Issues with Brass Resize/Trim - Hornady Die

I recently purchased a Hornady 9mm Luger/9X21 Custom Grade Titanium Nitride die set #546516 and once I clean, de-prime, and size I am not able to trim them using my Hornady Cam Lock trimmer using trimmer pilot #15. I even tried using a Lee case trimmer. The problem is that once I size the 9mm luger brass using dies the inside diameter of the case is .350" the trimmer pilot is .353. The Lee trimmer pilot is .353" as well.

I have tied sizing Military WMA, Remington, PMC, Winchester Brass with the same results. I have tried sizing using Oneshot and Impearl Sizing Wax with no difference in the result. I'm at a loss of what else, sort of buying a competitor's die set on how to solve this problem.

Has anyone had this problem with Hornady Pistol dies? This is the first time I have reloaded 9mm Luger and have not had problems with other calibers, it is the first time I have used a Hornady pistol die though. My other pistol dies are RCBS, I wishing now I had stuck with RCBS.

I have sent Hornady an email. But doesn't help me with the 600 cases I've just resized.

Maybe try putting some lube on the pilot? I can't recall if I've trimmed 9mm. I load it so rarely - but I do check and trim as needed on anything I load. I regularly trim 45 colt quite much for use with the long FTX bullets in my SAA, and the 45 pilot fits perfectly - I too have Hornady trimmer and pilots - and the same 9mm dies too. I have a bag of a few thousand 9mm assorted range brass. I'll give a random handful a check and try to confirm for you.

I'm sorry but this sort of escapes me...trimming pistol brass. I don't understand why. Pistol brass will usually be lost or crack long before it's overall length becomes a problem. It's not as high pressure as rifle so it's not going to go through the same transformations as rifle. I've loaded my share for sure, 9, 38/357, 40, 45, 44 mag...others in smaller quantities. No one else I know of trims pistol brass either.

I would suggest just using them as is and save the time and effort. Yes, the pilot needs to be smaller than the case mouth, just like rifle. You could always just do a precision grind of the offending pilot to specific diameter...

Trim before you size the brass? Otherwise as Jim the elder says forget trimming them. ( .30 carbine is a must trim though. )

Put the pilot in a drill with some 2000 grit wet/dry and spin it down till it just goes into the sized neck, it has nothing to do with sizing the neck so not a critical step there its just to center and align the case from wobbling. All my cases are sized before trimming other wise the shaft of the cutter head can wobble on the long axis with the pilot being a loose fit and the trimming will not be square to the neck. I always chamfer the inside of the necks after sizing prior to trimming as well.

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Originally Posted by Bruce McAskill

forget trimming them

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It certainly isn't widely practiced, but I suppose there could be several reasons. Different manufacturers have different tolerances. some match pistol people like to trim for consistency? Some pistols may have tighter chambers than others? Definitely need to trim for revolvers to fit some of the pointy projectiles as I mentioned. Perhaps he has one of those new fancy Ruger LCR 9mm revolvers, and wants to use FTX's - same problem then maybe as I have with 45 colt in my single action.

I guess Bill will have to state his need before we can understand. He must have a problem of some sort. Yes, 30 Carbine is a must but I don't consider that a pistol case. The method Cinders mentions for reducing is basically what I called a precision grind... I can't imagine pistol brass being valuable with a few exceptions, enough to have to trim. Certainly not 38 super/9x21.

Have you considered running the cases into the expander die before trimming? This should open up the mouths enough for the trimmer pilot.

Handgun brass are straight walled or slightly tapered and shorten on resizing. Why would you want to trim them?

Especially .45 ACP. The brass shrinks with each loading and firing. No trimming needed.