How does your 9mm shoot lead?

[Mike89]

Been shooting my new Ruger SR9 for about a month now. Have reloaded 115 gr Berry's Plated bullets and 125 gr lead bullets. I'm still a reloading rookie and haven't got into casting my own yet.

The gun shoots the Berry's Plated flawlessly, over 750 rounds fired without a jam of any kind.

The lead bullets are a different story. The gun jams approximately one out of every 20 bullets fired.

Lead bullets are cheaper but the jams make the cost not mean anything to me.

Dunno if reloading a little hotter for the lead bullets will help or if I should not use lead bullets anymore and stick with the plated (or FMJ).

I'd like to hear comments on your experiences with lead bullets in your 9mm. Thanks

[HeavyMetal]

What kind of "jam" are we talking about?

Failure to feed, failure to chamber, failure to eject, stove piping, double feeding?

Tell us what and we'll try to find an answer.

[Mike89]

Sometimes after being shot the spent round will still be in the horizontal position, not quite making it out the ejector. Sometimes the ejected round will stovepipe.

[Edubya]

Mike, one of the biggest problems that I had with the 9mm shooting lead is with the crimping. Crimp in a separate step. Crimp only enough that you cannot press the boolit into the case. You will find that there are different case wall thicknesses in brands too. You will save a lot of headaches by separating your cases by head-stamps.
There is a post on here about leading that covers about everything that you can imagine concerning the problems encountered in leading. It'll be worth the time to search it out.
EW

[thx997303]

Stovepipes? Dang, just up the powder charge. Assuming it is safe to do so.

[Harter66]

Mike ,
I'm fairly new in here to read alot first. I have a hp-9 and have not had any issues with anything I've fed it. But ,I start with 1 brand of brass preferabley 1 head stamp. (All wincester toss the wcc for example) the light crimp has been mentioned. When I start from scratch with the autos I step up the loads at about 10% of the difference of the start to max loads.ie2.5to 5.0 I move up 0.2 at a time. Start with where you are and move up till it gets reliable cycleing then tune for acuracy. The cast bullets may shoot faster at lower pressures. I had that with mine. Hope this helps.

[Harter66]

Mike ,
I'm fairly new in here to read alot first. I have a hp-9 and have not had any issues with anything I've fed it. But ,I start with 1 brand of brass preferabley 1 head stamp. (All wincester toss the wcc for example) the light crimp has been mentioned. When I start from scratch with the autos I step up the loads at about 10% of the difference of the start to max loads.ie2.5to 5.0 I move up 0.2 at a time. Start with where you are and move up till it gets reliable cycleing then tune for acuracy. The cast bullets may shoot faster at lower pressures. I had that with mine. Hope this helps.

[Mike89]

As far as crimping, I use the Lee Classic Turret and do crimp separately in last process (using all Lee dies). I flare just enough for the bullet to go in tightly. I crimp lightly. As far as separating the cases, I have used the same cases I've reloaded with both the lead bullets and the Berry's Plated.

I did just reload a few lead slightly hotter than the previous load to see if there are any differences. Currently using 231, all the Berry's were loaded with Titegroup (which I really like and some of the lead were also loaded with Titegroup).


I'll have to keep experimenting to see if I can get this gun shooting as well with the lead as with the Berry's. Berry's Plated, about $44.00 per 500. The last Lead bullets I bought were about $26.00 per 500.

[HeavyMetal]

I think you may have found the cause and corrected it.

Most of the time stove pipe is either poor grip or to light a load powder.

Try the increased powder charge and hold with a "stiffer" strong hand grip.

[rjbishop]

I've shot over 1100 cast boolits thru my SR9 so far- no failures of any kind. Anywhere from 105gr SWC up to 147gr Mihec FPBB. I run medium loads for lead, try to keep the velocity below 1100 fps on lighter boolits, below 900fps on heavier boolits. Try upping your load- sounds like it may be light. How many grains powder are you running, and what COL?

[Bullshop Junior]

I shot Hundreds of cast through my CZ-52 with the 9mm Barrel, and NEVER had a jam.

[fredj338]

Lead bullets are about all I shoot out of my 9mm, BHP, S&W, Glock, no issues. It sounds like to light a powder hcarge, but w/o any data, just a guess. Most issues w/ 9mm are getting good accuracy. If it won't shoot 124grLTC o/ Unique or WSF, it probably won't shoot.

[Edubya]

Been shooting my new Ruger SR9 for about a month now. Have reloaded 115 gr Berry's Plated bullets and 125 gr lead bullets. I'm still a reloading rookie and haven't got into casting my own yet.

The gun shoots the Berry's Plated flawlessly, over 750 rounds fired without a jam of any kind.

The lead bullets are a different story. The gun jams approximately one out of every 20 bullets fired.

Lead bullets are cheaper but the jams make the cost not mean anything to me.

Dunno if reloading a little hotter for the lead bullets will help or if I should not use lead bullets anymore and stick with the plated (or FMJ).

I'd like to hear comments on your experiences with lead bullets in your 9mm. Thanks

I dunno where you guys are getting this "stovepipe" from. The OP did not mention a stovepipe!
Mike, go to this thread: http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=75373
At least you will find some good information.
EW

[lwknight]

Sometimes after being shot the spent round will still be in the horizontal position, not quite making it out the ejector. Sometimes the ejected round will stovepipe.

