Boolits Sizing for 9mm Question

[Pooka]

Hi all,

I'm getting back into casting/reloading and I dusted off my Lee TL356-124-2R this weekend and cast up about a 1,000 from wheel weights. I powder coated for the first time (thanks for the help Smoke) and know I am wondering about sizing them.

I plan on feeding them to a Glock 19 (yes I have read up on all the Glock - cast boolits issues and threads...but thanks for any concerns)

I do not have a sizing kit for 9mm so my question to you all is should I opt for .356 or .357?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

[Eddie17]

I would go bigger them .356! Over size have made my 9mm on target, to my liking��

[Pooka]

Eddie, what do you size to?

[bstone5]

I size to .357 for 9 mm cast bullets. The bullets are powder coated. Use the same bullets for 38 Special loads. With powder coating have never had any lead in the barrel.

[EMR]

Can you slug a polygonal barrel? Find out and get a sizing die one or two thousands bigger.

I use a .357 myself but it really sizes .3564. Luckily I get no leading in the many pistols I use them in.

[waco]

I size .358" for a couple 9mm's.

[Dirtjumper895]

I size .3565 for my Sig MPX ( slugs .3550), but size .358 for all of my other 9mm's. Id take the above advice and slug your barrel, or just size .358.

[Pooka]

Thanks all, I’ve never slugged it but I’ll figure out how and go from there.


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[jeepyj]

I'm different that the others because .357 doesn't pass the plunk test in my Springfield so I go .356 however if I could get away with it I'd go .357 also.

[JBinMN]

Hi all,

I'm getting back into casting/reloading and I dusted off my Lee TL356-124-2R this weekend and cast up about a 1,000 from wheel weights. I powder coated for the first time (thanks for the help Smoke) and know I am wondering about sizing them.

I plan on feeding them to a Glock 19 (yes I have read up on all the Glock - cast boolits issues and threads...but thanks for any concerns)

I do not have a sizing kit for 9mm so my question to you all is should I opt for .356 or .357?

Thanks in advance for your replies.

I use the same boolit & I run them "as cast". They are usually around .356 - .357. ( I can't remember if I "beagled" those with tape or not).

Regardless, my 9MM slugged at .355 & I get -0- leading or any other issues. I lube them with 45/45/10 lube as well.

If they are casting at .356 or .357 & you should be OK if you barrels groove diameter is at around .355. Just want to keep the "boolits' at 0.001+ to 0.002 larger than the groove size of the "grooves" in your 9MM bbl. diameter & lubed well.

G'Luck!, regardless!

[Rattlesnake Charlie]

.358 works in all 3 of my 9mm's and 4 different .380's. Works fine in my .38's, as expected.

[Ed_Shot]

.358 works in all 3 of my 9mm's and 4 different .380's. Works fine in my .38's, as expected.

Same here..... I load for 4 different 9MM's, 3 different 380's, and 6 different 38/357's in the family and all work perfectly sized .358.

[Tom W.]

I just sold my Glock 19, but while I had it I fired boolits sized to .358. I use the same size in my LC9s Pro, and my .357. Never had leading in these handguns. I'm going to get a CZ 75 SP-01 next week and will shoot the same sized boolits. I've been using White Label Lube's Carnauba red for the last 10 years with no leading in any of my firearms.

[tazman]

.358 works well in all but 2 of my 9mm pistols.
My Springfield Range officer pistols require .357 or smaller to function properly.

[gregtu]

I have the same mold, and my gun shoots fine with them now. I can't chamber a .368 in my S&W M&P Pro--I guess a tight throat. The barrel also slugs at barely over .355. I'm pretty new to casting though, and I ended up using the .356 Lee sizer after two PC coats (tried .357 & .258 first). I've not shot too many rounds through it....only enough to make sure that it cycled, that there was not too much pressure on the primers, etc.. No leading yet, but that is my fear. I've heard that I may need to ream (or otherwise enlargen it) so that I can run a little larger boolit, but I'm trying to make it work as it is, including the factory barrel.

[DSRichert]

.358 for 9mm and 38s

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[upnorthwis]

I PC them out of that same mold and don't size at all. I let the taper crimp take care of it.

[warpspeed]

When I shoot j-words, they are 0.355" and shoot great. For cast, I like 0.356" and have not had any issues.

[bbogue1]

Make a slug, slug your barrel and send the slug to Dardas Bullets who will mic them to four decimal places then recommend what size is best for your barrel, make your bullets +.001 to .002 larger than your barrel, PC them then size them to the size they need to be. Load them, shoot them. I slugged my Sigs barrel after having severe leading and found it slugged at .356 which is the diameter of the bullet I was using. Now I use the same mold you are talking about, PC them and size them .358. You are really guessing until you slug your barrel. To make a slug put some fishing weights on top of a 9mm case. Heat the case with a propane torch or lighter. The lead will melt and drop down into the case. Let it cool and knock it out with a impact bullet remover. I keep several slugs on hand to slug other peoples barrels, but, the slugs (usually 2-3 of them) go to Dardas for measurement.

[Pooka]

thanks for the slug tutorial bbogue1, I'll give it a go.