6 cav. 9mm mold choice

[oldhenry]

In a few days I'll be 79. I'm in good health, but I'm beginning to have some arthritic symptoms (hands) & I'm recovering from tendonitis (R. hand). Casting with my Lyman & SAECO 4 cav. molds isn't fun anymore (I tend to cast hard & heavy for 4 or 5 hours at a time).

The 5 & 6 cavity AL molds are easy for me to handle.

I want to get a new 9mm mold. These will be for practice only: I'll carry Speer 124 gr. Gold Dots.

I do not own a MP mold & hear good things about them. They only show 2 different 9mm 6 cav. aluminum molds: MP 359 140 PB & MP 359 147 BB. These are a little bit heavier than I'd like (I prefer 125-130 gr.), but the shape (especially the 140) looks just like the Speer 124gr. Gold Dot.

Does anyone have any experience with either of these?

The 147 is available now & I'd have to wait on the 140. They both have the Lee type sprue plate lever (which I like).

An alternative is the Arsenal 359-130RF. It looks just like the MP 359 140 PB. I have 4 other Arsenal molds & they're working just fine for me. Of course the Arsenal would be a 5 cav..

Any input is appreciated.

Henry
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A real sport involves either gasoline or gun powder.......all others are just games

[Beau Cassidy]

Either would be a most excellent mold. My guess is the MP mold will be easier for you to use

[Cowboy_Dan]

I personally use the Lee 120TC, standard lube groove model. My Polymer80 loves it and I get a pile od boolits fast. I also love my Mihec 6-cavity, but it is a 32 SWC that my Tokarev likes.

[hunter74]

Doesn't he make a 8 cav alu 9mm mould? With a mould like that the pile of boolits would build up quick!

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[Larry Gibson]

+1 on the Lee 6 cavity 356-120-TC.

[oldhenry]

I personally use the Lee 120TC, standard lube groove model. My Polymer80 loves it and I get a pile od boolits fast. I also love my Mihec 6-cavity, but it is a 32 SWC that my Tokarev likes.

A friend has the Lee 120TC also & likes it. I have an Arsenal 125TC (drops COWW @ 121 gr.). I just want to add another.

Henry

[oldhenry]

Doesn't he make a 8 cav alu 9mm mould? With a mould like that the pile of boolits would build up quick!

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Their web site does not show a 8 cavity. I've assumed that they only have what's listed on their site.

Henry

[hunter74]

My german is not good but, what I get out of this is that this mould was made by MP moulds and offered through a group buy

Marcus usually makes an english version of his videos, but I can't find one for this video.

https://youtu.be/TlDtXHg_kBg

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[oldhenry]

My german is not good but, what I get out of this is that this mould was made by MP moulds and offered through a group buy

Marcus usually makes an english version of his videos, but I can't find one for this video.

https://youtu.be/TlDtXHg_kBg

Sent fra min SM-G930F via Tapatalk

In spite of the language barrier, I'm impressed. Thanks for the heads-up.

Henry

[tazman]

As mentioned by others, the Lee 356-120-TC is an excellent 9mm boolit. They drop at about 124-5 for me using range scrap.
My first choice is the NOE 358-135-FN. I use it in plain base and flat nose but it can be purchased with a hollow point configuration which drops the weight a bit.
It is very accurate and feeds flawlessly in every 9mm I own(currently 8 handguns). I typically size it .358 and leave just a smidge(please forgive the technical jargon) of the front drive band showing when seated.
When using range scrap, it typically drops at .358 and weighs 135-136 grains. You can't get much better than that.
Often, I just tumble lube them with White Label Xlox, load, and shoot.
My mold is a 5 cavity and rains boolits when in use.

[Moonie]

I have the Lee 120TC, it casts great boolits that feed very well. That said you cannot go wrong with any of Mihec's, NOE's or Accurate Molds molds, they all make great molds in lots of different cavities.

[Smk SHoe]

I've got one of the 8 cavity 9mm molds from Mihec. WOW does it make a pile of bullets fast. Also have 2 identical Lee 6 cavity's in the 120ish TC range. Can't go wrong either way. ( also have a couple of the arsenal mold's, well made, but just for rifle calibers.)

[oldhenry]

I've got one of the 8 cavity 9mm molds from Mihec. WOW does it make a pile of bullets fast. Also have 2 identical Lee 6 cavity's in the 120ish TC range. Can't go wrong either way. ( also have a couple of the arsenal mold's, well made, but just for rifle calibers.)

Which MP bullet is your 8 cavity?

My decision now is between the MP 140 gr. or the Arsenal 130 Gr. . The 130 grain is closer to the weight I want & can order it now & have it soon. The MP would be a waiting period (unknown duration), but I'd like the 6 cavity vs the 5 cavity + the Lee type sprue plate lever & I'd like to try an MP.

Decisions

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I have the Lee 356-120-TC, my mold doesn't drop a boolit large enough for my guns...I like to size to .357
So I bought the NOE 358-128 SWC
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=34_262&products_id=2221
It's more of a TC than a SWC, but there is a tiny shoulder. My 5 cav mold casts like a dream.

sadly, NOE only has the two cav in stock right now :(

[oldhenry]

I have the Lee 356-120-TC, my mold doesn't drop a boolit large enough for my guns...I like to size to .357
So I bought the NOE 358-128 SWC
http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product_info.php?cPath=34_262&products_id=2221
It's more of a TC than a SWC, but there is a tiny shoulder. My 5 cav mold casts like a dream.

sadly, NOE only has the two cav in stock right now :(

A neat looking boolit. It looks like a smaller edition of the #068 (one of my favorites).

