My first reloads. Qustion for everyone.

delta tide · June 9, 2012, 09:54 AM

I decided to dive into the reloading world. I don't have a mentor or friend that reloads to "show me the ropes". I am basically just doing research on my on to learn. I will be reloading 40 S&W, 45 ACP, and 9mm to start off. I reloaded 30 rounds of 40 S&W for my first batch. I performed the plunk test in the barrel of the gun I intend to use, every round passed. They slide in, I applied pressure with my thumb, they all fell out easily, just like the factory round. When I tried the same test with a Lyman case gauge, 1/2 of the reloads would not fit into the gauge, the factory round and the other 1/2 of the reloads did fit into the gauge. Measured with a caliper and the reloads that did not fit were .002" -.004" wider at the case head. My question is since they passed in the barrel I will be using, should I be concerned or will this cause a problem. Thanks in advance.

Brian Pfleuger · June 9, 2012, 10:00 AM

The only thing that matters is that they work in your gun. You could still have feeding problems even though they fit the chamber, only way to know is to try.

It sounds like the cases on those few are "glocked", meaning they were fired in a gun with slightly less support in that area so they got a slight bulge. As long as they fit your chamber you shouldn't have a problem.

NESHOOTER · June 9, 2012, 11:46 AM

delta, you will want this for your .40 and .45

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/882...s-and-w-45-acp

but need this also http://www.midwayusa.com/product/289...nd-w-10mm-auto
and this for your .45

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/716704/lee-carbide-factory-crimp-die-45-acp-45-auto-rim
and this for your 9mm

http://www.egwguns.com/index.php?p=catalog&mode=search&search_in=all&search_str=undersize+die&x=0&y=0
then once you brass has glocked/bulged this will allow you to safely reuse the brass again and fit like a factory round.

farmerboy · June 9, 2012, 02:20 PM

they will be just fine. the case guages are just a tool to see but doesnt show you too much because sometimes they wont fit the case guage and still shoot fine in gun. Its just something else to sell a person reallly. Go have fun and tell us how they worked for you.

Gerry · June 9, 2012, 04:22 PM

I agree with farmerboy. Your barrel is the ultimate case gauge. That being said, if you want to shoot these in other guns you have to test them there too. The case gauges are sized so that the rounds you make will shoot in anything like a factory round will. But from an accuracy point of view, the best rounds you make are tailored to your particular gun, not ALL guns. That's a big reason why people get into reloading in the first place - to make rounds better than factory.

g.willikers · June 9, 2012, 05:15 PM

It comes down to who do you trust.
The barrel or the gauge.
It's quite possible that the gauge isn't made quite right, either.
It wouldn't be the first piece of test equipment that caused more problems than it solved.
I'd believe the barrel unless shown otherwise.

TXGunNut · June 9, 2012, 06:54 PM

Agreed, GW. If I'm shooting them in only one gun the only guage I need is the chamber. If the guage indicates SAAMI specs then your ammo should be good to go in any gun that meets SAAMI specs.

delta tide · June 9, 2012, 07:13 PM

Thanks for all the feed back. I researched the Lee Factory Crimp die when I was ordering all of my equipment, but decided to wait and see if I really needed it. Looks like I may add it sooner than later. For now I guess I will go ahead and shoot my reloads since they head space properly in my chamber.

Also just another piece of info. All of my brass is once fired Federal. Some of it was fired in a Beretta PX4, the rest in a friends M&P. I didn't segregate the brass from each gun, so I suspect the cases that are bulged came from just one of the guns. I'm pretty sure my PX4 chamber is fully supported, not sure about the M&P.

I'll let you guys know how they shoot when I get back to the range later next week. Again thanks for the help. I am really enjoying my new hobby so far. I look forward to chatting with ya'll some more.

NESHOOTER · June 9, 2012, 10:21 PM

The reason I use the Lee bulge buster is this weather I use my reloads as self-defense or not there is nothing worst than having a jam when you least want one so........ it for this reason I will always use these dies and you can also have loaded ammo and run it through the buster and it will resize loaded brass to fit all pistols as the pistol dies may not be set up perfectly for each pistol small differences in mixed brass unless you resize all brass then trim to exact brass col cartridge lengths.

dacaur · June 9, 2012, 11:27 PM

The casae gage is made to minimum sammi chamber spec. The means that if it fits the gage, it will fit ANY chamber that is within sammi specs. Many guns have chambers that are larger than the sammi minimum (but still within tolerance) so that as you found, some ammo that is slightly out of spec will still work. If it works great you wont have any problem with it in THAT gun. I had a kel-tec PF9 that was pretty close to minimum, I never had a problem with my reloads, but some that I got from a gun show LONG ago (before I started reloading) would run fine in my p-95, but NOT in my PF9... I saved those rounds, and when I started reloading and got a case gage, I tried them, and darned if they didnt fit in the gage....

