Optimal 9mm Die Set

[9mmepiphany]

Four years ago I started a thread asking for suggestion for the Ultimate Die Set.

Since then I've loaded some .40, .45ACP, and most recently mostly .38Spl for competition. I had to put together some 9mm cartridges to shoot in a match that didn't allow revolvers (IDPA CCP and BUG) so I dug out my 9mm dies...luckily still mounted in their Hornady LNL bushings.

I thought it was interesting to compare what I'm using today to the advice I received four years ago.

Sizing die: Lee Undersized Sizer - mostly for the longer carbide insert
Expansion die: Lyman M-die -the extra step in the profile really helps hold bullets in place while traveling around the shell plate
Powder Drop: Hornady Powder Measure - I have a micrometer insert to work up loads and separate fixed inserts for each of my often used loads
Seating die: Redding Competition Seating - it's sliding sleeve will straighten out bullets started crooked and being able to tune seating depth by .001" is priceless
Crimping die: Lee FCD - not because I need it, but because I happen to still have it

I have complete sets of 9mm dies from RCBS and Hornady which I haven't used in ages. I even have a NIB Redding Pro set designed to work better with progressive {Dillon} presses with beveled mouths.

Anyone else seen an evolution in their often used dies or do most folks just start with one set, for one caliber, and just stick with it?

 

[Mn Fats]

I'm not super serious. Ill buy one of the sets from Hornady for my calibers and stick with it. I started 10 years ago with an 8mm mauser RCBS set. Non carbide/TiNi. Stuck cases were a semi regular occurrence due to no case lube (forgetful people make borderline dangerous reloaders).

So the only evolving I've done with dies is to pay the extra $10 or $20 for carbide/TiNi. I picked up a new set to start loading 45 acp (fired my first 45acp reload today- 3.5gr bullseye 200 gr swc..wow light recoil) and went with Hornady. Stick to what I'm familiar with.

 

[Tcruse]

The Lee undersized sizing die is very useful. Solved lots of issues for me.

 

[Walkalong]

My 9MM set is a Lee sizer, a Redding "M-Die" style two step expander, a Hornady sleeved seater with a micrometer top, and a C&H taper crimp die. Been using this setup for a very long time.

I gauge all sized 9mm brass and scrap any that won't fall out of the gauge from their own weight to eliminate issues with rounds chambering.

 

[PO2Hammer]

Substitute a normal taper crimp die and you have my setup.

 

[Texas10mm]

For 9mm on my Dillon 650 I have the following.

#1 Dillon carbide decapping/resizing die
#2 Lyman M die
#3 Dillon Powder measure
#4 Dillon seating die
#5 Dillon crimp die

I use the M die because I'm loading 99.5% cast bullets sized to .357 and the Dillon powder funnel nor the Uniquetek powder funnel were giving good results.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

My 9mm die set now consists of a Hornady sizing die with the Titanium Nitride insert. I use a Lee Pro AutoDisk with the powder through expansion die. I really like the Lee dead length seating die so I still use it. I'm still using the Lee FCD to remove the bell but no more. (too cheap to replace something that works ok)

 

[rbernie]

For decades, I loaded on Lee single-stage presses using Lee dies only; I very much liked the powder-thru-expander die / drop combo in particular.

When I bought a 550, I discovered that the Lee sizing dies needed a lot more force than I liked. (Does the Lee Challenger or Classic Cast Turret have more mechanical leverage than the 550? Dunno...) RCBS and Hornady dies were no better, but the Dillon dies seemed a very good match. So now, most of my semiauto chamberings are a mix of Dillon sizing dies with Lee dies and powder drops, with the RCBS and Lee and Hornady sizing dies sitting in boxes to the side.

 

[Chuck R.]

Dillon Sizing Die
Dillon through powder die, Dillon measure
RCBS seating die (cause they make stems for Speer Gold Dots in 124 and 147)
RCBS taper crimp die

Found out the hard way that a lot of seating stems will mess up the GD hollow points.

 

[Texas10mm]

Dillon Sizing Die
Dillon through powder die, Dillon measure
RCBS seating die (cause they make stems for Speer Gold Dots in 124 and 147)
RCBS taper crimp die

Found out the hard way that a lot of seating stems will mess up the GD hollow points.

Yep. I picked up a bunch of GD seating stems last year when Palmetto was closing them out.

 

[dave333]

I have two different 9mm setups, one for cast and one for heavy plated/jacketed loads.

The cast load set is made up of a Lee sizer, custom NOE powder through expanding die for Lee powder measures that is like a Lyman M die, only better, Lee seating die, and a Lee taper crimp die. The taper crimp die is different than the seating/crimping die that comes in the sets, it only applies a taper crimp.

The jacketed setup is made up of a Lee undersize die, either the standard Lee powder through expanding die or the PTX expander in the Hornady powder measure, Lee seater, and Lee FCD. If using .356 plated rounds I usually use the Lee taper crimp die.

I’ve considered trying some of the high dollar dies but my Lee setup makes such incredibly accurate ammo I can’t bring myself to spend the money.

