Home Forums Reloading Handgun Reloading reloading 9mm?

I'm relatively new to hand loading. I've reload the 45 acp and used mixed headstamp one-fired brass as a means to help lower my cost without issue. I only needed to sort by primer size.

I wanted to do the same with the 9mm, buy mixed head stamp, once-fired brass.

However from what I've read, is that due to the 9mm being a small, high pressure cartridge and due to variation differences in different brands of brass that I should sort my 9mm brass by brand?

So does this mean that since I bought the cheap once-fired mixed head stamp brass, now I'll need to sort them by brand and work up my loads for each different brand? This would takes away the frugality/economic of the cheap mixed head stamp brass of the 9mm.

The 45 acp seems like such an easy, straight forward cartridge to load for by comparison. Wondering what I got myself into with reloading the 9mm. It seems like such a fusy cartridge by comparison. Ugh! Helpful advice please.

I've been loading 9mm ammo since about 1973 and have never yet sorted brass. Nothing has blown up in my face yet. I see no need to do so unless you are operating on the ragged edge of safety, and at that point you have more problems than sorting brass can cure.

I do look at each case to make sure it is not mangled,cracked, home to a wasp nest or Berdan primed.

If your dies are set up properly, I find the 9mm to be no more or less fussy to load than the .45 ACP or .38 Special. I do like the Lee Factory Crimp Die in 9mm and use it as a final step in the loading process to ensure good feeding

I have never sorted any of my calibers by head stamp.

I do not shoot match grade stuff ether.

I do inspect ever case before I throw it in to the reload bin or can.

depends on loads, for just blasting and practice sorting unnecessary.

main difference is the mouth tension on the particular bullet, by different brands of brass. If you use a taper crimp die, you won't notice much difference. also the type of bullet, jacketed vs. cast vs. plated. can make a difference

lots of 9 loads give velocity above 1100 fps can lead the barrel if your using cast. 45 rarely goes above 1000 fps in cast loads so problem not seen much.

The 9 is versatile so hang in there and just have fun.

Unless I'm loading +P loads, I don't sort 9mm brass by brand. I have Starline brass exclusively for +P loads because (1) the cases are robust and long-lasting and (2) for high-pressure loads having cases with identical internal capacity is a good idea.

Shooting range brass reloads through the G19 at 100 yard distant clay birds, most shots are within a foot of center.
Every mag or so, one will deviate by 5 or six feet.

Brass?
Gun?
Me?

I have about 30 pounds of 9mm brass, it gets sorted by whichever is on top...

Thank you to all who have replied.

I will be using lee 4-set deluxe dies. Bullets with be Hornady124gr xtp-hp for self-defense and their 124gr fmj for practice/target/plinking.

I don't sort for any semi-auto. I just make sure that all the brass I've used, have been run through my pistols.

You may consider a "chamber checker" as brass shot thru a Glock can be bulged at the base. Run your finished rounds thru it. Not a very expensive part.

leomort, for range/practice loads you definitely do not need to sort 9mm brass, with two exceptions to pick out:
- the Berdan primed cases (recognizable by two small flash holes). Most of these I find have Israeli headstamps.
- and "FC NT" cases which have crimped primer pockets, and generally benefit from deburring the pocket for easy primer seating. These also have larger flash holes that can change ballistics a little and are not desirable for hot loads.

I sometimes do sort brass though for consistency in high pressure loads (I use Win brass for +P and +P+), or for deeply seated heavy subsonic bullets. For heavy subsonics (a 158gr RN is a good example), the base of the bullet can extend down into the case web and either bulge the case or swage the bullet down. FC brass has the most room for heavy bullets, Win is the worst. Most other common brands like PMC, CCI, and S&B are in between but usually closer to Win brass in length of the web.

I've never encountered a Glock-fired 9mm case that was bulged, other than severe over-pressure handloads that would bulge in any pistol.

I never bothered to reload 9mm. I only use my 9mm for plinking and I can buy white box stuff at Walmart too cheaply to make it worth my while to reload.

This^^^^^^^

All my 9mm reloads are stictly for range work & I keep the velocities around 1050-1100 with 115gr bullets & PowerPistol. If using lead bullets, the coated ones from Bayou Bullets just can't be beat either in 9mm or 45.

All my 9mm carry ammo is factory, either Fed HST or Gold Dots.

MM

My last powder purchase was during the great drought but even with that I am loading 9mm for $6 a box, powder was $160 for 8#, brass free, bullets $140 for 2k..

i probably have at least a five gallon can of 9mm brass, picked up on the desert.
i throw out the berdan primed stuff.
Mostly i have loaded, a lot, cast bullets made by moi.
mostly i do not load to the ragged edge.
my cost per box is around 2 bucks.
when i have loaded premium bullets, i have sorted by head stamp.
I priced out new componets, brass, primers, bullets etc then decided to buy that 9 or 10dollar a box new stuff.
i also use a taper crimp on this stuff.

I sort by headstamp, mostly because the brass varies so much in thickness, and I have to make minute adjustments in the seating die to get good consistency. But then, my 9mm "plinking" is on .5L water bottles at 50-120yds. You want a 20ft shooter at paper, no sorting is required.

I don't reload jacketed bullets in handguns, cast all the way. With a lee six cavity mold, it's cheap and relatively easy to load 9mm for pennies a shot. The only issue I've had is using lee 120 gr tc bullets and my dillon seating die. I need to machine a seating stem that matches the nose profile of the bullet as some of them load crooked and bulge the brass. More than likely I'll just get one of the 125 rf molds.

This^^^^
But maybe not at Walmart all the time.

The only time I shoot 9mm is with the Hi Powers. Mostly I shoot .45 ACP or .38 Super in auto's.

But being an avid hand loader, I would guess you would not have any problem with plinking loads. With the few exceptions mentioned already.

That tapered Lee Factory Crimp die used properly is a must with mixed brass IMO.

Need help gentlemen! I did not sort my brass per boards recommendations. However, when I flared the case mouths of mixed headstamp 9mm, I notice great variation to how much the case mouths were flared. Some where just right, others where so wide that the 124 gr hornady fmj could easily be push to bottom of cartridge during bullet seating.

Is the problem me? Did I not adjust properly? Not consistent on pressure of handle? Perhaps too vigorous on some and gentle on others? As far as I can tell, it's not specific to anyone one brand of brass. So that has me thinking it's something I'm doing wrong? Any suggestions or thoughts here?

If you're shooting a match, sort brass, if not just load and shoot. Yes I've experienced notable differences in various brass, but haven't seen an issue with function and reasonable accuracy for my uses.