RN for Walther P1

[.5mv^2]

I can't seem to get my 105 g swc bullets to be reliable in my "new" Walther P1. It is my only mold for 35 caliber so far. Factory 115's shoot well. I need a nice tapered round nose to match a factory fmj. The 105s work in all other 9mms that I have tried

I may get another lee mold but I really like my RCBS in 32.

[fcvan]

I have loaded the Lee 358-105 SWC in .380 and 9mm for many years. I have no experience with the P1 but would hazard a guess your feeding issues might center around the seating depth. If the forward band of the SWC design hangs up during the feeding cycle it would certainly cause problems.

I fired the 105 through one particularly tight 9 mm chamber where the front band was making contact with the rifling which prevented the action from completely closing. By seating just a little deeper, the weapon began to cycle consistently. My standard depth for 9mm is with the case mouth between the crimp groove and the front of the band. I also seat to the same to depth for the .380 now that I think about it. Hopefully that may work for you. If not, the RN would be a good choice. I generally use the 356-125 2R but lately have also been using the 356-120 TC with great results. Good luck!

[.5mv^2]

Yes I have had to move the bullet in to clear the leed. It is exactly where you have it. For 380 I keep it a bit deeper for the same reasons.

The P1 s problems may be from the design of the magazine or some interaction with the ledges of the SWC.

I am hoping that someone has some experience as to which bullet (mold) they use for for their p1.

I am hesitant about using a TC design. I have tried some Berry 124 TC designs and the same thing occurs. by the time the bullet will seat it is too short. I have shot some RN Berry 124 through the P1's fine.

I sure like looking at targets with the paper punched holes that the swc gives but these 105s are a bit too stubby.

[CML]

Yes I have had to move the bullet in to clear the leed. It is exactly where you have it. For 380 I keep it a bit deeper for the same reasons.

The P1 s problems may be from the design of the magazine or some interaction with the ledges of the SWC.

I am hoping that someone has some experience as to which bullet (mold) they use for for their p1.

I am hesitant about using a TC design. I have tried some Berry 124 TC designs and the same thing occurs. by the time the bullet will seat it is too short. I have shot some RN Berry 124 through the P1's fine.

I sure like looking at targets with the paper punched holes that the swc gives but these 105s are a bit too stubby.

P1's are notorious for hating everything that is not RN.

[jdgabbard]

Why not buy a used 358242 in 120, and call it good? This is kinda a universal boolit for 9mm...

[MtGun44]

I have had excellent results with Lee 356-120 TC.

This may help:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?121737-Setting-up-for-boolits-in-a-new-9mm

Bill

[.5mv^2]

Hi casters, Thanks for the advice on bullet shape 358242. I have a found a stash of pre cast LRN Makarov bullets under my bench. I am going to resize some and see how they do. The radius is just a single curve.

Mtgun44, went through one of the barrels and it is .357-.3575 so my .358 sizer should be good. I am a little hesitant to try the TC design in my gun as the Berry 124 TC bullets hang up. Maybe I could play with the length and get it to work but the 120TC looks remarkably like the 124 TC bullet. I sure would like a flat meplate or better a swc, but if it doesn't load...

[7x57]

I use the Lyman 356402 in my P1. Flawless feeding, no jams. It's the only cast design I have tried in it, but the gun was not reliable with jacketed Remington HP's.

[45 2.1]

The Saeco #384 is a 122 gr. RN plain base that is a very good boolit in the 9mm.

[.5mv^2]

Had a chance to look at it again. I used some 100 grain LRN makarov boolits They do not have the best finish. I sized them to .358"

I seated them at various depths Starting out just enough that the bullet will seat in the chamber. They still are shorter than the typical fmj type of bullet with a pronounced taper and fairly sharp radius on the front.

I shoot maybe 6 of them and am on the second batch when the second or third shot is in it's typical nose up sitting near vertical. The mag is near full. Lock the slide back and clear the mag. The top and usually second round fall out the next round has slipped forward nose down and it takes a few wraps on the leg to reseat the bullets to the back of the mag and they pop up to the top.

This has happened when I was using the SWC rounds which were very short.

Is my mag spring weak? I have disassembled the mags and cleaned them.

[gwpercle]

I have an old 1944 era P-38 that has no problem with the Lyman #358345 SWC bullet. Weighs 115 grs, Lyman even listed it as appropriate for 9 MM luger. Feeds and functions in my P-38 and cuts them nice round holes. If you can find a mould it is a good design. It also functioned in a friends Browning High Power.

Gary

[.5mv^2]

Thanks for the info Gary. I too like the swc design for targets. I was motivated and took apart the mag again. It seemed intuitive to have the spring with the small end up into the follower. Yet the front of the installed follower was much softer than the back where the real spring force was.

I turned the spring around end for end as a trial. It seemed to fix my problem. The big end of the spring now fits under the front of the follower pushing the front of the bullets up and keeping them up level. I think the bullet nose was going down and then flipping up vertical.

I shot two mags of my 105's without a failure to feed. Shooting my own bullets successfully, a first for this gun. Best of all I didn't need new mold.
http://www.veloliner.com/bullet/9mmswc.JPG