9mm Mold for Hi-Tek Coating

[Matrix]

I am reaching out to those of you how shoot 9mm and use either Powder Coat or Hi-Tek coating rather than lube.

I am new to casting and just putting together my equipment and find myself a bit confused when it comes to which mold is the best choice for my situation. Typically, I shoot 1500 - 2000 rounds each month and all are 9mm. I use them in a CZ Shadow 1, CZ Shadow II, S&W 929 Revolver and JR9 Carbine.

The bullet I would like to use is a 147 grain round nose as I like the felt recoil from it versus the 124 grain round nose option.

Here is my dilemma.
I would typically buy the Lee 6 Cavity mold as a starter because it is very reasonably priced and the aluminum mold is quite light. The problem is that Lee only offers a 124 grain mold and not a 147. Also, the Lee mold is designed for use with traditional lube or Liquid Alox. I would like a mold that is specifically designed for Hi-Tek or Poweder Coat.

Could anyone help with a suggestion for a 9mm 147 grain round nose, Aluminum 5/6 Cavity Mold, designed for coatings?

With thanks for any comments.

[ioon44]

I have 2 no lube grove 9 mm molds from Tom at Accurate a 130 gr fp and a 140 gr fp both are 5 cav. I am really happy with the quality of his molds and I use Hi-Tek coating with these bullets.

[Sig556r]

You can PC any lube-grooved CBs.
Bunch of 147g & heavier molds out there (see also group buy archives).
Round nosed heavies maybe a tad challenging to seat than RFNs but workable.
NLG (non-lube-grooved) molds are likewise offered by Mihec, MP, NOE & the likes compared to traditional LG molds from Lyman, RCBS or Lee.

[Burnt Fingers]

https://mp-molds.com/e-shop/molds/so...-aluminum-mold

https://mp-molds.com/e-shop/molds/so...minum-nlg-mold

https://mp-molds.com/e-shop/molds/so...brass-nlg-mold

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product...8vgnj9nebh4mu6

[kevin c]

If your reading here didn't already turn up this information, either coating works with both standard and no lube grooved designs. There may be less coating in the groove with HiTek unless multiple coats and varied solution concentrations are tried, but this is only a cosmetic issue that does not cause leading. I have not tried PC so I don't know if this happens with its different application techniques.

My personal experience with (HiTek) coated lube grooved casts may be of interest to you if you shoot action pistol, where there may be a minimum power factor to meet and reduced felt recoil loads are favored: some of the designs I tried used significantly less powder to make the same velocity compared to the same weight boolit in a NLG design. I am guessing that the reduced bearing surface of the lube groove design may have made some difference.

Welcome and best wishes for happy casting and shooting!

[Matrix]

Hi Kevin,

Thank you for the comments. I shoot IPSC, IDPA and iCore so your comments regarding lower felt recoil while maintaining a Power Factor are spot on. I understand that the use of Hi-Tek can reduce the required powder charge (while maintaining velocity) by 10% - 20%. I'm hoping that this is the case. The reason for NLG is to keep my reloading using a Dillon 650 with a Mr. Bullet Feeder as simple as possible. The grooves may make no difference at all but I prefer to just keep things as simple as possible.
Again, thank you........Don

[Matrix]

Hello all,

Thank you for the comments, support and recommendations.
I have sent an email to Tom at Accurate and waiting for a reply.

Don

[Papercidal]

This one works great for me as a uspsa competition load 3.5gr WSF gets about 140pf from my Shadow 2s and feels about the same as the 150gr federal action pistol load.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...etition-bullet

[Ausglock]

This one is a favourite for IPSC Production Div out of CZ Shadows sized .357"

http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_...=35-150Z-D.png

[Gatch]

I purchased this recently. It rains bullets !

https://www.mp-molds.com/e-shop/mold...no-lube-groove

[Intel6]

I was looking for the same thing but specifically for my 929. I was looking for a heavy RN bullet and a mould with a high cavity count. The MP moulds are the only ones that have an 8 cavity. I picked up a 151 gr. smooth mould and man does it crank out the bullets.

[Matrix]

Hi Intel6. That sounds like a very interesting choice. How do you find it loads into your 929?
Have you coated it?

[Intel6]

Matrix, So far so good. I do both PC and HI Tek and tried both for the bullets. I didn't find any difference in how they shot (ransom rest) in my 929 so I just Hi Tek coat them as it is easier for me. I loaded and shot them in both my 929 and some autos just to see how they shot and had geat results. I was concerned about the bullet at first because it had that shoulder transition on it, I would rather it had been smooth like most heavy roundnose 9mm bullets but they had me at 8 cavity so I went with it. Turns out it was no issue, didnt cause chambering issues in either the revolver or the auto. I sized them to .0.358" as I do with all my 9mm bullets. You can see in the pic below some coated and sized bullets both with PC and HT. The loaded rounds on the left are for the revolver as I load the heavy bullets longer in the revolver. The loaded round ont he right is for the autos and it loaded shorter for magazine feeding. As I said they shot geat in both the auto (mostly a Glock 17L) and my 929. I also had no issues with dropping the loaded moonclip full of them in the 929, dropped in like all the others.

[Burnt Fingers]

A great heavy 9mm without a shoulder and that can be loaded long is the NOE ELCO.

[Matrix]

Intel6 - Thank you for the pics and the comments. I have sent an email to Mihec asking a few questions and hoping that it becomes a choice for my guns.

[Matrix]

Burnt Fingers - Thank you for the NOE ELCO suggestion. I have checked NOE and they currently do not offer and molds without a lube groove. Since I am planning to coat the bullets I would prefer to have a smooth bullet.

[Burnt Fingers]

The NOE ELCO without a lube groove would be over 160 grains.

[Intel6]

I also have the NOE ELCO mould and it is also a great mould. I like it better in my autos due to the blunt tip profile but is also shoots great in my 929. If I coulld have gotten it in an 8 cavity mould then I would have been satisfied but 5 cavity is as many as NOE makes.

[Matrix]

Hello again. Sorry for the delayed response. We have been travelling for the past few weeks and just got home. Thank you again for the additional information regarding the NOE moulds. The bullets look superb but I have a real issue (perhaps just in my own mind) with producing bullets with NLG.
I sent a message to Mihec about 2 weeks ago and I still haven't received a response from him. I will resend the message today.
That said, I am proceeding to place an order for 9mm/38-147 RN BB 8 cav Aluminum NLG mold.
Thank you again for your suggestions as I work through this decision

[fredj338]

The Lee 150gr RN will work just fine coated. You do NOT need a smooth bullet to coat & that actually limits you if you decide you want to lube at some point. JMO.