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I have metric shlt-ton of 9mm brass for plinking and a bunch of nickel that I'm getting ready to load JHP rounds.
While loading a ladder test for the nickel cases I noticed that none of them, after a full length resizing/loading and a light crimp fit in the case gauge completely. 99.9% of the brass passed this test so I'm wondering WTH is going on?
I don't remember having that problem with the 40 smith and Wesson 38/357 nickel cases. See the pics.


1C0D6F71-DD02-4636-AB48-64E699EC838C.jpeg AFD08A64-955D-40B8-B122-DB33EB41902B.jpeg
 
Last Edited:
Buy a Dillon! 😁 Isn't that the normal advice given from all the "experts"? Are you sure they are non magnetic? I've been coming across nickel plated steel more and more.
 
Whip out the calipers and start measuring those two side by side on all angles. You'll find something, then you'll know from there.

Also, these case gauges help see where something is off. (Sorry 9 is currently out of stock.)
 
I've seen slightly bulged as well as visibly bulged when shooting an AR-9 suppressed. If the plated ones are the same headstamp, it's possible they came from the same gun and were used under those conditions.

Might also check your sizing die to see if it's touching the shell plate and sizing the brass all the way down. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt :oops:
 
I've seen slightly bulged as well as visibly bulged when shooting an AR-9 suppressed. If the plated ones are the same headstamp, it's possible they came from the same gun and were used under those conditions.

Might also check your sizing die to see if it's touching the shell plate and sizing the brass all the way down. Been there, done that, got the t-shirt :oops:
All this brass has been accumulated over a two year period so I highly doubt that is the case but who knows.
I have not adjusted the sizing die since loading 400 plinkers last week, it worked just fine.
 
Do you have some sized, yet to be loaded cases left over from that batch.

Do these cases hang up or guage ok?

If the empty cases pass QC then either the case has been morphed during the seating or crimping stage or the bullet ogive is bumping into the lands.
 
Do you have some sized, yet to be loaded cases left over from that batch.

Do these cases hang up or guage ok?
None are resized but the few I did resize when I checked earlier gauged fine, none hung up in the gauge.
If the empty cases pass QC then either the case has been morphed during the seating or crimping stage or the bullet ogive is bumping into the lands.
I tried both the brass and nickel in the gauge after I resized a dozen or so, all the nickel did not pass QC, the brass did.
 
I've looked at both pictures. Unless I'm missing something, the picture on the right suggests an issue with case length. Whatever bullet was used isn't going to touch the gauge so that wouldn't be the source of the problem. Excessively long cases with 9mm brass are not typically a problem but it isn't unknown.

Or is there some anomaly with the rim that prevents it from dropping all the way into the gauge?

You said you're using a Lee "factory crimp" die, so sidewall bulge shouldn't be preventing the completed cartridge from hanging up in the gauge. "Shouldn't" being the operative word.

I've sized a lot of nickel plated brass cases and never had dimensional issues with them because they were plated.
 

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