Rangefinder · June 10, 2012, 12:13 AM

The case gauge doesn't fire your loads--the gun does. Trust the gun.

CherokeeT · June 12, 2012, 02:14 PM

Follow the chamber results. Don't use that Lee FCD for cast bullets.

BigJimP · June 12, 2012, 02:45 PM

Personally, I rely on the case gague.....not barrels in a variety of my guns...then I know its right. I case gague every round - as I box them up ....and once in a while, I find a finished round with a little crack that opened up as the bullet was seated --- or a burr on the base rim of the case...and it sticks going in or out of the case gague / and I reject it - and pull that bullet ....and reuse the bullet and the powder out of the case ( and trash the case ).

If you don't have a final crimp die ...yes, I would get one.

I reloaded about 1,000 rds of 9mm this morning ...( all from swept up brass at my local range ) ...and I rejected 3 rounds...( 1 for a crack / 2 for burrs on the base rim of the case)...

delta tide · June 14, 2012, 09:17 PM

I finally got to the range tonight. All 30 rounds that I loaded cycled flawlessly. No misfires or malfunctions at all. I know I don't have to tell you guys, but man, what a great feeling it was firing my first reloads. I know I have a lot to learn, but this is gonna be fun. Thanks to everyone for the replies.

Dave R · June 14, 2012, 10:52 PM

Sniff. I love a happy ending.

June 9, 2012, 09:54 AM	#1
delta tide Member Join Date: June 9, 2012 Posts: 35	My first reloads. Qustion for everyone. I decided to dive into the reloading world. I don't have a mentor or friend that reloads to "show me the ropes". I am basically just doing research on my on to learn. I will be reloading 40 S&W, 45 ACP, and 9mm to start off. I reloaded 30 rounds of 40 S&W for my first batch. I performed the plunk test in the barrel of the gun I intend to use, every round passed. They slide in, I applied pressure with my thumb, they all fell out easily, just like the factory round. When I tried the same test with a Lyman case gauge, 1/2 of the reloads would not fit into the gauge, the factory round and the other 1/2 of the reloads did fit into the gauge. Measured with a caliper and the reloads that did not fit were .002" -.004" wider at the case head. My question is since they passed in the barrel I will be using, should I be concerned or will this cause a problem. Thanks in advance.

June 9, 2012, 10:00 AM	#2
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	The only thing that matters is that they work in your gun. You could still have feeding problems even though they fit the chamber, only way to know is to try. It sounds like the cases on those few are "glocked", meaning they were fired in a gun with slightly less support in that area so they got a slight bulge. As long as they fit your chamber you shouldn't have a problem. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

June 9, 2012, 05:15 PM	#6
g.willikers Senior Member Join Date: September 28, 2008 Posts: 10,442	It comes down to who do you trust. The barrel or the gauge. It's quite possible that the gauge isn't made quite right, either. It wouldn't be the first piece of test equipment that caused more problems than it solved. I'd believe the barrel unless shown otherwise. __________________ Walt Kelly, alias Pogo, sez: “Don't take life so serious, son, it ain't nohow permanent.”

June 9, 2012, 06:54 PM	#7
TXGunNut Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2010 Location: If you have to ask... Posts: 2,860	Agreed, GW. If I'm shooting them in only one gun the only guage I need is the chamber. If the guage indicates SAAMI specs then your ammo should be good to go in any gun that meets SAAMI specs. __________________ Life Member NRA, TSRA Smokeless powder is a passing fad! -Steve Garbe I hate rude behavior in a man. I won't tolerate it. -Woodrow F. Call Lonesome Dove My favorite recipes start out with a handful of used wheelweights.

June 10, 2012, 12:13 AM	#11
Rangefinder Senior Member Join Date: August 4, 2005 Posts: 2,017	The case gauge doesn't fire your loads--the gun does. Trust the gun. __________________ "Why is is called Common Sense when it seems so few actually possess it?" Guns only have two enemies: Rust and Politicians.

June 9, 2012, 11:46 AM	#3
NESHOOTER Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 2009 Posts: 517	delta, you will want this for your .40 and .45 http://www.midwayusa.com/product/882...s-and-w-45-acp but need this also http://www.midwayusa.com/product/289...nd-w-10mm-auto and this for your .45 http://www.midwayusa.com/product/716704/lee-carbide-factory-crimp-die-45-acp-45-auto-rim and this for your 9mm http://www.egwguns.com/index.php?p=catalog&mode=search&search_in=all&search_str=undersize+die&x=0&y=0 then once you brass has glocked/bulged this will allow you to safely reuse the brass again and fit like a factory round.

