Worth while to slug for 9mm plinking out of a 4 inch barrel?

[Stopsign32v]

Would you just size @ .358 and go with it after powder coating or should I actually slug my barrel? Is just a 4 inch pistol barrel, so pretty short and not much twist.

[Lakehouse2012]

If I wasn't going to slug (which you should) I would size to .357 and not coat too thick...

Is it a ruger or a smith?

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[Stopsign32v]

If I wasn't going to slug (which you should) I would size to .357 and not coat too thick...

Is it a ruger or a smith?

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Shadow Systems MR920

Why wouldn't you coat thick? Here they are about to go in the oven about 15 mins ago.

313166

[Lakehouse2012]

Shadow Systems MR920

Why wouldn't you coat thick? Here they are about to go in the oven about 15 mins ago.

313166Nice lookin boolits! That barrel will be .3565, I'd go .001" over barrel.

You'll be fine to coat them but I would size them after coating to be sure they aren't any bigger then .3575.

PC coating can go on thick depending on your process.

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[Stopsign32v]

For sure size after coating. I'll have to grab a .357 die. I looked and I have a .358 and a .360.

Edit: Just got a Lee .357 die. Hopefully it will be here no later than the weekend.

[dondiego]

Hopefully it will actually size your bullets at .357!

[BC17A]

Hopefully it will actually size your bullets at .357!

Exactly. I had to re-work several of my Lee sizers that were on the small side.

[Recycled bullet]

Nice hollow point bullets

[Stopsign32v]

Exactly. I had to re-work several of my Lee sizers that were on the small side.

Maybe I should have sized one using my Lee .358 sizer and it would have come out .357!!!! I'll size this weekend hopefully using both dies and we will see what lands closer to .357

[Stopsign32v]

Nice hollow point bullets

Thanks, I guess this is part 2 of the "I don't like brass molds. I don't like 4+ cavity molds" thread. Got home today after work and had some free time. Turned on the hot plate and put the mold on it. Had to crank the pot to max but it started making nice ones and like you guys said, with a good bit of heat I only had about 4-6 castings of wrinkles and it was minimal (I'm anal). I was still in a hurry but really cranked out some in a short time. I'm only casting these to duplicate 9mm Federal HST profile to make sure feeding is good.

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[Outer Rondacker]

Looking good.

[dverna]

Nice looking bullets!

[Iron369]

What mold is that? I haven’t tried any hollow points, but might venture into it soon.

[Stopsign32v]

What mold is that? I haven’t tried any hollow points, but might venture into it soon.

MP 360-640

I got it strictly as a Federal HST 147gr clone. I think it is pretty close. In fact once I have some loads up I plan to do some comparisons dimensionally between the two. Look for a thread about it by this time Sunday.

[Iron369]

MP 360-640

I got it strictly as a Federal HST 147gr clone. I think it is pretty close. In fact once I have some loads up I plan to do some comparisons dimensionally between the two. Look for a thread about it by this time Sunday.

I just bought a 1k case of hst this morning. Not terribly cheap to shoot it regularly. I like the idea of having a similar profile training ammunition to my sd ammunition. Thanks!

[Stopsign32v]

I just bought a 1k case of hst this morning. Not terribly cheap to shoot it regularly. I like the idea of having a similar profile training ammunition to my sd ammunition. Thanks!

Exactly the idea. Match the velocity between the two rounds, have the same weight, profile, and at least then you can cheaply know where your hits will be for your EDC.

[Recycled bullet]

Wow knock em off the block ace!!!

Really good looking bullets they will too pretty to shoot!!

Is that mysterious white powder on the bullets flashed into an invisible glass clear powder coat?

[Stopsign32v]

Is that mysterious white powder on the bullets flashed into an invisible glass clear powder coat?

Thanks! Stay tuned for updates this weekend.

It's clear powder coating. It's ok but darkens the appearance of the lead more than I'd like. However I guess it is better than looking like your wife's finger nails or lipstick. I'll be honest, I was wanting to powder coat them in the chrome powder I have but I don't have my tubs labeled, it's been a year since I've done it, and I guessed wrong on which one to grab.

[Bigslug]

Slug it for your own records if nothing else. There's bound to be another 9mm crossing your path at some point. Comparative analysis can be helpful.

