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Posted: 6/24/2016 7:47:36 PM EDT
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I'm new to reloading, so new that I haven't even made one single round. I have powder and primers but no bullets yet. So this may sound like a stupid question
I ordered the lee deluxe pistol die set in 9mm. I notice that for the bullet diameter in the die instructions it says .356. So does this mean I can only use .356 bullets in those dies?. I had planned on using .355 bullets but this has me second geussing which I should use. Thanks |
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What gun?
Make model, age, nominal caliber. The best way is to 'slug' the bore. A piece of pure lead is forced through (mostly hand pressure) to determine the actual diameter of the bore. Older barrels can be pretty sloppy. Newer ones tend to be more consistent. Some still are 'off' nominal. It is not as important with jacketed bullets. With lead (cast or plated) bullets it can become an issue. |
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A .355 may work, you'll just have to see what the tension holding the bullet turns out to be.
You may have to use a universal deprimer, and remove the ball stem and just size using the outside part of the die, i.e. no inside sizing ball. This is probably going to be bad if its a lead (smaller than bore causes leading). If its plated, no lead problems, but your accuracy may be terrible. Seems like you have to go out of your way to get .355, why not just get .356 and have no worries? |
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Since straight wall pistol dies don't have expander balls, for the purposes of sizing I doubt it matters at all. Either one will properly size the case. Hornady probably just stated .355 to show that they have a "tighter" specification.
Nowhere that I have seen does Hornady state you need to use their .355 dies to load their .355 bullets. If it was a problem using other brands standard .356 dies, I am sure we all would have heard about it by now. Not to mention, Hornady would probably claim only their .355 dies could be used in conjunction with their bullets. |
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I would not worry about the dies. Use the manual.
Dies for pistols resize the case to factory size. Squeeze it down, usually while decapping the spent primer. Then, your second die usually opens the case up to be able to accept a bullet. This is usually to a size that is normal for the caliber. The 3rd die is used to seat the bullet to the proper depth and to crimp it in place/remove the "bell" the second die created. tightening down the 3rd die usually results in a tighter crimp (not always a good thing as 9mm headspaces off the case mouth, read your manual) and loosening it reduces the crimp (also not always a good thing as bullet set back can cause over pressure) Lead bullets usually are .001 larger than jacketed bullets, this may be where the dimensions of your dies are coming from. Your dies may be set up for lead bullets but I believe (do not take my word, read your manual) they will work for jacketed bullets as well. My lyman dies and my Lee dies have loaded both lead and jacketed in 45 acp, 38 spc, 357 magnum, 380 acp, and 40 S&W. |
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Quoted: A walther PPQ m2 with around 1100 rounds through it. I have had it about 3 months. I don't plan on casting my own bullets What kind, jacketed or plated, brand and weight bullet? How did you determine the bullet diameter, measure with a caliper? Your die set, does it have 3 or 4 dies?  I prefer a 4 die set third die seats bullet, 4th die crimps. That's the crimp die standing up on the right. Much easier to adjust dies and you are not seating and crimping at the same time. That's what a 3 die set forces you into. Hard for a new reloader to get a seat/crimp die adjusted properly. Ask your questions, we will help you over the hurdles.  |
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Flair the case mouth just enough so it will accept a bullet and adjust the crimp so it removes the flair.
9mm lead bullets are usually .356" and work in any die. 9mm jacketed bullets are usually .355" and work in any die. I always use the load data published by the bullet's maker. |
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Quoted:
What kind, jacketed or plated, brand and weight bullet? How did you determine the bullet diameter, measure with a caliper? Your die set, does it have 3 or 4 dies? <a href="http://s250.photobucket.com/user/dryflash3/media/Dies/P5300449.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg272/dryflash3/Dies/P5300449.jpg</a> I prefer a 4 die set third die seats bullet, 4th die crimps. That's the crimp die standing up on the right. Much easier to adjust dies and you are not seating and crimping at the same time. That's what a 3 die set forces you into. Hard for a new reloader to get a seat/crimp die adjusted properly. Ask your questions, we will help you over the hurdles.
