9mm cast lead question (repost from Cast Boolit section)

[Blintersifrid]

OK, I give up.
I've looked and searched, but my Search-Fu is weak.
I cannot find the answer, and I cannot be the only one with this problem. (Or a variation on it!)

The setup:
Like everyone else, I cannot get the reloading components that I want.
I managed to get two cases of pistol primers by being in the right place at the right time [smilie=w: , so I'm good on primers for a long time. I have plenty of cases sized and waiting. I do not have a surplus of powder, but I have enough for now. The Wife has forbade casting (I'm still working on her about it, though!), but I can get SOME boolits by ordering and waiting.

Here's my problem:
My C9 likes fatter boolits than I can order easily. With the ones I've used before (Missouri Bullet's 125gr TC @ .356, BHN 18), I got keyholes like crazy with my "starting" load of red dot. Backing down the charge, I got function, but still wasn't truly happy with the load. My gun seems to have a .356 bore, which means that I should be running .357-sized boolits, right? Everywhere I look, and assuming that you can get them at all, commercial boolits are sized either .356 for 9mm or .358 for 38/357M use.

Here are my questions:
1) Would I be okay running .358 in a .356 bore, or do I *need* to resize?

2) Is BHN 12 appropriate for use over 3.5-4.0gr of Red Dot in a 9mm case (whether I resize the boolits or not)?

3) If not, how do I harden the boolits so that I *can* use them?

Reference Material:
I am specifically looking at ordering these (125gr .358 TC):
http://www.missouribullet.com/detail...ry=9&keywords=

But I would be willing to try these (125gr .358 RNFP):
http://www.missouribullet.com/detail...ry=9&keywords= instead - especially since that is basically the profile of the mould that I am looking at for use *when* (Not "if," I'm being positive about my ability to sway The Wife.) I start casting.

I want to stay at 125 only because I am already familiar with the loading. They also offer a .358-diameter 105gr TC that I'd be willing to use ( http://www.missouribullet.com/detail...ry=9&keywords= ), except that I have no idea what loading to use with it!


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I need to know what I can do here, since The Wife has decided that she wants to learn to shoot. This means, now that you can't find .22 ammo for a price less than a limb or two, that I will be going through a LOT more 9mm than I would have been a year ago.

Thanks all for your help.

'Sifrid

[grampa243]

missouribullet.com will size to order and they sould already have that size set up for other bullets.

i can not say for sure that a .358 will work in your gun. you would have to load one and see if it will chamber ok.

if i had some i would give you a sample but saddly i don't cast for 9mm yet.

[Blintersifrid]

missouribullet.com will size to order and they sould already have that size set up for other bullets.

i can not say for sure that a .358 will work in your gun. you would have to load one and see if it will chamber ok.

if i had some i would give you a sample but saddly i don't cast for 9mm yet.

Normally, yes, they will size to order. At least they used to. Unfortunately, they say on their FAQ that they are not currently offering that service - and with their normal wait time now better than a month, I don't blame them!

Thanks for the offer. The gesture is appreciated.

Others have said that .358 through a .356 bore doesn't cause them problems, so I'll have to try and beg one .358 slug locally to make a dummy before I order anything.

'Sifrid

[HeavyMetal]

First whats SWMBO's issue with casting?

If your a klutz and set your first place on fire she "might" have a beef here,LOL! if not some basic math ought to clear up the financial advantages to casting at home.

as for your store boughts: think I'd make a call and ask for a smal sample of each boolit, 20 of each should be fine, offer to pay for then of course!

they may even custom size for you, or they may fall out of the mold as you need them saving your caster time!

In any event get some to try out before making a large purchase, some here may even donate some samples if you ash for something specific.

[Blintersifrid]

Thanks for the response, HeavyMetal.

She claims to have two:
1) I'm a klutz - but I'm not so klutzy as to dump molten metal all over either myself or something flammable. Casting would take place either on our outdoor (concrete) patio or in the middle of the concrete floor of our garage.
2) We have small children (5 and 8)

Unfortunately, the bullet companies are so backed up that they won't do sample bags any more, or I'd have added one to my most recent order.

I'm going to look locally to see if I can beg a couple of different ones from people around here before I ask online.

I'm also going to take the advice that I've gotten from several people and pick up a Lee .357 sizer with my next order from Grafs.
(And I've started studying up on how to tumble lube properly, too, thanks to a thread here on Cast Boolits).

'Sifrid