What am I doing wrong?

[branrot]

I just started reloading, but my 9mm reloads have a slight hourglass shape to them. Is this normal? If not, what is happening and how do I fix it?

 

[RiverRider]

It's probably just because your resizer is squeezing the brass down in diameter and when you seat your bullets, they expand it a little. Most, if not all, of my handloads for pistol and revolver have a slight hourglass shape. Don't sweat it!

 

[Art Eatman]

Hmmm. Trying to visualize what you mean by "Hourglass". I'm guessing that the open end of the case appears bulged out by the bullet. (?)

Did you expand or "bell" the case mouth very slightly, before charging with powder and starting to seat the bullet?

Could you be crimping too much, and actually crushing the case, longitudinally? This could make the case pinch inward at about the mid-length. You want just the barest smidgen of crimp.

Hope this helps.

Art

 

[sricciardelli]

Actually Art, he wants a taper crimp...

 

[Mikul]

My Dillon does that too. I called Dillon about it. They said that their dies resize a little too small deliberately to made them easier to feed.

 

[E. BeauBeaux]

As long as they drop in and out of a case gauge, shoot em and enjoy. Nothing wrong as said by previous posters.

 

[tonyz]

As previously posted Its normal for the 9mm to have the hour glass case. It will get more pronounced with older brass and/Or higher pressures.
As already said, as long as they drop fit in the case gauge.
Shoot'em there good.

Don't sweat it!

TonyZ

 

[Art Eatman]

I guess "hourglass" threw me. Ever watched boxing on ESPN, from California, when they have the "Miss Whaever" gals holding up the cards with the numbers for which Round? Built about 38-18-34? Now, THAT'S "hourglass"!!!

, Art

 

[renaissance7697]

Branrot

Invest $12
Get a Lee Factory Crimp Die in 9mm.
I run all my 9mm through one after seating the bullet and just taking the "bell" back out with the crimp adjustment on my normal seating die.

It takes LESS time than running it through a max cartridge check gauge AND I get 100% PERFECT fitting results 100% of the time.

Best thing since sliced bread!

 

[Steve Smith]

Art Said:

I guess "hourglass" threw me. Ever watched boxing on ESPN, from California, when they have the "Miss Whaever" gals holding up the cards with the numbers for which Round? Built about 38-18-34? Now, THAT'S "hourglass"!!!

I think I could handle "that kind" of hourglass coming out of my Dillon, too! (600 hourglass figures an hour, wow!)