New Lee 9x18 mold-first batch of CB

[rwt101]

I just got a new Lee 9x18 95 grain mold. I cleaned it real good and went over it to make sure there were no defects. I read somewhere that you should try the mold before smoking the cavities. So I gave it a try. The mold dropped boolits with no problem and did a great job. I cast 96 boolits and all came out pretty good. I ran it pretty hot.

Here are a few pics.
Bob T:-o

[Cherokee]

Looks good to me.

[EMC45]

Nice slugs!

[theperfessor]

What size (diameter) did they drop at and what kind of alloy were your using? They look real good.

[rwt101]

What size (diameter) did they drop at and what kind of alloy were your using? They look real good.

They are dropping at .365. It is a 95 grain mold, but it is coming out at 103 grains. I am using wheel weights.
Bob T

[docone31]

Don't you mean .356?

[theperfessor]

Did you mean .356?

[HORNET]

If it fills O.K. without smoking the cavities, you don't need to do it. Running things hot really helps. Smoking the cavities can cause size reductions if you overdo it. Those look pretty good. P.S.The weight rarely matches what the factory claims. I think they use unobtanium.

[rwt101]

Did you mean .356?

9x19 luger is .356, but the makarov 9x18 is .365. Very interesting?


Bob T

[JIMinPHX]

Those look real nice. Mine drop at about .368-.369". I size to .366". It sounds like you can probably just shoot those at raw diameter. That may be a fortunate thing, because sizing dies in Mak diameters are a special order item. I ended up making my size die myself. I had good luck using either LLA or Lyman Super Moly lube. Most other standard lubes should also work well. That's a fairly forgiving cartridge & most of the guns that shoot it have chromed & polished bores. 3-grains of Bullseye is my standard load for the 9-Mak.

[rwt101]

Mine drop at about .368-.369". I size to .366". It sounds like you can probably just shoot those at raw diameter. That may be a fortunate thing, because sizing dies in Mak diameters are a special order item. I ended up making mine myself. I had good luck using either LLA or Lyman Super Moly lube. Most other standard lubes should also work well. That's a fairly forgiving cartridge & most of the guns that shoot it have chromed & polished bores. 3-grains of Bullseye is my standard load for the 9-Mak.

Did you make your sizing die out of the .356? Also what oal are you using?
Bob T

[JIMinPHX]

I just pulled a random 9-mak target out of my downrange log book. COAL was .975" & 25 of 30 shots were in one ragged hole the size of a golf ball at 10-yards.

I made the die from scratch out of a piece of 1018 cold roll steel. It was the first size die that I ever made. Somewhere on this board, I posted a drawing of the blank die body. I can probably do a search for it if you need it. It was a Lyman Lubrisizer type die.

Lee also makes custom size dies of the push through variety. The price is pretty reasonable. The last time I got one from them, they delivered in about 2 weeks, which was much faster than they promised.

[rwt101]

I just pulled a random 9-mak target out of my downrange log book. COAL was .975" & 25 of 30 shots were in one ragged hole the size of a golf ball at 10-yards.

I made the die from scratch out of a piece of 1018 cold roll steel. It was the first size die that I ever made. Somewhere on this board, I posted a drawing of the blank die body. I can probably do a search for it if you need it. It was a Lyman Lubrisizer type die.

Lee also makes custom size dies of the push through variety. The price is pretty reasonable. The last time I got one from them, they delivered in about 2 weeks, which was much faster than they promised.

Well if they stay at this size I won't need the sizer. But you never know. I will check on Lees pricing. I have beed running my Mak rounds at .980. Of course that was TMJ rounds. The lead rounds will be new to me for the Mak. I will try the 3.0 bullseys at .980. I appreciate the information.

I am using them in a PA63 and a CZ82.
Bob T

[BCall]

If you do need a push through sizer, contact Buckshot here. He has done a number of them, he did a .460 for me. I like it better than the Lee's I have.You'll get it quicker too. I am very pleased with mine. Billy

[JIMinPHX]

I found the drawing of the size die body. It's on post #97 in this thread -
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=48453&page=5

Buckshot has a great reputation for top notch work across the board. He also has the proper hones for generating a real good finish on the inside of the bore in a die. He should be able to make you either type of die if he has the time.

Try them raw first. A lot of guys shoot their Mak boolits at raw diameter. That PA-63 should eat them right up. I have no experience with the CZ, so I can't comment on that one.

[acl864]

I'm a casting newbie and just started casting with the same Lee mold as Bob T with similar results. Using some store bought "Hardball" alloy I purchased to get started- the bullets dropped at .365" and weighed 103 gr. I tumble lubed with LLA and they shot fine through my CZ-82. Smelted my first batch of wheel weight ingots this past weekend and at next opportunity I'll see what results I get using those ingots.

[rwt101]

I'm a casting newbie and just started casting with the same Lee mold as Bob T with similar results. Using some store bought "Hardball" alloy I purchased to get started- the bullets dropped at .365" and weighed 103 gr. I tumble lubed with LLA and they shot fine through my CZ-82. Smelted my first batch of wheel weight ingots this past weekend and at next opportunity I'll see what results I get using those ingots.

What powder and amount? Also what did you set the oal at?
Bob T

[helg]

Nice squares

I would discard Makarov casts that have non-sharp edges at the base. On your first picture these are ## 1,3,7 from the left. These bullets are not that accurate as fixed barrel Makarov handgun is.

I also recommend buckshot's bullet sizing die for the .365". Perfect die with fast and inexpensive service. It is a good complement to my 2-mold from Lee.

[TCLouis]

Please post your results in the CZ82 as you get to try it out. I am in on a 9X18 GB mold and hope it will work without issues in the polygonal rifling of the 82.

