Beretta 92FS cast boolit results

[Hickok]

Just results from loading of cast boolits in my Beretta 92FS. Read everything I could find on this site and it was a big help.

I decided to get get the Lee 358-125RF mold, mainly for the nice meplat and the diameter, as I can use it for .38 loads too.

My Beretta barrel slugs out to .3565". The Lee mold throws a boolit of .359-.360" from ACWW, so I sized to .358" in my Lyman 450. Used Javalena lube 50/50 alox beeswax. Cartridge OAL is 1.050" just clearing the lands, passing the "ker-pluck" test in the barrel.

I finally settled on 4.7gr of Unigue, as the groups really tightened up. It will put 5 shots into 1 1/2 to 2 inches @ 25 yards off a bench. No leading, no jams, just shoots this load perfect. This Beretta has always shot good.9606296063

Too much snow and aggravation to take out the Chronograph, but I will check the velocity when weather gets better.

I am going to be shooting alot of this load!

[Wag]

I'm looking forward to seeing your results.

--Wag--

[Hickok]

I will add something I had to do to make my loads work better. Sizing my boolits to .358", I used a lyman "M" expander die for .357 magnum to get a better fit on the boolit.

I never really taper crimp my cases, or crimp at all. I simply use the Lyman M die until the 2nd step is just going into the case about a 1/16", NOT making the case look like the end of a trumpet, just enough case expanding so the bullet seats in about 1/16". I also inside chamfer all my cases. I then lightly with finger pressure seat the boolit into the case nice and straight. Then seat the slug in the press. No lead shaving, no taper crimping, boolit nice and square. Case is nice and straight at the neck, no crimp needed. Tight boolit tension holds boolit, and the boolit trues up the case nice and straight.

I remove barrel and make sure "ker-plunk" headspace test is correct. Good to go. I been using this with my 45 ACP loads too. No headspace problems, no squeezing or sizing the boolit. Some may disagree, but it is working great for me.

[johnh9411]

This is a great help I am working on the same load for a 1911 9mm and have been searching high an low for a tested OAL thanks. Im trying to get mine to 1000 fps to make power factor.

[Thumbcocker]

Glad that boolit works for you. I use it over 4.8 of power pistol in my 9's with good results. It also works good in .357 over 4.0 of red dot for a nice accurate pop corn load.

[captaint]

johnh9411 - When searching for your OAL, remove your 1911 barrel and do your very own plunk test. That is the way to set your OAL. As long as your magazine is OK with the length and it will feed and function well, you're good to go. The base of the brass should be just flush with the little barrel extension. Someone here help me out with that beautiful red & blue pic example of good and not so good OAL's for 1911's... And finally, make sure the slide goes fully into battery after chambering. Ta da - done.. MIke PS. All this is done with a boolit seated dummy round, of course.

[runfiverun]

I'm on to using the HM-2 9mm mold.
I just seat the boolits shoulder flush with the case mouth and shoot.
it really was that simple.
oh,, the load I picked to start with was 3 grs of red-dot, I stayed with it.
about the easiest load development ever in a 9m semi-auto.

[btroj]

3 gr of red dot? I'm using 3.7 with the same bullet. It works quite well in my CZ. I need to try some at .358 and see if they work better than .359.

[runfiverun]

yeah what i done was hold the boolit to the outside of the case and made a mark.
filled the case with powder to about that mark and weighed it.
then reduced slightly and figured an even number would make the powder come out even when it run out.
that number turned out to be 3 [shrug] it shot to pretty close to the fixed sights on both guns and ejected and fed from the magazines 100%.
so i run with it and made 1600 rounds for testing.
my lube turned out to be the homo-lube from about 20 different test batches and is a tick soft but it get's the job done.

it's almost like someone designed the boolit for the 9m's with a little bit of throat.

[btroj]

Wonder Who'da designed a bullet that way?

I love the load development method, highly scientific. Amazing how that sometimes works out, might be from years of experience?

[Hickok]

I waded the snow and got out to chronograph my load. 41 degrees outside, but the ammo was room temperature, about 70 degrees. Using a Pact 1 Chronograph @ 15 ft.

Beretta 92 FS, Winchester case, CCI small pistol primer, ACWW, sized .358", Javelina lube.
4.7 gr. Unique/ Lee 358-125 RF 1.050" OAL Average= 1177 fps

5.0 gr. Unique/ Lee 258-125 RF 1.050" OAL Average= 1203 fps

(Not corrected for 15' distance)

[Wag]

Pretty dang fast. Any sign of leading?

