Do I need to size 105gr 38 special boolits for 9mm application?

[Morroad8]

Hi all,

I know im new here, and havent even casted my first boolit yet...but I made my order to get me started! Im pretty excited!

So I am in need of expert knowledge. I ordered a Lee 6 cavity 358-105-SWC mold for my .38 caliber revolvers, but I am also planning on getting a 9mm conversion barrel for my glock. Would I need to size the 105gr .358 diameter boolits to .356 diameter for the 9mm? I want to make sure everything is done safely. Thanks!

[bruce drake]

check the diameter of your 9mm barrel when you get it. You may find that the chamber and barrel accepts the .358 diameter bullet just fine. There are a lot of 9mm barrels that shoot cast better with .358 siz3d boolits. I know I owned a Taurus 99AF once that hated .356 lead bullets but shot great groups out to 50 yards with LEE's 124gr Truncated Cone boolit once I sized it at .358...

Bruce

[noylj]

I have shot over 1k through my 9x19s (including my CZ75s with 0.355" groove diameters) and only lightly tumble-lubed in LLA. Gave up sizing decades ago.
Those bullets feed and shoot great. I asked Lee if they might consider that same ogive on a 120-125gn bullet.

[Lizard333]

Slug your barrel. Go a thousand or two over bore. My 9mm likes it at 357.

[beagle]

Yeah, kinda depends on the barrel diameters that you have. My Browning High Powers like bullets from a custom .3575" die that I have and my Blackhawk convertibles like bigger bullets. In revolvers, you can normally get away with a larger diameter bullet than with semiautos./beagle

[Char-Gar]

I have shot cast bullet through about a dozen Euro and American 9mm autopistols and I found .358 works just fine in them all. I would think .357 would be just as good.

[Larry Gibson]

Many, many years ago I started off sizing 9mm cast bullets at .356 because that's what we were supposed to size them. I never had leading or any other problems with them (Javelina lube & WW alloy over 4 gr Bullesye). Then I sized them .357 and finally .358 and they still chambered and shot very well in every thing. So that's what I size the Lee 105 SWC at for the 9mm; .358.

Larry Gibson

[Morroad8]

Thanks everyone! I will look into the barrel size first and see what it is. Being that I am starting off I didnt want to have a bad experience, especially on my first attempt at casting! Hopefully I do not need to size them, and might just try them unsized if I feel confident enough haha

[Vly]

Measure the diameter of the boolits as they drop from the Lee mold. Many Lee molds drop undersized boolits. In your case, that would be a good thing. Your .358 mold may actually drop at .357. Something to check.

[Shiloh]

That boolit fails to seat reliably for me. Perhaps a stronger recoil spring to seat them, or possibly
seating a bit deeper in the case. There is plenty of room to seat deeper with that boolit though.

Shiloh