Saeco #377

[scrapcan]

I just lucked onto a Saeco #377 mould for the 9mm. I have not found any load data and thought I would ask those who would know.

Mainly I am interested in seating depth. I was going to use the old rule developed for the 45 acp and semi-wadcutter use. Here is what I was taught (and I think it is also in the kuhnhasen manual). I fyou measure a common diameter on a ball round and set your bullet to that same length (of course at the same diameter) you will not have feeding problems. It has worked for me in an unmodified auto ordanance 1911. It will feed anything I have cast for it.

Will this work on the 9mm or does someone have loading data to help out.

thanks in advance.

[bobthenailer]

ive had this mold for years, i will post data later to day ! have to go to work.

[scrapcan]

I appreciate any and all info you are willing to share with me. The mold is really a nice mold. And what a nice sprue plate they put on their molds. This is the first Saeco mold that I have owned. I might see more of them in the future.

[bobthenailer]

hi sorry for slow reply , i dont get to much computer time in the summer!. my col for the # 377 is 1.055 , favorite loads are 3.8 gr bullsey for 1046 fps with a es of 25 fps . and 5.0 3n37 for 1025 fps with a es of 50 fps. the #377 is more accurate than the saeco # 315 rn bb that i also have. i shot these out of a browning high power and a springfield 1911. bob

[scrapcan]

Bob,

Thanks very much for the info. Does the bullet feed pretty well for you? What diameter is your mould casting and what alloy are you using?

I haven't had a chance to do more than a test to see how mould cast. I was using straight ww.

Your load of bullseye is very close to what I am currently using under a lee rn. The lee mould throws 124 gr and I am using 3.7 gr bullseye.

I was intrigued by the boolit profile of the Saeco and really wanted to try it in my Springfield p9 and other 9mm bottom feeders.

[9.3X62AL]

Manley--

That "diameter rule" you mention is one that I made the mistake of not heeding with a lot of 45 ACP ammo I made up for a range trip a year or so ago. My ancient but utterly reliable S&W M-645 balked on the stuff, as did my buddy's Kimber target 1911A1. Re-running the ammo through the taper crimper to set the PROPER diameter at case mouth resolved the problem. 25+ years with the 45 ACP, and I pull a brain-dead stunt like that.......

[scrapcan]

Deputy Al,

I too had to learn the hard way. I had loaded the first cast bullets I made for the 45 acp, lyman 452374, and had 5 boxes. that was in the fall of 1990. I went to the range and was so excited to finally shoot my own loads in the 1911. And what did I get but alot of out of battery and tap rack bang lesson. I am much more careful now. I remember that day each time I set down at the bench, and today it scares me to think about the pressures that the loads may have generated when I made the bullet engrave by smacking the slide into battery, good thing it was a 45 acp and not a 9mm or 40. That my friends is something I don't reccomend unless you really need that thing in battery to defend yourself.

Anyway some of the hard lessons have to be re-learned every once in a while. I hope my next lesson is quite a while in the future.
Jeremy

[bobthenailer]

bullet feding is 100% in both guns. im useing w/w water dropped from mould and i size to 356 and 357 dia you will have to slug your barrel or shoot a groupe with each dia to see which one is more accurate. in my experince with 2 , 9mms and 2, 38 supers 357 dia will probley shoot better. bob

[scrapcan]

I cast a passel of this style last night. I air-cooled about a 100 and water dropped about 200 made of wheel weight. This mould casts very nice. Diameter range for all 4 caviites is .358-.360. I have not had a chance to get an average weight. Iwas planning on doing a weight when I did the hardness testing (using a lee hardness tester).

This is the first Saeco mould I have used and I am impressed. I only had about 12 bad bullets to re-melt. I am running pretty hot on the lead pot, don't have a casting thermometer so don't know for sure.

I need to true the sprue plate. I have one hole that is smearing and need to clean the mold and prep to see if that problem goes away

I just sent my RCBS lub-a-matic to RCBS for repair, die lock ring threads starting to strip out of casting. So will have to pan lube and use a push thru sizer.

Then I will finally ge to the meat of things, shooting them in a couple of bottom feeders. I am also going to try this boolit in a 38 special as a light bullet, since it casts large enough to size for the revolver.

[bobthenailer]

use a rag with bullet lube melted on it on the bottom of the sprue plate every so often and the smearing will be elimated. bob

[scrapcan]

Well I finally got a chance to shoot a few of these pills.

I sized to .358 with a push thru and pan lubed, I was waiting for the RCBS lubamatic to come back after repair. I did not have a 357 push thru die. all lubed with microlube. Cast of straight whell weight and water dropped. BHN hardness using a lee tester was 26.0. (ACWW was about 12 BHN).

I tried the boolit in 9mm and 38 special. all were loaded with 3.5 grains bullseye. I do not have the oal length but it was set to the shortest chamber in 9mm and "that looks like a good length" in 38 special.

All loads fired off hand. Stopped each mag full with the glock to check for leading. I took the chrono (pact model 1) but did not get it out since I was trying to beat the rain and thunderstorms ( we ahven't had any rain in two months and the day I go out mother nature decides it should start raining. I should have wnet out sooner.

Result were promising, but need to try 357 diameter in the 9mms.

Glock 19 - 9mm - 3 inch at 50 feet, no leading to speak of, no pressrue signs, diameter just a little snug. I had 2 round out of 50 that did not go into full battery. Need to try sizing to 357.

Springfield P9 - 9mm- 1 inch at 50 feet, but had leading. The leading is not an immediate concern since this is a new barrel and is still quite rough. the barrel has only seen about 50 jacketed bullets and about 500 cast bullets of which 100 were this style.

charter arms undercover 38 special. 100 shot using the same powder and primer as 9mm. shoots good and does not have much recoil. Can probably step it up a little. No leading. shoots to about 2 inches at 50 feet. this is alot of fun to shoot a falling plate rack with.

Thought I would give an update.