9mm load

[NSP64]

Has anyone used the LEE 125gr rnfp boolit in 9mm loads?
If so, what is the velocity and gun you shoot them in?

[mdi]

Yep, I cast and size mine to .357". I use load data in my Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook; same data as for a LTC 124 gr. bullet. No chrony, so I don't have velocity data. 3.9-4.4 gr W231. FMK 9mm...

[barrybrice]

With the money you are saving on reloading, spend the money on a chronograph. For me, it was $100 well spent. It will help to ensure you are loading safe loads and give you a lot of flexibility in custom loads.

[Shiloh]

Has anyone used the LEE 125gr rnfp boolit in 9mm loads?
If so, what is the velocity and gun you shoot them in?

Yes.

Sized at .358 seated to 1.045 on top of 3.7 gr. Unique gives aroun 970 fps.
I've taken them to 4.4 Unique in the high 1100's
I use AA#5 as well but can't recall the charge. PM me if you need the info.
This will shoot the center out of a 50' slowfife target and a 25 yd slowfire target.

Shiloh

[fcvan]

I've ran that boolit sized to .358 in every 9mm I've owned with 5 grains of Unique. I don't recall the velocity however but have shot that load since 1985. Alliant shows you can go higher than that but I never really pushed it. Through the Marlin Camp Carbine it is very accurate and pretty quiet. Through my S&W 639 Glock 22C and 23, with Lone Wolf conversion barrels, it is easy to put ten in one ragged hole at 15 feet. Through the newest, a Taurus 709 Slim, it isn't grouping as well. I should add the Taurus is quite new and still under 500 rounds. Wear marks from mating surfaces are becoming shiny and each range trip she gets better.

I recently started putting plain based gas checks on my 9mm boolits and am planning a range day just to test the 5 grain charge and then work up towards the listed max. It should be fun. My main load though has been very satisfying. Frank

[legend 550]

I size to .357 and run 4.8gr's Unique. 1.130 oal, 1011 f/s out of a XD9sc accurate and consistent.

[292]

I use 3.5 gr. of Unique in my S&W M&P Shield seated at 1.050" OAL. Had to size smaller than most to get rounds to chamber. Sizing with a .356" Lee push through, boolits actually measure .35675". No leading or feed problems, easy on the gun and me. I have no clue what the velocity is.

[reloader28]

WOW, other than some are using Unique, I'm not seeing any kinda pattern here. Usually you can see a load pattern area that alotta guys will be around.

We load 4.4gr Bullseye for my brother and he really likes it. I didnt check the speed on it, but we're about to try this load in my Dads gun too. Sweet little boolit, I have to get a new mold.

For 9mm I put a plain base check on them.

[NSP64]

fcvan, how do you like that 709 slim?
That was the gun I was looking at getting and was wondering about using the lee 125 gr rf boolit in it. I have a six cavity mold I use to make them for my 38's. I have a whole bunch cast up already

[captaint]

I'm a big fan of IMR 7625 (same as Unique) except it meters much nicer. Been shooting a lot of that lately in the 9mm. I, too, would avoid the 120gr TC from Lee. Some drop from the mold big enough, some molds leave them too small, for me, anyway. enjoy Mike

[fcvan]

NSP64, I am quite fond of the 709 Slim. The weapon orients withing my hand well, sights are good, and the trigger breaks cleanly. I shoot Glocks as my wife gifted me a 22C and later, my agency switched to Glocks for our version of SWAT. Prior to that, my 1911 in .45 ACP was my main off duty weapon. I carried the .45 for over 20 years and never considered size and weight to be an issue. I have always said, once you have a bulge, dress for it.

That being said, the 709 is small and light, about the same size as a Walther PP, (not the smaller PPK) but weighs 1/3 less. I have an FEG PA 63 in .380 which is a Walther PP knock off. That's a great shooter but it doesn't have quite the energy of the 9mm.

My wife bought me a Taurus 738 which is a very small .380 and also a great shooter. The 738 fits behind my wallet and is a great 'something is better than nothing' gun. Soda cans at 25 yards is quite doable with the 738. Function and controls for the 738 are similar to Glock. the only difference is the 738 does not have the 'safe action trigger' like the Glock.

