9mm load data, 135gr coated bullets, COL?

[DMF13]

All, I'm still waiting on all my stuff to arrive, and hope to be up and loading in early January, but just realized I have a slight problem.

I picked 135gr Truncated Cone (TC) Blue Bullets (BB), and Winchester 231 powder. However, I just realized the only load data I found, which is the Hodgdon data, as shown on the BB site, is for Round Nose (RN) bullets. https://thebluebullets.com/load/

My question is, how do I determine the correct Cartridge Overall Length (COL), for the TC rather than RN?

Also, a "bonus" question: Anyone know of a good instructional video for how to setup/adjust the Double Alpha/Lee 2-in-1 seat and crimp die?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[revchuck38]

I would use the load data they show.

For COL, that's going to be different depending on what gun you'll be using the ammo in. IME, Glocks and Berettas have relatively long leades (the part of the barrel from the end of the chamber to the start of the rifling) while CZs and Walthers have relatively short leades. Since I have Walthers, CZs, Berettas, and Glocks, I use a Walther barrel to determine COL. Load a round to the specified COL and, with the barrel removed, drop it into the chamber. Tap it with your finger to make sure it's fully seated, then turn the barrel vertical with the muzzle up. The round should fall out of its own weight. If it doesn't, shorten the COL by .001-.002" and try it again until it does.

Note that when loading RN FMJs, using the specified COL almost always works. Ditto when using data from the bullet's manufacturer (Speer, Hornady, Sierra, etc.). It's when you get away from that profile that you have to check it yourself.

[ECK]

Agree with the plunk test using your gun’s barrel.

I shoot 135 gr Brazos, but they are RN not TCs. My COAL is 1.125” and they pass the plunk test with my CZs. The only TC bullets I have are coated 147’s and I’m able to use the same COAL.

[Jim Watson]

Agree, seat bullet to where it fits YOUR chamber freely, "plunk."

Sorry, I can't find a movie, either. Old fashioned text adjustments:

Follow these steps to adjust the Die:

Position a well-sized and belled case in the appropriate station and run the tool head all the way down (or shell plate all the way up)
With the adjustment knob and lock ring on the die adjusted as high as they will go turn the die into the tool head until it stops, when the top of the case makes contact with the crimp shoulder.
Set the lock ring by turning it down until it locks against the top of the toolhead.
Turn the adjustment knob 2 full turns down, then lower the shell plate and place a bullet onto the case.
Keep turning the adjustment knob down, and test the length of the bullet until you get the overall length you are aiming for.
Once the correct length is reached, lower the shell plate, and loosen the lock ring. Then, turn the die down another half turn to create an adequate crimp, and retighten the lock ring. Then turn the adjustment knob about 2 turns out.
Raise the shell plate again and bring the bullet back into the die, then turn the adjustment knob down until it makes contact with the top of the bullet.

[TOTS]

I would use the load data they show.

For COL, that's going to be different depending on what gun you'll be using the ammo in. IME, Glocks and Berettas have relatively long leades (the part of the barrel from the end of the chamber to the start of the rifling) while CZs and Walthers have relatively short leades. Since I have Walthers, CZs, Berettas, and Glocks, I use a Walther barrel to determine COL. Load a round to the specified COL and, with the barrel removed, drop it into the chamber. Tap it with your finger to make sure it's fully seated, then turn the barrel vertical with the muzzle up. The round should fall out of its own weight. If it doesn't, shorten the COL by .001-.002" and try it again until it does.

Note that when loading RN FMJs, using the specified COL almost always works. Ditto when using data from the bullet's manufacturer (Speer, Hornady, Sierra, etc.). It's when you get away from that profile that you have to check it yourself.

This. 100% plunk test. I’d adjust for the tightest chamber I have; that way the ammo will work in whichever gun you need it to.

I will respectfully disagree with the above observation by offering the sample of 1 Gen 5 G19 had the shortest lead I’ve ever loaded for until I got my M&P 2.0. Normal OALs (when reloading from slide lock) lock both of those up to the point the lands pull the bullet out of the brass when I’m trying to clear the jam. I actually have to load the M&P shorter than the min prescribed OAL.

[358156hp]

Extrapolating the data provided, both on Hodgdon and BB, I suspect you're going to end up in the 1.10 to 1.15 range, I kind of believe that the data on BBs site may actually have a misprint on the bullet type, since they don't appear to even offer a 135 gr RN that I can find on their site. Hodgdons site shows RN at 1.15, and FP at 1.10. Oftentimes, the general recommendation is to keep the case mouth just below the line where the shank of the bullet ends, and the taper (or radius) to the nose begins. Usually the distance below that line is simply listed as being (roughly) equal to the thickness of a piece of shirt cardboard. Try that with a dummy round and see where your OAL length ends up, and check it in your barrel chamber as well (plunk test).

After that, the next concern is to see how your dummy cartridge fits in the magazine, and how well it feeds by hand. You may decide to lengthen your COAL slightly, but I doubt you'll want to seat the bullet much deeper, because that could run your case mouth below the transition point and make crimping difficult, if even at all possible. Do keep in mind that there are minor differences between actual bullet lengths caused by manufacturing variables in bullet forming dies and/or mould cavities.

[CCT125US]

I load that exact bullet profile, both 125 and 135TC to an overall length of 1.125

The 135 simply takes up more case volume.

Sounds as if you are new to reloading, so forgive me if the following is already known.

Brass types (head stamps) can have various thickness and ductility. The amount of seating force will then vary a bit due to minute flexing of the shell plate and tool head. It is not uncommon for mixed 9mm brass to end up having a variation in over all length of +/- .003

For this reason I'll work up a load using one brass type.

Also, depending upon the seater die used, it may compress the lead nose slightly during the seating process. Again the brass type factors in to this. If possible, a die that seats off the ogive is best for proper depth in case, but may show less consistency in OAL due to lack of nose compression.

[DMF13]

Thanks for all the info.

My main concern was that if I seat the bullet too deep it might raise the pressure to unsafe levels.

[revchuck38]

My main concern was that if I seat the bullet too deep it might raise the pressure to unsafe levels.

That's a valid concern in general, but looking at this particular bullet, I doubt that it'd be an issue. That's one long-ass nose.

Since coated bullets have become popular, some mold designers have come up with molds without lube grooves. I recently bought some of these bullets and found I had to shorten COL considerably from my usual 1.13" for FMJs to 1.06" to get them to "plunk". I also reduced the powder charge from 5.5 grains of BE-86 to 5.0. Even though they're shorter than normal, they still run fine in my 9x19s - PX4s, Walther P99Cs, and G45. They run about the same velocity (1060 fps) as factory 124s. So yeah, your concern is valid, but you should be fine with that bullet.