how far past goove diameter is to far

[quickshot]

I was just thinking today (danger danger!!!) I have a since 9mm and .357 are so close in diameter could I use the same boolit in both? I have a lee 358-125-rf that none of my revolvers like very much but I have a metric **** load of them already cast and I don't really want to melt and recast them if I can help it. The mic out at .358. The barrel of my carbine is .356 across the grooves. Would .002 over be to much? Lube I use is BAC (damn good stuff) and I'm not into those wild +++++++P loads either.

[Echo]

The main thing is Will It Chamber? If it chambers reliably, the bbl will size it to the exact right diameter. Does it chamber OK?

[Bzcraig]

^^^^this^^^^

[17nut]

Squeezebores are nothing new.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?274296-Arthur-Langsford-22-17-squeeze-bore-chamber

[Bookworm]

There are many threads about that very boolit in 9mm. I use it all the time. The thing to watch for is OAL - it sits way down in that small case. Watch your charge, start low and work up to medium.
It's accurate in all my 9's.

[ioon44]

All good advice here I run 9 mm cast .002" to .003"with Hi-Tek coating with out any leading or any other problems.

[Smoke4320]

All my 9's get 358 bullets and do very well

[GhostHawk]

I had 2 9mm's that had the same problem with cast. Keyhole at 20 feet, shotgun patterns not groups.

Loaded that bullet for both. Keyholing stopped dead, groups tightened to pop can size at 20 feet. Which is probably about the limit of the operator not the gun.

One was a Hipoint C9 pistol I found at the pawn shop that shoots great. Had a couple of minor issues that a quick call totally fixed. The other was a custom Stub job for a Handi rifle. Which I got a great bargain on as it also had a couple of issues which 30$ paid to a gunsmith fixed.

The stub barrel will now put 5 in a pop can at 100 yards with a scope.

It is light, short, and with 3.5 - 4.5 grains of Red Dot amazingly quiet.
Awesome little plinker.

Your chambers have to be your guide. I would make a dummy round for each gun and adjust it until it plunks correctly. Then crimp it into place and use it to set your dies for that gun.

[quickshot]

Thanks guys. I haven't been casting or loading in a while so I have forgotten a lot. If it chambers it's good to go both pistol and rifle.

[bedbugbilly]

I don't have the Lee mold that you refer to but I do it all the time with cast out of my Lyman 358-242 which is the 121 grain version. Same boolit that works well in my 9mm as well as my 38 Colt Short/Long 38 Special and the few 357 that I sometimes load with it for plinking out of my 357 Handi-Rifle. The only difference is the seating depth from the 9mm to the others - 9mm is taper crimped and the others roll crimped.

As noted, see how it chambers in your 9mm and then make the adjustments in load, seating depth that may be required. Good luck and enjoy!

[buckshotshoey]

As others have said, watch the seating depth. Don't get it too deep. I did this with a .358 150 gr SWC a while back. Had lots of good advice on development. Read this. It should help.
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?317208-38-Special-cast-bullet-in-9-mm

[mdi]

Echo hit it! As long as the cartridge chambers the bullet can be quite a bit oversize. I read in a casting text that some Schutzen shooters used breech seating bullets .006"+ oversize...

[centershot]

Yes, Echo is spot-on! I have a Marlin 1894 357 mag with a groove diameter of .3556". I feed it the Lee 358-158 RF which drops from the mold at .360". Works like a charm tumble-lubed and seated over 9.0 of Blue Dot!

[Larry Gibson]

With lubed cast bullets my tests have demonstrated;

With a GC bullet .003 over groove diameter is maximum. Accuracy degrades above that.

With a PB'd bullet .002 - .003" over groove is maximum. Accuracy degrades above that.

Keep in mind with a lubed cast bullet the bullet will be swaged down a further .003 - .005+" smaller than groove/ bore size by riding over the film of lube and fouling.