer pocket might make seating the primer hard.
>-I've got 2 rounds which chamber fine but don't spin inside the chamber, fine to shoot or not?
I'd get a ammo gauge for whatever caliber you are reloading (unless it's rimmed). What you are describing sounds like either too long OAL or excessive crimp and atleast the latter can result in catastrophic failure in 9x19mm and other calibers which headspace on the cartridge mouth. Personally I wouldn't shoot any of the ammo from that batch until checking it with a ammo gauge.
Here is a video of one guy blowing up his Glawk and then doing an analysis on what went wrong:
youtube.com
>can this be a problem?
yes, wind the die down those rounds are bad
>, just
I wish the first reply on here also when it comes to old mausers, mosins, lee enfields was also CHECK THE HEADSPACE
OP are you cleaning the primer pocket?
Also it does sound to me like either insufficient force, bad primer pockers, the die is not wound down or the die moved and was not secure. Any round with a primer sticking out is BAD. Good advise on checking OAL there for rimless.
Primer sticking out can cause premature firing especially on rifles. Heard about one gut that got really messed up after chambering 50 BMG round with primer sticking out.
OP here thanks for the replies. I'm cleaning the cases in an ultrasonic cleaner, the primer pockets aren't dirty. It's a non-issue really, I just had 2 or 3 rounds on which I didn't put enough pressure so I asked if it's okay to shoot anyway.
As for the plunk test, I rechecked and reset the Lee crimp die I now have only one round which doesn't want to chamber properly and I can't figure out why. I've measured it, OAL is fine, case head diameter is fine, bullet is seated in properly, I don't get it. I won't shoot it but I'm trying to understand where I fucked up.
>I'm trying to understand where I fucked up.
Loading 9mm. Just buy that shit. I have reloaded 9mm and it is not worth it. To much time investment to justify the cost savings or marginal performance improvement.
I do buy 9mm in bulk but to avoid unnecessary drama I didn't mention that I'm European and 9mm is restricted to a certain quota each year, reloading can bypass it.
No in my country. Can have all the ammo. And carry concealed too. Not all places in Europe have this kind of problem.
That sucks man. Good luck with your reloading. Also you want primers to be just below flush. High primers can cause revolver cylinders from rotating properly, slam fires in certain semiautos, or misfires. Keep em at least flush or just below ideally.
If you have progressive press and shoot a lot you can get quite a bit of savings by reloading.
Other reason to reload 9mm ammo is to gain competitive advantage by either loading ammo close to minimum power factor allowed or by loading 9mm Major loads.
who wants to give me a rundown on powder?
my local pawn shop has a bunch of powder, but I have no idea what any of the numbers mean.
If it seats primers like the Lee single stage by pushing up when priming, you need more force when seating.
They mean nothing (generally speaking). Get a reloading manual and find the powders that work with the cartridge and bullet that you will be loading.
I have the same kit, either buy a hand primer, or push harder. Itll work if you get it to.
What rounds will you be loading?
for right now, just 357 magnum. I bought a lee classic and want to try it out to see if it's something I'll be interested in before investing a couple hundred into it.
Eventually it will be a lot more, basically everything from small pistol to large rifle and shotgun rounds.