125 gr mold for 9mm??

[mexicanjoe]

Hey guys, I just got a Lee 125 grain boolit mold for a .38 special. I wan to try it for my 9mm. It is a 125 grain round flat nose mold. Has anyone tried this particular mold, and with what success on 9mm? What is the C.O.A.L. ?? Thanks guys!!!

[bstone5]

The mold for 9mm used in my master caster is a 125 grain round noise bevel base.
The bullets from this mold shoot fine in 9mm.
Remember the seating depth in 9 mm does have an effect on pressure. For the bullet to feed from a magazine make sure the bullet does not require a large seating depth in the 9mm case or
the pressure will go up due to the small empty volume in the case with the bullet seated.

[tazman]

That boolit works just fine in 9mm. You OAL is going to depend on your particular barrel.
You will need to load some dummy rounds and work with them at different lengths until you find out what works in your gun.

[histed]

If that's the 358-125, I use it a lot for both calibers. I size my 9mm to 358 and shoot 38 Special as cast. Works great in both. Tazman pegged the COL.

[mexicanjoe]

Thanks a lot guys. Just cast 40 of the little jewels and they look nice. Did the tumble lube cuz I really like the fact it will NOT lead in a P-85. I hope to have a range report soon. You guys the best!!,,su amigo........mexicanjoe!

[Shiloh]

I use the LEE 125 gr. RF. Sized at .358.
This boolit seats DEEPER in the case. reduce your loads by an additional 5% and work up from there. The highest I have gone is 4.4 gr Unique.
I settled on 4.1 gr. Unique. Accurate, cycles.

Shiloh

[mdi]

Yep, me too. I use that mold/bullet for my 2, 9mms, 2,.38 Specials and a .357 Magnum. I tumble lube (45-45-10), lube with Carnauba Red, and PC coat. I just differ the sizing for each gun they will be used in; .357" for the 9mm (one likes .358" better), and .358" for the 38/357...

[mnewcomb59]

I run that bullet in 9mm, but it seats relatively deep in the case. It might give you swaging problems (even at 12-14 BHN) where a shallower seating bullet didn't get swaged down. You can use a 357 powder-through expander to run softer bullets, or do like I do and water drop so the bullets are 20 BHN or so. Once they're plenty hard, they seat at 357 and are still 357 when pulled. The extra hard lead helps to bite the fast 10" twist common in 9mm. I give them a heavy tumble lube with alox, size them down, then tumble lube again with diluted alox and mineral spirits.

My OAL in multiple guns is 1.06 when it plunks. Some guns may have shorter throats, but I haven't encountered them yet.

3.8 Titegroup and 4.2 American Select are around 1100 fps, but I have pushed it up towards 1300 with Power Pistol and maintained 3" groups at 25 yards. There is Alliant data showing 124s with Power Pistol at 6.7 grains (double check) and I took 'er all the way up to 6.3 for a wicked, full power load close to 1300 fps with no pressure signs or leading. Use caution here because the load is close to max by the book, but seated deeper in the case. If you try to push it with a deep seated bullet, use slow, dense powders. I would only approach to within 5% of a max load of a longer seated bullet.

[Shiloh]

I had an expander made to .355. With spring back, the case is a bit less than that. Gives a scoosh over .003 tension on the boolits.

Shiloh

[mexicanjoe]

RANGE REPORT!!!! Just came in from the range, and shot the 125 gr boolits over a charge of Unique powder. About 4.5 grains , I believe.... I went ahead and sized the boolits to .357, and they bathed them in Lee Liquid Alox. They were remarkably accurate from 15 yards, and though not yet chronographed, they felt like factory ammo. I do believe I have a new favorite boolit to work up now! Guys, thanks for all your input, and information.. SHILOH, I shot mine out of a Ruger P-85 mkII, and I believe your load is right on the money!!!!!!!

[Shiloh]

There was no sign of pressure at 4.4 gr. It could have been the particular day, but the 4.1 was my most accurate load on that trip to the range.
4.4 gave 1124 fps. and 4.1 gave 1030 on one string, and 1042 on another. Warm pistol?? Who knows.

Shiloh

[DLCTEX]

The Lee 125 gr. works great in our S&W M&P's and Shield, very accurate, as well in 38 Spc. and 357 mag. (light loads).

[Jal5]

I have been testing these in my 9mm Shield S&W too using Bullseye. So far pretty good. Still tweaking the load.

[Alley Cat]

I use this mold but, as others have said, you might have to seat deeper than other designs to get it to chamber.

[histed]

mexicanjoe - if you like that load and can get Unique, sounds like a winner. I haven't seen Unique here for 2 years. If you can get it, Ramshot TrueBlue works great in all of my 9s with that boolit. 'Bout 4.2-4.4 gr give a nice, accurate target load. No chrono, so I can't list ballistics

[6.5 mike]

I've used that boolit in a FEG Hi-power clone with very good results over w-w 231. Real fun shooter.

[mexicanjoe]

mexicanjoe - if you like that load and can get Unique, sounds like a winner. I haven't seen Unique here for 2 years. If you can get it, Ramshot TrueBlue works great in all of my 9s with that boolit. 'Bout 4.2-4.4 gr give a nice, accurate target load. No chrono, so I can't list ballistics
I've got a
keg of Unique I'm working on.... I tried 4.1 gr of Unique and it was just awesome ... No muzzle flip and great accuracy( SHILOHs load info). 4.6 shot really nice. Can't wait to develope this boolit!!

[GooseGestapo]

I too have this bullet in 6-cavity mold. I'm running mine to 1,100+ with 4.9gr of Hodgdon LongShot.
Very,very accurate.I use SPG lube @0.357". Under 2"@50yds with S&W PPC-9's.

[Moonie]

I have used it but as others have said it is seated very deeply. I decided to get the Lee 120gr TC and use it instead for 9mm. Both will work but IMHO the 120gr TC is just easier to work with.

[wv109323]

I hate to rain on everybody's parade but that bullet would not work in my CZ 75B. My chamber is just too short and the bullet needs to be seated so deep that modest powder charges were compressed. If your pistol has enough lede in the chamber I am sure it is a fine bullet.
There is also the same problem in a Sig 928 in another thread.

[jwber]

I use this bullet in my XD for USPSA and IDPA and its accurate enough for those games.

PC'ed and sized 358 over 4.3gr Unique. I have to run them at 1.015 OAL for them to work in my XD. Non PC I was able to run 1.02.