.357" seems to be the broadly useful diameter for the 9x19. My bore slugs on roughly half a dozen guns have been @ .356" on all but one - a 5" Springfield 1911 that went .355". The real "breakthrough" for me with cracking the 9mm code was to use a larger diameter expander to prevent the brass from sizing the bullets down below nominal on seating, then flare and taper crimp as normal. Other solutions are out there, but mine was to use a Lee .38 S&W sizing die.

[jdgabbard]

Although I have slugged my 9mms, these days I usually just size to .357 and call it good. Some guys do size to .358", but I have found that .357" works just fine for me.

[mdi]

Worth it to slug? I think so because I slug every firearm, excluding shot guns, that come into my possession. I record the data and include it in my firearms log (make, model, caliber, serial number, date purchased and what I paid for it).I even slugged a 22 LR Contender barrel when I was buying a Paco Kelly’s Acu’Rzr Bullet Tool...

[Stopsign32v]

Other solutions are out there, but mine was to use a Lee .38 S&W sizing die.

Thanks! I just grabbed a Lee 38 S&W sizing die. You just rung a bell with me because while loading 9mm I noticed this as well that even with my fmj I had a slight downsizing when I pulled them apart. Hopefully this will help that.

[rockshooter]

need to be sure that, post PC, the sized bullet will fit the throat. In my experience, 9mm barrels vary quite a lot re: throat acceptance and you may have to resize to get what you want in that area. I pick bullets that are slightly rebated in the throat area.
Loren

[Stopsign32v]

need to be sure that, post PC, the sized bullet will fit the throat. In my experience, 9mm barrels vary quite a lot re: throat acceptance and you may have to resize to get what you want in that area. I pick bullets that are slightly rebated in the throat area.
Loren

I would think that would just be a "plunk test" with the barrel out of the gun, correct?

[Lakehouse2012]

Another thought, if you'd like it... :)

You mentioned they are clone to an HST. I'm guessing you'll use for home defense.

In order to make that HP work like you'll want it to, you'll need to keep the lead fairly soft (

[Stopsign32v]

Here is what satin clear powder coating looks like if anyone was curious.

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[fredj338]

I have too many diff pistols to slug barrels so I just go fat & shoot that. So far, my ammo is more accurate than I am out to 50y.

[Stopsign32v]

I have too many diff pistols to slug barrels so I just go fat & shoot that. So far, my ammo is more accurate than I am out to 50y.

Just curious, could you share your bullet sizing?

[Bigslug]

. . . go fat & shoot that. . .

Gentlemen, we may have a slogan here. . .:mrgreen:

It works up to a point. At the extreme end, you need to be aware of your case wall thickness (variable between manufacturers and lots), and the ability to keep the mouth of the case close enough to blueprint spec to chamber. Kind of alluded to in my pitch for the Lee .38 S&W die, but things like these need to be watched to ensure starting bullet diameter does not get crushed down below where it should be.

[jdgabbard]

need to be sure that, post PC, the sized bullet will fit the throat. In my experience, 9mm barrels vary quite a lot re: throat acceptance and you may have to resize to get what you want in that area. I pick bullets that are slightly rebated in the throat area.
Loren

This. This right here. I ran into this with loading FMJ pills. The length my fullsize pistol likes is longer than my PCC and other pistols can shoot. I've determined I load for the PCC and get acceptable results in the rest of them. At least that way I don't have to keep different ammo on hand for every pistol.


Gentlemen, we may have a slogan here. . .:mrgreen:

Works for me with woman as well. :lol:

[Hanzy4200]

I've never slugged a pistol barrel, and while I'm not IPSEC champion, they all shoot better than I do. Only real issues occur when you start getting into unusual imported guns with varying bore diameters.

[iMigraine]

I slugged my Springfield 9mm Range Officer and found that .358 worked for me. Actually, all my other pistols run expect my CZ TS, which now that I think about it probably needs .357 because it occasionally has trouble feeding. Well dang, I'm going to have to play with my CZ TS to check on this one.

Glocks with KKM barrels run and Ruger PC Carbine run .358. Had a CZ 97 in .45 and it had a tight chamber, my guess is that CZ runs tighter than most manufactures.