The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - Lee 4 Die set for 9 mm

Sevens · October 9, 2011, 01:45 AM

I love Lee products, especially their dies, and most of my dozen-and-a-half calibers are served by Lee dies. I don't care for the Lee Carbide FCD.

I agree with what FrankenMauser said, I've said the same thing myself in the past. But one thing not yet mentioned that I believe is important is what can happen when you try to post-size a loaded cartridge.

Springback -- it's what you get in brass when you squeeze it down to a smaller size. There's a certain amount of springback when you do this to a brass cartridge case.

What doesn't spring back is a bullet. So you can crush, squeeze, and smash the entire loaded round in any manner your tool will allow you to... but you can't get that bullet to come back after you've squashed it.

The risk here is that your bullet gets sized down even a little bit and your brass doesn't grip it as well as you plan or hope.

When you have suspect case mouth tension, you have a a serious problem waiting to happen. If you don't have proper case mouth tension on your bullet and it gets set-back unintentionally, you will raise pressures, and the possibility exists that you will raise them exponentially.

When handloaders experience a colossal overpressure event in a handgun round, e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e and their brother is just certain that it must have been a double charge. But nobody will EVER know, because after the event, the evidence is gone and only the damage remains.

How many of these events are caused by catastrophic pressures due to unnoticed and unintended bullet setback?

Here's what I know -- I'm a thousand miles from an "expert" at this hobby, but I can make terrific ammo in 9mm and .45, with cast lead, plated and jacketed bullets. I can make ammo that feeds 100% of the time, fires and ejects 100% of the time and is as accurate as I ask for in handgun ammo.

I can do this with a simple Lee 3-die set. There are countless others that can do the same thing. And the folks shooting hardcore, high round count competition handgun games can do it also without a Lee FCD.

My suggestion for anyone who wants to use that die is to figure out WHY you think you need it and try to solve that problem without using it.

October 9, 2011, 01:45 AM	#8
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,775	I love Lee products, especially their dies, and most of my dozen-and-a-half calibers are served by Lee dies. I don't care for the Lee Carbide FCD. I agree with what FrankenMauser said, I've said the same thing myself in the past. But one thing not yet mentioned that I believe is important is what can happen when you try to post-size a loaded cartridge. Springback -- it's what you get in brass when you squeeze it down to a smaller size. There's a certain amount of springback when you do this to a brass cartridge case. What doesn't spring back is a bullet. So you can crush, squeeze, and smash the entire loaded round in any manner your tool will allow you to... but you can't get that bullet to come back after you've squashed it. The risk here is that your bullet gets sized down even a little bit and your brass doesn't grip it as well as you plan or hope. When you have suspect case mouth tension, you have a a serious problem waiting to happen. If you don't have proper case mouth tension on your bullet and it gets set-back unintentionally, you will raise pressures, and the possibility exists that you will raise them exponentially. When handloaders experience a colossal overpressure event in a handgun round, e-v-e-r-y-o-n-e and their brother is just *certain* that it must have been a double charge. But nobody will EVER know, because after the event, the evidence is gone and only the damage remains. How many of these events are caused by catastrophic pressures due to unnoticed and unintended bullet setback? Here's what I know -- I'm a thousand miles from an "expert" at this hobby, but I can make terrific ammo in 9mm and .45, with cast lead, plated and jacketed bullets. I can make ammo that feeds 100% of the time, fires and ejects 100% of the time and is as accurate as I ask for in handgun ammo. I can do this with a simple Lee 3-die set. There are countless others that can do the same thing. And the folks shooting hardcore, high round count competition handgun games can do it also without a Lee FCD. My suggestion for anyone who wants to use that die is to figure out WHY you think you need it and try to solve that problem without using it. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.