9mm mould advice... something in the 125 grain range.

[mattw]

Believe it or not, have been casting for decades and only have a 9mm 147 TC mould. My kids now have decided that they like shooting 9mm's, but with a lower recoil 125 LRN load that I put together. I almost never shot lighter 9's and never felt the need to make them... but now that has changed.

So, to hold them over I picked up a couple of 500 packs of LRN 125's. Man the quality of commercial cast bullets really stinks! I find that I would have thown back maybe 2 or 3 in 15 from both brands. I can't stand it anymore! I have an assortment of 1911's, an FM Hi-Power and an Sccy all in 9mm. The LRN feeds well, but I really like a more flat meplat. Tell me what you have found to be the most reliable bullet in this weight with a flatish nose.

I would like to be able to get it in a 4 cavity or 2 cavity iron mould. I will be casting with 94-3-3 so a gas check will not be needed. I really do not like Lee moulds, but may end up going that way. Have never used the larger ones with the extra handle. I like the looks of the RCBS 9mm-124-CN, but question how well it will feed. I have used the Lee 358-105-SWC from time to time in 9mm's. Not a great feeder and not much in the way of driving bands. I will not tumble lube for these or almost any bullet, so the Lee TL moulds are off the table.

Thanks Matt

[Outpost75]

I would look at the designs available from Accurate and NOE. Lots of options. Good molds.

[John McCorkle]

Believe it or not, have been casting for decades and only have a 9mm 147 TC mould. My kids now have decided that they like shooting 9mm's, but with a lower recoil 125 LRN load that I put together. I almost never shot lighter 9's and never felt the need to make them... but now that has changed.

So, to hold them over I picked up a couple of 500 packs of LRN 125's. Man the quality of commercial cast bullets really stinks! I find that I would have thown back maybe 2 or 3 in 15 from both brands. I can't stand it anymore! I have an assortment of 1911's, an FM Hi-Power and an Sccy all in 9mm. The LRN feeds well, but I really like a more flat meplat. Tell me what you have found to be the most reliable bullet in this weight with a flatish nose.

I would like to be able to get it in a 4 cavity or 2 cavity iron mould. I will be casting with 94-3-3 so a gas check will not be needed. I really do not like Lee moulds, but may end up going that way. Have never used the larger ones with the extra handle. I like the looks of the RCBS 9mm-124-CN, but question how well it will feed. I have used the Lee 358-105-SWC from time to time in 9mm's. Not a great feeder and not much in the way of driving bands. I will not tumble lube for these or almost any bullet, so the Lee TL moulds are off the table.

Thanks Matt

Is Sha and bake powder coat an option for you?

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[mattw]

Is Sha and bake powder coat an option for you?

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I suppose it could be. I find it takes me longer to make these than to size and lube them. I tried some this weekend and my room is insulated but not climate controlled. The humidity was so high that not a lick of powder would stick! I do most of my casting in the winter, unless I want to try something out and do not want to wait.

[Thumbcocker]

Lee 125 rnfp

[John McCorkle]

I suppose it could be. I find it takes me longer to make these than to size and lube them. I tried some this weekend and my room is insulated but not climate controlled. The humidity was so high that not a lick of powder would stick! I do most of my casting in the winter, unless I want to try something out and do not want to wait.

I'm happy to send you a sample of yhe Lee 120 tc bullets for you to try on.. I'll leave them as cast so you can size/lube or try shake and bake if you'd like...those are my bread and butter

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[mattw]

I would look at the designs available from Accurate and NOE. Lots of options. Good molds.

Believe me... I have been looking. So many in that range and I would hate to end up with one that would not feed well. I envision making a small ammo can full over winter for the kids to shoot in the summer. I could see them trying to feed them to the 1911's and the Sccy, neither like the Hi-Power very well. It bit the oldest and she has sworn it off. 3.6gr. of Bullseye seems to feed in them all and is accurate with a 125 LRN, also not much recoil in any of them... 996 fps in the 1911's.

[Yodogsandman]

The Lee 356-120 TC shoots best in mine. The 6 cavity is much better in fit and finish. I can empty my #20 pot in an hour with about 700 boolits.
https://leeprecision.com/mold-6-cav-356-120-tc.html

[mattw]

The Lee 356-120 TC shoots best in mine. The 6 cavity is much better in fit and finish. I can empty my #20 pot in an hour with about 700 boolits.
https://leeprecision.com/mold-6-cav-356-120-tc.html

So the 6 bangers work better? They look pretty good... Downside another set of handles... May give a set a try closer to casting season, still have some commercial stuff to use up.

[Rcmaveric]

You said you didnt like Lee. But my guns like the Lee 356-125-RN. So any design simmilar made by the other name brands can only be better.

