Sizing dies for 9mm cast.

[Retumbo]

What would you choose, .356 or .357?

[AZRedleg]

Go with .358.

[JeffG]

What would you choose, .356 or .357?

.357 has worked for my 9's.

[Kevinakaq]

357 has served me well in multiple 9mm for lubed cast boolits. For pc 356 works just as good.

[Scharfschuetze]

I load for three different 9mm autoloaders. To satisfy all three, I've found that .358" is a good compromise. It also allows me to use the 147 grain TC cast bullets in my 38 and 357 revolvers with good accuracy. Makes life simple!

[sawinredneck]

I've ran into several, SCCY, H&K, S&W M&P and a Highpoint, of my friends guns I had to size to .356". If you have a specific gun, do a plunk test, but at .358" they wouldn't even chamber in the above guns. I keep hearing of guys getting.358" to chamber, but I've yet to see that gun.
Now, with my new NOE setup, I have .356, .357 and .358 to try now, so I'll be curious, but still think with the tight factory chambers, I'll have to go to .356.

[waco]

.358" has worked in all of my 9MM's

[6622729]

Or use the Lee tumble lubed designs as cast. No sizing. Works great in all of my 9mm and 40 S&W which are all Glock uppers with KKM barrels.

[Grmps]

These are 2 good threads to read. No matter what you size it at IF you over crimp your in trouble
.357 works well for most of mine except my Llama that requires .360
Setting up for boolits in a new 9mm
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?121737-Setting-up-for-boolits-in-a-new-9mm&p=1330876&viewfull=1#post1330876

Crimping 9mm: a new thread for novices
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?126431-Crimping-9mm-a-new-thread-for-novices&p=1383789&viewfull=1#post1383789

[buckshotshoey]

You didn't mention what your barrel slugged at. This is your starting point and no one can say with any certainty what size might be best until this is known. My 9mm Ruger will shoot a Lyman .358 150gr semi wadcutter designed for 38 special/.357. And it slugged at .356. .002 to .003 over is usually best with cast lead.

[Retumbo]

These are 2 good threads to read. No matter what you size it at IF you over crimp your in trouble
.357 works well for most of mine except my Llama that requires .360
Setting up for boolits in a new 9mm
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?121737-Setting-up-for-boolits-in-a-new-9mm&p=1330876&viewfull=1#post1330876

Crimping 9mm: a new thread for novices
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?126431-Crimping-9mm-a-new-thread-for-novices&p=1383789&viewfull=1#post1383789

Well 358 it is then since I have a Llama. I'm planing on powder coating. I'll have to try as cast, as cast with powder coating, sized and sized with powdercoating

[Retumbo]

These are 2 good threads to read. No matter what you size it at IF you over crimp your in trouble
.357 works well for most of mine except my Llama that requires .360
Setting up for boolits in a new 9mm
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?121737-Setting-up-for-boolits-in-a-new-9mm&p=1330876&viewfull=1#post1330876

Crimping 9mm: a new thread for novices
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?126431-Crimping-9mm-a-new-thread-for-novices&p=1383789&viewfull=1#post1383789

Thanks

[lotech]

If interested in best accuracy and no leading, load the fattest bullet that will chamber without difficulty. This will likely be a .358", maybe even .359". I size .358" for a P226, a Beretta, and a Walther P4. All guns are more than twenty-five years old; don't know whether that makes a difference or not.

My cartridges would not chamber in a Glock 9mm (back when they only had a couple of models on the market) and more recently found they would not work in an H&K.

[Beef15]

.358" has worked in all of my 9MM's

This. Not that I have an abundance, just a couple Glock's, a Shield, a DB9, and M&P357Sig. And ran them through a friend's RIA 9mm 1911.

If I have issues with plunking 9/10 it's the case mouth needs just a touch more crimp, not much extra room in that area with a fat bullet. Can be a bit misleading when trying to get the OAL set right initially, a sharpie is your friend.

[Retumbo]

200 grain .360 yup its a Llama.
Passed the plunk test. And no, no intention of using that bullet.
200720

[williamwaco]

I have loaded for a boatload of 9mm headguns. I have never found one that worked well with 356. I have never found one that didn't work well with 357. I have found a few that would not accept a cartridge loaded with a 358 diameter bullet. If it can chamber. 358 they will shoot fine.

