Lead bullets in a Beretta pistol?

[broomhandle]

Hi All,

I found some 124 grain lead bullets that were buried in a box of stuff.:???:

I had cast them for my Browning Hi-power years ago. They shot OK, but not a tight group that I could get with J bullets.:(
I want to try them in my Beretta, would any one know if the lands are deeper in a Beretta than a Browning.
Thanks for any help.
I did try a few loads but they all shot the same loose groups.:confused:
Please share your pet load with me. Any help is welcome.

Thanks in advance,
broom

[9.3X62AL]

Broom--

Dunno about the groove depth, but the twist rate is 1-10" in stock Beretta barrels. THAT is principal bugbear in getting 9mm cast loads to shoot, in my experience. Treat the 9mm pistol like a rifle--owing to its high pressures and rapid twist rate. Make sure the boolits fit the throat and grooves. Don't try to maximize velocity, make the goal "threshold of reliable functioning + 5%". Longer-shanked truncated-cone or semi-wadcutter type boolits tend to do better than the RN designs overall.

Most of my 125 grain castings find a sweet spot between 3.5 and 4.0 grains of WW-231. That may need a little boost in the Beretta, it was designed around the European-intensity M-882 service load, which is "full value"--unlike most USA 9mm loads.

[mag_01]

:coffee: ---- 3.5of 231 and 125gr boolit is excellent also 4.1 herco and 3.5 to 3.8 of good old bullseye do well. If groups with these loads shoot poorly you made need a larger diameter boolit----Good luck with your 9MM ---- Mag:castmine:

[9.3X62AL]

Good point by Mag 01--most factory 9mm barrels are a little oversize, and need a fatter boolit than the usual run of .355"-.356" castings that commercial suppliers provide. Conversely, the aftermarket barrels in this caliber are pretty closely toleranced--they run at .355". All 9mm components and platform elements tend to show a wide range of tolerances, often to enhance service reliability. Reloading of cartridges was not a factor in their development, for certain.

[robertbank]

For accuracy and tight SD's I like either 4 gr Unique or 4.1 gr Win 231. The latter meters better out of my Dillon measure and I have decided to stick to 231. Another great load in my guns is 4.7 gr Unique for accuracy. I size all my 9MM bullets to .357. Less than that and I get key holing in my CZ and STI Trojan. Alloy is wheelweights water quenched. I shoot 125 gr truncated cone bullets from Lyman 356402 mold.

Take Care Eh

Bob

[Four Fingers of Death]

My 92FS shoots like a house on fire with 125Gn L Conicals over 4Gn 231 (which is a Winchester recommended load in their brochure) off the bench. However, when I stand up on my hind laigs and shoot the sucker the goups open up appreciably, I will master this big black quick strip pistola! Mick.

[broomhandle]

Hi All,

Thanks for all the replys!

I should have mentioned the 9 mm is 1951 Brigider (sp) single stack pistol. I bet the rifling is the same, as the 92.
I'm going to make some up with W- 231 and see if there is a better group out there.

Be well,
broom

[Frank46]

My baretta 92fs slugs out at a full .357". Hard cast bulk bullets only left massive amounts of leading in the bore. I ended up shooting .357 dia 125 gr rem bulk hollow points for plate matches. Frank

[Lloyd Smale]

try your bullets at 358 and if they dont function then try .357. A harder bullet will just about allways shoot better in an autoloader. It prevents the bullets from being damage when feeding and most autoloaders tend to have shallow rifling that dont grab the bulllets well.

[Char-Gar]

I have very good luck in various 9mm autopistols with a 125 grain TC plain base bullet, sized .358 or .357 over enough Unique or AA5 to push it 1,000 to 1,050 fps. Nice round groups equal in size to the best condom bullet factory loads.

[robertbank]

Lloyd my nines all have very deep rifling. I think that is a feature of the 9MM caliber. Tight twist and depp rifling. True of the Euro guns that I have. Can't speak to the Beretta wouldn't own one.

Take Care

Bob

[9.3X62AL]

45 ACP's have "shallow" rifling compared to bore diameter, about .004" land height--but with the gentler twist rates (1-16" typically) they grab most cast boolits pretty readily. Most 40's and 9mm's have pretty substantial land heights vs. bore diameter, around .004"-.006", and owing to their fast twists (in most barrels 1-10") AND much higher pressures, this is a recipe for "skip and strip". Countermeasures that have worked for me include harder alloys--longer bearing surface on bullet designs--soft lubes--and sufficient diameter. TREAT 9mm's LIKE RIFLES. Ditto for the 40 S&W.

One design that has done well for me in the Lyman #358242 (121 grain version) sized at .357"-.358" in my SIG-Sauers. With both lube grooves filled with Javelina, it shoots very well with zero leading and decent accuracy. I have a new (to me) design in a NEI 4-cavity that Buckshot provided that I'm looking forward to test-driving--it resembles a Lyman #356402 and lacks the excreble bevel base that I detest with extreme prejudice.

[robertbank]

For accuracy and economy try 4 gr Unique or 4.1 gr 231 under that NEI bullet. Loads works really well for me.

Take Care

Bob

[broomhandle]

Hi All,

I'm making about 50 of each load up and checking for function, leading and tight groups.
It's nice to have you fellows out there to back me up.

Best to all,
broom