Setting up 9mm with cast

[whelen fan]

I bought a lee 356-120tc 6 banger and am at the load development stage now. Seated to 1.096 loading 5 bullets each with 3.6, 3.7, 3.8, 3.9 and 4.0gr of VV N320. Need to make 125pf so see how it goes. Will update the thread with speeds when I chrony these loads. They weigh 125gr ready to load.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/Kman338/20130602_143055_zps102c89c6.jpg

[Mlcompound]

Looks good

[MtGun44]

Have you tried dropping those in the chamber of your dismounted barrel? Looks like
you have a lot of full diam out of the case, very likely to hit the rifling on some barrels.

Look for them to drop freely into the chamber all the way, if you have to push more
than 1 lb something is amiss. I'd look very close for signs of rifling marks on the full
diam part of those boolits. If you don't have significant marks and they drop all the
way in, you should be good to go.

That is a really excellent design, works very well in many different 9mms in my experience.

Good luck!

Bill

[whelen fan]

Yes I tried them when making dummies as well as after I made these. They drop in and slightly wobble in the chamber. The 147gr fmj NATO ammo I have has full diameter out further than my reloads and I just shot 300 of them to break in the barrel prior to starting load development.

The gun is a mp9 with the new production barrel.

[MtGun44]

Great, it must have a generous throat, which is good for reliability, sometimes it
can hurt accuracy a bit.

Bill

[Mohavedog]

I recently developed loads for my Shield using that same Lee boolit. No way would the cartridges in your photo run in my pistol. The longest loa that functioned in mine was 1.056". Are you sure they are fully chambered? Is the case head even with the barrel hood or less? And do they drop in the chamber with a nice, solid "plunk"? Did they function out of the mag and the slide close completely? Sorry if my questions seem elementary, but I just can't see how your loa can work. If the answers are yes to my questions, you must have a very, very long chamber.

[BCRider]

If these are the single lube groove bullets then it looks like you barely buried the lube groove.

My Beretta would likely swallow them that long with no issue at all. My CZ's tend to have shorter chambers and I'd likely need to put the shoulder back a touch farther. Although the 1.09 that you set the OAL to is about what I use with the round nose bullets. But they are already tapering in by the point where your TC's have the shoulder.

[whelen fan]

Well, just to make sure I'm not crazy. Here is a 147gr nato on the left and a 115gr factory on the right. Both have full diameter further out than my cast and as far as I know both should work in any 9.

My reloads fall in with a thunk, flush with barrel hood, cycle from mag, eject and no change in oal.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v134/Kman338/20130602_232454_zpsb028d6d0.jpg

[Mohavedog]

If the two rnds beside yours run in your pistol, it looks like your load should run fine. I'm sure none of the three would run in mine. Shows that 9mm chambers vary greatly.

[ku4hx]

I load that exact boolit to a cartridge OAL of 1.075" with a neck right at spec - .380". Works well in all my various 9mm barrels and is a fine performer.

[6bg6ga]

72450

Picture of 125gr round nose cast on left and a factory 148gr round nose on right. The factory measures 1.160 and the 125gr measures 1.110 The 125 RN is loaded with 4.0 grains of unique. It chambers in anything I try it in. The 125 is sized to .357 and the slight bulge is normal for reloaded cases. It shoots accurately with no leading in anything I try it in.

The picture looks kind of funky with the way the light hits it and there is no dent in the case.

[whelen fan]

If the two rnds beside yours run in your pistol, it looks like your load should run fine. I'm sure none of the three would run in mine. Shows that 9mm chambers vary greatly.

I haven't hear of factory/saami ammo not working in factory barrels. That would defeat the purpose of loading them to spec wouldn't it?

[ku4hx]

If the two rnds beside yours run in your pistol, it looks like your load should run fine. I'm sure none of the three would run in mine. Shows that 9mm chambers vary greatly.

Tolerance stacking goes both ways: toward looseness and toward tightness. Indeed, some guns are picky for sure, but if truly "to-spec" ammunition will not chamber and run in a given gun, I'd suspect that gun's chamber is out of spec on the small side.

[whelen fan]

Just wanted to update. Tested the loads and settled on 3.9gr N320 1.096" nra lube ~1045fps average for 25 shooting fist sized 10 shot groups at 25 yards unsupported. Makes 125pf, accurate enough for ipsc games. Calling it good. Now to load up 5k and get ready for the summer!

[Balta]

You ar litle a "tight" with 125 PF...Around 130 is most common PF for IPSC

[whelen fan]

My PF is 130.625 (125x1045/1000). Was just saying that it made the 125 requirement, not that it was 125.

[6bg6ga]

Thought about trying some 158gr semi wad cutter in the 9mm as I believe I have a Magma mold that is a copy of the 358429. The problem is working out a load. Too little power and things not good and so little room in the case. Anyone have any ideas?

[Sgtonory]

Thought about trying some 158gr semi wad cutter in the 9mm as I believe I have a Magma mold that is a copy of the 358429. The problem is working out a load. Too little power and things not good and so little room in the case. Anyone have any ideas?

I used 2.8 grains of Bulleseye at 850fps loaded just below max coal. They where the lee 158 Tumble lube round nose. I had issues with the cases swageing the bullet so i stop for now.