What loads for 9mm Lee 124-grain TL bullets?

[duelist1954]

I am working up a plinking load for an old CZ-75 pistol using Lee's 124-grain Tumble lube bullet. I use the 230 grain version in my .45 ACPs and it is very accurate, but I'm having troble getting good accuracy with the 9mm version. So far 5.5 grains of Power Pistol seems to work best, with some Unique loads doing OK too.

Bullseye and HP-38, my usual stand bys for 9mm have been disappointing.

What have you all had good results with?

[Wally]

I shoot the .45 ACP, .40 S & W, & the 9mm Luger w/ cast bullets---the 9mm is the most difficult to find an accurate load for. Lately I've done well with a Lee 102 RN and an old Lyman 358345 (115 SWC) with 3.5~4.0 grains of Bullsye. I've never done well with any 124 TC bullet in my Taurus 99AF...including the beloved 356402...

[MT Gianni]

First pistol mold I ever owned and first to get rid off. I like the 358242 & 356402 in my cz. I do not miss my tumble lube 9mm mold.

[grullaguy]

The Lee TL bullet works fine in my Model 39.
My two best powders have been W231 and 700X, with plinking velocity.
The W231 seems to burn pretty dirty at low pressures though.

[duelist1954]

I worked up mid-level loads with this bullet using Bullseye, HP-38, Unique and Power Pistol.

The Unique load and the Power Pistol load were the best of the four, so I worked up a full range of test loads for each powder going from minimum to maximun in 0.2-grain increments. The heaviest loads of both Unique and Power Pistol were better than the lighter loads, with Power Pistol 5.5-gr being the best overall, but still not outstanding.

It is funny because the .45 ACP TL bullet is the best .45 ACP bullet I shoot...very accurate.

I think I'll try 148 grain bullets...if that oesn't work I'll go back to 115-grain plated bullets in 9mm. They shoot great for me.

[MT Gianni]

duelist1954, I would check out Lee's non tumble lube rn 125 gr before buying bullets. Lube it with LLA if you wish. It isn't Lee but this mold is difficult for most of us to get to group.

[canyon-ghost]

Bullseye: 3.2 grains

[duelist1954]

Mt Gianni, that's probably what I'll do. I

t is too bad. I fell in love with Lee's 230-grain TL bullets...better than my RCBS 230-grainers. I thought I'd have the same luck with the 9mm.

I have two Lubrisizers, one for black powder bullets and one for smokeless bullets, so lubing non TL bullets isn't an issue for me. I just expected them to do better.

[Treeman]

I've loaded lots of the TL 124s in 9mm over 4.0 of Red Dot. Accuracy is acceptable but not stellar. As others are mentioning that bullet is one of the less satisfactory among many stellar Lee designs. You can effectively tumble lube any style so choose the bullet you like without regard for whether or not it has microbands.

[garym1a2]

4.4 of WSF in 120 TC boolit works good for me.

[floridaboy]

I like 4.0 grs. Win. 231 in my Lone Wolf barreled Glock. Very acc and no leading.

[wb_carpenter]

My uspsa load is 4.0 grains of bullseye with varying OAL based on the gun but 1.1 is a good start.

I use 50/50 JPW and lee ALOX.

[timkelley]

I like the 120TC Lee. It seems to shoot better for me than the 124TL. I use Unique or Blue Dot.

[wb_carpenter]

I like the 120TC Lee. It seems to shoot better for me than the 124TL. I use Unique or Blue Dot.


You find any guns that dislike the short OAL of the truncated cones?

It seemed like if I ever followed recommended OAL measurements it wouldn't look right with the lube grooves all outside the case.