Hornady taper crimp vs regular 9mm dies - which one??

[JustinN]

Last night my local bass pro shop had hornady nitride 9mm does in stock - I've been waiting in 9mm dies for MONTHs. I went ahead and bought them, then realized the ones I had on back order are the new taper crimp edition. The ones I brought home dont say anything about taper crimp, so I'm guessing they're not. Should I return these and just keep waiting on the new taper crimp edition, or will I be ok using the old style to load up 9mm rounds?

[Bawanna]

9mm like any rimless case headspaces on the mouth of the case. So a roll crimp won't work, you need a taper crimp.

I don't now of any 9mm that would ever want or need a roll crimp so I'm thinking the dies you have should work.

If nothing else you can set with that set and get a Hornady Factory Crimp die to crimp if you feel the need. I like the Factory Crimp Die anyhow. I set with a regular seating die then full length size and crimp with the Factory Crimp die.

With or without you should be able to make the set you have work with the proper adjustment.

[Ikeo74]

Last night my local bass pro shop had hornady nitride 9mm does in stock - I've been waiting in 9mm dies for MONTHs. I went ahead and bought them, then realized the ones I had on back order are the new taper crimp edition. The ones I brought home dont say anything about taper crimp, so I'm guessing they're not. Should I return these and just keep waiting on the new taper crimp edition, or will I be ok using the old style to load up 9mm rounds?
As Bawanna says, The dies you bought will taper crimp. It is just a matter of adjusting them. The instructions will give the correct settings for a taper crimp. They can also be adjusted for a roll crimp but you will not need that adjustment for 9mm Lugar.

[JustinN]

Gotcha, so the new taper crimp dies just take the fine work out of it for you. I was thinking these would work since they have been what Hornady sold for a long time, but then didn't know if it was a big enough deal to return them and wait on the others.

[CJB]

you don't really use a cramp on nine millimeter cases. if the expander ball is the correct one, the bullet will be held firmly within the case. the crimp only serves to straighten the flare needed to seat the bullet

[AIRret]

Justin we have used these taper crimps for 5,000 round (fired 3,200) without a problem.

Bawanna, I'm curious why do you use both? Is it because you feel it's needed with the 45?
I'm particularly interested because 45 is what we are loading next.

[Bawanna]

Justin we have used these taper crimps for 5,000 round (fired 3,200) without a problem.

Bawanna, I'm curious why do you use both? Is it because you feel it's needed with the 45?
I'm particularly interested because 45 is what we are loading next.

I just like the whole case getting sized and a snug squeeze on the bullet.

I've loaded lots without it but I like that final press where I know everything is within size and it's gonna chamber.

Surely not a must have thing, just a nice thing to me. I'd do exactly the same for 9 if I loaded 9.

[AIRret]

Great, thanks!........I like being super cautious and sure that it will all work.

[mr surveyor]

I don't use the crimp ring of the seating die on any of my handgun rounds (.38spl, .357mag, .44 mag, .45 acp), but use the Lee Factory Crimp Die for the last step. I am crimping my 30-30 rounds with the (RCBS) seating die, but planning to get the LFCD for that as well. Perfect crimp, every time.

[Bawanna]

^^^^What he said. That's what I do too. I seat with no crimp then let Lee take over on the last step.

[JustinN]

I think I'll just keep these, instead of waiting at least 2 more months for the actual taper crimp to come available. It sounds like if I'm careful, I can just adjust these down to "taper" crimp the round, but not so far as to actually roll crimp it.

[Ikeo74]

I have been doing it for 40 years, it works, and the ones you have are easier to adjust than the taper only dies.

[JustinN]

Now I just have to find my shell holder. I think I threw away my 9mm one as I can't find it. My bench is really neat and it's just not there. I think I accidentally threw it away, thinking it was the packaging to my .243 holder, when I stuck it in the die box. Oh well, at least it isn't an expensive part....just annoying.

