After hearing good things about Bayou's 9mm 120 gr. truncated cone bullet I decided to give them a try. I've been reloading 9mm a little over two years using round nose bullets from RMR, Berry's, and Blue Bullets and have had no real issues loading any of them. With the Bayou bullets I had problems from the get go with scraping the Hi Tek coating and/or getting the loaded rounds to fit flush in a case gauge. I'm using a Dillon 550C and after much frustration learned that adjusting the flare at the powder die influenced both problems. The bullet had to stand up straight in the case before seating or it would bulge the case enough to not fit the case gauge. If I adjusted the flare to easily set the bullet straight, I would scrape off a little of the coating when seating the bullet. I spent hours trying to find the perfect setting with the powder die and it became very frustrating. The magic bullet (no pun intended) was replacing the Dillon powder funnel with a custom powder funnel from Uniquetek. Once I got the flare dialed in with this funnel, all my rounds fit the case gauge and there was no damage to the coating on the bullet. The shape of the flare this funnel produces is different (better) than what the Dillon funnel makes. I think Double Alpha has a similar funnel that comes with their bullet feeder. I still feel like I'm a newbie reloader and I expect all you experienced guys have knowledge of this situation but I thought I'd share my experience with this anyway. By the way, these bullets seem to be very accurate and I think I'm going to really enjoy shooting them. And I have to give a big shout out to Dennis @ Bayou Bullets for making himself available to offer support. He even gave me his cell number so I could call after hours.
Baldwin
It would be interesting to see a picture looking up at the stem of the new powder measure/funnel from the bullet's viewpoint. I'e had problems with my dillion working with mixed cases catching the rim of a case periodically and folding it over just enough to impair seating - or feeding when firing. I do not test every loaded round in a case gauge - perhaps 10-15 / 100.
When I switched to a Dillon 550C from my Lee Turret, I had an RCBS Uniflow with Case Activated Linkage for every caliber toolhead I had been using. I just moved everything to the Dillon Toolheads. RCBS uses a caliber specific expander that creates the flare on the case mouth: https://www.rcbs.com/powder-measure/progressive/353701.html . The tip is even more tapered than the Uniquetek. The part looks rough in the photo, but all mine are polished and shiny. The system works great with all my coated cast bullets and never have any issues with shaved coating.
In the future you might want to order fewer bullets when you’re trying out a new source.
Changing out equipment isn’t something I look forward to unless I find it really worth it. There are so many bullet options out there you should be able to find something that works with your existing equipment.
Changing out equipment isn’t something I look forward to unless I find it really worth it. There are so many bullet options out there you should be able to find something that works with your existing equipment.
Cast bullets are sized bigger than plated or jacketed with the exception of Blue bullets. Usually an adjustment is needed at the flaring and crimp stations to get things right. More flare is not the answer even though it seems to make sense. Small adjustments are the way to go. I have loaded a lot of these cast bullets on an automated 1050 and they are a pain until you get the adjustments right. Also make sure you are using the proper seating insert in your seating die. One side is for round nose and the other is for a cone shape.
great pics - thanks. I've swicted to loading 9mm on the Dillion this year using a lot of range brass. I will look at the Uniquetek gear.........loading mostly LRN, would like to try some of the flat tipped. I use Missouri Bullets, good products, reasonable, flat rate ship.
If you have an extra station on your press these work great. You don’t necessarily need a swaging station just set the depth so it just touches the bottom of the case. I know someone else makes an expander die that does the same thing for cast bullets.
http://fastandfriendlybrass.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=85
http://fastandfriendlybrass.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=85
http://fastandfriendlybrass.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=85
http://fastandfriendlybrass.com/shop/item.aspx?itemid=85
If you look closely at the Uniquetek "powder funnel" you can see a slight step midway of the expander plug. This is meant to put a step rather than a flare on the case mouth so the bullet will start straight. It is the same principle as the very old Lyman M die.
I tried one and it worked but for some reason they make it way shorter than Dillon's and it took a big change in powder die setting. Introduced a strange bump into the stroke of the press, so I went back to Dillon and just put plenty of flare on for coated bullets. Not like I am going to keep finding the same 9mm empties to worry about "brass life" that preoccupies man loaders.
I tried one and it worked but for some reason they make it way shorter than Dillon's and it took a big change in powder die setting. Introduced a strange bump into the stroke of the press, so I went back to Dillon and just put plenty of flare on for coated bullets. Not like I am going to keep finding the same 9mm empties to worry about "brass life" that preoccupies man loaders.
I run a 929 9mm revo that I use .358 Bayou's in and adjusting the die is a PITA but once it's done it's done! and GTG.
I now shoot bayou .358 bullets in all my nines, they shoot great no problems with feeding etc. But I did spend an hour or so adjusting it to no scrape the coating etc
I now shoot bayou .358 bullets in all my nines, they shoot great no problems with feeding etc. But I did spend an hour or so adjusting it to no scrape the coating etc
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