Loading the 9x18mm w/ Luger brass

Discussion on reloading the 9x18 and any other cartridge
User avatar
surfzombie
Member
Member
Posts: 181
Joined: June 29th, 2010, 10:07 pm
Location: Utah

Re: Loading the 9x18mm w/ Luger brass

Post by surfzombie »

juniustaylor wrote:surfzombie, some folks use nail polish, permanent marker, or the Birchwood-Casey brass black solution. I'd probably opt for the brass black as I could put some on a rag and rub the case heads on the rag.
I have never herd of that stuff. It sound perfect for this. Where do you get it?

The reason I need to mark it is because I also shoot and reload 9mm and it would make it a lot easier to visually identify the Mak from the 9mm.
wyo-man
Member
Member
Posts: 79
Joined: August 14th, 2010, 2:45 pm

Re: Loading the 9x18mm w/ Luger brass

Post by wyo-man »

Sorry for the thread drift.........
One other option is to get correctly marked 9mm MAKAROV brass from Midway or directly from Starline.
That is how I separate my 9mm Luger and 9mm MAK brass.
Norm is correct - you can tell when you try to resize a 9mm MAK in a 9mm Luger resizing die. :D

wyo-man
User avatar
juniustaylor
Elite member
Elite member
Posts: 1408
Joined: February 9th, 2010, 10:56 pm
Location: KV, MO
Contact:

Re: Loading the 9x18mm w/ Luger brass

Post by juniustaylor »

surfzombie, Wal-Mart used to carry the whole line of Birchwood-Casey products, however, I don't think they do anymore. They're too concerned about selling buttloads of cheap China-made crap and cut down extensively on their sporting goods selection. I'd say you could find it at a gun store in your area if you have one. Otherwise, it can be ordered on the internet with varying prices which range from $6-10.

To wyo-man, that option has already been suggested. If you read on the first page I think it is, it has already been discussed that 9mm Luger brass is more readily available, often times free. You only do the conversion once and it really takes very little time. I ran through 100 cases relatively quickly with a cordless drill and the Lee case length gage set. On the other side of the coin, you can buy the stuff for about 18 cents per case which kind of drives up that initial cost. It really just comes down to convenience. For the less-inclined, they'll go with the Starline stuff and those that are penny-pinchers will trim off the miniscule 1mm.
User avatar
juniustaylor
Elite member
Elite member
Posts: 1408
Joined: February 9th, 2010, 10:56 pm
Location: KV, MO
Contact:

Re: Loading the 9x18mm w/ Luger brass

Post by juniustaylor »

Also, you cannot order it from Midway or Starline because it is out of stock. After dealing with Starline in the past with .38 S&W, I do not trust their "estimated" production date. I guess it could be bought off Gunbroker or similar sites though.
wyo-man
Member
Member
Posts: 79
Joined: August 14th, 2010, 2:45 pm

Re: Loading the 9x18mm w/ Luger brass

Post by wyo-man »

My apologies for not reading through the entire thread.

wyo-man
waltham41
Member
Member
Posts: 58
Joined: July 11th, 2010, 11:48 am

Re: Loading the 9x18mm w/ Luger brass

Post by waltham41 »

I mark the case heads with permanent black magic marker
Autosurgeon
Member
Member
Posts: 76
Joined: July 29th, 2010, 12:13 pm
Location: Lawrence MI
Contact:

Re: Loading the 9x18mm w/ Luger brass

Post by Autosurgeon »

Graff and Son seems to have the best handle on the starline brass issue. They said 3 weeks and my 1100 piece order shipped in 3 weeks.
Anything I post may be my opinion and not the law... you are responsible to do your own verification.

Blackstone (1753-1765) maintains that "the law holds that it is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer."
normsutton
Global moderator
Global moderator
Posts: 3575
Joined: February 26th, 2006, 6:59 am
Location: LAKELAND FL.

