Getting The Right Size Mold And Lube Sizer

[metweezer]

My SR9C 9mm barrel slugged at .356. So what size Lee lube sizer should I get? I also want to get a Lee 6 cavity mold (TL 356 124 gr #90465) at the advice of another caster. I am reading here and there about getting a size .001 larger and I don't want to get something that's not going to work.
Thanks, Steve

[MtGun44]

If you are going to use a lubrisizer, don't buy a TL design. Get the 356 124 TC conventional
lube type, an excellent boolit. You want at least .001 larger. Start with .357 and if it doesn't
work well open up the die to .358 and try that. If you are going to stick with TL, be aware
many have failed with TL in 9mm, although some definitely have succeeded. TL is a marginal
lube system and 9mm is a PITA caliber for cast, needs a good lube system.

The most important thing is fit, don't make it too small. Most folks find .357 or .358 works best
in 9mms.

WWt alloy, NRA 50-50 lube or LBT soft blue will work well. Don't over crimp, but make sure
you use a taper crimp die to slightly crimp the cases.

This may be useful:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=121737

Bill

[geargnasher]

Good post and good points, Bill. Do you have the Lee C356-124-TC and know if it casts at least .357"? I think that's mainly what Metweezer was wanting to know, and I do too 'cuz I'm looking to buy one of them.

Gear

[JIMinPHX]

A Lee .356 mold may drop a boolit that is big enough to size at .357" & it may not. That will vary with the individual mold. There is a little bit of a manufacturing tolerance in there sometimes. If you get a mold that is specified to throw a .357 or .358" boolit, then you can be fairly certain that you should be able to get a .357" diameter finished boolit after sizing. If you are lucky, your mold may throw a boolit that is the size you need right out of the gate with no sizing afterward. That's kind of a bit like hitting the lottery though.

The Lee sizers work best with the TL designs, but I've used them with conventional lube groove boolits too. The lubrisizers (lyman, RCBS, Star, etc) work best with conventional lube groove boolits, but they can also work with TL boolits, even at rifle velocities.

The biggest problem with TL boolits occurres when you try to size them down more than a few thousandths. It doesn't take very much to smear those tiny little TL grooves off the sides of those boolits. The conventional lube groove boolits are much less sensitive to that sort of thing.

For target work with a 9-iron, I often use the little 105 grain Lee SWC mold that was intended for a .38. It works great for me & it's plenty big in diameter.

[MtGun44]

I had not loaded 9mm for decades, and decided to get back into loading it, since I
had added some new guns. I picked the 356-120-TC and it cast .357 to .358 depending on
alloy. No problem making it work at .358 diameter. After working with a 2 cav for a while, I
added a 6 cav version and it, too, casts .358 with no trouble.

Personally, I forget the correct numerical designation for Lee molds or confuse them all the
time, so I went to Lee's page to get the designation above. I can't find a "C356-124-TC",
but I think you mean the 356-120-TC. The only one I see with 124 gr in the name is the
"TL356-124-TC", the tumble lube variant.

356-120-TC is an excellent boolit for 9mm, the two that I have are definitely large enough and
may be a good one for .38 spl, too, but I have not tried it.

I agree with Jim that the Lee 105 SWC isvery good in 9mm. This is the first mold I ever bought
and I used it in 9mm for years before I dropped loading for the 9mm for about 25 yrs.
It always gave excellent results. I think of it as the H&G 68 for the 9mm cartridge.

Bill

[462]

"C" designates a gas check design, most likely, Gear had a typing error. My fingers run all over the keyboard and posts require much time spent editing.

[MtGun44]

Me too! I can't keep track of the Lee system, often get it crossed up, not surprised that
someone else does, too - just trying to clarify, not criticize.

Bill

[metweezer]

You want at least .001 larger. Start with .357 and if it doesn't work well open up the die to .358 and try that. The most important thing is fit, don't make it too small. Most folks find .357 or .358 works best
in 9mms.

Bill,

If I have a .356 mold how can I make .357 or .358 boolit? I can see a sizer sizing down but how do you get it to size up? Also how do I open a die?
Your response is greatly appreciated.
Tks, Steve

[geargnasher]

MY BAD fellas, I meant 356-120-TC, conventional, I thought it was the same weight as the TL version but it's the 124.

I'm looking at the 2011 Lee full-color catalog and there is an explanation of the mould designations there, turns out "C" doesn't denote "conventional", it denotes "gas check". Who knew. Why the heck they didn't use "G" instead makes no sense to me.

Gear

[MtGun44]

Typically a Lee die that is named "356" will cast about 357 or 358, which makes it
just right for many 9mms that need .357 or 8 boolits.

See what I mean gear - I can never keep the Lee system straight, I have to go to
their web sight to make sure I am putting the right designation down. Glad somebody
else has the same issue - makes me feel a bit better. I seem to remember the Lyman
numbers easily and the Lee ones very poorly.

Bill