Lee 356-120-TC (non-Tumble Lube) for 9mm

[iMigraine]

My first Chrono to test my cast boolits.

Lee 356-120-TC (non-TL)
Powder Coated
Using isotope lead with 2% tin so my boolits weight 126gr

COAL 1.055
Titegroup 3.4gr

Using Springfield 1911 9mm Range Officer 5” barrel

Number of shots: 17
Extreme Spread: 67
Average Velocity: 1013

Standard Deviation: 17

Average Power Factor: 127.3


Temperature: 60°
Barometric Pressure:30

[gwpercle]

That's all well and good , but the question remains, how do they shoot ? Accuracy report please. I love to see tiny groups and clover leafs. I bought this mould just before Christmas, it casts well, easy to load but the holidays and weather have delayed a trip to the range. I can't wait to see how it shoots. I have a Walther P-38 WWII vintage and we are getting antsy. Hope it does well in your's.
Gary

[iMigraine]

Since the only place I can use my chronograph is out in the California desert because I don't know any indoor ranges that rent or let you use one, I tried shooting a few different test loads. My goal was to see where the velocity and pressure was at. Accuracy for me will be better spent testing at an indoor range with no cross wind and established distances. It seems all the guys that shot their chronographs where trying to shoot for accuracy too. Basically they had too much going on and once. For me, I had no problem NOT hitting my chronograph because I wasn't concerned after it cleared the two sensor rods. Furthermore, what works in my gun may not work for your either so you will still need to test your out anyways. When I do get the chance to try these loads again for accuracy I'll give a range report.

[hickfu]

I'll be watching this thread since I have a chit load of titegroup and the same Lee mold.

[tazman]

The velocities iMigraine reported were nearly identical to the velocities reported on the Hodgdon data site for starting loads(3.6grains). It looks like the rest of the data should be very close.
Full power loads were listed at 4.0 grains for the 125 lead boolit. I have used the 4.0 load in my Beretta 92FS with good accuracy. The only issue I had was the brass and the barrel seemed to get very hot quickly. Considerably faster than other powders. May have just been that particular day.

[FergusonTO35]

3.7 grains HP-38 is my fave for this boolit in 9mm, 'course you gotta load what you can get!

[rsrocket1]

How good are your case ejections? I seem to need close to 1100 fps to get the cases to eject reliably. Less than that and they tend to flip up only about a foot and often land on my head or hit me on the forehead. They cycle the slide without problems, but the cases to the face can be distracting.

I need right around 4.0g Titegroup with the 356-120-TC seated at 1.050-1.060" for a good clean burn and consistently low SD. Lower than that and I get scorched cases and much more burning powder flying onto my arms and face. This is with a 4.25" M&P. I get consistenly lower velocities with a 4.9" Beretta 92fs (bigger bore and wider throat).

[iMigraine]

Been along time since I got the chance to update my test results.
What I learned, my Springfield Armory 1911 has trouble feeding truncated cone, at least with my COALs.

Chrono to test my cast boolits.

Lee 356-120-TC (non-TL)
Powder Coated
Using isotope lead with 2% tin so my boolits weight 126gr

COAL 1.025
Bullseye 3.5gr

Using Springfield 1911 9mm Range Officer 5” barrel

Number of shots: 3 - had some duplicates
Extreme Spread: 14
Average Velocity: 1023

Standard Deviation: 6

Average Power Factor: 128


Temperature: 91° - I believe it was closer to 100 degrees!
Barometric Pressure:29

[iMigraine]

Chrono to test my cast boolits.

Lee 356-120-TC (non-TL)
Powder Coated
Using isotope lead with 2% tin so my boolits weight 126gr

COAL 1.025
Unique 4.5gr

Using Springfield 1911 9mm Range Officer 5” barrel

Number of shots: 13
Extreme Spread: 63
Average Velocity: 1058

Standard Deviation: 14

Average Power Factor: 133


Temperature: 91°
Barometric Pressure:29

[iMigraine]

Chrono to test my cast boolits.

Lee 356-120-TC (non-TL)
Powder Coated
Using isotope lead with 2% tin so my boolits weight 126gr

COAL 1.025
IMR PB 3.2gr

Using Springfield 1911 9mm Range Officer 5” barrel

Number of shots: 15
Extreme Spread: 68
Average Velocity: 910

Standard Deviation: 17

Average Power Factor: 114


Temperature: 91°
Barometric Pressure:29

[CPL Lou]

Thank you for your efforts and for sharing this information.

CPL Lou

[FergusonTO35]

That data coincides nicely with what I get using 3.8 grains in my Glock 26. The 356-120-TC is one of the best out there for the 9mm.

[zomby woof]

My favorite boolit

[Javater]

What do u guys size the boolit?
please state gun and size for this mold.

[tazman]

Mine drop at .358. I use them unsized an tumble lubed in my Beretta 92FS. My barrel slugs at .357 so it is a perfect fit for me.

[retread]

Mine drop between .357 and .358. I size to .358 whether lubed or PC. Love that bullet. For powder I use either Bullseye, Vectan AS or ETR7. 3.5 - 3.8 gr. depending on the powder.

[igolfat8]

I load 3.8 grains of TG, at 1.060", sized to .357", excellent accuracy. I also like 4.2 grains of WSF for a slightly softer feel and works a comp very efficiently in my Glock 34.