need mold rec: 9mm

[soldierbilly1]

can you all recommend the smoothest cast boolit shape for a 9 mm? I will be buying a 9, either the Bersa or the Cougar, for CCW on my move to PA and I will need to practice with it, hence the mold. thanks for the help. great board billy boy

[Echo]

The Lyman 356402 has been around a LONG time - I use it for my 9mm work, sorry as my work is.

[Houndog]

I us a 124 GR. mold from RCBS that's close to what Echo uses. I make my 9mm boolets from straight WW and water drop them. They work fine in my 3 9'S.

[beagle]

I'll second the nomination for the 356402 followed closely by the 358242 125 grain version.

No doubt there are RCBS and other manufactured moulds that work just as well but these have served me well in a P-38, Luger, Lahati, High Power and a Colt Commander. They work well in #2 son's .38 Super as well./beagle

[Firebricker]

I use the RCBS 147 FN it works well with pistol but it is heavy for caliber.
FB

[Jumping Frog]

I use one of the Lee six cavity molds. For 9mm, I like being able to really pump out the nicely cast boolits. If I am shooting 200-400 rounds in a range session, I've got to make sure I maintain a steady boolit supply.

My last session, I cast 1400 boolits. Here is how many mold pours are required to generate 1400 boolits:

6 cavity mold = 233 pours
4 cavity mold = 350 pours
2 cavity mold = 700 pours
1 cavity mold = 1400 pours

I know we can all do the math, but I wanted to visually demonstrate that the number of cavities makes a big difference if you are going for volume.

My attitude for my .44 Mag using gas check boolits is different. I haven't shot 200 rounds in a single range session during my entire my life through that gun. I use a 2 cavity Lyman GC mold that works just fine for me.

[Guesser]

I have the old Ohaus mold that is now sold by RCBS that is a copy of the Lyman 356402. It is almost the same shape except Ohaus rounded the nose, drops and sizes/lubes to a consistant 121 gr. for me, feeds and shoots very well.

[JIMinPHX]

For just paper punching & general practice, that little Lee 105 gr SWC is pretty nice in a 9-iron. If those don't feed well for you, then the little 102 gr RN from Lee is also a good practice pill. On many guns, as little as 3 grains of Bullseye under either of them will give you enough umph to work the action & give you good accuracy. It's a very economical load. Those small slugs make a little lead go a long way. It doesn't make for a killer self defense round, but it's good for most other uses.

[Larry Gibson]

In 40+ years loading for numerous 9mms I've used double cavity moulds in 358242,356402 and 358-105-SWC along with several .38 moulds. Several years ago I got a Lee 6 holer in 356-120-TC and haven't looked back at the 2 holers since. As Jumping Frog points out the production rate is tremendous compared to the others. I load the 356-120-TC cast of WWs + 2% tin over 4 gr of Bullseye in the 9mm. It gives 100% functioning and excellent accuracy with no leading in every 9mm handgun I have used it in. I use Javelina and size them at .357.

Larry Gibson

[soldierbilly1]

Larry and all:
Yupper, I have several double's (Lyman and Lee) and a few six bangers. Lately, the sixers are all I use! you bet they are fast. time is always valuable. I have been using 1% tin for good fill out and Lithibee works pretty good, a bit soft however.
thanks for all your help!
billy boy

[Ron]

I use a CBE 3 cavity brass mold., 125 grn TC and it works great in my GLOCK 34 fitted with a Storm Lake barrel.

[94Doug]

I've used the Lyman '402, and it works fine, I now use the group buy done last year that drops a 130 grain (or so) boolit.