Trimming 9x19 to 9x18- correct Hornady trimmer pilot?

tobnpr · December 2, 2012, 07:41 PM

Hornady does make a .361 pilot (#20)...I assume that would be close enough?

hodaka · December 2, 2012, 08:17 PM

I always used the .355 pilot then used the Mak die to expand.

tobnpr · December 2, 2012, 09:42 PM

So far, what I've seen says to expand, size, then trim last:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yrmgh3SToE

But this one's new to me...

jackpine · December 2, 2012, 10:43 PM

a 9 para/luger/nato is not a 9X18 case even if you do trim it. Just order some starline cases and so it right

joneb · December 2, 2012, 10:56 PM

I have a Lyman universal trimmer

I trim sized (with 9x18 sizing die) 9x19 using the .357 pilot, works well enough.

res45 · December 2, 2012, 11:17 PM

I make all my 9 x 18 Mak. brass from once fired 9mm brass,flare the case with the case mouth expansion die then run it through the 9 x 18 FL resizing die and them trim to .708 to .710" depending on which manual your using or just use a old once fired Russian steel case as a setup gage for your trimmer. I use the 9mm pilot in my Lyman Universal trimmer with a power adapter to make short work of the trimming.

One of my older Speer reloading manuals used the same process to convert 9 mm cases to 9 x 18 Mak. way before commercial Mak. brass or boxer primer ammo was available.

tobnpr · December 3, 2012, 10:44 AM

I thought about using the 9mm pilot, even though it would be a bit loose, but I think I'll try the .361 since it will be a better fit, with the already expanded case mouths.

Jackpine,

I'm well aware of Starline's brass. But I've got half a bucket full of 9x19, and when correctly sized and trimmed, there's absolutely no difference.

hodaka · December 3, 2012, 03:56 PM

I just watched the video. I've been shooting Mak's since 1990 or so (before Starline was producing 9x18, I think) and I guess I've been doing it wrong all of these years.

Sure is a lot quicker than in the video though.

For what it's worth I've been using the 9mm pilot on unsized brass and using fired Mak brass as a length guide. I've sucessfully shot a lot of them but feel a bit guilty leaving the cut down brass with Luger markings on the ground to confuse others.

jackpine · December 3, 2012, 06:51 PM

Code:

guess I've been doing it wrong all of these years

works and done right may not be the same thing. I can use duct tape on alot of things but it doesn't make it the right way to fix it

tobnpr · December 3, 2012, 07:09 PM

Quote:

feel a bit guilty leaving the cut down brass with Luger markings on the ground to confuse others.

I'm guessing they have a machine that sorts them at the indoor range we frequent. There's always a five gallon bucket full of everything you can imagine.
Can't imagine having to sort headstamps by hand, but who knows...

I've wondered about losing one as well in the chaos with shells flying everywhere, though I intend to color mark them with a red sharpie.

I wonder, what would happen, if you ran a 9x18 Mak case through either a .380 or 9x19 die by mistake. I've read that you can shoot .380 outta a Mak pistol, but it won't be accurate because of the undersize boolit.

hodaka · December 3, 2012, 07:51 PM

jackpine, I think you are overanalyzing it. It is not that complicated to cut down the 9mm in order for it to work in the Mak. Many more radical alterations work just fine. This is a simple one. In my uses I really can't tell the difference in function or accuracy in either the cut Luger brass or commercial Mak brass. This is a low pressure, blowback pistol known for digesting anything. I rarely use duct tape.

joneb · December 4, 2012, 12:16 AM

Quote:

a 9 para/luger/nato is not a 9X18 case even if you do trim it. Just order some starline cases and so it right

I have loaded and shot about 500 trimed 9x19 cases through my EG Mak never had a problem.
jackpine are you speaking from experience or ignorance ?

Two Old Dogs · December 4, 2012, 09:50 PM

Running a 9x18mm case through a 9x19mm Luger sizing die does nothing earthshaking. I had one mixed with some 9x19 brass and did not recognize it until I had charged the powder and placed it in the loading tray at which point the length difference became obvious.

Since I use a single stage press and am unswerving in checking power levels before stuffing a bullet in a case, I probably would have noticed it when I checked the powder level. The length difference also would have definitely been obvious when a bullet was seated in a 9x19 seating die setup.

I now check the length of all 9x19 brass i plan to load and have found a few 9x18 cases in range pickups.

However, the danger of 9x18 brass (or 9x19 headstamped brass shortened to 9x18) not beilng recognized in a progressive press loading 9x19 rounds is significant.