[mr surveyor]

Justin, if you buy a complete set of shell holders (pretty cheap) and then buy Lee dies you will always have a back-up (unless you lose the full set of shell holders) You get a free caliber specific shell holder with every set of Lee Dies

[Ikeo74]

Look in your press. There is almost always a shell holder in the press left from a previous loading. I have a cross reference guide that tells if a shell holder will work for more than 1 caliber. If you have others they might work.

[JustinN]

Not in the press. I need to look into the shell holder set - I currently just had the #1 and #8 for 9mm and .243, but a complete set would be good. I've been buying Hornady dies, but I need to look into the Lee dies. I saw they also come with a powder scoop. I was wanting one the other day, and Bass Pro doesn't sell powder scoops.

I checked the press, checked the inside of ammo boxes, checked the hand primer tool, etc. I had been keeping it in it's blister pack, which I can't find, so at this point I just assume it is gone.

[Ikeo74]

I agree it is probably gone, but it is also sometimes in the last place you look and that would be the box that contains the 243 dies.

[JustinN]

Yeah, I looked in the 243 die box....I looked in my sonic cleaner....I looked inside the bags of brass, clean and unclean.....I looked inside my Lyman universal decapping die tube.....I looked under the bench.

I'm pretty sure it's gone.

[mr surveyor]

my wife always tells me to look behind the milk

[Ikeo74]

I lost my 9mm shell holder one time also, so it is not uncommon. Finally found it one day in a small 10 drawer cabinet where I keep my extra primers. It was in a drawer all by itself. That's when I remembered I put there on purpose so I wouldn't lose it, go figure.:blushing: I'm getting old I guess.

[Bawanna]

I do that all the time, put stuff where I know I won't lose it, never to be seen again or at least for a long long time.

Your not alone.

[JustinN]

And the taper crimp set showed up from Midway today....luckily I hadn't opened the roll crimp set...

I guess I'll keep the taper trump set just because it's newer, and I paid shipping that I can't get back if I return it (forgot to delete the backorder).

[gmcjetpilot]

I AM AN EXPERT IN HAND LOADING 9mm :eek: :biggrin1: :typing: Ha ha!

Seriously I have been obsessed with my new reloading hobby for about 6 months, and I think I have 9mm reloading down to a science.... about 350 rounds loaded and 250 shot, 150 through my CM9. I have only done round nose bullets, but JHP should not be much different, except the OAL will be shorter.

There all kinds of opinions. You do have to be careful with any bullet, NOT to over crimp. I am of the OPINION that ROLL crimping is NOT NEEDED for 9mm.

DO USE Micrometer and Calipers and takes lots of measurements.

DO USE the specs in the manuals and on-line, and read the instructions that came with the dies. I believe the mouth of the case after you seat and "crimp" is about .3750-.3799 by spec. I do work to specs.

I have LEE hand press and Lee 4 piece dies, size, flare, seat and crimp. The size die also de-primes.

The bullet seat die will taper crimp (even though they supply separate crimp die), if you set it up to. I seat the bullet and (final) crimp in separate steps to control OAL and crimp diameter. When I seat bullet I set the die to crimp slightly but not fully when seating bullet, because that centers the case and bullet, keeping RUNOUT of the bullet to nil. If I leave the bullet seat die crimp loose, during bullet seat, the bullet might have some RUNOUT (roll cartridge on flat surface you see bullet tip wobble). On the other hand if you crimp too much before seating the bullet fully, your OAL will vary as case digs in copper and you will damage copper jacket/plating, shaving it. This will make for inaccurate ballistics.

The FINAL TAPER CRIMP reducing the diameter of mouth a few thousands and makes the edge of the case not sharp to touch. It is VERY slight. Don't over do it. This is straight walled bullet 9mm luger (the brass tapers slightly). Some rounds do have bullets made for roll crimping, not 9mm luger. Taper crimp is all you need. Over crimping no matter taper or roll will cause issue with accuracy and damage the copper plate. If you use lead only, then over crimp is a real danger. I understand bullet accuracy will be terrible if over crimped.

