12% failure rate in my loading

[radarmonkey]

Hopefully someone can tell me what I'm doing wrong. First the facts:

Dillon 550B (since I'm a rookie I'm using it like a single stage press)
Dillon 9mm carbide dies
Hornady 9mm 124gr XTP bullets
Hogdon TiteGroup 4.1gr
Fiocchi small pistol primers
9mm range brass, tumbled

Last night I loaded 50 rds just to get some more practice. When I was done, 6 of the 50 finished rds wouldn't fit into my Lyman case gauge. They are the right length, so seating depth is not the problem, they are too big around. I ran them through the crimping die again and they still don't fit. I'm 99.9% it's 9mm brass, a couple of the 6 failures aren't marked but they measure the same as the other 9mm brass. Also, I am finding brass shavings around the shell plate, I don't know which station it's coming from. Could this be related to my problems?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[ASP785]

How much taper crimp are you adding? I would look there first. It looks like you may not be completely removing the neck flare.

 

[sklfco]

Need a clearer picture of the crimp area, from the ones you posted it almost looks overcrimped and possibly buckling the cases. The brass shavings on the shell plate are most likely due to shaving off part of the bullet jacket as you are seating it. Double check your measurements at all stations. As said above you only want enough crimp to remove the bell from the powder die, the crimp is not what holds the bullet in place.

 

[Nimaro]

Lee carbide factory crimp dies work wonders as a last step for me. I had a similar problem with rounds not chambering until i started using one

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/55...p-die-9mm-luger?cm_vc=OBv1289675#ReviewHeader

 

[AKmoose]

Take your barrel out of your pistol and do the "plunk" test.

 

[Shadowrider]

Lee carbide factory crimp dies work wonders as a last step for me. I had a similar problem with rounds not chambering until i started using one

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/55...p-die-9mm-luger?cm_vc=OBv1289675#ReviewHeader

From what I can see in the pics...This right here. ^^^

It looks like the typical "glocked" brass problem. The Lee FCD should fix that right up. Just beware of using it with lead bullets, but for jacketed it's just what the doctor ordered.

But check you crimp too. Lots of new reloaders get the crimp way too tight. You should be using a taper crimp die and just pushing the case mouth to the outside of the bullet and then put just a little bit of pressure on it and that's it. The crimp is not what holds the bullet in place, it the case tension on the bullet. The crimp is just sort of "insurance" at most and is really to just make sure that all of the case mouth flare is gone.

 

[Shriner]

You have been GLOCKED !!!!
....
You need a LEE or Redfield bulge die, the lee I know you can run loaded rounds through it ,just lube them first.

 

[radarmonkey]

Need a clearer picture of the crimp area, from the ones you posted it almost looks overcrimped and possibly buckling the cases. The brass shavings on the shell plate are most likely due to shaving off part of the bullet jacket as you are seating it. Double check your measurements at all stations. As said above you only want enough crimp to remove the bell from the powder die, the crimp is not what holds the bullet in place.

Ok, here ya go:

 

[Driller]

From the looks of the case, could you be over-expanding the mouth prior to bullet seating, and thereby preventing the seating/crimp die from completely removing the flare? A Lee Factory Crimp Die can rework these rounds to where they will fit the case gauge.

I had a similar problem recently with .45 ACP. I had crimped the loaded rounds to fit what I thought was my tightest 1911 chamber. I then bought a Sig 1911 that would not feed my reloads. The Lee die saved the day on about 400 loaded rounds. I have since bought a Wilson case gauge to fit the ammo.

P.S. - Before reworking, my rounds fit the case gauge just like your picture and the Sig would not fully go into battery.

 

[swampratt]

If you do back off on the crimp and still have the issue..i would measure the XTP bullet..make certain it is .356" and not larger.
One guy got a bunch of bullets recently and all measured .356" to .3575" ..He got a lee 356 sized die and ran them through and problem solved...
A little imperial sizing die wax on the finger tips ,,and they slicked right through