First timer

[Southpawjoe]

Hello,

I've lurked around here for a few weeks now and gathered information. Nice site guys!

I have loaded hulls for over a year and even casted my own slugs. So I had some experience before I just plunged in. I also had a buddy fill in blanks for me.

I soon (3 months) will be of age to own and carry my first pistol :D. So I thought this waiting period would a good time to stock up on ammo. Well, I cannot buy ammo either it turns out. Not to mention it is way to expensive. But, I can purchase everything I need to make my own.;) . And them J words just aren't my style so we will be sling'n the real deal here.

I settled on 9mm and got to work. Went with a ball 356-125-2R. Worked out a bullet lube and brewed it up. Pan lubed them babys and sized to 357 thou.

So after a weekend of farting around and about wearing out my bullet puller I came to what I think is a 9mm cartridge round.

Any tips, advise, warnings? Thanks!


-Joe


356-125-2R
3grn Clays
OAL 1.125
http://img517.imageshack.us/img517/6413/dscf0825d.th.jpg (http://img517.imageshack.us/i/dscf0825d.jpg/)

[BABore]

Casting them ahead of time is fine. But, wait til you get the gun to size, lube, and load them. You should slug the bore first, but your current 0.357 diameter should be close. I prefer 0.3574 for my gun. When you load them up you will need to work the load up for best powder charge. Seating depth and OAL are very important here. OAL for good functioning and acuuracy and the resulting seating depth for correct powder charge. The 9mm is a tiny case. Minute differences in seating depth can change pressure dramatically.

[elk hunter]

Welcome aboard. You've landed in the right spot to learn a great deal about casting and reloading. There is more experience and good will amongst the members of this board than any other one I've looked at. Almost any reloading or casting topic has been covered at some time and a quick search will answer a lot of questions.

Again, welcome.

[Ajax]

welcome Joe i am starting at reloading 9mm as well. be sure to get a reloading manual Lyman 49th or Lyman cast bullet hand book. they will help you with a lot of load information. i second not sizing till you get your gun and slug the barrel.

Andy

[Southpawjoe]

Thanks guys!


Yea I won't load any more till I get the thing. I couldn't help myself to load a bit though ;)

Where would I find lead balls the correct size and soft enough to slug with if I may ask? :?:


Yea I'm already regretting going with only the 2 cavity mould.


-Joe

[454PB]

You don't need lead balls, use your boolit mould to cast some pure lead slugs. If the slugs are a little small, put them in a vice and squeeze them up to whatever diameter you want.

[Cherokee]

Welcome to reloading. Don't try to go too fast, slow and careful is good.

[Southpawjoe]

You don't need lead balls, use your boolit mould to cast some pure lead slugs. If the slugs are a little small, put them in a vice and squeeze them up to whatever diameter you want.

Ahh gotcha. Thanks.


Of course safety is of most importance. I hate the E.R. :|

[frkelly74]

Just a thought . If you don't have your heart set on a 9mm or haven't comitted money to one you might consider a revolver. In my opinion success is somewhat easier to achieve with a revolver. It will have a rimmed case that is a little more forgiving of Pressure issues. no feeding issues to deal with. You can load as light as you want to. You don't have to chase brass all over. Over all it is easier to have a good time with a revolver unless you want to just blaze away with magazine after magazine. Those guys drive me crazy, It's like they want to scare the target to death with the noise of gunfire. My first revolver was a Ruger 41 Bisley Black Hawk. It was easy to get accurate ammo that worked just fine in it. For sheer wealth of data and loading options I would have to recommend a 357 double action of some sort. Not a snubbie, but 4" or 6" barrel Ruger or Smith & Wesson. This would be good to get started with in my opinion. 9mm can be tricky to work with and will have some frustrations that you can avoid.

[Ben]

Southpawjoe

Go slow, if you're not totally clear on what you're doing next, STOP and ask some of the members here......we can help. I'd rather have just a few quality rounds done right, compared to a large quantity of " junk " reloads, some or all of which could be potentially dangerous to you and any bystanders close to you when you're firing them.

[BABore]

Thanks guys!


Yea I won't load any more till I get the thing. I couldn't help myself to load a bit though ;)

Where would I find lead balls the correct size and soft enough to slug with if I may ask? :?:


Yea I'm already regretting going with only the 2 cavity mould.


-Joe

Go to the nearest fishing eporium and get some hollow egg sinkers. Give them a fingernail test as some are harder or non-lead. They come in various sizes. Just get a few that are a bit bigger than 0.360. With a clean, oiled bbl and oiled sinker, stand it up in the muzzle and tap it in with a plastic mallet. It will cut off the excess as it goes in. Drive it through from there.

[polara426sh]

If you have a hard time finding lead sinkers, Hornady makes a .375 round ball for muzzle loaders. I use these for slugging my 38s, 9mms, etc.. Finding lead sinkers is next to impossible up here.

[Jim]

THIS (http://fgsp.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/egg-sinker-weights-diameters/) might help.

[Southpawjoe]

THIS (http://fgsp.wordpress.com/2011/01/28/egg-sinker-weights-diameters/) might help.


Thanks!


Yea I'm kind of at a stand still until I get my pistol. Spending my time preping brass. I did however cast some 452-200-RF for a buddys 1911. Going to slug his gun tomorrow and pick up a die for it. Hopefully he likes the way they shoot and gets turned on to casting. That way I have somebody to huddle around the pot with :drinks:


Yea my first pistol will be my carry gun. So a revolver is kinda out for me. I'm not much for them to begin with. Maybe later.


http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/6489/dscf0834d.th.jpg (http://img62.imageshack.us/f/dscf0834d.jpg/)

[Charlie Two Tracks]

Hi Southpawjoe. Good to see you get started casting and reloading. These guys will help with any problem that may occur. Try to remember that the lead at 700 deg.+ lead will give an incredible burn instantly. My casting pot is screwed down on the bench. Be safe and have fun. Find a couple three tons of lead and you should be good to go!

[Wayne Smith]

Thanks!


Yea I'm kind of at a stand still until I get my pistol. Spending my time preping brass. I did however cast some 452-200-RF for a buddys 1911. Going to slug his gun tomorrow and pick up a die for it. Hopefully he likes the way they shoot and gets turned on to casting. That way I have somebody to huddle around the pot with :drinks:


Yea my first pistol will be my carry gun. So a revolver is kinda out for me. I'm not much for them to begin with. Maybe later.
]

If you have the stuff to make .45 Acp consider one of those. A low pressure round is much more forgiving and easier to load for than any high pressure round. Especially with cast.

[Southpawjoe]

If you have the stuff to make .45 Acp consider one of those. A low pressure round is much more forgiving and easier to load for than any high pressure round. Especially with cast.

I just have the mould. I will be doing a 45 down the road in the form of a 1911. :popcorn:

[MtGun44]

9mm Luger is not the easiest and most forgiving round to start with. If you can swing it, the
.45 ACP is much easier to get working for a newbie. If not that, a .38 Spl revolver is also an
excellent starting point for reloading.

Bill