Hornady New Dimension Die issues

[osteodoc08]

Reloading 10mm with once fired starline brass, Longshot, and 200gr XTP.

Bought Hornady New Dimension Dies and having issues with the crimp. I can get it adjusted to where it almost plunks cleanly in my G20 barrel. Any less and no go any more and too much crimp or crushed cases. Either way, no go. I ended up resorting to bumping the cases in the size die to get a nice clean plunk test. Anyone one else have these issues? Looks like I'm gonna have to break down and get a FCD and seat and crimp in two steps.

I've been reloading for years and have never had this much frustration with any die set. I guess I need to go back to my redding, Dillon and RCBS die sets. This is the first and likely last hornady die set.

My Dillon dies in my 550 set up for 10mm work fine, but that's on my fathers bench, 2 hours away.

 

[cfullgraf]

I have taper crimped semi-auto ammunition in a separate step for decades. I recently started crimping revolver rounds in a separate step as well.

I find it is easier to set up seating independent of crimping.

More so with revolver rounds, variable case length can cause problems with crimping.

I feel the Lee handgun FCD is a solution looking for a problem but others swear by them.

 

[788Ham]

I use the FCD crimp die for 38's, 357's and 44 mags. One has to be vey careful not to overdo on it though! I find that just a smidgen of a crimp is all thats needed, especially on the 38 side, but once adjusted, it works great.

 

[steve4102]

If I had to guess I would say that your problem is due to a Long OAL, OR you are applying to much crimp and buckling the case.

The taper crimp on a 10MM should be applied just enough to remove the flare plus maybe a thou more.

Glocks have very generous chambers, if you have to resort to running loaded rounds up into the sizing die to get them to chamber, something is definitely wrong and a Lee Factory Crimp die isn't the solution. It may fix or mask the problem, but it's best to fix the problem before the problem occurs, not after.

 

[Walkalong]

Try the plunk test.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=506678

Bell only enough to get the bullet started, and "crimp" only enough to fully remove the bell.

Try to figure out what is wrong before you give up and squish it into "working" with the FCD.

I seated and crimped thousands of rounds in auto calibers before I ever tried "crimping" one in a fourth step, as did thousands of other reloaders over the last few decades.

 

[osteodoc08]

I've been reloading for almost 25 years for everything from 9mm to 375 H&H. I've never had this issue.

The bell is just enough to get the bullet started. I start the crimp die by placing a sized case and bring the die down until it kisses the case and then slowly work the crimp die until a loaded round will plunk. It will basically go from no plunk, adjust, no plunk, adjust, plunk and goog to go. The best I can get with this die is a very tight tight almost plunk that can be seated with finger tip pressure but requires my fingernail to extract. Any less crimp leaves the flare and any more crimp and it won't plunk, any more than that equals crushed cases. I've never had this issue with other dies.

I'm about ready to throw those dies on the trash and just wait until I can crank em out on the dillon

 

[mgmorden]

Most of Hornady's die sets include a roll crimp die (even for semi-autos) by default. Not sure why, but they do (you can often by a taper crimp version as well but it needs to be specified that way).

I kinda wonder if that's causing the problem. Other than that though I'm not sure what it would be. The Hornady dies that I do have (.40S&W and .380ACP) have always worked fine for me.

 

[Walkalong]

It just dawned on me we are talking about crimping with a new Hornady seater. If it is the newer style Hornady seater with the 45 degree crimp ledge instead of the normal slightly sloping taper crimp ledge, that may be the problem. In this case crimping with a proper crimp die in a second step is the answer. I like the Hornady seaters well enough, but their 9MM seater (The one I have for an auto caliber) has the same sleeve as the .38 seater, with a crimp ledge that does a decent roll crimp but cannot do a proper taper crimp. They are saving money by making one sleeve for both, but it cheats the buyer.

Look at the crimp ledge in the sleeve.

A Lee taper crimp die only is only $12.

 

[RealGun]

Bought Hornady New Dimension Dies and having issues with the crimp. I can get it adjusted to where it almost plunks cleanly in my G20 barrel. Any less and no go any more and too much crimp or crushed cases. Either way, no go.

Prepping the fired brass in a Lee Bulge Buster should fix it, is my guess. One way to check is to try to gauge the rounds head first. Problems at the rim or the case web area will prevent the round going in, as it freely should. The Redding G-Rx would work too, I think, since it is designed for .40.

 

[steve4102]

Good point. Does a sized case, no flare and no bullet pass the plunk test? If so, then the GRX will not help.

 

[osteodoc08]

My G20 in 10mm is generous in chamber and to be fair to Glock, is well supported unlike their G22/23 barrels. A sized casing plunks fine. It's got to be their crimp design and me just not meshing well. A quick online search shows I'm not the only one having issues. Ugh! I went down stairs to try again and same result. It like I need that final .001 taper up top an can't get it right. Frustrating to say the least.

The Ti nitride sizing die is super smooth though.

 

[ranger335v]

No die is going to change during use so I doubt you have a die problem. Cases vary tho, bet your case lengths are significantly different.

 

[rg1]

I like the sliding alignment sleeve on Hornady's seater die but the crimping features of their seating die is confusing. Some earlier Hornady dies for straight walled calibers that headspace on the case mouth did not have a crimp feature and required a separate taper crimp die. Some sets were supposed to have only a roll crimp feature? I have a Hornady 40/10MM set and it didn't taper crimp and a separate taper crimp die is needed. The sliding alignment sleeve works wonderfully but I'd recommend a separate taper crimp die for 9mm, 40SW, 45 ACP, 10MM etc. I buy RCBS taper crimp separate dies and taper crimp in a separate step.

 

[osteodoc08]

Walkalong is correct with the die set. A disappointment to say the least.


Took the seat/crimp die apart. Some trash in it. I went back and started over from scratch. I adjusted the flare die to the point where it is flared just enough to allow the bullet to almost sit straight. I could not feel any flare. That and going back and resetting the crimp portion of the die. It was then good to go.

It seems the crimp/seat die does not like to get rid of any flare on the casing. Like there was a little lip it couldn't fix. Still a little disappointed and will order a seperate crimp die, but it's at least functional.