Heavy 9 mm .358" bullets ?

[California Gunner]

Hi All: Has anybody experimented with 9mm 160-165 gr. .358" cast bullets ? My XD9 Tactical with a BarSto match barrel slugs at .3565" and is not accurate at 25 yds. (3-4" grps. on rest) with a 162 gr. custom Lee mold .3565" bullets.

Thanks, Wayne

[runfiverun]

i have only gone as high as 158 swc's in a 9mm.
i had to check brass wall thickness and case taper.
load development was also slow and tedious.
i reduced 140 gr data and worked up SLOWLY.
i did find excellent accuracy but at velocities siimilar to the 45 acp.

[California Gunner]

Hi Runfiverun:

Thanks for the quick reply. The load development is not the problem. Iv'e worked up a great load on paper and chrono'd it. I had Lee Custom make a mold (162 gr. .356") for the stock XD9 Tactical barrel which slugged at .355". 3.1-2 grs. of AA SOLO 1000 = 810+ fps.. high to low of 25-30 fps. and a very good Standard Deviation of 6.5 to 9.5. but the accuracy was not great. I had Springer Precision put in a BarSto match barrel but the accuracy did not improve.
I then slugged the BarSto barrel and found it is .3565" which is the same size as the Lee custom mold bullet. So before I have Lee make another custom mold at .358" (@ $205.00) I thought I would check to see if other people has had the same situation.
I shoot national IDPA matches with my 1911 .45 ACP and won this XD9 Tactical at the CA State match last year. I want to develope a load in the 130,000 power factor ( bullet weight x velocity) range for this new gun to use in IDPA competition.
I don't remember which nationally known pistol champion told me his secret: Fast powder + heavy bullet= less felt recoil. More of a push than a snap. It works in my 1911.

Thanks, Wayne

[dbldblu]

Lyman used to include 9mm data for the 358311 in their older manuals. Lyman #44 for instance.

[Aaron]

I will send you some 140+ gr. 359 from the Minaret gb if you want to try them. Not as heavy but the diameter is right.

Aaron

[runfiverun]

the swc's are straight up for the 38 special target guns.
i wasn't gonna mess with a custom mold when i have ones that pour over 358 to begin with.
i normally use rnfp's from a 125 gr mold for cowboy shooting in my 9mm's.
it is the right diameter and feeds perfectly every time, plus it has more lube and a thicker base band.
thats what led to the use of the 158 swc.
i feel a softer recoil impulse with slower powders, like using unique instead of titegroup in an 45 acp, it's more like a push than a snap.
easier for me to find the front sight on the way down too as i can track it on the way up.

[bobthenailer]

I have the Saeco # 929 a 145 gr swc bb in the 9mm & 38 super , this bullet is made for semi auto pistols . They are sized at .357 dia .
IF you would like to try some ? drop me a PM . Bob

[GabbyM]

I use a 16 pound recoil spring in place of stock 14lb when I shoot 147 grain bullets laoded over VV 3N38. The 122 grain bullets at over 1,100 fps still cycle it. With the stock spring the S&W 659 would throw cases back onto cars parked behind the pad. I have to use full power loads with the slow powder and heavy bullets or the POI is so far off I run out of sight adjustment at 25 yards. That's in my gun but it's an issue with heavy bullets in it. Sights are still set over to one side. The 122's shoot that direction off POA too so the pistol is already set up cockeyed to natural aim then the heavies just make it worse. What I need is a new CZ pistol and start over.

[Windy City Kid]

California Gunner,

I don't shoot as heavy as cast boolits as you shooting in a 9mm.

I do shoot a XD9 Tactical with 146.5gr. RNFP cast boolits.

My stock XD9 Tactical barrel slugs at .3553" and I size my cast boolits to .357".

My load is,

146.5gr. cast boolit sized to .357".
3.8grs. of WSF
OAL 1.137"
Power Factor of 134.

This is a very accurate and soft shooting load.

I get a 2.5" group @ 40 yards from a rest.

I have tried a lot of the faster burning powders in a 9mm and I didn't get as good as accuracy as the slower buring powders.

I got the best accuracy with Winchester WSF in a 9mm.

I had excellent results 125gr. and 147gr. cast boolits with Winchester WSF.

[bobthenailer]

IF your barrel slugs out at .356.5 you might need a bullet in .358 dia ! you usually want to go 1 to 2 thousands larger than bore dia. most of my 9mm & 38 super barrels slug at .355 dia and in thoses .357 dia are the most accurate.
I have also had the best accuracy in the 9mm with WSF and Power Pistol, IME faster powders arent as accurate , also use the same brand of cases and if possible only use the ones that measure .750 to .755 overall length, measure after sizing the brass !
A 9mm usually requires more work to come up with a accurate load with cast bullets than a 45 acp .