June 9, 2012, 02:20 PM	#4
farmerboy Junior member Join Date: May 16, 2009 Location: Central Texas Posts: 1,343	they will be just fine. the case guages are just a tool to see but doesnt show you too much because sometimes they wont fit the case guage and still shoot fine in gun. Its just something else to sell a person reallly. Go have fun and tell us how they worked for you.

June 9, 2012, 04:22 PM	#5
Gerry Senior Member Join Date: December 24, 2010 Location: Canada Posts: 382	I agree with farmerboy. Your barrel is the ultimate case gauge. That being said, if you want to shoot these in other guns you have to test them there too. The case gauges are sized so that the rounds you make will shoot in anything like a factory round will. But from an accuracy point of view, the best rounds you make are tailored to your particular gun, not ALL guns. That's a big reason why people get into reloading in the first place - to make rounds better than factory.

June 9, 2012, 07:13 PM	#8
delta tide Member Join Date: June 9, 2012 Posts: 35	Thanks for all the feed back. I researched the Lee Factory Crimp die when I was ordering all of my equipment, but decided to wait and see if I really needed it. Looks like I may add it sooner than later. For now I guess I will go ahead and shoot my reloads since they head space properly in my chamber. Also just another piece of info. All of my brass is once fired Federal. Some of it was fired in a Beretta PX4, the rest in a friends M&P. I didn't segregate the brass from each gun, so I suspect the cases that are bulged came from just one of the guns. I'm pretty sure my PX4 chamber is fully supported, not sure about the M&P. I'll let you guys know how they shoot when I get back to the range later next week. Again thanks for the help. I am really enjoying my new hobby so far. I look forward to chatting with ya'll some more.

June 9, 2012, 10:21 PM	#9
NESHOOTER Senior Member Join Date: October 16, 2009 Posts: 517	The reason I use the Lee bulge buster is this weather I use my reloads as self-defense or not there is nothing worst than having a jam when you least want one so........ it for this reason I will always use these dies and you can also have loaded ammo and run it through the buster and it will resize loaded brass to fit all pistols as the pistol dies may not be set up perfectly for each pistol small differences in mixed brass unless you resize all brass then trim to exact brass col cartridge lengths.

June 9, 2012, 11:27 PM	#10
dacaur Senior Member Join Date: March 16, 2010 Posts: 733	The casae gage is made to minimum sammi chamber spec. The means that if it fits the gage, it will fit ANY chamber that is within sammi specs. Many guns have chambers that are larger than the sammi minimum (but still within tolerance) so that as you found, some ammo that is slightly out of spec will still work. If it works great you wont have any problem with it in THAT gun. I had a kel-tec PF9 that was pretty close to minimum, I never had a problem with my reloads, but some that I got from a gun show LONG ago (before I started reloading) would run fine in my p-95, but NOT in my PF9... I saved those rounds, and when I started reloading and got a case gage, I tried them, and darned if they didnt fit in the gage....

June 12, 2012, 02:14 PM	#12
CherokeeT Senior Member Join Date: April 23, 2008 Location: Medina, Ohio Posts: 273	Follow the chamber results. Don't use that Lee FCD for cast bullets. __________________ God Bless America US Army, NRA Endowment TSRA Life, SASS

June 12, 2012, 02:45 PM	#13
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	Personally, I rely on the case gague.....not barrels in a variety of my guns...then I know its right. I case gague every round - as I box them up ....and once in a while, I find a finished round with a little crack that opened up as the bullet was seated --- or a burr on the base rim of the case...and it sticks going in or out of the case gague / and I reject it - and pull that bullet ....and reuse the bullet and the powder out of the case ( and trash the case ). If you don't have a final crimp die ...yes, I would get one. I reloaded about 1,000 rds of 9mm this morning ...( all from swept up brass at my local range ) ...and I rejected 3 rounds...( 1 for a crack / 2 for burrs on the base rim of the case)...

June 14, 2012, 09:17 PM	#14
delta tide Member Join Date: June 9, 2012 Posts: 35	I finally got to the range tonight. All 30 rounds that I loaded cycled flawlessly. No misfires or malfunctions at all. I know I don't have to tell you guys, but man, what a great feeling it was firing my first reloads. I know I have a lot to learn, but this is gonna be fun. Thanks to everyone for the replies. __________________ "The single biggest problem in communication is the illusion that it has taken place." - George Bernard Shaw

June 14, 2012, 10:52 PM	#15
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2000 Location: Idaho Posts: 6,073	Sniff. I love a happy ending. __________________ I am Pro-Rights (on gun issues).