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View Full Version : If you could have only ONE 9MM and ONE .45 mold for TP, which would it be?



kenn
05-20-2014, 11:27 AM
I've searched a lot of threads but I've not quite come up with the answer. I'm going to try my hand at casting my own .45 and 9MM purely for target practice. I would like to keep cost to a minimum but still get something that works well. I want to punch holes in paper with a collection of various 9MM and .45ACP and with have a mix of standard and conventional rifling. I won't get a bottom pour. Too expensive for now. So... what would it be? From my research,

I'm considering a .358 instead of a .356 Lee 125ish Gr TC mold and sizing down once I slug the barrels of the various 9MM platforms. I haven't got any ideas on .45 but considering 200 Gr TC.

Edit - I should also add that I would like to try some powder coating as well but want to get the bullet right first. Also, I have Lee 9MM and .45ACP 4-stage dies. They have a seating die with a round cup for pushing the bullet into the casing. Will I need to change those dies if I go to a TC? If so, I'll stick to the most accurate all around in ball round as I don't really want to have to buy new bullet seating dies.

prs
05-20-2014, 12:04 PM
For TP, I prefer Cottenelle ;)

Oh! target practice. For 45 ACP the no brainer choice is a 68 clone. To begin with you could choose a Lee 6 cavity or one of the newer model 2 cavity (I have no recent experience with Lee 2 cavity molds) in 452-200-SWC. I don't do 9mm, so no help there.

prs

Kent Fowler
05-20-2014, 12:09 PM
I think one of the more versatile molds I have is the 359 MiHec 140gr Flatbase. I can use it in 9, 38 Super, 38 Special and .357. As far as .45, I like the Saeco 225 gr. round nose as it will feed in any 1911. I had a few 1911's that didn't like the semi wad cutters.

Old School Big Bore
05-20-2014, 12:14 PM
I shoot the .45 competitively so the 'one' boolit for it would have to be a 68 or clone. The nine would have to be one that can multitask between 9mm, .357 Sig, .38/357, etc.

Beerd
05-20-2014, 01:24 PM
How about these?

Both from 6 cavity Lee moulds.
..

JASON4X4
05-20-2014, 01:28 PM
I use the Lee 6 tc for both 9 and 45 they are cheap and work fine for me

DeanWinchester
05-20-2014, 01:31 PM
I DO only have one mold for each because they both work so well ....for me and mine.
My .45 is an RCBS 250g FP I use in .45 colt and ACP
My 9mm is lyman 356402. It runs in my Glocks and my 5906.

xacex
05-20-2014, 01:58 PM
Mihec 452-200, and Mihec 359-125. Why not cast some accurate hollowpoints? These two molds cast as fast and easy as a solid for me, and even if you do not use the right alloy for the best H/P performance they punch nice holes in paper. I think these are two mold everyone should own.

aap2
05-20-2014, 02:37 PM
Hands down: for the 45 ACP the Mihec 452-200 SWC (H&G clone) and for the 9mm the Mihec 359-125 (which with the different pins will cast solids, HP, and pentagonal HP. I size the latter to .357 for my Glock 19 and it loves these boolits; I also size them to .358 for use in my .38 special and .357 Mag pistols. Neither are cheap, but great values for the money.

Blammer
05-20-2014, 06:25 PM
9mm, 135gr NOE
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Cast%20boolits/9MM/DSCN8860_zps33e8330f.jpg (http://s54.photobucket.com/user/blammer8mm/media/Cast%20boolits/9MM/DSCN8860_zps33e8330f.jpg.html)

45ACP, NOE makes a dandy one!
http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g81/blammer8mm/Cast%20boolits/DSCN7180.jpg (http://s54.photobucket.com/user/blammer8mm/media/Cast%20boolits/DSCN7180.jpg.html)

Handloader109
05-20-2014, 07:27 PM
Well as a new caster myself, this is a hobby that I've embraced. I have three cheap lee molds for the 9mm, and I like them in this order, the 356-125-2r easiest to get right as it is round nose, 356-95-rf, the hardest to get right but cheapest to cast, and the 356-120-tc, I've Powder coated all and no real problems with any. There are molds the other folks have suggested, but getting started, I bought all three of these for closing to the cost of one mihec or NOE mold. (any of which I would like to own) my next will hopefully be a Hp. BTW, tumbling the boolits to pc is easy.

dragon813gt
05-20-2014, 07:37 PM
For 9mm the MP 359-125 is hard to beat. I use it as a solid(135 grains) in all of my 9s and 357s w/ great success. For 45, any of the HG #68 clones is what you want.