[rwt101]

Please post your results in the CZ82 as you get to try it out. I am in on a 9X18 GB mold and hope it will work without issues in the polygonal rifling of the 82.

I also have a cz82 but have not tried the cast boolits in it.
Bob T

[acl864]

What powder and amount? Also what did you set the oal at?
Bob T


I've got plans to do some load work with these bullets this Saturday- weather permitting. I'll chrono some different loads using my cast bullets with Bullseye and W231 powders and post the full results. I've had good luck with those two powders and Meister 95 gr LRN bullets in the CZ-82.

[Rocky Raab]

Way back when, I wrote one of the first "Reloading the Mak" articles for the NRA. Most of the loads I developed are still published today, just about as I published them.

I have somehow misplaced the RCBS mould I used - and it was their prototype set of blocks! I may have to order a set of those Lee blocks, because the day I do, my RCBS mould will turn up, as sure as sunrise. LOL!

Here's the article that appeared in American Rifleman if you are interested. Load data included. http://www.reloadingroom.com/index_files/Makarov.htm

[rwt101]

Great article. Very helpful. I am using bullseye powder. I loaded some starline brass with WSP primers and 103 gr cast bullets. Pan lubed. 3.5 gr of powder at .980 oal and was getting keyholes. I might try setting them a little deeper.

Thanks.
Bob T

[Rocky Raab]

Bob, were they keyholing from the PA-63 or the CZ82? If the latter, it's very likely due to the polygonal rifling. My PA-63 eats cast bullets like candy and is quite accurate with them.

Seat them JUST deep enough that they fit the magazine and feed, no deeper. That tiny case will pressure-spike if the volume gets too small. I just checked a few of mine, and with the RCBS cast bullet of the same profile (at 105 grains, lubed) they average 0.975" OAL. They vary a smidge due to seater plug marks.

[acl864]

That is a great article. Wish I'd have stumbled across it a while back when I started reloading the 9x18, it would have saved me lots of time.
Converting the 9MM luger to 9x18 as mentioned in the article is a little tedious but I get excellent results, as good as with the Starline brass I purchased. The big plus to converting is that it's cheaper. A local guy had 1000 pcs. once fired 9mm Luger for $20. I paid nearly that much for 100 pcs. of Starline virgin brass. I don't mind spending some time cranking the handle on my Lyman trimmer to save that kind of money.
3.5 gr. Bullseye has been my default load with the Meister 95 LRN bullets, I'll be interested to see how it performs with my own cast bullets. Based on the info in the article I'll also add Unique to my repertoire of powders for the 9x18. Universal Clays has a very similar burn rate and I had obtained very good results with that powder, but had not tried any of the Unique.

[rwt101]

[QUOTE=Rocky Raab;715033]Bob, were they keyholing from the PA-63 or the CZ82? If the latter, it's very likely due to the polygonal rifling. My PA-63 eats cast bullets like candy and is quite accurate with them.

Seat them JUST deep enough that they fit the magazine and feed, no deeper. That tiny case will pressure-spike if the volume gets too small. I just checked a few of mine, and with the RCBS cast bullet of the same profile (at 105 grains, lubed) they average 0.975" OAL. They vary a smidge due to seater plug marks.[/QUOT

Mine was out of my PA63. I just loaded up some at 2.8 Bullseye. Maybe that is going to be too light. Well I will get to the range and see.
Bob T

[Phat Man Mike]

Way back when, I wrote one of the first "Reloading the Mak" articles for the NRA. Most of the loads I developed are still published today, just about as I published them.

I have somehow misplaced the RCBS mould I used - and it was their prototype set of blocks! I may have to order a set of those Lee blocks, because the day I do, my RCBS mould will turn up, as sure as sunrise. LOL!

Here's the article that appeared in American Rifleman if you are interested. Load data included. http://www.reloadingroom.com/index_files/Makarov.htm

that was some good reading and super info! I sent a link to other MAK owner I know! :castmine:

[Rocky Raab]

How very kind of you both. I'm honored.

[acl864]

I got mixed results this weekend with my cast bullets in the 9x18. Shooting the bullets I cast out of the Lee mold over 3.5 gr. Bullseye and 3.6 gr. W231 through a CZ-82 I got some leading. I didn't clean my gun in between so I'm not sure which load was the culprit. Both of these loads have worked very well for me in the past with Meister 95 gr. LRN bullets so the leading issue sort of caught me by surprise. The bullets I cast were using "Hardball" alloy I got from Midway and they cast very nicely with a very flat base, weighed around 103 gr. and measured dead on .365". I don't have a luber/sizer so I tumble lubed them with Lee liquid alox. The only real problem I had was loading the flat based bullets. I'm used to the bevel bases on the Meister bullets. I'm going to have to run my expander in a little further to make these bullets a little easier to get started. They fed without a hitch in the CZ-82 and I didn't have any keyholing or at 25' or 50' but I didn't get the accuracy I'd expect with either load. The W231 load was a quite a bit slower and more accurate than the Bullseye load. I'm going to cast some bullets out of WW's this week and see if I get different results. I'll also be a little more thorough the next time and clean the gun in between loads so I can isolate any leading issues. The chrono data was typical- no surprises there- I'll post it later along with the complete load data after I get my notes together and get some cpu time at home.

[acl864]

Load and chrono data from my last session with the CZ-82. Both loads were loaded in 9MM mixed headstamp brass converted to 9x18. Chrono data is from 15' from the muzzle at 70 degrees- no wind.

CCI500 Bullseye 3.5 103 gr. LRN 0.967 OAL- avg 1034 spread 27.43 sd 18.86
CCI500 W231 3.6 103 gr. LRN 0.967 OAL- avg 987 spread 88.07 sd 38.06