How soft can I shoot from 9mm?

[Arceagle]

Now that I have a couple of different lead sources (coww, pure lead, range lead and a 50/50 mix, magnum bird shot) to cast from I am curious on just how soft a bullet I can shoot from my 9mm.

My first cast boolits were for my .327 fed mag and I started by making them as hard as I could with the materials I had. I would blend the bird shot with range lead until got a bullet that was harder than boolits that I had purchased that were supposed to be BHN 18, those boolits were water dropped. These shot very clean and accurate. So with my inability to leave good enough alone I wanted to see how soft I could go. These are gas checked bullets and I got them so they seem about as hard as some BHN 12s I had also purchased. They are still accurate and clean and I am shooting them at the same speed as the water cooled 18's which is 1400 fps.

Well now to my next project - loading for my Glock 34 9mm. The mold I have is for a 135gr. bevel base flat nose. From what I have been reading the biggest mistake seems to be too small or too hard of a boolit in the 9mm. I am wanting to shoot these around 900 fps what hardness would be a good place to start. My bore slugged .3556 and I was going to size to .357.

I may not have my head screwed on right yet, but I am thinking the softest boolit I can shoot without problems is the best boolit for most applications. Is this right?

[Norseman]

Arceagle,

I started casting for the 9mm with the Lee 356-120-TC mold and they weighted 130 grains. I didn't think much over is and tried in my SVI Infinity with OK results and no leading. Sized to .357 and a Molybee lube.

When I got home from the range, I discovered that I had used the lead I harvested from the air pistol range with a hardness of 8 BHN.

I usually mix it up to 12-14 BHN with excellent results in 9mm, .357 Mag and .44 Mag.

Fit is King!

Norseman

[runfiverun]

only one way to find out.

[sig2009]

Arceagle,

I started casting for the 9mm with the Lee 356-120-TC mold and they weighted 130 grains. I didn't think much over is and tried in my SVI Infinity with OK results and no leading. Sized to .357 and a Molybee lube.

When I got home from the range, I discovered that I had used the lead I harvested from the air pistol range with a hardness of 8 BHN.

I usually mix it up to 12-14 BHN with excellent results in 9mm, .357 Mag and .44 Mag.

Fit is King!

Norseman

That's the reason they weighed in at 130gns because it was soft range lead. If I mix 50/50 range lead and linotype they will drop at around 122.5-123 gns.

[Freischütz]

I use wheel weights. I shoot a P.08 so I keep velocities under 1100 fps. With properly sized bullets there's almost no leading.

Unless you plan on using something really soft like pure lead, your leading and accuracy problems should be solved by correctly fitting bullets.

[Wolfer]

If your boolit fits I'll be very surprised if you have any trouble with a bhn of 8 or 3 parts lead to 1 part WW with a pinch of tin. When I start trying to see how soft I can go I'm always amazed.

I need to clarify, I do not own a 9mm, have never cast or loaded for one. I'm just talking cast in general mostly where I got no business.

[MT Gianni]

When I first started to cast I used a soft alloy in 9mm with a 120 gr TL Lee. I mined the bbl lead and recast it with a harder alloy. It didn't lead now but the accuracy stunk. If your boolits are able to carry a good lube you should be OK if they fit.

[Lloyd Smale]

I had pour accuracy with softer alloys in my 9s. I like to cast at least 12 bhn and prefer something around 16.

[Arceagle]

Testing loads just isn't as easy as it once was. Since they closed the range that was only five miles from work the nearest range is 40 miles away. Didn't used to mind 1/2 a dozen trips working up one load, now it requires waiting for a day off work and about $25 in gas. So I am trying my best to get as close as possible with the first couple of batches. I hate to take a gun to the range and only shoot 50 or so rounds thru it before putting it away.

I did build a bullet trap in the back yard where I can test for leading and function, but accuracy testing requires a trip to the range.

I am using an expander die from a set of .357 mag dies and size seems good, or at least the boolit is still .357 when I pull it back out of a case. I notice some guys are sizing even larger for their Glocks but .357 looks big enough at .0014 over bore size or do I need bigger? I do have a .358 size die.

