358-125 RF in 9mm

[pupsdad]

I keep seeing the 358-105 TC used for the 9mm and wondered if anyone was using the 358-125 RF?

[C. Latch]

I guess I am. I mean, I got the mold yesterday and cobbled together a dozen or so rounds and they shot fine.

But I got it because I have read many, many threads here where someone's using it in their 9mm. Seat it just deep enough to prevent the possibility of the case mouth rolling into the crimp groove and it seems to feed fine in the two pistols I tried it in.

[frkelly74]

I have some loaded but have not fired any yet. They look good loaded.

[tazman]

In a word, yes. Particularly people who have pistols that need a larger(.358) boolit to fit guns with larger groove diameter barrels. Beretta 92fs and M9 barrels tend to prefer .358 boolits.

[Virginia John]

I 2nd taz on that. If you are going to shoot lead in a 9mm slug your barrel. Then shoot at least .001 larger.

[Hickok]

In a word, yes. Particularly people who have pistols that need a larger(.358) boolit to fit guns with larger groove diameter barrels. Beretta 92fs and M9 barrels tend to prefer .358 boolits.Works great in my Beretta 92FS.

[Combat Diver]

I go the opposite direction. I'm using .356-125 TC in my .38 SPL


CD

[Angus]

The 358-125-rf is my go-to boolit in my SR9. I tried coming up with a reason to buy a TC 9mm mold but the 125rf just shoots too well for me to bother.

[FergusonTO35]

Excellent boolit for just about anything .35 caliber, one of Lee's best. In 9mm I seat them to 1.050, which leaves most of the crimp groove exposed. Try 3.8 grains Hodgdon HP-38, it shoots great in my Glocks. I adjust the depth in the lube sizer so that the crimp groove gets filled up, providing extra lube. I also shoot them sized to .360 out of my Marlin 1894C .357 with excellent accuracy. I think the extra lube can help you get away with more velocity before a gas check is needed. I have fired these no problem with charges that produced leading with other boolits.

[farmerjim]

I use it in the 9mm, 38 special, 357 mag, and 357 Max. It works great in all.

[pupsdad]

Thanks all ordered one today hope it works out. I have a new Beretta m9 groove diameter is around .3575 I'll see what it drops at and go from there.

[tazman]

If it drops at .359 or less, it may be that you won't need to size them. Try making a dummy round without sizing the boolit. If it will chamber and feed properly, it will shoot just fine.

[autopilotmp]

I was playing with the idea of trying a 358-150swc (old single cavity mold I picked up at yard sale). Cast up a few this past Saturday and pushed them into a 9mm case to about 1.060, which is a tad deeper into the case than the 125TC I typically use. Thought I would try it over 3.2gn of unique. Any thoughts on this?

[Lefty Red]

I was playing with the idea of trying a 358-150swc (old single cavity mold I picked up at yard sale). Cast up a few this past Saturday and pushed them into a 9mm case to about 1.060, which is a tad deeper into the case than the 125TC I typically use. Thought I would try it over 3.2gn of unique. Any thoughts on this?

STOP! Don't do it! Send me to me!!!! LOL
Sorry, that is one of Lee's great bullet designs that they let go. It's s good bullet and shots goof in every 38/357 I ever shot or out of. Can't say anything about 9mm though.

Jerry

[FergusonTO35]

Yes, that is one of Lee's best designs. I have no idea why they ever discontinued it, fortunately I was able to grab a couple of nice ones on Fleabay. Now, the C358-158-SWC is a good substitute. It shoots great without a gas check.

[Angus]

I just ripped through a couple boxes of Lee 358-125-RFs over 3.2gr and 3.7gr of E3, sized .357, and with the bullet seated just above the crimp groove. This time they were powder coated instead of lubed and they shot even better than last time.

Edit: 125 not 158

[Low Budget Shooter]

One daughter's pistol, an M&P9, liked the Lee 358-125-RF bullet really well. The other daughter's gun, a Springfield EMP, choked on it a few times. Since there are plenty of other good bullets, I moved on from this one. My two favorites are the NOE version of the 358242 95-grain bullet and the NOE 135-grain bullet.

[C. Latch]

I mentioned that I had just got this mold when this thread was first started. I'll give another update now:

I have shot this bullet now in one .38 and two 9mms, with green dot, herco, and 700-x, and it shoots great. I've probably cast 1000 of them, from a six-cavity mold, and it casts great, loads easily, shoots accurately....I'm thrilled with the mold. I've powder-coated some bullets, tumbled most of the rest with alox/JPW, sized them all to .358.

I even shot some in my BHP seated long, with the entire crimp groove exposed, and the case taper-crimped on the band behind the crimp groove, with no problems.

[LAH]

I use it in my CZ75. Feed great, plenty accurate & I love that flat.

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Creekerpics/Ammo%20Loading/9MM/Lee%20125%20RNFP/20150215_135753.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Creekerpics/media/Ammo%20Loading/9MM/Lee%20125%20RNFP/20150215_135753.jpg.html)

http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h244/Creekerpics/Ammo%20Loading/9MM/Lee%20125%20RNFP/20150215_135900.jpg (http://s66.photobucket.com/user/Creekerpics/media/Ammo%20Loading/9MM/Lee%20125%20RNFP/20150215_135900.jpg.html)

[NuJudge]

I use it a lot in 9mm loads intended for the Beretta 92 and Walther P38. I have several of the pistols, and extra barrels also, all of which are a little under .358" groove diameter. The bullet shoots great in all of them. All but one of them will chamber a bullet that is .358", and all shoot that well. One will not chamber a cartridge loaded with a .358" bullet.

In all of these pistols and barrels, these bullets shoot exceedingly well when pushed by a mild load of 231.

I have a Browning HiPower which will not chamber a cartridge loaded with a bullet over .356". It also has a groove diameter approaching .358".

[Lloyd Smale]

shot many of them in 9s and in 38s. Some 9s do fine with them some don't. Only 9 I have right now that doesn't like that bullet is my glock 43 and that's the ONLY bullet that wont run in that gun. It runs great in my full sized glock, m&p and the wifes lc9

[trapper9260]

I use that boolit in my 9 and in my 38/357. When I get a mold for my 9 .I try to get it that way I can use it also in my 38/357 that way. It will be less space to use up on the shelf of molds. also get more then one use also. I just size the boolits to what ever gun and go from there.

[30calflash]

Guys, what weight in your alloy do they come out at? Was thinking on the 158 but maybe this would work. Thanks.

[tazman]

Guys, what weight in your alloy do they come out at? Was thinking on the 158 but maybe this would work. Thanks.

There are much better heavy boolit designs for 9mm out there than the Lee 158 grain rf. The NOE 358-155-TC(elco) was designed from the start for the 9mm and works very well.

[C. Latch]

Guys, what weight in your alloy do they come out at? Was thinking on the 158 but maybe this would work. Thanks.

133ish for me, out of COWW.

[MattN]

I mix mine 50/50 and they weigh 134. With powder coat, a little more. They shoot great out of my Beretta and my son's G17 w/Lone Wolf barrel. Sized differently .358 for mine and .356 for his. Same load. They shoot great out of my 38's as well. For a Walther PPX, I had to seat deep enough that they wouldn't feed. I have tried to load these for a CZ75 and had issues as well.

[FergusonTO35]

My mold drops them at an average of 128 grains. I have always gotten better accuracy out of the 356-120-TC although admittedly I have done a lot more shooting with that boolit in 9mm. My Marlin 1894 absolutely loves the 358-125-RF at .359 with Tac-X.