Boolit and load for 3" 9mm

[Gray Fox]

My wife has just gotten a new Ruger LC9 with the Crimson Trace laser that has a 3" barrel, and I'm looking for a load in the standard, non-+P load range that is a full power load. The molds I have are the Lee 120 grn TC, the Lee 125 grn RNFP and the Lyman Devastator 125 grn HP. All suggestions will be appreciated. GF

[fcvan]

I use the Lee 356-125 2R and the 356-120 TC boolits in my Taurus 709 Slim which is similar in size to the LC9. My standard load is 5 grains of Unique. Alliant says you can go to 6 grains with lead for about 1160 fps at 29,400 CUP. I have shot them at 6 grains with plain based gas checks. grouping was about the same as the 5 grain load and recoil was a little more noticeable.

I have also used the 356-102 1R (105 cast with range scrap) and the 358-105 SWC (110 cast with range scrap) over 5 grains. Quite recently i used 6 grains with plain based gas checks on the 102. The little pistol shot very well, tight groups to point of aim, and with less perceived recoil vs the 125 grain boolits with the 5 grain charge. I haven't loaded any of the 105s for the Taurus yet. Of late, I've been shooting the 120 TC (125 cast with range scrap) with PB checks with very reliable performance.

I have some of the 358-125 RF boolits another member sent me in a trade and I will try them with and without plain based checks in the Taurus. I like the look of the boolit and will likely buy that mold in the near future. As far as a load for your LCP, I'd slug the bore, size accordingly, and then work up loads both your wife and the gun likes. Frank

[375RUGER]

115g RN over 3.8g 700-X was very accurate in a SP101 I had once.

If she is going to carry this pistol then I'd go with the lyman boolit and 6.5g AA#7. Some prefer AA#5 in the 9mm but I found the 7 to work really well for the 125s. If I was going to load 9mm again I'd probably start with the #5 since I never did use it.

[GREENCOUNTYPETE]

I load the lee 120 tc standard lube groove but tumble lubed with alox jpw mix over 4.5 gr of power pistol for a nice round for my LC9

I had worked up some at 5.2 they started to key hole past 7 -10 yards

my LC9 slugged at .357 they drop from the mold .359 so i just load them as they are after 2 coats of lube

working on a batch right now . they cycle well feed well have had no problems more accurate for me than the factory , but that could just be that i have shot hundreds of them and not factory

but you wouldn't want to be a beer can at 10 yards i can hit one every time i do my part

4.5 gr just worked so i figured better to hit with a medium load than miss with extra power

my 9 year old son likes this in the lc9 cause it fits his hand , he does alright with them , so recoil isn't bad