[Larry Gibson]

For years in handguns (HPs, M39s, M59s, Berretta's, Astra's, Radom's, Lugers, etc.) I sized 9mm cast bullets of several designs .356 and never had a problem. I then used the 9mP loaded with cast in several subguns and found .357 and .358 worked better. For the last numerous years I've pretty much used the 356-120-TC exclusively and size it to .357 for the 9mP cartridge for use in handguns. I did run several hundred sized .357 loaded over 4 gr Bullseye (my standard 9mp through an Uzi a couple years ago and they worked fine w/o any leading. BAC is the lube btw.

[garym1a2]

What Oal do you use with this 120 lee TC? I find some guns 1.08 inch works,
my sheild I have to use 1.045OAL. I use 3.8gr BE. Diameter .357.

For years in handguns (HPs, M39s, M59s, Berretta's, Astra's, Radom's, Lugers, etc.) I sized 9mm cast bullets of several designs .356 and never had a problem. I then used the 9mP loaded with cast in several subguns and found .357 and .358 worked better. For the last numerous years I've pretty much used the 356-120-TC exclusively and size it to .357 for the 9mP cartridge for use in handguns. I did run several hundred sized .357 loaded over 4 gr Bullseye (my standard 9mp through an Uzi a couple years ago and they worked fine w/o any leading. BAC is the lube btw.

[TexasGrunt]

I've been running .358

My selection of mouse guns is limited. Sig P938 and two Springfield XD pistols. One 5" and 4".

[Motor]

Before I started powder coating I used to size all my 9mm's .358" I found this was the only way to 100% insure that there would not be any leading in the various pistols I load for.

This also worked out really well because the 124gr TC TL I cast shoots great from 38spl/.357 too. I crimp them in the last TL groove.

With the powder coating I am finding that I am able to reduce my alloy hardness to from 15bhn down to 12bhn and I "can" size .356" without any issues.

I see where a lot of guys have problems with "oversize boolits" in CZ 9mm pistols though. Just something to be aware of.

I still use them .358" in the .357 revolvers though.

Motor

[DerekP Houston]

I tried .358 in mine and didn't get reliable feeding (px4 and walther ppq) had to nudge the slide every so often to get em in to battery. I powder coat all my 9mm rounds and size to .356. no leading no problems feeding. your results may vary. I thought about trying a .357 push through die but I already had the other 2 and if it ain't broke.....

[Big Boomer]

One thing for sure, not all semi-auto handguns function the same. I lucked onto Lee's 6-cavity 125 gr. rn boolit mould and tried it with everything 9mm - Sig 938, Tri-Star (Turkish made) CZ clone, Sig full size plus .38 Spl. S&W. Sizing with a Star sizer is a fuzz over .358. I was told it would not work but it did. Had to be certain OAL was correct, though. Big Boomer

[jerry6stl]

Another vote for using a .357" sizer on bullets intended for 9mm handguns. Works well for me.

[dragon813gt]

It's best to have multiple sizing dies. Only your gun can tell you what works. A thousand people can say they size to .358 and it works. Your gun doesn't care about those thousand people and it may want .357 or it may want .359. This is why I don't bother slugging barrels. I size a small batch in multiple sizes and see which one works the best.

[fredj338]

I am sizing 0.357" for all my 9mm stuff, using mixed brass. I don't bother slugging multiple guns, works in Glocks to my match chambered 1911.

[Retumbo]

The bullets are casting around 357. I will try as is first. Plan is to PC the bullets. I got my self a 358 sizer, if it ends up not working out I'll just order the 357

[gwpercle]

My first attempts reloading the 9 mm was with .356 boolits....I was encountering not enough neck tension...some wre loose. Went to .357 and that solved the problem.
Have used .357 in a Walther P-38 (WWII era) , Taurus 92F , Springfield XD and Ruger SR9, worked well in all four. The newer pistols don't have a lot of throat so seating depth has to be worked out.
Gary

[bobthenailer]

I have 3, 9mms 2, with factory match barrels and 2, 38 supers, with Nowlin & Kart barrels hard fit match barrels ,I size all cast bullets @357 dia even if barrels slug @.355, has proven in accuracy testing that they shoot cast better than .356 dia cast bullets

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

when I started loading 9mm, I bought a .356 die. I got lead fouling in 2 of my 3 guns (Ruger P89 and 1980s High power)...the Hi point I had liked 'em that size. I bought a .357 die and that seemingly solved my problems, and they worked in the Hi Point also. Before I bought the .357 die, I tried some .358 and had trouble chambering with the Hi point and the High Power. All those guns are long gone now.

I recently purchase a Ruger 9e and it likes the .357 sized boolits, I haven't tried anything else...no need to.

[DerekP Houston]

Sounds like I need to pony up for a .357 sizing die and give it a try as well, that's what I get for being cheap :D.