[Smk SHoe]

Which MP bullet is your 8 cavity?

My decision now is between the MP 140 gr. or the Arsenal 130 Gr. . The 130 grain is closer to the weight I want & can order it now & have it soon. The MP would be a waiting period (unknown duration), but I'd like the 6 cavity vs the 5 cavity + the Lee type sprue plate lever & I'd like to try an MP.

Decisions
The one I have now is the TC. I had purchased the RN ( more of a TC with a rounded nose vs the straight edge) and just as soon as he shipped the RN he had a group buy for the TC. That was the one I wanted. When loaded it is hard to tell the difference between them and the Lee TC.

[frkelly74]

I will say you should not overlook the 358 125 round nose flat point that Lee offers. I shoot them in a 9 mm high point carbine to good effect. the 356 dia boolits would sometimes keyhole. 6 cavity is the nuts for making lots of boolits. I do not presently have any other 38/9mm molds on hand.

[Taterhead]

I have been loading 2 types of bullets from 6 cav molds. The Lee 356-124-2R and Lee 356-120-TC. Of the 2, I prefer the TC.

[Papercidal]

There is a active group buy for this one.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?359493-ACTIVE-MIHEC-359-125-FB-(9mm)-Rerun-4-Cav-HP-or-6-Cav-Solid-Brass

It is a lighter version of my favorite 9mm bullet (same profile shorter bearing surface) and is available with or without lube grooves. The 8 cavity is great but the Lee type sprue plate alone is worth the cost of admission (I hate smacking sprue plates with a mallet and will be getting rid of the rest of my molds that are missing the handle)

[Dragonheart]

If you don't mind the six bullets being different sizes then the Lee would definitely be cheaper. Otherwise either of your original mold suggestions would be a better choice. Been there and done that so if you haven't guessed the only Lee mold I use now is for buckshot. Life is too short to go through it with a poor quality bullet mold.

[43PU]

The lee 120-tc over 3.8 grn of bullseye is what all of my pistols and rifles get fed... PC with harbor freight red sized to .358

[oldhenry]

There is a active group buy for this one.

[url]http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?359493-ACTIVE-MIHEC-359-125-FB-(9mm)-Rerun-4-Cav-HP-or-6-Cav-Solid-Brass[/u


It is a lighter version of my favorite 9mm bullet (same profile shorter bearing surface) and is available with or without lube grooves. The 8 cavity is great but the Lee type sprue plate alone is worth the cost of admission (I hate smacking sprue plates with a mallet and will be getting rid of the rest of my molds that are missing the handle)

Thanks for the heads-up. I put my name on the list for the 8 cav. PB aluminum one. If I'm not too late, my problem is solved.

Henry

[mtgrs737]

For a 9mm Powder Coating boolit I tried the Lee 125 2R and found that the boolit needed to be seated deep to stop the boolit from jamming into the rifling in my short throated gun chambers. I found that the Lee 125 TL round nose boolit was perfect as it has a reduced nose diameter just ahead of the front driving band that when PC's allowed enough diameter reduction for it not to need to be seated deep to clear. I know that the 9mm luger is somewhat powder space sensitive and pressures can go up a lot if powder space is reduced. PCing this boolit will increase the diameter of the driving bands plenty so I can size it to larger diameters that some guns need. I like the Lee six cavity molds, I can make a pile of boolits in no time.

[glockfan]

In a few days I'll be 79. I'm in good health, but I'm beginning to have some arthritic symptoms (hands) & I'm recovering from tendonitis (R. hand). Casting with my Lyman & SAECO 4 cav. molds isn't fun anymore (I tend to cast hard & heavy for 4 or 5 hours at a time).

The 5 & 6 cavity AL molds are easy for me to handle.

I want to get a new 9mm mold. These will be for practice only: I'll carry Speer 124 gr. Gold Dots.

I do not own a MP mold & hear good things about them. They only show 2 different 9mm 6 cav. aluminum molds: MP 359 140 PB & MP 359 147 BB. These are a little bit heavier than I'd like (I prefer 125-130 gr.), but the shape (especially the 140) looks just like the Speer 124gr. Gold Dot.

Does anyone have any experience with either of these?

The 147 is available now & I'd have to wait on the 140. They both have the Lee type sprue plate lever (which I like).

An alternative is the Arsenal 359-130RF. It looks just like the MP 359 140 PB. I have 4 other Arsenal molds & they're working just fine for me. Of course the Arsenal would be a 5 cav..

Any input is appreciated.

Henry
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
A real sport involves either gasoline or gun powder.......all others are just games

i've copied the hornady 147 XTP and asked tom from accurate mold to cut me a mould holding on the hornady xtp specs. result is a very accurate round,very happy with it ; super accurate in both my glock 17 and 34 while i must load them at 1.075 coal due to the ogive profile wich is a truncated cone . i got this one in brass 4 holes.

then,i wanted to try a lighter round to save on lead a little.so asked tom to copy my 35-145M design,and he made an identical mould , but of course scaled down so it drop at 130grs with COWW, but the ogive profile is the same. both are groovless design for hi tek or PC. this one is labeled 35-130M. i got this one made in aluminum 5 banger.

just droped the info for you ,so you know both rounds i'm talking about works very good. tom work is awesome,his moulds are work of art.

[flydad]

I have the nlg version of this mold and it cast hp and solids beautifully. you won't be disappointed. If they ever offer the hg-275 clone jump on it. I have a 6 cavity nlg bb and it is awesome. Lots of boolits in a hurry. I shoot both in 9 mm and in my 9 x 25 Dillon. The h&g 275 is a SWC
design and makes perfect round holes. Very accurate boolits, both of them. 225891225892