--Wag--

[Hickok]

Pretty dang fast. Any sign of leading?

--Wag--Nope, barrel cleans up with just a patch. I am always amazed at how much faster cast boolits are as compared to j-word with less powder.

[jmort]

Nice info. Like the Lee 125 RF and love Unique. That is the perfect combo. The results speak for themselves. Thanks for great thread.

[garym1a2]

I wonder if anyone tried this boolit in the CX4 Storm and in Glocks.
Just results from loading of cast boolits in my Beretta 92FS. Read everything I could find on this site and it was a big help.

I decided to get get the Lee 358-125RF mold, mainly for the nice meplat and the diameter, as I can use it for .38 loads too.

My Beretta barrel slugs out to .3565". The Lee mold throws a boolit of .359-.360" from ACWW, so I sized to .358" in my Lyman 450. Used Javalena lube 50/50 alox beeswax. Cartridge OAL is 1.050" just clearing the lands, passing the "ker-pluck" test in the barrel.

I finally settled on 4.7gr of Unigue, as the groups really tightened up. It will put 5 shots into 1 1/2 to 2 inches @ 25 yards off a bench. No leading, no jams, just shoots this load perfect. This Beretta has always shot good.9606296063

Too much snow and aggravation to take out the Chronograph, but I will check the velocity when weather gets better.

I am going to be shooting alot of this load!

[Char-Gar]

Looks to me like you are good to go. You have a clean shooting, accurate load that functions your pistol. I don't think that can be improved on.

[tomme boy]

What does the feed ramp on the 92 look like? Can you post a picture of the gun with the slide back so you can see the ramp or the lack there of.

[Wag]

Nope, barrel cleans up with just a patch. I am always amazed at how much faster cast boolits are as compared to j-word with less powder.

Glad to hear that. Next on my list are 9mm and .357. Just have to finish up with the .45ACP first.

--Wag--

[Hickok]

Nice info. Like the Lee 125 RF and love Unique. That is the perfect combo. The results speak for themselves. Thanks for great thread.Jm, thanks for the compliment, as I truly appreciate it.

I was conversing with another fine fellow on this board, and I believe when it comes to semi-auto pistols and reloading, it would be better to call the "crimp die" a "straighten die". It would be easier to understand the purpose of the die, "to straighten out the flare, not to crimp the case."

We need to call it a "crimp die" when loading revolvers, and a "straighten die" when loading semi-auto pistols. Just seems easier to understand.

[Hickok]

What does the feed ramp on the 92 look like? Can you post a picture of the gun with the slide back so you can see the ramp or the lack there of.Tom I will try to get a picture here sometime today for you. These Beretta's really don't have any feed ramp to speak of, as the design lines up the cartridge to go straight into the chamber.

[Char-Gar]

I am one of those people who like the Beretta design and like the way the pistol feels in my hand. They are a little larger than necessary for the 9mm round, but I like the feel, balance, accuracy and reliability of these pistols.

After the Beretta was chosen to replace the 1911A1, it became popular to be critical of the Beretta design and that trend seems to continue. Like others, I didn't like the change from the 1911A1, but that doesn't mean the Beretta is not a cracker jack design and a great pistol in it's own right. It just took the hit when the change was made.

[Hickok]

972599726097261Here are the pics of the Beretta 92 feed ramp.

[Hickok]

I am one of those people who like the Beretta design and like the way the pistol feels in my hand. They are a little larger than necessary for the 9mm round, but I like the feel, balance, accuracy and reliability of these pistols.

After the Beretta was chosen to replace the 1911A1, it became popular to be critical of the Beretta design and that trend seems to continue. Like others, I didn't like the change from the 1911A1, but that doesn't mean the Beretta is not a cracker jack design and a great pistol in it's own right. It just took the hit when the change was made.+1 Char. I love my 1911's, but I also like the Beretta 92. Of all my handguns, I can put more dead center hits on target in less time, i.e. rapid fire, with the Beretta than any thing else I shoot, (except the Ruger .22 MKIII). I can just flat out shoot the Beretta fast and accurate.

(Not going to argue which is better, one 45ACP slug dead center, or five 9mm dead center!)

[tomme boy]

Thanks. I was wondering how that flat point would feed. My CZ 75 clone pistol has a ramped barrel. Was wondering if I could get it to feed this bullet.

[43PU]

It feeds great in my cz75 with 4.5 grn unique seated a little deeper for the lack of throat in my pistol