Re: Loading the 9x18mm w/ Luger brass

Post by normsutton »

Autosurgeon

Graff and Son seems to be a top notch company, been doing a lot more business with them lately

NORM
NORMSUTTON@AOL.COM
N.R.A. LIFE MEMBER 1976

ImageImage
User avatar
papabear
Global moderator
Global moderator
Posts: 2080
Joined: January 22nd, 2006, 1:16 am
Location: Madisonville, Kentucky

Re: Loading the 9x18mm w/ Luger brass

Post by papabear »

I've always had good service from Graf & Sons, Norm put me on them back when.
fish
Junior member
Posts: 41
Joined: July 15th, 2010, 9:06 am

Re: Loading the 9x18mm w/ Luger brass

Post by fish »

I mark my cut down Luger case heads with a sharpie. I haven't had any issues sorting out my brass yet.... :D

Given the distance my P64 and CZ-82 like to throw brass, my recovery rate on my cases (has been as low as 50% and as high as 90% with extensive looking), and the availablility of once fired 9mm Luger brass (it is all over the range), I much prefer to cut down Luger brass to Mak specs than spend the 18 cents per case for backordered Starline.

I use the Lee case trimmer to cut my brass down. The only problem I have had is wear on the case trimmer pilot gauge tip. My cases were getting shorter and shorter until finally they were out of spec (after only 200 cases!). I noticed the tip of the case length gauge was starting to mushroom. I called Lee and the tech said "you must be using some power" (yes, cordless drill) and "once it bottoms out, you're done. Don't ride it!" (yeah, OK, I get it.) Lee did send me another one.
Autosurgeon
Member
Member
Posts: 76
Joined: July 29th, 2010, 12:13 pm
Location: Lawrence MI
Contact:

Re: Loading the 9x18mm w/ Luger brass

Post by Autosurgeon »

My solution to the brass issue is to only shoot my brass launchers in the side berm-ed pistol ranges which we keep sprayed so they have no grass on the deck.
Anything I post may be my opinion and not the law... you are responsible to do your own verification.

Blackstone (1753-1765) maintains that "the law holds that it is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer."
User avatar
surfzombie
Member
Member
Posts: 181
Joined: June 29th, 2010, 10:07 pm
Location: Utah

Re: Loading the 9x18mm w/ Luger brass

Post by surfzombie »

I have tried the sharpe and the permanent marker but when I throw them in the tumbler for the next go around it tends to come off and that has been my game plan thus far. I was just looking for a better way. I might have to give that Birchwood casey stuff a try if I can find some.
fish
Junior member
Posts: 41
Joined: July 15th, 2010, 9:06 am

Re: Loading the 9x18mm w/ Luger brass

Post by fish »

I sort before I dump them in the tumbler. That way everything I get out of the tumbler on that go-around I know to be cut down Mak. I do have to re-mark the case heads every go-around because the sharpie wears off. But fortunately I lose enough brass that I end up making a bunch of new ones, so I have to mark a few anyways..... :lol:

The problem with Birchwood Casey or any other brass 'antiquing' solution is that it simply oxidizes the surface of the case. Throw the case in the tumbler long enough and it will come off....wash your brass in Lemi-shine and it's gone for sure. Sure sharpie comes off pretty easily but it goes on pretty easy too. Just do your sort before you clean.
User avatar
juniustaylor
Elite member
Elite member
Posts: 1408
Joined: February 9th, 2010, 10:56 pm
Location: KV, MO
Contact:

Re: Loading the 9x18mm w/ Luger brass

Post by juniustaylor »

Boy, there sure were a lot of new replies! Graf & Sons is good. I stopped by there the other day and bought some stuff from them. Friendly folks and they have a good selection. I had noticed my .38 S&W Lee case length gage started to mushroom a bit. I didn't check to see if it still made them in spec's. Maybe I should give Lee a call and get a new one. ;)
fish
Junior member
Posts: 41
Joined: July 15th, 2010, 9:06 am

Re: Loading the 9x18mm w/ Luger brass

Post by fish »

Before I received my replacement 9x18Mak Lee case length gauge I made a .010" thick washer from the side of a spent 22lr case that fits between the gauge and cutter face to make up the loss of length from wear on the tip. FWIW the tip on the Lee gauge used to be a separate hardened pin but now the gauge is milled out of a single piece of stock. I have considered case hardening the tip by heating it red hot and quenching in used motor oil but I suspect that would be a really good way to wear a hole in the lock stud instead.... :wink:
Post Reply