Quoted:
Quoted:
A walther PPQ m2 with around 1100 rounds through it. I have had it about 3 months. I don't plan on casting my own bullets What kind, jacketed or plated, brand and weight bullet? How did you determine the bullet diameter, measure with a caliper? Your die set, does it have 3 or 4 dies? <a href="http://s250.photobucket.com/user/dryflash3/media/Dies/P5300449.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg272/dryflash3/Dies/P5300449.jpg</a> I prefer a 4 die set third die seats bullet, 4th die crimps. That's the crimp die standing up on the right. Much easier to adjust dies and you are not seating and crimping at the same time. That's what a 3 die set forces you into. Hard for a new reloader to get a seat/crimp die adjusted properly. Ask your questions, we will help you over the hurdles.
I haven't purchased any bullets yet. I was just going out of what the hornady book says. I was going to use 115 grain FMJ round nose with bullseye powder because that's what bass pro had. The lee book does not have any load data for 115 grain FMJ using bullseye. |
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Quoted:
I haven't purchased any bullets yet. I was just going out of what the hornady book says. I was going to use 115 grain FMJ round nose with bullseye powder because that's what bass pro had. The lee book does not have any load data for 115 grain FMJ using bullseye. Quoted:
Quoted:
Quoted:
A walther PPQ m2 with around 1100 rounds through it. I have had it about 3 months. I don't plan on casting my own bullets What kind, jacketed or plated, brand and weight bullet? How did you determine the bullet diameter, measure with a caliper? Your die set, does it have 3 or 4 dies? <a href="http://s250.photobucket.com/user/dryflash3/media/Dies/P5300449.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg272/dryflash3/Dies/P5300449.jpg</a> I prefer a 4 die set third die seats bullet, 4th die crimps. That's the crimp die standing up on the right. Much easier to adjust dies and you are not seating and crimping at the same time. That's what a 3 die set forces you into. Hard for a new reloader to get a seat/crimp die adjusted properly. Ask your questions, we will help you over the hurdles.
I haven't purchased any bullets yet. I was just going out of what the hornady book says. I was going to use 115 grain FMJ round nose with bullseye powder because that's what bass pro had. The lee book does not have any load data for 115 grain FMJ using bullseye. My LEE book is old, but it shows 5.0 grains of Bullseye for 115 grain full metal jacket with a 1.120 OAL. It is odd because it is listed as the start and the never exceed charge, but I think it is a typo because the velocities are listed as 1169 and 1180. |
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Quoted: I haven't purchased any bullets yet. I was just going out of what the hornady book says. I was going to use 115 grain FMJ round nose with bullseye powder because that's what bass pro had. The lee book does not have any load data for 115 grain FMJ using bullseye. Quoted: Quoted: Quoted: A walther PPQ m2 with around 1100 rounds through it. I have had it about 3 months. I don't plan on casting my own bullets What kind, jacketed or plated, brand and weight bullet? How did you determine the bullet diameter, measure with a caliper? Your die set, does it have 3 or 4 dies? <a href="http://s250.photobucket.com/user/dryflash3/media/Dies/P5300449.jpg.html" target="_blank">http://i250.photobucket.com/albums/gg272/dryflash3/Dies/P5300449.jpg</a> I prefer a 4 die set third die seats bullet, 4th die crimps. That's the crimp die standing up on the right. Much easier to adjust dies and you are not seating and crimping at the same time. That's what a 3 die set forces you into. Hard for a new reloader to get a seat/crimp die adjusted properly. Ask your questions, we will help you over the hurdles. I haven't purchased any bullets yet. I was just going out of what the hornady book says. I was going to use 115 grain FMJ round nose with bullseye powder because that's what bass pro had. The lee book does not have any load data for 115 grain FMJ using bullseye. If you buy commercial jacketed bullets your die set will work well. Get a 4 die set. |
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Concur with Dryflash, get a 4 die set, 4th die being a Taper Crimp die. That is a much easier way to go and readily make high quality ammo. 9mm headspaces on the case mouth so a taper crimp is what you want.
0.355 for jacketed bullets and 0.356 for lead or plated lead bullets is normal. Cartridge specifications are 0.355 and the 9mm Parabellum was designed as a jacketed round. Just like .45 ACP bullets are typically 0.451 for jacketed bullets and 0.452 in lead bullets. You can shoot and reload bullets either 0.355 or 0.356 diameter, you might have to adjust your dies a little for different bullet designs. I assume you have good reloading manuals are learning how to, and there are good sticky's on this site to help for a new reloader. |
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As has been stated , " get the 4 die set ".
And for personal reasons ,, I don't care for Hornady dies. Mainly because I've resorted twice to asking tech questions regarding their products and got totally blown off. It may have been a fluke , but it soured me on Hornady . gd |
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