9x19 Luger is one of a very few tapered cartridges. You've picked one of the more difficult pistol cartridges to start on, so your issues are understandable.
9mm is small, but it is fraught with pitfalls. That means for optimal results, you need to work in the correct sequence.
• Since the cartridge is tapered, that means the chamber is too.
"Tapered" means trouble always happens half-way into the chamber where you can't possibly see. So you must make sure the nearly finished cartridge is also
correctly tapered or you will not be able to discern '
crimp issues' from '
OAL issues'.
• First step is to check your Taper Crimp. Size a case, but
Do Not flair ("bell") the case mouth. The Berry bullet will easily "seat" if you do it slowly.
Do Not crimp the cartridge. Measure the area of the case mouth where the crimp would be, that is to say the last 0.04". The reading will most probably be 0.375" to 0.378". Now make your taper crimp setting
exactly duplicate that number.
No more; no less.
• When that step is completed you'll be assured that all your remaining issues are OAL related. You can then build a
test cartridge (no powder; no primer), and seat a bullet deeper and deeper in ~0.005" increments until it spins freely in the barrel's chamber, as per the previously given advice.
• From the information gained in the incremental OAL testing, you'll need to subtract an additional 0.010" to 0.015" to get your Production OAL number. This added clearance will cover all naturally occurring variations in OAL during production. Novice reloaders are famous for having wild variations in OAL for the first 6 months or so, and the number you choose for your
Production OAL needs to account for this.
As a guide for you, when I shoot this bullet in my "tight chambered" CZ, I use an OAL of 1.065"....
This type conical bullet does not strike the rifling lands, but instead strikes the end of the freebore. When you use the marker trick, you'll see a ring right near the shoulder of the bullet, as per the example on the far left. (Also note the center example of why the traditional Round Nose will result in fewer issues.)
If you'll stick with the traditional Round Nose, you'll have a much easier time reloading for this pistol. You just happened to choose the unfortunate combination of a
difficult bullet for a
difficult barrel on your first roll of the dice. Next time order the 124gr Hollow Base RN and you'll have a much easier time of it.
Hope this helps.
