Close Encounters of the Third Kind

[killian6pk]

I took those 9mm's apart that I talked about in my Bonehead post. Resized the cases, belled them, new powder (reweighed powder), seated and reused the bullets I pulled. I checked all of them for length 1.169". Then I set up the Carbide Crimp Die and crimped the first case. When I removed it from the press and checked length the die had pulled the bullet up to 1.173" I backed off the seating stem a little and the next one did the same thing. So I played with the die a little more and still in all the cases the bullet was pulling up. So I finally decided to crimp the rest of the 20 and then reseat the bullets back to the 1.169" C.O.L.

Has anyone experienced this problem and is there a solution that I am missing in the setup? Did I do the correct thing in reseating the bullets?

I am beginning to think that these rounds are cursed or maybe from outer space.

[Ohio3Wheels]

I don't have any of the carbide FCDs but do have a bucket load of just plan FCDs. On both the 44 mag and the 45 Colt I've experienced growth after crimping. Still trying to figure it out.

Stay well, be safe, make smoke,

[GasGuzzler]

Yep

Happens on all of mine

Someone said it couldn't be but it is for me

Doesn't bother me. I just seat them differently in the first place to compensate.

0.004" isn't that much.

[AlaskanGuy]

9mm can be finicky at times.. especially with cast bullets. i crimp all my heavy hitters like 45lc and 44 mag, but for a different reason. never had a carbide crimper.

[Ohio3Wheels]

It occurs to me that with the carbide fcd dies, the ring sizes the case to SAAMI spec, if you reduce the diameter of a cylinder the extra material has to go somewhere maybe it reappears as length.

Stay well besafe make smoke

[killian6pk]

I have a Lyman Cartridge Check Gauge like this. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1016393015?pid=464540

If your cartridge fits into this gauge properly then it should fit into your pistol chamber correct? I have also tried them in my Glock 9mm barrel and the cartridge goes down as far as the drawing (Blue Arrow) shows in the attachment to this post. Is this the proper stopping point in a chamber?

[attachment=0]9mm Cartridge Drawing.jpg[/attachment

[Ohio3Wheels]

I have a Lyman Cartridge Check Gauge like this. https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1016393015?pid=464540

If your cartridge fits into this gauge properly then it should fit into your pistol chamber correct? I have also tried them in my Glock 9mm barrel and the cartridge goes down as far as the drawing (Blue Arrow) shows in the attachment to this post. Is this the proper stopping point in a chamber?

[attachment=0]9mm Cartridge Drawing.jpg[/attachment

If I understand you, no, all of my Lyman cartridge gauges the head is flush with the top of the gauge when it is correctly seized and loaded. Just reread, glocks are said to have unsupported chamber and that would definitely fit the bill.

[Ranch Dog]

I agree with O3W's statement, the visual position of the cartridge in the unsupported chamber of the Glock, but remember that the 9mm Luger actually headspaces on the case mouth.

[Macd]

I use the drop test for pistols that headspace on mouth.. Remove the barrel and drop the round. If it doesn't go clunk and fall out easily then then there is a problem. If you want to know what it should look like start with an empty case. BTW the unsupported part of the case in Glocks is adjacent to the feed ramp.