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[wbrco]

My HP slugs very large, over .357, so I've been working with the Lee 358-125 RF sized to. 358. Best success so far has been with BlueDot, Universal, and RedDot.

OAL is an issue, just don't go any deeper than the crimp groove. Plunk test a few dummies.

I only have one other 9 (XD sub-compact), but that stays in the nightstand next to my wife and only eats factory or FMJs.

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[9.3X62AL]

I'm happy to send you a sample of yhe Lee 120 tc bullets for you to try on.. I'll leave them as cast so you can size/lube or try shake and bake if you'd like...those are my bread and butter

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^^^ THIS ^^^. I am none too fond of Lee moulds, but their TC bullet design is FIRST-RATE. You might see if NOE or Accurate makes a design that follows Lee's pattern closely.

[Cherokee]

I have cast 50K plus from my Lee 356-120 TC (not TL) 6 cavity. They feed in XDM9 5"(two of them), XD9 subcompact, Caspian 1911, Browning HP, Taurus PT92 and a few others. This is my go-to bullet for the 9mm. Cast from 3/3/94 alloy @ 121-122 gr, sized .357 with CR lube in the Star machine. Seated @ 1.055". Accurate. Not one single FTFeed. Just my experience, YMMV.

[Shingle]

The NOE 124gr. tc is a fine mold and feeds in anything. I got the HP mold and its three molds in one.

[John McCorkle]

I have cast 50K plus from my Lee 356-120 TC (not TL) 6 cavity. They feed in XDM9 5"(two of them), XD9 subcompact, Caspian 1911, Browning HP, Taurus PT92 and a few others. This is my go-to bullet for the 9mm. Cast from 3/3/94 alloy @ 121-122 gr, sized .357 with CR lube in the Star machine. Seated @ 1.055". Accurate. Not one single FTFeed. Just my experience, YMMV.

Holy cow! My math says that's over 850# of lead!!!

I'd say that is longevity. Any tips on keeping those aluminum molds working well besides general care and use?

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[wv109323]

Due to my bore size I needed the .358 rf bullet for a .38/.357mag. I use a Lee six cavity. The handles are about $15.00. You may need to glue the wood handles to the metal.

[retread]

I also use the Lee 356-120 TC. No complaints at all! Like Yodogsandman says, the 6 cavity is the way to go. I did upgrade mine with the steel sprue plate from a vendor here. Makes things run smoother and avoids possible galling of Aluminum rubbing on Aluminum.

The Lee 356-120 TC shoots best in mine. The 6 cavity is much better in fit and finish. I can empty my #20 pot in an hour with about 700 boolits.
https://leeprecision.com/mold-6-cav-356-120-tc.html

[John McCorkle]

I also use the Lee 356-120 TC. No complaints at all! Like Yodogsandman says, the 6 cavity is the way to go. I did upgrade mine with the steel sprue plate from a vendor here. Makes things run smoother and avoids possible galling of Aluminum rubbing on Aluminum.

Who was that vendor? Do they have a site?

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[mattw]

Looks to be here:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/foru...L-Tool-amp-Die

The fella is in Canada, so shipping will hurt on one or 2 things. If I end up going the Lee route, I will have the sprue plate and the cam lever.

[glockfan]

Believe it or not, have been casting for decades and only have a 9mm 147 TC mould. My kids now have decided that they like shooting 9mm's, but with a lower recoil 125 LRN load that I put together. I almost never shot lighter 9's and never felt the need to make them... but now that has changed.

So, to hold them over I picked up a couple of 500 packs of LRN 125's. Man the quality of commercial cast bullets really stinks! I find that I would have thown back maybe 2 or 3 in 15 from both brands. I can't stand it anymore! I have an assortment of 1911's, an FM Hi-Power and an Sccy all in 9mm. The LRN feeds well, but I really like a more flat meplat. Tell me what you have found to be the most reliable bullet in this weight with a flatish nose.

I would like to be able to get it in a 4 cavity or 2 cavity iron mould. I will be casting with 94-3-3 so a gas check will not be needed. I really do not like Lee moulds, but may end up going that way. Have never used the larger ones with the extra handle. I like the looks of the RCBS 9mm-124-CN, but question how well it will feed. I have used the Lee 358-105-SWC from time to time in 9mm's. Not a great feeder and not much in the way of driving bands. I will not tumble lube for these or almost any bullet, so the Lee TL moulds are off the table.

Thanks Matt

if you're willing to purchase one of his mold,check the 35-130M boolit at accurate molds. it's a scaled down hornady XTP replica that tom modified for me to turn it into a small FP. i've previously drawed the 35-145M myself,and then i wanted a lighter boolit based on it because it,s very,very accurate out of all my 9MM glocks. fortunately, the 130 grainer version shoot as accurate as the 145 version.

here the 130 grainer version



and this is the original