One nice thing about Lee, they will also make custom bullet seats for a few bucks. You send them a bullet, and they machine a custom bullet seat for your seat die. The generic one works, but having one made for your specific bullet is better. They charged me a few bucks to it.

DO READ the instructions with the dies. That is where all my early first few round issues came from. From round one I made decent rounds, but they just got better and better as I practiced.

DO WHAT MAKES YOU HAPPY but be methodical, write down your process and stick to it, adjust it as needed...

I don't have a way to measure velocity, but I do get factory new ammo to compare to my 9mm loads. I can say they are great, cycle perfect, accurate and best of all I control it, it's available and does cost less now (about $0.20 a round) at the current prices of reloading supplies. I had to pay way more than I wanted for small primers....

There is some forgiveness in variations between rounds. If a hunting rifle round at long range or competition target shooting, then yes these small variations make a difference. 7 yards out of a small pistol, there is more variation in the shooter than the ammo.

My current recipe: 115gn Rainer and Berry copper plated RN bullets, Winchester 231 powder @ 4.55gns (+/- 0.05), OAL 1.140 (+/- 0.002). I bought 1000 new 9mm Blazer brass, but I also pick up range brass, de-prime, clean, size & reload. The case length can effect the crimp. I sort used brass by brand. Note I do give myself tolerances above. It saves time. If you try and get the exact powder, exact OAL, exact crimp dia or any other dimension down +/- 0.0, it takes a lot longer and makes little difference in a little pistol. That was something I had to learn, to give my self some tolerance. Other wise it took too long.

I'm now using a Lee Powder thrower to load my cases. I was hand measuring every load on electronic scale and hand poured into every case by hand. That took way too long. Once you get a powder thrower calibrated, filling cases with powered is fast. I do spot check a few on scale, but you can just see the volume in case to double check. I'm always within 0.05gn. Now with prepped cases (clean, sized, primed) I can flair, powder, seat, crimp 50 bullets in 30 minutes. Before hand measuring every load it was taking three times or more time.

[ozkahr]

@JustinN

I have a Hornady #8 shellholder NIB that was included free with the Hornady 9mm Taper Die Set I had to buy on ebay. The seller just threw it in the deal. My Forster press does not use shellholders, so I have no use for this.

If you have not already purchased one, I will send you this free (I will pay the postage) to return the favor you did for me with the Crimson Trace Laser for the S&W j-frame.

Let me know here and PM me your address if you want it.

[JustinN]

I already bought one, but I appreciate the offer!

[muggsy]

I do that all the time, put stuff where I know I won't lose it, never to be seen again or at least for a long long time.

Your not alone.

Hurrah! I'm as normal as Bawanna. I put things where I can't find them, too. Wait a minute, Bawanna and normal don't belong in the same sentence. Who knows how to spell oxymoron?

[Bawanna]

Hurrah! I'm as normal as Bawanna. I put things where I can't find them, too. Wait a minute, Bawanna and normal don't belong in the same sentence. Who knows how to spell oxymoron?

I'll check with Jocko and get back to you on that one.

[mr surveyor]

purple cow

[muggsy]

At the back of my reloading bench there's a pegboard. On the peg board is my set of shell holders kept in numerical order on pegs. I can tell at a glance when one is missing. A place for everything and everything in its place. I used to have a sign on my CNC turning center at work that read, "All that this organization needs is a little organization." Truer words were never spoken.

[muggsy]

Basically what you are doing with a taper crimp is restoring the mouth of the case to factory specs. With straight walled rimmed pistol cases you roll crimp the case mouth into the cannelure of the projectile to prevent the projectile from moving forward with recoil and tying up the cylinder of your revolver. Seating dies aren't difficult to adjust if you follow the manufacturers instructions. It's so easy that I can even do it blind folded! Occasionally, I've been known to peek.