 

[Eugen]

Optimal?! I am unsure what set up is optimal. I just know what has been working for me. For 9mm I use RCBS carbide die set with a Redding powder drop with a pistol measure. My Beam scale is a Redding No.2 (but, I want to get a Ohaus 10-10) I am a reloading novice and don't have enough experience to know what equipment is 'optimal'. LOL

 

[jmorris]

I use different setups for different rounds. I have 3 different presses setup to load 9mm and two different toolheads for two of them as well as two different collators for different style projectiles (5 combos for most of my 9mm stuff).

I don’t think there is 1 “ideal” or ultimate. I don’t have any undersize dies but I don’t have any firearms that require ammunition that is under factory specifications to function and I have devices that can size the portion of the case that cannot be sized in any normal press (the part in the shell holder/plate and slightly above).

 

[bbqreloader]

Stuck with RCBS for my 9mm, 40, 45, 223 and 30-06. The only adjustment I have made is adding a Lee Undersize die for the 40 to help with any bulges near the web. Other than that, all have served me quite well so far

 

[nettlle]

I have tried a few but not as many as most. This is for straight walled 9mm/45acp pistol:

Lyman M Die
Redding Taper Crimp Die. I think this the best.
Either the Dillon or Redding sizing/decapping die. Can't really tell the difference.
Redding Standard Seating die

I have a Dillon seating die but prefer the Redding seating die.

 

[Dudedog]

My 9mm setup is not High $ but
Sizing die: Lee Sizer
Expansion die: Lyman M-die -"the extra step in the profile really helps hold bullets in place while traveling around the shell plate" agree
Powder Drop: Hornady Powder Measure (9mm PTX in measure as well)
Seating die: Hornady Tape Crip Seater with sliding sleeve
Crimping die: Lee FCD - I happen to like, other hate them, don't need it but like it

If I am loading test ammo I usually use my Lee Autodrum for powder.

Just bought a LE Wilson 9mm guage. It's tight, about 7% of a sample of 300 loaded rounds failed the gauge, but they were ok in the barrel I was going to shoot them in. All looked ok.
(got the gauge since I have a bunch of 9mms and had one round with bulge at the base fail to chamber when practicing, could tell it was bad by looking at it closely, but somehow I missed it)

 

[9mmepiphany]

I noticed that the Redding version of the Lyman M die is getting hard to find.

Several places show it as being "Out of Stock" and Midway is Clearancing them out at $17. It looks like the new Redding Premium Expander die ($34) might be replacing it in their lineup...it has a TiN coated plug. I got the regular Redding Expander in .38Spl from Midway with my birthday discount, should have gotten the 9mm one too

 

[9mmepiphany]

Found out the hard way that a lot of seating stems will mess up the GD hollow points.

A nice thing about the Redding competition Seating die is that the plug contacts the bullet at its ogive

 

[Zaydok Allen]

Being somewhat new to loading I started with a Dillon press and three sets of Dillon dies. They get the job done for me, but I'm really just making practice and plinking ammo.

I may branch out if I start loading defense rounds and mangle any expensive hollow points.

 

[Chuck R.]

A nice thing about the Redding competition Seating die is that the plug contacts the bullet at its ogive

I think you'd still have to test it. The GDs are sort of unique for a bonded bullet, really pretty soft. Th RCBS plugs are "custom" fit by caliber and bullet weight. I've got Redding Comp dies (and Whidden & Forster). Don't bother with them for 9mm basically because I load 1000's of either the RN or RNFP with an occasional batch of GDs. Most (all?) of my pistol ammo is pretty cut and dry without a lot of testing, experimenting etc.

Rifles are a different story, and that's where I use the comp dies. I've also become a big fan of the Whidden comp dies as he makes custom plugs for individual match bullets.

 

[Bartojc]

My Lee 9mm dies set was the first set of dies I bought before I started reloading. They are what I started with and are still my primary die set for 9mm. I do like the idea of a micrometer seating die as I load/shoot more I could see where that would be nice.

-Jeff

 

[9mmepiphany]

My first set of 9mm dies was from RCBS, because my mentor said RCBS was the industry standard...got them at an estate sale ($25).

They were a bit lacking, so I upgraded to Hornady when I got my case feeder; plus I liked the sliding sleeve bullet seater die. Got the Lee FCD at the same time...still learning the progressive press and wanted to limit the variables

Hated the adjustment of the Hornady expander and upgraded to the Lyman M die on the advice of this forum.

Upgraded to the Redding Competition Seating die after the great experience I had with it loading .38Spl. I hated fiddling back and forth trying to set OAL on a progressive and the Redding made the process downright simple. How it contacted the bullets and that it would align bullets started a bit crooked was just icing on the cake.

 

[ATLDave]

All of my die sets are single-brand right now (mostly Lee, a couple of Hornady, and one RCBS set for a rifle), but I did just get a Redding comp seating die in 9mm.

 

[Walkalong]

The Redding micrometer seaters are hard to beat, but the price has gone up a lot (As with most things reloading) in the last 10 years. I should have bought more back in the day. I have one for .45 ACP and one I use for both .38 Spl & .357 Mag.

 

[ATLDave]

Yeah, I really only got it because I'm eyeballing 9mm major for USPSA open. I want to be able to dial that in precisely and have very straight bullets.