Even though the 9x18 operating pressure is less than the 36,500 psi of the 9x19, I would expect at least some primer setback if not pierced primers when a cartrildge 1mm too short is fired in a 9x19 chanmber, not to mention feeding dlfficulties and other potential attendant problems.

December 2, 2012, 07:41 PM	#1
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 4,556	Trimming 9x19 to 9x18- correct Hornady trimmer pilot? Hornady does make a .361 pilot (#20)...I assume that would be close enough?

December 3, 2012, 06:51 PM	#9
jackpine Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 2010 Posts: 351	Code: guess I've been doing it wrong all of these years works and done right may not be the same thing. I can use duct tape on alot of things but it doesn't make it the right way to fix it

December 2, 2012, 08:17 PM	#2
hodaka Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,010	I always used the .355 pilot then used the Mak die to expand.

December 2, 2012, 09:42 PM	#3
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 4,556	So far, what I've seen says to expand, size, then trim last: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yrmgh3SToE But this one's new to me...

December 2, 2012, 10:43 PM	#4
jackpine Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 2010 Posts: 351	a 9 para/luger/nato is not a 9X18 case even if you do trim it. Just order some starline cases and so it right

December 2, 2012, 10:56 PM	#5
joneb Senior Member Join Date: December 10, 2005 Location: Central , OR Posts: 1,888	I have a Lyman universal trimmer I trim sized (with 9x18 sizing die) 9x19 using the .357 pilot, works well enough.

December 2, 2012, 11:17 PM	#6
res45 Senior Member Join Date: September 15, 2007 Location: NC Posts: 753	I make all my 9 x 18 Mak. brass from once fired 9mm brass,flare the case with the case mouth expansion die then run it through the 9 x 18 FL resizing die and them trim to .708 to .710" depending on which manual your using or just use a old once fired Russian steel case as a setup gage for your trimmer. I use the 9mm pilot in my Lyman Universal trimmer with a power adapter to make short work of the trimming. One of my older Speer reloading manuals used the same process to convert 9 mm cases to 9 x 18 Mak. way before commercial Mak. brass or boxer primer ammo was available.

December 3, 2012, 10:44 AM	#7
tobnpr Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2010 Location: Tampa Bay Posts: 4,556	I thought about using the 9mm pilot, even though it would be a bit loose, but I think I'll try the .361 since it will be a better fit, with the already expanded case mouths. Jackpine, I'm well aware of Starline's brass. But I've got half a bucket full of 9x19, and when correctly sized and trimmed, there's absolutely no difference.

December 3, 2012, 03:56 PM	#8
hodaka Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,010	I just watched the video. I've been shooting Mak's since 1990 or so (before Starline was producing 9x18, I think) and I guess I've been doing it wrong all of these years. Sure is a lot quicker than in the video though. For what it's worth I've been using the 9mm pilot on unsized brass and using fired Mak brass as a length guide. I've sucessfully shot a lot of them but feel a bit guilty leaving the cut down brass with Luger markings on the ground to confuse others.

December 3, 2012, 07:51 PM	#11
hodaka Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2006 Location: South Texas Posts: 2,010	jackpine, I think you are overanalyzing it. It is not that complicated to cut down the 9mm in order for it to work in the Mak. Many more radical alterations work just fine. This is a simple one. In my uses I really can't tell the difference in function or accuracy in either the cut Luger brass or commercial Mak brass. This is a low pressure, blowback pistol known for digesting anything. I rarely use duct tape.

December 4, 2012, 09:50 PM	#13
Two Old Dogs Member Join Date: November 28, 2012 Location: Eastern SC Posts: 68	Running a 9x18mm case through a 9x19mm Luger sizing die does nothing earthshaking. I had one mixed with some 9x19 brass and did not recognize it until I had charged the powder and placed it in the loading tray at which point the length difference became obvious. Since I use a single stage press and am unswerving in checking power levels before stuffing a bullet in a case, I probably would have noticed it when I checked the powder level. The length difference also would have definitely been obvious when a bullet was seated in a 9x19 seating die setup. I now check the length of all 9x19 brass i plan to load and have found a few 9x18 cases in range pickups. However, the danger of 9x18 brass (or 9x19 headstamped brass shortened to 9x18) not beilng recognized in a progressive press loading 9x19 rounds is significant. Even though the 9x18 operating pressure is less than the 36,500 psi of the 9x19, I would expect at least some primer setback if not pierced primers when a cartrildge 1mm too short is fired in a 9x19 chanmber, not to mention feeding dlfficulties and other potential attendant problems.