9mm Mold & Sizing questions from a casting newbie

[Corruptor]

Hi folks,
I'm getting ready to start collecting casting gear and materials, and I've got a couple of questions.

The firearm I'm loading for is a Springfield 9mm XD.
I'm planning on using WW lead, ladle poured from a pot and burner setup. I will probably buy a bottom pour setup, but that's going to be towards the end of my purchasing spree: I'm looking to pick up the absolute essentials now (molds and sizing) and add to the collection as I can.


Slugging shows the lands at .353-.354 (I did not measure the grooves). Two out of three measurements around the slug read .353, the third reads .354 (Inexpensive digital caliper, reads .500 when measuring a Starrett gauge block). Is this reasonable? Seems mighty strange to me, but this is my first go at this, so... FWIW, I slugged it 3 times, and each time I got the same results.

Mold:
I'm looking to start with a Lee 6 cavity mold. Two that seem popular with XD owners are the 356-125-2R (http://www.midwayusa.com/product/658356/lee-6-cavity-bullet-mold-356-125-2r-9mm-luger-38-super-380-acp-356-diameter-125-grain-2-ogive-radius) and the 356-120-TC (http://www.midwayusa.com/product/294531/lee-6-cavity-bullet-mold-356-120-tc-9mm-luger-38-super-380-acp-356-diameter-120-grain-truncated-cone). I will be loading with a Dillon SDB and don't have a flat point insert for the seating die, so I was going to go with the 356-125-2R unless there's a good reason not to do so. IE: is it easier for a beginner to cast a TC profile? Also, since I am powder coating, is there any reason I'd go with a TL version of these instead of the single groove?

Sizing:
I'm eventually going to make my own sizing dies, but to start I'll need to purchase one. Assuming my slugging experiment is correct at .353-.354, would you guys recommend sizing to .356 or .357 (or...?)? My thoughts are .356 since I can open that up if necessary, but if .002 over is not enough for a 9mm pistol, I'll step up a size.


I've done a fair bit of reading and research and I believe I'm correct in my thinking here. That said, I'd love to get a yea or nay from folks in the know, 'cause I've made more than one mistake in my years [smilie=1:

:grin:

Thank you!

ETA: Apologies if this is in the wrong forum. This post didn't seem to fit any of the other areas very well, and I couldn't find a newbie corner , so I dropped it here.
Thanks again!

[sigep1764]

I load on an SDB and the seating die has never been an issue. Ive never changed it and it will seat anything. Try 356, see if theres leading. If there is, just size 357 and see what happens, but yes 2 thousandths over is the generally accepted thought. Ive never used pc, so hopefully someone else will step in here.

[reddog81]

I'd stick with the single lube groove for powder coating or pretty much any type of lube for that matter.
I'd go with a .356 sizing die. You can powder coat and then size for .356 diameter or size then powder coat for a .357 diameter.

[ArrowJ]

My XD Mod 2 slugged at .354 and I thought it was odd. I powder coat and size to .356 and have no leading. Everything I have seen seems to indicate tight barrels and even throats for XD pistols. I use the 356 125 2R bullet and like it, but my mold has given me nothing but trouble. I have tried many many tips from the forum with no improvement, but I think it is just a fluke based on the reviews on Midway. Others use it for 380 and 357 Sig so if you plan on shooting either of those in the future...

[Corruptor]

Thanks guys.


My XD Mod 2 slugged at .354 and I thought it was odd. I powder coat and size to .356 and have no leading. Everything I have seen seems to indicate tight barrels and even throats for XD pistols. I use the 356 125 2R bullet and like it, but my mold has given me nothing but trouble. I have tried many many tips from the forum with no improvement, but I think it is just a fluke based on the reviews on Midway. Others use it for 380 and 357 Sig so if you plan on shooting either of those in the future...

I'm just wondering why it appears to be out-of round. I realize it's miniscule, but still...
Good to know that boolit works for you. Mine is an older XD, but I expect it will work for me too as long as the mold isn't sub-par.

[sigep1764]

Also, you might think about having Lathesmith, a member here, make you an oversized powder through expander to better expand the 9mm case in order to alleviate the swaging down of the boolit. He made mine and im very happy with it.

[Corruptor]

Also, you might think about having Lathesmith, a member here, make you an oversized powder through expander to better expand the 9mm case in order to alleviate the swaging down of the boolit. He made mine and im very happy with it.

Good to know. This is going to be my first go with plain lead. I've used a few moly coated bullets in the past, but not many since they didn't agree with my powder choices at that time. Smoked like a freight train :neutral:

Anyhow, thanks for the heads-up!

[ArrowJ]

Thanks guys.



I'm just wondering why it appears to be out-of round. I realize it's miniscule, but still...
Good to know that boolit works for you. Mine is an older XD, but I expect it will work for me too as long as the mold isn't sub-par.

I would have to chalk it up to user/equipment error so I could sleep. I assume it shoots good with whatever you have shot it with in the past?

[Corruptor]

I would have to chalk it up to user/equipment error so I could sleep. I assume it shoots good with whatever you have shot it with in the past?

It does. To date I've been loading with Zero jacketed and Xtreme plated bullets. In this case, the rounds definitely out perform the shooter :(

I was sent a few tips on slugging via PM, so I am going to give it another go this evening and see what I come up with. I'm also going to clean the barrel again and see if I missed a little build-up, giving me bogus numbers.

[badbob454]

Lee Carbide Factory Crimp Die 9mm Luger
I reccomend this to insure feeding buckled bulged cases for pistold ,bens liquid lube, lee 120 gr tc non tl boolits . And sized .356-357 in my cz 75b pistol accurate ,no leading . Feeds every time ...

[mdi]

Jes a couple thoughts; Try casting and loading lead bullets, with regular lube, before getting into Powder Coating. If you start out casting and powder coating and run into problems, it's easier to trouble shoot one factor at a time. For starting casting I would recommend a two cavity mold, especially for ladle casting. Temperature control, pouring speed, pouring methods, on a long 6 cavity mold are a bit harder to learn than a two cavity. A two cavity mold will produce enough bullets to keep you shooting without being a drudgery, and it's easier to learn with.

Round nose or truncated cone cast about the same, or at least I can't tell any difference. I pan lube (quite simple), tumble lube with 45-45-10 and alox (both take a little practice), and size with a Lee push through die. I also PC some bullets and use the same methods for loading a I do for lead (size to the dame diameter and load data)...

[Shiloh]

.357 is the minimum sizing for me. .358 is better.

Shiloh