MT Gianni
05-20-2014, 09:52 PM
Two molds will work if your barrels were all cut consecutively from the same reamer. Without the exact same throats they accuracy will differ with each gun.

HiVelocity
05-21-2014, 06:06 AM
105530

Kenn,

If you already like the TC design for the 45 Acp, why not look into the new 95gr .356 Lee just came out with recently? These drop at 100gr with ACWW, load, and shoot great in my 9mm's. And, you'll save a little on your lead usage also over heavier designs. Just food for thought.

Also, look at the NOE 358-135-HP mold. RNFP and HP design, in the event you want to find an "all purpose" bullet for both 9mm/38/357 in .358; what I load for my 38 snubby.

HV

Blammer
05-21-2014, 07:32 AM
Two molds will work if your barrels were all cut consecutively from the same reamer. Without the exact same throats they accuracy will differ with each gun.

I suspect you didn't read the first post. Yes? No?

dondiego
05-21-2014, 04:01 PM
It is not possible for me to be satisfied with only one mold per caliber.

dragon813gt
05-21-2014, 04:26 PM
It is not possible for me to be satisfied with only one mold per caliber.

The chances of that happening are slim if you like casting and shooting. It's almost inevitable that you end up w/ more molds. It starts w/ something as simple as wanting to shoot different weight bullets. Or you have multiple guns in the same caliber and that one mold you have doesn't shoot worth a lick in one of your guns. And so the molds multiply and multiply and multiply......you get the idea.

trixter
05-21-2014, 04:44 PM
I have tried quite a few different boolit styles and always come back to the Lee TL 452-200-SWC. My Springfield Armory XDm loves them. The clone H&G 68 is real nice too if you have a lube sizer.

kenn
05-25-2014, 12:14 AM
105530

Kenn,

If you already like the TC design for the 45 Acp, why not look into the new 95gr .356 Lee just came out with recently? These drop at 100gr with ACWW, load, and shoot great in my 9mm's. And, you'll save a little on your lead usage also over heavier designs. Just food for thought.

Also, look at the NOE 358-135-HP mold. RNFP and HP design, in the event you want to find an "all purpose" bullet for both 9mm/38/357 in .358; what I load for my 38 snubby.

HV

thanks, HV. I was looking at that lee .356 but I'm worried that I may want a .358 mold so I can size to .357 if needed to reduce leading. Obviously I'll need to slug my bore. I'll look at that NOE. The lee 90315 is interesting. TC swc that is 105 grain .358. I've got 38 special dies somewhere...

MtGun44
05-25-2014, 12:53 AM
H&G 68 for .45 ACP and Lee 356 120 TC for 9mms. Pretty easy - these account
for well over 95% of that ammo already and I have lots of molds.

Bill

possom813
05-25-2014, 01:22 AM
I guess I'm the only vote for the Lyman 356 242/358 242 for the 9mm, .38 mix

I have the 356 242 and it drops at .3575 and 120-124grs(depending on mix), nice little round nose boolit that goes through all the 9mm pretty good.

fredj338
05-25-2014, 02:52 PM
For TP, I prefer Cottenelle ;)

Oh! target practice. For 45 ACP the no brainer choice is a 68 clone. To begin with you could choose a Lee 6 cavity or one of the newer model 2 cavity (I have no recent experience with Lee 2 cavity molds) in 452-200-SWC. I don't do 9mm, so no help there.

prs
Problem there, the swc won't feed in every platform, also a poor choice for moon clips in the 625. I went 200gr TC (magma), but a custom 4-5 cav for hand casting, just as food. In 9mm, I like the 120-125gr TC, works in every pistol & gives better target hole I'd vs RN. The lee 6cav would be fine.

