What is your favorite 9MM boolit/mold?
I need to replace mine and possibly looking for something different.
Thank you for your answers.
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What is your favorite 9MM boolit/mold?
I need to replace mine and possibly looking for something different.
Thank you for your answers.
Big Bore = 45+
I think you'll get many good choices. The NOE 359-121-RN is a winner for me in both accuracy and function.
Not my favorite; but if I were looking at one mold to make a bunch of boolits that would shoot pretty well. I would get a 120+- truncated cone from Lee or NOE and not look back. Those Lee 6 bangers make a pile of boolits in a hurry.
Paper targets aren't your friends. They won't lie for you and they don't care if your feelings get hurt.
Another vote for the Lee TC 120 grain design. These run very well whether 9mm, 40 S&W, 10mm, or 45 ACP. Seat with about .020" of front drive band protruding above the case mouth, set a light taper crimp, and you are in business.
I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.
Although I've been casting boolits since '60, I'm a newcomer to reloading/casting for the 9mm.
The photo shows my 9mm molds: from left to right, Lee #356-125 R1, Arsenal #358-124 TC and MP-359-130 (125 in HP).
They all shoot better than I, but my favorite is the MP #359-130. It is an 8 cavity & it's almost impossible to cast a bad boolit.......but it was obtained through a group buy (now closed). A close 2nd. is the Arsenal #358-124 TC (mine is a 5 cavity).
The #356-125 R1 is also available as an MP 8 cavity (wait time 2 weeks or slightly more).
My 2 cents worth.
Henry
What pistol are you loading for?Originally Posted by MGySgt
Some pistols handle certain boolit designs better than others.
4 pistols (3913, LC9S 2 SCCY) and a Ruger PCC.
I currently have an older Lee 120 TC with BB. I don't like BB but I have had it a long time and created 10's thousands, used straight WW before and the heat has caused problems with galling of the pivot screw and hold down screw - time to retire it.
Looking for one boolit that will sever me well in all of my 9's and any I purchase in the furure.
Big Bore = 45+
NOE 358-135 gas check or plain base feeds in everything and shoots good in everything.
If just one good quality, last a lifetime mould is in your plans, my favorite is Accurate 35-130A. It has a good meplate, feeds well, drops from the mould well has a bit more weight and I like it a lot. I got mine in a long block 5 cavity aluminum mould. I also use it in 38 Special.
"Time and money don't do you a bit of good until you spend them." - My Dad
I concur. I have that mold in a plain base and it feeds and shoots well in all my 9mm handguns (8 different guns although none are the same as the OP mentioned).
+1 with oldhenry's MP 359-130 bullet.
I use the hp version of that bullet, that cast out @ 125gr
[IMG][/IMG]
That mp 359-125 bullets does extremely well in 3 different 9mm's. I have a lee 6-cavity 120gr tc mold that casts a .359" bullet. The lee 120gr tl bullet can't hold a candle to that mp bullet when it comes to accuracy. I need to sell that lee mold, there's nothing wrong with it & it cast good bullets. There's just better/more accurate designs out there. Lately I've been casting/playing with these 2 bullets for the 9mm/38spl/357's. They're himmelwright clones that cover the +/- 115gr & 147gr bullet weight ranges:
left cramer #33 110gr indoor gallery bullet when cast & coated comes out @ 114gr
right mp 359-135 rnswc when cast & coated comes out @ 144gr
[IMG][/IMG]
There's a lot of excellent bullet designs out there for the 9mm. This is my blammo ammo load for the 9mm using that mp 359-125 bullet.
[IMG][/IMG]
Been testing those himmelwright clones in the snubnosed 38spl & 357 revolvers and short bbl'd 9mm's using hot loads/penetration tests. After that I'll start looking for accuracy. Accuracy means different things to different people. Hitting a quarter 10 times in a row @ 50ft with a bullet/load combo is what I consider accurate for a 9mm load. That mp 359-125 has no problem delivering that kind of accuracy with nothing more than a box stock $700 1911 chambered in 9mm.
[IMG][/IMG]
What he said. I bought an NOE copy to get a better mold, but I haven't found a better design. This boolit, loaded as described over Unique, WW-231, Herco or Bullseye has worked in two S&W M-39's, two Berettas, a Star Firestar, a Sig P-6, and Melinda, my old Luger. And 5 or 6 at a crack means you get a pile O'boolits ASAP.
_________________________________________________It's not that I can't spell: it is that I can't type.
Lee 358-125-RF. It works fine sized .357 in all my 9's. Sized .359, it works fine in all my .357s and 38s. I have 2 of the 6 cavity and use both for speed.
There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism—by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide. Ayn Rand
Lee 356-120-TC. Sized .357, #2 lube, 1.070 OAL, 4.4 Unique.
Who has a new version of the Lee 120 TC? Is it still a Bevel Base?????
Big Bore = 45+
That Miha 125 HP & powder coated works great in 3 different 9's for me. Ground Squirrels hate them!
Dick
I have one Lee 356-120 standard lube grove 2 years old with the top vented it has a slight beveled base and drops at .357-.3575 .
According to the picture on the Lee website, it still has a small bevel base.
This is what I will be doing shortly--in 9mm, 40 S&W/10mm, and 45 ACP. Life is too short to mess with balky, recalcitrant tooling.
I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.
I have 3. On the left is the old Lyman 356402, which I have had for years, but I have never had much luck with it. It weighs about 132 gr, and drops them about .362". No distinct shoulder, so it does not cut clean holes in the paper.
In the center is the Saeco 383, which will work for the 9mm, though I mostly use it for 38 Super and 9x23. It drops them about 145 gr, and at about .360".
My newest one is MP's version of the HG75. 8 cavity aluminum mold, so it makes them fast. Drops them at about 130 gr, and .359".
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