[R.M.]

I'd try a .358" and see if it'll chamber. If it does, load a few and see how they do.

[trapper9260]

I cast for 9mm with the hardness of being from 13 to 16 BHN I also use the same BHN in my 32 and 357,38spl . All i do is I have odd type of lead that I tested with a lee lead tester and then see what way i need to go to hard it or soft it up to where i want it . It always work for me and I do not get the leading like I have with factory lead loads . I shot some in my 44 mag and the factory leaded the gun and then I cast my own and no leading. Also on my 44mag I use gas checks .

[williamwaco]

I normally use 10-12 BNH but I have used as soft as 9 with good results.

[Boerrancher]

As was stated earlier, "Fit is King." Always remember the original Winchester 22 mag, or 22 WMR, pushed a very soft, pure lead, bullet at 2,000 fps. If there would have been leading problems, or accuracy problems the 22 mag would never have caught on like it has. What I am trying to tell you is that if the proper fit is achieved, and the proper lube is used, you will not be able to push a pure lead boolit fast enough out of your 9mm to cause leading. It might not be as accurate as a milder load, but if everything is right it will not lead the bore.

Best wishes,

Joe

[MtGun44]

LOL!

Thanks Norseman - once again verifying that the guys that say you have to shoot linotype in
semiautos haven't actually tried the soft alloys.

I have had pretty much the same results with .357 mag and .44 mag - 8 BHN works fine, even
at full power or very near it.

I normally use AC WWts at around 12-14 BHN, but sometimes I have range scrap that is
much softer - no particular problems.

One of Bret's best lines " Fit is KING!" is absolutely true.
Bill

[Shiloh]

No issues with 9mm cast with range scrap. Sized at .358. Barely touches the lube die and works great.

Shiloh

[Old Caster]

The only reason soft bullets cause as many problems as they do is because being soft, it is easy for the brass to be too tight of a fit and cause swaging down of the bullet. Measure your bullet after it is loaded by pulling it with an inertia puller. Custom expanders might be necessary but remember that if they get too big they might not cycle. This kind of attention doesn't seem to be necessary in larger calibers like 45 acp or in longer cases like 38's but in 32 long it is a problem but that is because stock barrels are too large to start with. A 9 mm case is relatively short and the brass gets quite thick just a short distance inside the case plus, with older guns they have barrels that run all different sizes which makes loading 9mm lead bullets sometimes a challenge -- Bill --

[Lloyd Smale]

I guess theres a big differnce in whether you just want your gun to go bang or you want it to win matches. Ive yet to own a 9mm, 40, or a 45acp that didnt do better on paper with harder alloys. Sure bullet fit is the most important thing and soft can be made to shoot and even made to shoot without leading but when a 1/4 inch differnce in group size can be the differnce between a win or not ill take a bit harder lead thankyou.

[Bret4207]

Hardness is a tool. You HAVE to start with a proper fitting boolit. Your Bhn will, more or less, be used to adjust dynamic fit, that is the fit of the boolit caused by the powders pressure. Harder can work fine- if it fits. Or harder can be a disaster. I'm afraid only time and experimentation will say for sure what direction you have to go. But start with proper static fit- a boolit large enough to seal the grooves for sure. Adjust your dynamic fit IF you find problems cropping up. Harder isn't simply better, it's just different. And since a single Bhn reading can result from 3 different alloys treated 3 different ways.....it's a bit more complex than just saying the 12 Bhn will work or that you have to have 20 Bhn. 20 Bhn of what alloy, treated how?

In short, sorry, but the there's no simple answer. Fit is King, after that it's up to you.

[Old Caster]

Swaged 45 lead bullets from Magnus or Zero are among the most accurate lead bullets you can buy and they are also among the softest. Even softer is the old Star swaged 185 hollow point which was pure lead and was the bullet of choice for virtually all bullseye shooters until they went out of business. -- Bill --