gas checked 9mm

[Screwbolts]

as i wrote,maybe I should have added tin.

Ken

[Harry O]

There have been a number of threads here on how to get the 9mm to shoot. One thing I eventually noticed is the ones who were reporting success were using much lower loads than I use. I have a number of 9mm handguns and not all of them will function with reduced loads. When loading them up to full powder loads (that would operate any gun I own), the accuracy went to hell long before I reached full power. I tried 3 or 4 different plain-base moulds, different hardnesses, different powder and powder amounts, and different diameters up to .358". While I could get certain loads that would work reasonably with certain guns, I never found one that would work even reasonably well with all of my guns.

Then I noticed that the .357 Magnum was just about the same pressure as a full power 9mm load. I use gas checks on ALL of my full power .357 Magnum loads and have not had a problem with getting any of them to shoot. So I bought an RCBS 9mm 115gr gas-check bullet and have never looked back. It works well in any of my guns at near maximum loads. Some of the people here think that is stupid, but it works for me and it works well.

[Boolseye]

I think GCs make sense for 9mm. I don't use them, but I notice that garden variety 115gr. jacketed bullets are more accurate in my 9mm than any of my CBs, regardless of how well they fit!

[Lloyd Smale]

heres my take on it. I'm in on this group buy for a gas checked bullet. For one I want it for my 9mm ar15. I want to cast hps out of soft lead and push them at top end velocitys out of that gun and handguns so that I get expansion without leading. Even 5050 ww/pure without a check will lead a lot of black guns like glocks sigs, M&Ps ect. Another BIG advantage to checks is id say ive found that in proabably 90 percent of the guns ive owned over the years and I'm talking probably a 100 guns ive shot cast out of, a gas checked bullet of some sort was the most accurate bullet. Now I'm not saying that I couldn't find accuracy with plain based bullets and that in some cases the comparison was pretty close but the gas checked bullets just seem to be more accurate and also eaiser to work up a load for to find that accuracy. Now I'm not going to cast and load thousands of these softer gas checked bullets to use to plink out of my gun. Ive got other 9mm molds that work fine that are plain based. Casted at 10 to 20 bhn they do fine without the expense of a gas check. I ordered 2k of gas checks. Cost about 60 bucks. About the cost of 3 boxes of factory ammo. Not a great expense but granted it is an added expense. I figure though that 2ooo of them will last me a good long time. No a gas check isn't NEEDED with a 9mm but then my 7stw doesn't need a scope either but it sure makes it shine.

[ironhead7544]

I use a 160 gr RN designed for the 38 Super. I find that the 160 is the easiest way to get good accuracy with good function. I load it light, just enough for 100% function. It seems the longer surface takes the rifling better.

If I wanted a high speed cast defense load, the HP GC would be the way I would go. Probably go with a 147 gr.

[HangFireW8]

The problem many folks run into with 9mm is the barrels are oversized, running .358" or even more. Try to load at .359" in a 9mm case and it has a reverse taper and often feeding problems, or you're just swaging the boolit down to more normal 9mm sizes.

Gas checks do at least three things for 9mm, they help the boolit from getting swaged so much by the loading and crimping process, they allow a softer (cheaper) alloy to work, and they scrape the bore and help prevent leading.

I can see those pushing for performance in 9mm, the GC might be the hot ticket. For me, I do cast for pistol for cheap high volume practice, the last thing I want is the extra time and expense of gas checks. I solved my oversized bore problems (in another caliber, but same principle) by buying a quality aftermarket barrel. That slugged out exactly at the correct diameter, and I got on with life.

[Lloyd Smale]

Like you I mass load for 9mms. I try to keep at least 5k loaded and for the blasting ammo I don't need checks either. What my thoughts were is to load about 2k with checks casted soft and with hp for expansion and sticking them away for just in case or when I using a 9 for ccw. Those 2k would last me for many years and the price of the checks is pretty minor.

[beagle]

I'd like to amen the use of PB GCs in the 9mm over regular checks. With regular checks, loading can get expensive with commercial checks. I'm loading a FN High Power clone, a FN Belgium produced High Power and two Ruger Blackhawk convertibles. Each one wants its itch scratched as to diameter or I will get a small amount of leading. Finally, I bought a Pat Marlin .35PB check maker and PB check everything no matter which gun its intended for. No more leading and improved accuracy./beagle

[Boolseye]

I bought a Pat Marlin .35PB check maker and PB check everything no matter which gun its intended for.

How do you find them to apply? I bought some 35 pb GCs on ebay once and they took some serious force to apply. I recall running them backwards through my RCBS turret press with max leverage. I have a PatMarlins .30 cal checkmaker which I love, and hope to buy more. That 35 PB would be high on my list.
P.S. Beagle (assuming you're the same one) thanks for your bullet enlarging innovation!

[bstone5]

I make the gas checks on tools I made. The same gas check will work on 9 mm and 357 plain base cast bullets. Powder coat and a plan base gas ckeck goes on all of the cast bullets that are cast with a Master Caster.

Zero lead with several hundred bullets shot at gun club.