Major leading with Hi-Tek coating

[jmac2112]

I've been powder coating for about a year now, but I'm getting really tired of casting my own and wanted to try one of the Hi-Tek options out there. I bought 100 bullets from SNS Cast Bullets, and it did not go well--tons of lead in the barrel. Here are the details:

Pistol: CZ Shadow 2, barrel slugged at .3565
Bullet: 9mm 125 gr. conical nose, .356 diameter (https://www.snscasting.com/new-9mm-1...-coated-500ct/)
Powder: 4.0 gr of Win231
OAL: 1.130 (about .015 off the lands)
PF: 125

I did several practice rounds first, pulling the bullets to check for swaging or scraping of the coating. Everything looked good.

Now with my own PC boolits, I had to go to .3585 diameter to prevent leading. These SNS bullets are .356 on the nose. I realize the obvious solution here, but how in the world do these coated bullet makers stay in business selling .356 diameter bullets (.355 in the case of Blue Bullets)? The only way I have been able to use .3585 boolits without having a ridiculously short OAL is by using a custom mold from Accurate Molds that puts a step in the nose of the boolit. I can get .358 bullets from SNS (and others, I'm sure), but then I'm back to loading them really short.

So, what could I be doing wrong? How do other people get these bullets to work?

Thanks!

John

[Gatch]

Beats me mate. I'm just going through the motions myself, figuring out how to get my mihec 145gr to stop leading my own shadow 2. The stock dillon plug is too small diameter and my boolits swage down badly, which I hope has been the problem. I've just cast up a fresh batch and coated them and sized to .358, going to have a test run with my newly made expander plug.

[jmac2112]

I've been using expander plugs made by NOE Bullet Molds, and I don't know how I would get along without them. You might want to check them out if you continue to have problems. Good luck!

[Ausglock]

All the CZ's I have supplied bullets for needed .357 as a minimum dia.

[Conditor22]

why would you buy boolits .005 SMALLER than your barrel then wonder why they didn't work?

What did you size your own boolits at?

[jmac2112]

I repeat my question: How do these companies stay in business selling 9mm bullets sized .356 or .355? How many barrels will these really work in?

As I said in my OP, I size my PC boolits at .3585. I was assuming that Hi-Tek was some kind of magic since they don't seem to market any 9mm bullets larger than .356.

[fifteenfifty]

A 9mm barrel is supposed to be .355. So .356 lead projectile is nominally correct (they work fine for me).

The round was intended for jacketed projectiles from day 1 way back when, so bore variation causing problems for lead bullets was never a consideration.

You may consider trying plain-base gas checks.

-Brian

[jmort]

Hi Tek is no substitute for PC
Neither is magic
I think most are at .357" for 9mm cast

[jmac2112]

OK, I think I've found a bullet that might work:

http://www.bayoubullets.net/38-357-124-gr-rn-100-ct/

I'ts sized .358, and the nose is a smaller diameter than the drive bands. It's listed in the .38/.357 section of the website, but it looks like the ticket for my 9mm. Thanks for all the advice!

John

[Ausglock]

Our everyday 9mm bullets are sized .3565"
Anyone we sell to that has a CZ gets .357" or .3575" dia

[jmac2112]

Trevor,

Very interesting! What is your company/website? Or is it a PM type of deal?

[T-Bird]

I buy my 9mm boolits from bayou bullets. I just don't want to cast them. Mine shoot great form my Walther the website says they are .356 but they also say that they can do other sizes on request.

[Ausglock]

Trevor,

Very interesting! What is your company/website? Or is it a PM type of deal?

We are Susan Island Bullets here in Australia.
We don't have a website.
We make them part time. Both of us have real day jobs.
We do have a facebook page.
I do all of the coating testing for Hitek Joe before it goes out to the world.

[kevin c]

I do all of the coating testing for Hitek Joe before it goes out to the world.

And we all appreciate the effort, Trevor, even if Joe doesn't

Jmac: I haven't used SNS cast: do they sell unlubed, unsized bullets? Is the HiTek adhering properly? My understanding is that sizing alters the surface to the point where the coating may not stick. Residual lube is supposed to have the same effect.

[Lakehouse2012]

Following with interest.. i have a shadow 2 on order because a friend let me shoot his. Im a serious caster and have had decent results with loading my own into all of my Sig's and rugers using Titegroup and the HG275 (COPY) 130g SWC.

We started down the same path for his shadow 2 and:
1) OAL using plunk-test needs to be 1.06-ish
2) HP38 at 3.1 is poor performance (some tumbles and large spread) and leading after 10 or so rounds.

I did slug his barrel and measured it at .3565 so i have been sizing to .357 for him.

My initial thought is that throat might need to be modified to be similar to my sigs....



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[Burnt Fingers]

I repeat my question: How do these companies stay in business selling 9mm bullets sized .356 or .355? How many barrels will these really work in?

As I said in my OP, I size my PC boolits at .3585. I was assuming that Hi-Tek was some kind of magic since they don't seem to market any 9mm bullets larger than .356.

Gamer guns have VERY tight chambers and barrels. That's how these companies stay in business. Those guys buy bullets by the case.

Their 9mm barrels run .355, .40 barrels run .401 or even .400.

[Ausglock]

Lakehouse.

We supply an indoor range with bullets for their "house" loaner guns.
When they were using .356" bullets from another supplier, they had to clean them every day due to leading.
When the swapped over to our .3575"dia, they only clean the barrels once a week and mainly for soot fouling, not lead fouling.
Most of their house guns are CZ SP-01 and Glock 17A

[Lakehouse2012]

Lakehouse.

We supply an indoor range with bullets for their "house" loaner guns.
When they were using .356" bullets from another supplier, they had to clean them every day due to leading.
When the swapped over to our .3575"dia, they only clean the barrels once a week and mainly for soot fouling, not lead fouling.
Most of their house guns are CZ SP-01 and Glock 17A

Thanks for that Aus!
It gives me comfort that ill be able to make loads. Are you using RN or SWC for the house rounds?

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[BigAlofPa.]

I had leading with Tite group powder bad. With the Hi-Tek coated. 9mm and 380 were the most severe.

[Ausglock]

Thanks for that Aus!
It gives me comfort that ill be able to make loads. Are you using RN or SWC for the house rounds?

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135gn RN