help with 9mm oal please

[bhop]

ok I am loading Clays / 114gn LRN i think the lyman cast bullet handbook says starting load is 3.0 but i dont know the oal. Any help is much appreciated. boolits are cast with a magna caster i believe. the guy i bought them from said OAL should be around 1.060 that seems a little short to me and i dont want to blow up my gun. Please help

[winelover]

Make a dummy round (NO POWDER, NO PRIMER) and seat the boolet of your choice till-----

#1 It functions in the magazine

#2 It chambers in your barrel (removed from gun), so as to be even with the barrel hood and / or the extension of it.

Winelover

[Bonz]

Definately agree with Winelover, a test round is really the way to go. Personally I have never loaded a 9mm at less than 1.08

[bobthenailer]

The 122gr TC saeco#377 col is 1.050
the 122gr RN saeco#384 col is 1.150
for my 3, 9mm pistols.

What is your lyman bullet mould # ?

[bhop]

it was cast in a magna caster i dont know what mould number

[Blintersifrid]

Make a dummy round (NO POWDER, NO PRIMER) and seat the boolet of your choice till-----

#1 It functions in the magazine

#2 It chambers in your barrel (removed from gun), so as to be even with the barrel hood and / or the extension of it.

Winelover

Depending on your pistol's extractor, you may need to use a spent primer in the dummy when it comes time to make sure that it strips into the chamber properly.
Some pistols extract using the firing pin and require the spent primer to kick out the empty (or dummy, in this case).

For me, I make my dummies out of some berdan-primed brass cases that I have - best use I have for it until I get enough to trade off to a guy who makes .40 S&W bullets (note spelling!) out of the empty cases.

'Sifrid

[Dusty Bannister]

#1 It functions in the magazine

#2 It chambers in your barrel (removed from gun), so as to be even with the barrel hood and / or the extension of it.
= = = = = = = = =

I prefer to reverse the order of the above. I prefer to fit the cartridge in the barrel or chamber so that there is no bullet jump to the lands in a semi-auto pistol. Then only if necessary, seat the bullet shorter to feed from the magazine.

As always start low and work up to accuracy and reliable feeding. Dusty

[bcp477]

The OP needs to understand that the suggested OAL listed with any load data is just that - a suggestion. It is not carved in stone. He need not worry about "blowing up his gun" UNLESS he is loading at or near the maximum safe pressure for the cartridge. Since this is never the case with CAST boolits, then OAL generally can be adjusted as needed for proper function in the gun, without danger of over-pressure.

Semi-auto pistols vary widely in what OAL they will accept. I have one that will eat any bullet design like candy, as long as the OAL is not longer than about 1.12". I have another that has a very short chamber and won't accept anything (even round nosed boolits) loaded longer than about 1.06".... and is very finicky as to bullet shape, as well. Go figure.

[bhop]

i really appreciate all the advice i think i will go test what i have (nothing under 1.06) and see how it goes. thanks again

[Wheeljack]

Isn't the OAL in the manuals the minimum length, determined by the pressure? It does look confusing, but a maximum load includes a minimum OAL. This OAL is only for the maximum charge listed. Smaller charges can use less OAL, but that isn't in the charts. What is more confusing, is that what the important measure should be is how far the bullet is inserted into the shell. A 225gr WC is inserted a lot further into the shell than a TC. So, knowing this gives us more leeway. I'm sure the posted figures were determined by the companies lawyers.