difficult functioning with 9mm tool head

[wayne]

I recently purchased and installed a 9mm tool head on my Star and the sizing is extremely difficult.How should the die be installed in relation to the shell holder?And how far down to the head of the case is necessary to adequately size for functioning?

[bkbc38]

When you are installing the sizing die, screw the die down with the tool head in lowest position while the primer punch is in the highest position. Then screw the sizing die down to the shell plate so that a piece of paper barely fits between the sizing die and shell plate. (The paper should clear between the die and shell plate). Before tightening down the sizing die, it helps to run a case into the sizing die and then tighten it down while the toolhead is in the down position. This aligns the case to the die.

P.S. A couple things to note. First are you using a carbide die? Secondly it may be beneficial to grease the cases prior to loading, although it can be a pain to have to get the grease off of a loaded round (lighter fluid) Also, there is a chance that your brass may be the problem. We run all of our pistol brass through a reverse sizer before loading. This takes the buldges out. (sometimes these budlges are not very noticable but can cause problems with loading) Hope this helps you out.
 

-Bob

[fc60]

Greetings,

Ditto on the sizing die adjustment. Items #60 and #63 will be in line at maximum down travel.

Star used to put a note about 9mm cases. They suggested "wetting your finger" with a bit of Lanolin and stirring the cases.

Cheers,

Dave

[cc656d]

 

   Dave

Thanks, I bought mine late ( mid to late 80's ) and did not recieve the notice.

                                                                   Dave

[varmintpopper]

Wayne
Just a thought, there are many different 9mm cartridges, none of them with the same deminsions, Parabellum, Makarov, 9X23, 9X21, 9mm Steyer, 9X23 Winchester, etc.
If You are trying to size parabellum with a Makarov Die  that may be the source of Your problem with hard to Size cases. Just saying.

Good Shooting

Lindy

[Rolling Stone]

I had a minor hiccup with my expander being set to deep. In other words it was getting down into the thicker part of the case. Try using each station individually instead of filling the shellplate with cases to isolate the offending station.
good luck
Rolling Stone

[wayne]

Thanks for all the tips,I will try all of them.How wet should the finger be?

[shooting fiend]

Its not just you.....LOL

I have had a similar experience with 9mm cases....They are tough to size....even if they are the only case in the machine...I actually use a case lube (Dillons) and spray the cases ahead of time and then either tumble the loaded rounds or wipe them on an isopropyl alcohol soaked towel to take off any extra case lube... I have left some rounds without cleaning them and the dillon case lube doesnt seem to tarnish the cases but I like to remove for longer term storeage... but the Hornady case lube will tarnish the cases if its not cleaned off

[wayne]

I searched for the lanolin oil locally and could not find it but got a bottle off EBAY.WOW does that stuff do the job.Dipped my finger in the bottle let the excess drip off and stirred about 200 9mm cases.I was amazed at how easy the cases went through the sizing die.Made my day.Grateful for the tip,guess the Star builders knew what they were talking about.Try it.