Printable View
Just wondering what the consensus is on using Lyman No. 2 plain base bullets in a 9MM. Is Lyman No. 2 hard enough to withstand 9MM standard loads without leading. My only experience with cast bullets in handguns is with revolvers, I shoot gas checked, Lyman no. 2 bullets which I quench and have never had any leading.
Actually you could get twice the mileage out of your #2 alloy by mixing 50/50 with lead then WQing. It should do just as well.
I have discovered that COWW mixed 50/50 with lead , range scrap and/or stick on WW's works just fine for auto loading boolits. I drop boolits onto a dry towel, air cool them , size and lube with Lithi-Bee. No water dropping, no heat treating , no quenching and no leading in 5 different 9 mm pistols.
Also works in all my 45 acp's , 1911's and a 45 acp revolver. Good in all revolver rounds up to 41 magnum and even 30-30 Winchester .
Most new caster's have the mistaken that hardness is the most important thing, it's not .
Softer boolits that fit properly actually work better.
Gary
One more here on fit or hard. I to use 50/50 WW and stick on's. I do water drop and us them in 9mm, 38, 45 ACP.
Okay yeah, I'm asking since I'm thinking about buying a SA 9MM target pistol.
I think fit is more important than BNH. I have been shooting #2 mixed with pure almost 50/50, but in .45 AP.
Your Lyman #2 will work great for 9mm but its harder than necessary. Like the others posted, you can cut it with softer lead and make is last longer. Lyman #2 is a wonderful alloy but it became popular back in the day when tin was plentiful and inexpensive.
Air cooled clip on's with 2% tin added, is what I use for half dozen 9 mm's. Hardness, measured by LBT tester, is about 13 BHN. Gas checks, optional.
Winelover
I'm shooting water dropped range scrap at 1k FPS, sized .358 and lubed with Super Moly. In three different 9mm pistols without a bit of lead being left in the barrel. Years ago, I made pure linotype bullets that I sized .356 and they leaded the barrel after a few rounds.
I use water dropped range scrap tumble lubed with White Label Xlox, sized at .357 or .358 depending on the particular pistol.
The Beretta gets .358.
The Springfields get .357 or, in the case of one mold, whatever size the mold drops(.356-.357), because the barrels slug much smaller than the Beretta.
My S&W 929 gets whatever fits in the cylinders. This revolver simply doesn't care what it shoots. Any and all sizes work fine.
I don't get leading in any of my pistols.
I guess I'm just lucky in that.
The comment about fit is right on... I use what's in the pot, then heat treat and ice water drop.
I also size .452 and taper crimp 45 ACP if my chamber can handle it.