The 738 peaked my interest in the 709. My wife and I were at the gun store and asked if there was anything I had wanted to look at. We ended up leaving with the 709 for me and a 740 for her. The 740 is the same weapon in .40 S&W. Off to the range . . .

The 709 has the same controls as the Glock, including a 'safe action trigger' but with two additional features. The 709 has double-strike capability so if a round doesn't go off you can pull the trigger again without having to pull the slide back far enough to re-cock the striker. The 709 also has an external safety similar to a 1911. I like that.

The 709 is snappy with recoil due to it's light weight. I have no problem qualifying with this weapon but am not quite shooting soda cans at 25 yards. I've got about 500 rounds through it and she's starting to 'shoot in' tighter with each range session. I'm sure part of it is me becoming more familiar with this weapon. I think more of it is the mating surfaces settling in. Like I said, this weapon is much like a smaller Glock and I am very familiar with them.

I must say you should do some research about the 709 with regard to a run of pistols that were goofed up. The guns from a particular run shot low and left and mine did as well. Taurus stands by they're wares. I spoke with a factory rep at the NRA Meetings in St. Louis, and they confirmed the problem and their warranty repair policies.

I followed the directions on their site, mailed in the pistol, and in 4 or 5 weeks it came back. The service slip showed they replaced the slide and one of the rail points. They fired the weapon and sent the test target with the gun. It sucked buying a new gun and having to send it back but it wasn't that much of an inconvenience.

The 709 is snappy with recoil but manageable. The 740, even more so. My wife didn't like it so she horse-traded it for a Ruger Vaquero in .45 Colt which she handed to me. The 709 is a good compromise of size, weight, and power. I stitched up a form fitting belt slide holster out of thick nylon belt/webbing material which retains the weapon well without a strap. I can run with it and have not had any issues. At the moment, I only have the 2 magazines it came with but would like a total of 6. Pierce makes a grip extension which doesn't add any capacity but does give room for the pinky finger to be incorporated into grip of the weapon. I will likely get a few of those. I hope this info is helpful. Frank

Side note, I run the Lee 356-125 2R, and the Lee 356-120 TC, both of which cast about .358 and weigh 125. I am working up some hotter loads with the Lee .356-102 1R and the Lee 358-105 SWC, and the other 2 molds, for use with plain based gas checks and sized to .358. I'm looking forward to seeing how they do. I like the look of the Lee 358-125 RF and am considering picking up that mold as well

[smith52]

I used the Lee 125gr RNFP sized .357" over 3.6gr of W231 seated and tapper crimped just below the Boolits crimp grove(so the crimp grove is just out of the case mouth). I have chrono records at home, want to say the were right around 950fps average. I have shot quarter size groups at 50' with that load in an STI Trojan, however, it won't chamber in my S.A. XD service mdl unless I seat the boolit deeper.

[woody2]

I'm shooting that bullet in a Taurus PT1911 and a Springfield EMP. Using 3.8 grs of Bullseye. The barrel in the Taurus slugged at .357 so I'm sizing to .358 for it. The EMP slugged at .3545 so it gets sized at .356. Both loads are accurate and produce no leading.

[RobsTV]

Using the other 9mm boolit, Lee 356-120-TC, sized to .358, along with the 38 S&W expansion plug (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=124464) to correctly expand the 9mm case for the .358 boolit. OAL = 1.073. Pan lubed with Carnauba Red.

ProChrono from Hi-Point C9:

W231 4.15gr, 1082 fps, pf=135, 325 ft/lbs.
No leading.

Dropped this to 4.0gr W231 to fix some feed issues with the blowback 9mm, but no chrono data yet. VERY accurate at 25 yards.

[biker_trash_1340]

I size to .357 and run 4.4gr's Unique. 1.124 oal, Lubed with Xlox and JPW...1035 f/s out of a Ruger SR9c accurate and consistent. no leading, But I have to much lube on this batch, so it's like shooting with black powder.

[Silver Hand]

I cast rcbs 356124
124 gr. c p . in front of 4 grains of Unique. The load has never caused my 9mm to malfunction. Feeding under rapid fire [ as fast as I can use the trigger ] has been perfect for this round. After years of use the barrel lugs and stops in the upper slide show little damage due to the balance of powder against the action. I recently purchased a larger R N gang mould and I have considered reducing the amount of powder to 3.8 or less grains of Unique to further reduce the ware on the nines action.
Silver Hand