Further notes....
• You'll need to buy a
Universal Decapping Die. The Lee product is the best value, but rust will make it unsightly. Squirt the outside with the Dillon
Case Lube to coat it in wax. I apply DCL to all my die's threads before I install them into the
Tool Heads. It simply makes things easier over time.
• You'll need at least 4
Tool Heads (1 for each of your 3 calibers, 1 for the DCL). I greatly prefer the ones from
JoferUSA because they are nicer looking and cheaper. And they offer further discounts on multiples.
• Use the Speer manual as your
primary resource. It's a better manual for general reloading. If you have a Hornady bullet, then switch to the Hornady manual. Otherwise consult the Speer.
• You'll want a press lamp. We highly prefer the
UFO LED lamp kits from
KMS Squared. They are at least twice the brightness of other brands.
• You'll want the
Spent Primer Chute from
UniqueTech to keep the press, the bench, and the air neat and clean. Route the hose into a sealed 5qt oil jug or 1gal milk jug.
Something big and sealed.
• You'll want to place a big,
fat o-ring between the
Tool Head and the lock ring on the Dillon 9mm
Seating Die. This makes OAL adjustment easy and at the same time stops die movement during production. This is one reason to squirt the die threads with Dillon
Case Lube. The o-ring from Lee dies works great.
• You'll want to use the Bullseye powder when reloading 9mm. It's an older, but thoroughly adequate powder.
• It's important to lube new Dillon Powder Measures with
powdered graphite, available at hardware stores in the Lock section. Squirt 1 puff into the hopper before each use until things loosen up and start moving. Adding office rubber bands (or springs) to assist the Powder Bar to return can be a good thing.
• You
can and should practice making "powder drops" well before you start making ammo. Fill the hopper with your powder and find a spent 9mm case with a primer still in, and just run it through over and over. Weigh the first 10 drops and you'll see large variations, and in this way you'll learn never to use drops #1 thru #10. Practice changing the PM to achieve certain settings. Examples... 3.5gr, then 4.3gr, then 4.7gr.
• Marking your PM with a Sharpie Marker will help you remember which way to turn the adjuster. Buying the push-on knobs for Ebay will make adjustments easier.
• Finally,
die settings are critical to making good ammo.
- The
Sizing Die should be set to where it lifts the
Tool Head at the top of the stroke,
but the Tool Head should still be free to move. There is approx 0.008" of vertical free play in the Tool Head, and you should adjust your die to get a 0.004" lift.
- The
Powder Die is adjusted up/down to result in the necessary belling. "Necessary" may depend upon the brand/style of bullet.
- The
Seating Die is adjusted to deliver the correct OAL
with the best anvil for the bullet shape. You may need to flip or change out the anvil.
- The
Taper Crimp Die should be adjusted to result in the diameters suggested in the
Taper Crimp discussion in the Stickies.
Hope this helps.