Cherokee
05-25-2014, 09:01 PM
Lee 356120TC for the 9 and and Lee 452230TC for the 45. But - chances are you will want more molds than that, just saying......

garym1a2
05-25-2014, 09:28 PM
My Glock 21SF and my old Kimber 1911 loved the Lee version of the 200gr SWC, Super accurate and does not use too much lead.

My Glocks with the 9mm conversion barrels like the 120gr TC Lee also, accruate and not much lead useage. Plus I can cast several thousand of them in a blink of the eye. My CX4 Storm carbine likes this bullet also.


H&G 68 for .45 ACP and Lee 356 120 TC for 9mms. Pretty easy - these account
for well over 95% of that ammo already and I have lots of molds.

Bill

Jayhawkhuntclub
05-25-2014, 10:39 PM
How about these?

Both from 6 cavity Lee moulds.
..
What 9mm mold is that? 358-105-SWC?

DLCTEX
05-25-2014, 10:54 PM
+1 for H&G clone for 45 and it's smaller twin in 356-120 tc

soldierbilly1
05-26-2014, 12:26 PM
H&G 68 for .45 ACP and Lee 356 120 TC for 9mms. Pretty easy - these account
for well over 95% of that ammo already and I have lots of molds.

Bill
right here! billy boy

Beerd
05-26-2014, 01:04 PM
What 9mm mold is that? 358-105-SWC?
correct
sized .358"
OAL 1.000"
..

kenn
05-26-2014, 01:55 PM
correct
sized .358"
OAL 1.000"
..

That's the one I have in my checkout basket. Trying to decide between the 105 TC and the 120TC 6 cavity lee mold. Bought the 6 cavity lee .45 #68 clone and it's inbound with furnace, ladle, etc. Can't wait... Lead is sitting here sorted. The problem with the 120 is it's going to cast out at .356 or maybe lucky at .357 and I want to be sure I can size it DOWN to fit as going up obviously isn't an option. The little 105 sure looks like a "mini" #68.

garym1a2
05-26-2014, 02:56 PM
I have the lee 105 swc, their 145swc for 40 and the 200gr for 45acp. All are accurate, but I could not get the 105 to feed reliable in my 9mm glocks.

Jayhawkhuntclub
05-26-2014, 03:15 PM
The problem with the 120 is it's going to cast out at .356 or maybe lucky at .357 and I want to be sure I can size it DOWN to fit as going up obviously isn't an option. The little 105 sure looks like a "mini" #68.
It's not going to drop at 0.356. At least it's pretty unlikely. My Lee 120 TC drops about 0.358. I think that's pretty typical.

dudel
05-27-2014, 07:17 AM
I already have more than one mold for 9mm and .45. If I had to cut back, the ones I'd keep would be the Lee 6 cav TC TL molds in 9mm and .45. They shoot well in my guns, YMMV, as each gun seems to have it's own preferences.

kenn
05-27-2014, 10:27 AM
It's not going to drop at 0.356. At least it's pretty unlikely. My Lee 120 TC drops about 0.358. I think that's pretty typical.

I did a search and found some stating it dropped at .3565 or just over. If it drops at .358, that'd be great. I'll search the forums a bit more and see if I can find some other references.

Moonie
05-29-2014, 09:37 AM
My current choice for these is a 6 cavity 120 TC and a 6 cavity 200gr SWC. But if feeding issues were expected I'd go with the 230gr TC, I have the 2 cavity version of this one and just prefer to use the 6 cavity molds as we have 5 45's in the family I cast for.

kenn
05-29-2014, 02:11 PM
I went ahead and ordered the 358 105 TC Lee 6 cavity mold. I'll probably be sorry that I didn't get the 356 120 TC but at least I KNOW that I'll have one I can load into .38 special if I decide to do any. I've got dies for that caliber and the hardware to shoot it. We'll see how it goes and I'll report back as soon as I've cast some. I've got to slug the barrel first, however, and get a Lee sizer kit for the right size. I'm guessing it will be .357 but I only want to do it once.