First time reloading, first batch question. OAL and OAW differences.

[spamcastle]

After reading some manuals, watching some videos, and having an awesome forum member let me come over and watch him operate a similar press I finally got set up and purchased the materials. I am loading 9mm Luger. I am using a recipe from the 49th Lyman manual.

I used cleaned once fired Federal brass, Remington No. 1 1/2 Small Pistol Primers, Winchester 231 Ball Powder, and Berry's 115 grain round nose plated bullets.

Lyman Manual suggests a starting grain of 3.5 and a max of 4.9. I started with a powder charge of 3.9-4.0 grains.

Manual states min OAL as 1.090"

After setting up, tweaking dies, and trial and error to gain consistent results I ended up with my first 25 visually appealing 25 round batch.

My question(s) is as follows:
Right now I am averaging an OAL of 1.1295. I have a few that are a little shorter 1.1355. These were the shortest I could get without having to take a wrench to the seating die. It will go down further just not with my weak arms. At least 6 visible threads remain. I know it can not get shorter then the stated minimum OAL but a little longer doesn't hurt anything from my understanding...correct?

Also, despite following the same procedure on all cases I have a small weight difference between cases. The majority of "live" cases are averaging around 181-183 grains but a few are weighing in around 176-178 grains. Head-stamps are all consistent with no visible differences.

I'm not sure if I'm over thinking things or my abundance of caution is poisoning this experience but I just wanted to get some feedback before I went to the range with this first batch.

Any and all input appreciated.

 

[craftta]

As long as you are withing the min/max of grain weight of powder and within the min/max OAL then the rounds should do just fine. as far as factory ammo weighing in at different weights that is possible because alot of the bulk ammo is not loaded to very high standards, thats why we reload so we can get more consistent rounds. The only thing you have left to do is run them through your gun and make sure your gun will work with them. I have some loads that were too long and the pistol did not like them so you have to back the OAL down some to make it feed properly but never go below the min OAL. this is just my $.02 and good luck with reloading, if you shoot a lot then you will save a ton of money.

 

[Chuckdog]

Most brass weight will vary a few grains, so weighing loaded rounds may not tell you as much as you'd like.

The seating die should be easy to adjust for proper depth though?

This is the basic method I use.

Raise the ram to the top of the stroke with an empty case.

Back the seating insert near all the way out.

Screw the die in till you feel the die body make contact with the case mouth, then back off about 1/2 turn.

Set a charged case in the shell holder, raise the ram to the top and adjust your seating insert in a little at the time

till it reaches the desired seating depth.(O A length)

Back out the seater insert up a couple of turns, then adjust the die body down for proper crimp.

Once the crimp is right, with the ram at the top still, screw the seater insert back in till it contacts the bullet face.

Lock it down, and set another charged case in, seat a round? It should be near perfect?

 

[boneboy96]

"Right now I am averaging an OAL of 1.1295. I have a few that are a little shorter 1.1355."

It's been awhile since I've reloaded, but if I'm reading this right, 1.1355 is LONGER than 1.1295. But I agree...take the batch to the range and see how the gun likes them. Adjust accordingly! Pay close attention to the spent brass, they can tell you if you have excessive pressure, case failures, etc. Always inspect your brass before reloading, discard any that are the least bit questionable.

 

[Clarke123]

Make certain that you specifically follow the instructions for the particular seater die that you have as manufacturer's
make them with (sometimes too many) different adjustments!!!

BTW: It is really hard to screw-up 9mm loading:
I started out loading with them almost 40 years ago with a "Lee Loader"
where you place a case in the single die and beat it into the die with a mallet.
Seating primers was kinda like sticking a BB up the 6 O'clock of a wild monkey,
but work they did!

Broke my wife's wooden mallet and bought a real plastic tipped one.
I guess that I reloaded several hundred that way before I bought my first Rock Crusher.

Never had a mis-fire, FTF or other problem shooting any one of them through a P-38 and ASTRA.

 

[RamRoddoc]

My question(s) is as follows:
I know it can not get shorter then the stated minimum OAL but a little longer doesn't hurt anything from my understanding...correct?

Also, despite following the same procedure on all cases I have a small weight difference between cases. The majority of "live" cases are averaging around 181-183 grains but a few are weighing in around 176-178 grains. Head-stamps are all consistent with no visible differences.

I'm not sure if I'm over thinking things or my abundance of caution is poisoning this experience but I just wanted to get some feedback before I went to the range with this first batch.

Any and all input appreciated.

As stated previously for weights.

OAL and what it really means. First if you seat a bullet too deeply and compress the charge it may dramatically increase pressures which may blow your gun up and lead to injury. So avoid failure to follow minimum OAL.

Seated too far out, issues arise with feeding in semi-autos and in revolvers the cylinder locking up. There is often an optimal OAL that certain semi-autos prefer. I start with what the optimal OAL is generally understood or if unknown I will grab a factory round of the same bullet type known to feed well in that particular pistol and use that measured OAL. It takes some of the guess work out of working up a load.

 

[spamcastle]

Went to the range and shot the loads. I was able to recover 11 of the spent cases for examination. All appear to be in good structural shape but do appear dirtier then usual. Out of all the rounds I had 3 instances where the ejecting case would get hung up against the "live" round popping up.Caused the slide to get hung up. Seems like an issue of not enough pressure to push the slide back fast enough. Am I correct? I have another entire grain before I reach max load grains. Should I increase by a few tenths? Does my reasoning sound correct?

 

[Bypass]

Why are you having to use a wrench to set the round to the proper depth?

 

[spamcastle]

Why are you having to use a wrench to set the round to the proper depth?

Just ignore what I said in the start. I talked to Lee today, turns out I'm a moron. No wrench needed.

 

[Bypass]

Just ignore what I said in the start. I talked to Lee today, turns out I'm a moron. No wrench needed.

Right on bro. Was going to say your taper crimp might not be working properly and it would also explain the blow out/ dirty cases that you are experiencing without the proper taper crimp on the brass. Also 9mm head spaces on the case mouth not the bullet so make sure to get case length right.