Lee 358-125-RF

[crandall crank]

Has anyone used this cast bullet in a 9mm? Would like to be able to have a buddy do a "mass cast" on a single bullet style and be able to use them in both 9mm and target 38 Special loads.

Would they need to be sized for either or can they be used as cast?

I haven't bought the mold yet, so I am interested in any opinions.

[Moonie]

I never had much luck with it as it requires being seated very deeply. Others have had other experience however. If you want a Lee I would suggest the 120TC for 9mm and the 158 RF for 38/357.

[Harter66]

I have FEG HP9 and a P95 . The Ruger is good to go with standard lengths and sized 357 . The FEG requires deeper seating but it does so with almost every bullet I've tried in it .

[tazman]

Lots of different opinions on that boolit. Mostly it depends on your individual gun.
It will almost certainly need to be seated deeply into the case for it to chamber properly. This may cause problems feeding. Again, it depends on the individual weapon.

[farmerjim]

It is my No. 1 9mm boolit .Powder or Hi-Tek coated and sized to .357. I don't remember the oal and my load notes are down in the barn. I shoot it in my M&P 9, Kel tek pf9, Hi point 9 and Hi point 9 carbine. I had to send the M&P 9 to Doug Guy to be throated as it would not take anything bigger than .355. It shoots excellent in all these guns. I am in the process of loading up another 5k of them.
Sized .359, I also use it in my 38's and 357mag.

Just got back from the barn, OAL is 1.029, and they kerplunk in all my guns at that length.

[RoadBike]

They work in my Taurus PT99AF. Seated so that crimping groove is not visible.

[C. Latch]

I've shot it quite a bit in a BHP MKIII, a Ruger LC9, two S&W M&Ps, one M&P Shield......zero problems. Only 9mm mold I own, and yes I also load them in .38s.

[Bula]

I load and shoot them from a BHP, a G19 and a G26 (Lone Wolf barrels). Shoots perfectly, seated to 1.03" OAL and sized to .358. I shoot them plenty in .38 specials as well. Don't go crazy loading until you make sure they work! Good luck.

[Thumbcocker]

Very good 9mm and .38/.357 boolit

[Floydster]

I shoot this bullet in my 38 super and 357 mag. Sized to . 357 for the super and . 358 for he 357 mag.
Also powder coated. For my 9mm's I use the 120 TC also powder coated.
Floydster

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I like the 358-225-RF in my Ruger P89 and My Hi-Point C9. But I had feeding/chambering issues with a stock 1980s Browning Hi power and a Glock with factory barrel.
A "mass cast" might not be prudent, til you test 'em in all the guns you want to shoot 'em in

[Shiloh]

Yes and it works well.

You must exercise caution as it will seat MUCH deeper than a 9mm RN boolit.

Here is my data. Use as a REFERENCE only!!




LEE 125 gr RF Sized .358
(38 .357 Boolit) Seated 1.05"







AA#5



Unique






5.4 gr.

3.5 gr.
4.0 gr.
4.4 gr.












low

967

939
993
1092



high

1007

989
1059
1164



avrg

988

963
1030
1124



ex sprd

41.21

50.16
66.82
72.1



st dev.

14.35

13.52
20.73
21.54




Shiloh

[GooseGestapo]

Works VERY well for me.
I seat to just hide the crimp groove and taper crimp. I use 4.9gr of Hod. LongShot for just under 1,200 fps (5"bbl). Very accurate sized to .357" for my Performance Ctr S&W's and "knock around" Taurus PT99.

[375RUGER]

It's a great 9mm boolit as well as .38. As cast? if they fall out the right size, sure. I size mine .358 for the 9mm and the .38. Got to run them thru the sizer anyway to grease 'em.

[Bookworm]

I too use it in 38Spl, 357Mag, and 9mm.

My 9mms include a S&W M&P Shield, a Star 30M, and an Astra A-70. I load to an OAL of 1.050, to chamber in all, the Astra being the shortest chamber.

At that length, the crimp groove is about 1/2 covered. No problems feeding or firing. I don't load them hot, usually to no more than 1000fps - there's not much room left in the case after stuffing that boolit all the way down in there, and I don't want to risk problems.

The round is quite accurate at 10 yds, which is the longest distance I do for self-defense practice.

[rintinglen]

I can only echo the admonition to "try before you buy." That boolit does not work at all in my P6, is troublesome but can function in My S&W M-39-2, it does work in my Luger, and in my Firestar. You will have to seat it short-1.05 for me.

[C. Latch]

I shot some more of these today. I chronographed some, too, with 700-x and longshot.

If you're using data for some other longer-nosed bullet of the same weight, back off by at least 15% of maximum to start with. You're dealing with a tiny case and you're putting a bullet very, very deep in that case.

[Shiloh]

I shot some more of these today. I chronographed some, too, with 700-x and longshot.

If you're using data for some other longer-nosed bullet of the same weight, back off by at least 15% of maximum to start with. You're dealing with a tiny case and you're putting a bullet very, very deep in that case.

Sage advice here.
I took them to 4.4 gr. Unique a step at a time.

Shiloh

[reloader28]

I size mine to .358 and seat to 1.015. Works great in several different 9mm's for us.
I also use it in 38spl and .380 all sized .358. Actually it shoots good in 380's

[farmerjim]

I size mine to .358 and seat to 1.015. Works great in several different 9mm's for us.
I also use it in 38spl and .380 all sized .358. Actually it shoots good in 380's

What powder and OAL are you using in the 380? I would like to give it a try.

[reloader28]

What powder and OAL are you using in the 380? I would like to give it a try.


.935 and 2gr Bullseye. Shoots pretty good in several different .380's
My records show 653 fps, but it doesnt say which gun that was from.

[marlin39a]

If you do a search on this bullet, you'll find plenty of threads. I've tried it, and it works. I just have a favorite Noe that I like.

[mdi]

I have a Taurus 85, A Taurus 357, a very old Rossi 3" 38, a Ruger LC9s, an FMK 9mm, and an old Norinco Tokerev, and all use the Lee 125 RNFP. I just size them for the gun to be used; Taurus revolvers .358", Ruger and FMK get .357", and the Tokerev gets .359" (I have to "beagal" the mold to get the ,359" bullets). Most of my alloys run 12-16 with the harder alloy being used in the 9mms. Some use my Speed Green lube and the 9mm bulets get C-Red lube. All work quite well...

[41mag]

Well you said it in the opening post doing a mass cast. Yep that's what I use this one for. We run a Sig 226 TO with several 20rd mags and the P320 with it's 15rd mags. Between the two we can easily blow through several hundred rounds in little to no time.

I haven't shot the first one through my revolvers but have killed a pound or more of Bullseye at 4grs shooting these in my 9's.

[farmerjim]

"Well you said it in the opening post doing a mass cast. Yep that's what I use this one for."

Me too.
I use 2 6 cavity molds at the same time with my Lyman mag25. When one is cooling, the other is filling.