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Old November 1, 1999, 09:36 PM   #1
Covert Mission
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aTTN experienced reloaders:
(Sorry if this has been addressed here before...)

I'm thinking of switching mostly from .40 Glocks to 9mm Glocks (I also shoot 1911's in .45), for several reasons: shooting both factory and reloads in 9mm is much cheaper and therefore i can shoot more, and I'm a big sissy... I worry about the pressures of .40 esp with reloads in the Glock, especially since I'm a novice reloader.

THAT said... I have some friends who reload 9mm and say it's no more hassle than any other caliber, and some who reload .40 and .45 who say 9mm is a pain in the arse to reload. Any opinions? I'm sure the smaller cases and bullets don't make it easier than .45 for example, but it it a pain?

Any estimates what it costs to reload 50 rounds of 9mm, with good jacketed bullets (based on used brass)?

Thanks for any advice you can offer.
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Old November 1, 1999, 09:59 PM   #2
Stephen A. Camp
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Hello, Covert Mission! I've been loading 9mm and other handgun rounds for about 30 years.
In fact, most of my handloaded pistol ammo is 9mm, followed by .45ACP. The nine is not hard to load. One caveat: It is a high pressure round so don't seat bullets deeper than the recommended overall length or pressures can go way up! In fact, I seat my bullets out a bit, but such that enough's in the case to hold it. Usually about "half a caliber" is enough. Nine brass varies alot, but I really don't segregate cases by make unless building target or hunting ammunition.
And a gift: A very, very accurate load for me in Browning HPs, SIG P210, and CZ75s has been: 124 gr Hornady XTP/6.0 gr Unique/FC cases/Fed or WW small pistol primers. Average velocity from the HP is 1243 ft/sec.
Best.
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Old November 1, 1999, 10:59 PM   #3
TheOtherMikey
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There are a couple of issues on 9mm reloading.

First, you can buy ready loaded 9mm ammo probably as cheap as any centerfire pistol ammo in existance.

Second, if you are going through the whole "9 yds" -- from swept up to chambered up, of handloading with 9mm, it can be tedious.

FORGET reloading 9mm on anything other than a fully functioning progressive (spell that Dillon 550B) reloader (don't start on me about reloaders!). Also, don't break your arse looking for 9mm cases to reload at the range. Get some cleaned COMMERCIAL brass from one of the many advertisers at www.shotgunnews.com. Don't even think about trying to swage the roll crimp out of a thousand 9mm once fired military rounds -- let somebody with fully automated equipment take care of that. Finally, use only one make of primer (I like WW-SP), one brand of powder (I like Bullseye or W231 but there are other FAST burning powders), and one projectile (Like 115gr FMJ). Finally, make sure you apply a nice snug (not tight and not loose) taper crimp to the finished round.

The more you standardize, the more easy your 9mm reloading life becomes. Don't reload a few hundred rounds.....load in multipules of 500....1,000 rounds makes a nice round number.I personally load 2,000 rounds at a time which makes a nice 6-8 month supply for me, but to each his own.

Hope this helps. Remember, the key is to load in bulk and to standardize. Mikey

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When Guns Are Outlawed, I Will Be Another One Of The Quarter Million Violators Who Are Not Prosecuted

[This message has been edited by TheOtherMikey (edited November 01, 1999).]
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Old November 3, 1999, 08:51 PM   #4
HankL
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The only reason I can think of is short cases and sticking your finger in there to seat the bullet <BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>and I'm a big sissy... I worry about the pressures of .40
esp with reloads in the Glock, especially since I'm a novice reloader. [/quote]

Just my HFOT, Hank
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Old November 6, 1999, 10:14 AM   #5
Patrick Graham
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9mm is a breese to load. If you use new Dillion dies you can full length resize, otherwise only size the upper 3/4th of the brass or else you will get a bulge in the base.
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Old November 6, 1999, 12:10 PM   #6
plateshooter
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HI CM.
I load mucho 9mm and 45acp ammo on a Lee Turrent press. It takes me about 10 minutes to do a box of 50, and they work just as good as the ones loaded on the much more expensive machines. I enjoy reloading a lot so I'm not in as big a hurry as some folks who don't have the time, or don't really enjoy doing it. I shoot Wolf 9mm in the games where I can't pick up my brass, and I use a 115gr Win JHP with Red Dot powder as my standard load. It has worked for the last 20 years or so.

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Old November 13, 1999, 02:38 AM   #7
Covert Mission
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Thanks for all the wisdom. I'm just getting geared up for this. I'm told the ---- 550 (Dillon?) is the press to get?

In the menatime, I bought some IMI 9mm from Cole Distr... 2K rounds for 6.50 a box total $130/1000. Will tide me over until I start loading. Even buying new 9mm is way cheaper than new .40. thanks
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