1-2-THE DOME
06-28-2013, 05:30 PM
Ok, I am a newb to casting, and I am working on a project to make affordable defense ammo, that i can practice with.
I am a 9mm guy. I really like my glocks, and enjoy shooting a lot. I am not a reloading newb I have been rolling my own with a lot of different calibers for about 15 years, but I always find that I want to make 9mm. I just have fun with it.
I have done a lot of testing and shooting with different bullets and powders over the years and have found that the performance of the Vit 3n37 is superb with 88-124 grain jacketed bullets, and 3n38 is phenomenal with 147's. The velocity numbers are off the chart, while pressure remains within the safety margin. Using jacketed 147 gr. bullets 3n38 will easily produce velocities in the 1120-1180 range without even being +P!! Yes, that is 9major at less that 35k psi!!
I started casting buckshot and slugs, and had good success. Then it hit me, I need to cast 147 gr 9mm slugs and save a bunch of money. My initial goal was to cast some 147's and load em with 3n38, and have cheap, devastating pistol ammo for any occasion.
This is where I learned that I know diddly squat about casting, and luckily found this site, and have spent a fair amount of time in the chatroom and reading the forums, trying to get educated.
My first batch of bullets were from an RCBS mold making TC 147's @ .356. I thought they would come out bigger, but they actually came out .356, and with a .357 barrel, you can only imagine the leading. Also I come to find out that I was running my casting pot so hot that any tin and antimony that was in my alloy was getting drossed out. I was basically running ww/lead 50/50 but I didn't actually weigh the amounts of each, as it didn't matter with my buckshot and slug casting.
I got a new mold from lee that makes 150 gr. round nose .358 bullets(not the mold I wanted but it was the only thing I could find at the moment), and a .358 sizer. I am running the 45/45/10 lube from the thread here.
I slowed my loads down to the sub 900fps level, and finally had success, with no leading.
So the project is on the right track.
The next step is to get a thermometer, so I can keep my smelt and casting pots at a reasonable temp, and I am going to smelt my next batch of lead as pure ww's, with some tin solder added. I am planning on water quenching these, and I am hoping to get my velocity to 1120-1150 with no leading.
I will continue to use this thread to chronicle my saga. If anyone has any advice for me, please post it here!!
The successful load data I have so far with this project.
Using the .358 bullets
152gr
Coal 1.12
4.1 gr 3n38=875fps
4.6 gr =975fps
6 gr=1105fps
There were no pressure signs at 6 gr. The max non +p load listed for a 147 j-word is 6.9 gr. This is with a COAL of 1.142, They are showing 1207fps with a 4" barrel.
Test gun is a glock 34 with KKM barrel, no comp.
I am a 9mm guy. I really like my glocks, and enjoy shooting a lot. I am not a reloading newb I have been rolling my own with a lot of different calibers for about 15 years, but I always find that I want to make 9mm. I just have fun with it.
I have done a lot of testing and shooting with different bullets and powders over the years and have found that the performance of the Vit 3n37 is superb with 88-124 grain jacketed bullets, and 3n38 is phenomenal with 147's. The velocity numbers are off the chart, while pressure remains within the safety margin. Using jacketed 147 gr. bullets 3n38 will easily produce velocities in the 1120-1180 range without even being +P!! Yes, that is 9major at less that 35k psi!!
I started casting buckshot and slugs, and had good success. Then it hit me, I need to cast 147 gr 9mm slugs and save a bunch of money. My initial goal was to cast some 147's and load em with 3n38, and have cheap, devastating pistol ammo for any occasion.
This is where I learned that I know diddly squat about casting, and luckily found this site, and have spent a fair amount of time in the chatroom and reading the forums, trying to get educated.
My first batch of bullets were from an RCBS mold making TC 147's @ .356. I thought they would come out bigger, but they actually came out .356, and with a .357 barrel, you can only imagine the leading. Also I come to find out that I was running my casting pot so hot that any tin and antimony that was in my alloy was getting drossed out. I was basically running ww/lead 50/50 but I didn't actually weigh the amounts of each, as it didn't matter with my buckshot and slug casting.
I got a new mold from lee that makes 150 gr. round nose .358 bullets(not the mold I wanted but it was the only thing I could find at the moment), and a .358 sizer. I am running the 45/45/10 lube from the thread here.
I slowed my loads down to the sub 900fps level, and finally had success, with no leading.
So the project is on the right track.
The next step is to get a thermometer, so I can keep my smelt and casting pots at a reasonable temp, and I am going to smelt my next batch of lead as pure ww's, with some tin solder added. I am planning on water quenching these, and I am hoping to get my velocity to 1120-1150 with no leading.
I will continue to use this thread to chronicle my saga. If anyone has any advice for me, please post it here!!
The successful load data I have so far with this project.
Using the .358 bullets
152gr
Coal 1.12
4.1 gr 3n38=875fps
4.6 gr =975fps
6 gr=1105fps
There were no pressure signs at 6 gr. The max non +p load listed for a 147 j-word is 6.9 gr. This is with a COAL of 1.142, They are showing 1207fps with a 4" barrel.
Test gun is a glock 34 with KKM barrel, no comp.