So sayeth the OP:

I sayeth put more powder in it.

[Edubya]

Pass the crow, please.
EW

[Village Idiot]

Mike89
How does the ejection pattern look on the ones that do eject? Shoot some Barry's and see how they eject, velocity the spent case leaves the gun, how far away do they land, what type of pattern do they fall in, then do the same with the lead. Does the action seen to cylce at the same rate on both or are the lead slower/faster? This can give you an indication of whats going on. If the ejection seems considerably weaker with the lead could just be an up in charge is needed ("with in safe limits of loading manuals of course"). Are you getting leading with the lead bullets. Bullets may be undersized for your gun allowing gas to blow by/gas cutting and lowering pressures. Erratic ejection may point to something else. Are the primers backing out on the ones that don't clear the gun? A primer backing out can hold the rim away from the cartirdge seat in the slide face so the ejector does not contact it with enough force causing weak or erratic ejection. Are the bullets the same design? Unsual but, the spent case rim may be catching the next round in the mag as it rides over it. This can dislodge the spent case from the slide face causing weak/erratic ejection. Obervation and careful inspection when it happens will bring the cause to light.
Hang with it, good luck
V.I.

[Colorado4wheel]

As far as crimping, I use the Lee Classic Turret and do crimp separately in last process (using all Lee dies). I flare just enough for the bullet to go in tightly. I crimp lightly. As far as separating the cases, I have used the same cases I've reloaded with both the lead bullets and the Berry's Plated.

I did just reload a few lead slightly hotter than the previous load to see if there are any differences. Currently using 231, all the Berry's were loaded with Titegroup (which I really like and some of the lead were also loaded with Titegroup).


I'll have to keep experimenting to see if I can get this gun shooting as well with the lead as with the Berry's. Berry's Plated, about $44.00 per 500. The last Lead bullets I bought were about $26.00 per 500.


If you are using the 4 Die set you have a FCD in the 4th station. The FCD's sizer in 9mm does not normally touch the bullet. But you sould be aware many people would not use it when shooting lead. Also, I would assume you are ushing the FCD and adding at least 1/2 a turn maybe a full turn per instructions. In my experiance that is a lot of crimp. Again, just another thing to be aware of. You can make a dummy round with out powder pull it after crimping and look at the bullet to see. BUT, I think your issue is likely load data related.

[lwknight]

A lot of people have said that the FCD (taper crimp) die might size down the boolit. I don't see how that can be. The 9mm brass is .380 OS at the mouth and may expand a couple 1/1000 when we shove a , say .357 boolit into it. The base at the webbing and case head measures .390 and my die sometimes makes a slight mark on the case about the webbing area and never touches the upper part where the boolit sits.

The only reason for this extra sizer is to catch a bad case that may not chamber. I have found a few cases that would not pass the backup sizer and tossed then in the scrap pile.
Also it helps de-glock some of the brass too.

[Colorado4wheel]

FCD in 9mm really can't touch the bullet. It's a tapered case so the bullet is just to small. But thats only for the 9mm.

[HeavyMetal]

Gentleman:

It is not the sizer portion of the FCD die that sizes the boolit to much it is the crimping portion of the die, adjusted to "tightly", that sizes the boolit when crimped!

Considering the fact that 9mm cases are all over the place in length a batch of 9mm cases, untrimmed, will certainly have a few that will recieve to much crimp because of the longer length of those particular cases!

The use of an FCD die is not the cause of the feeding issue the OP is asking about since his statement in post 3 plainly discribes failure to eject and stove piping.

He also stated he was trying a bit heavier load, which should clear up the problem, and I am waiting for him to post his results.

[beagle]

I'm feeding two Browning HPs with cast. Mostly the 356402 Lyman. I load and then "touch" the crimp with a taper crimp die in a seperate step and very rarely have a malfunction.

Get all your bullets and all your powder and start loading test runs and record the results. A chrony is very useful. Keep meticulous notes including cartridge OAL.

That way, when you find an accurate, feeding and functioning load, you'll have it and the means to repeat it at will.

From my experiences and those of a shooting friend, lead in the 9mm is as reliable and probably more accurate than jacketed.

Loading cast in the 9mm has come a long way as far as reliability. Three years ago, people were laughing at us for loading 9mm as it was so cheap to buy. With the ammo shortage, they're not laughing now but begging./beagle

[Jkrice]

What is the best method for finding the right O.A.L.?
Jerry

[chris in va]

I've had a lot of problems with inaccuracy and keyholing, evidenced by my previous posts. A kind gentleman gave me some 147gr boolits to try but I haven't had a chance to hit the range yet.

My cast boolit reloads all chamber/fire just fine, but still working on the magic formula.

OAL seems to be a touchy subject. Every boolit profile is different and some guns prefer one over the other. All I do is make a 'dummy' round sans powder and primer, and with the manual's guidance seat the boolit to a depth where the round chambers without sticking and load powder accordingly. The other guys can get more in depth though, I have a rudimentary grasp on the subject.

[Ole]

No problems.

I use Lee 358 RNFP 125 6 cavity mold, sized to .357", lubed with Alox 50/50 mineral spirits both before and twice after sizing.

This bullet over 4 grains of bullseye works like a champ from my SW model 59.

For alloy: I use 2:1 pure lead/WW alloy with 1% tin added for fill out and water quench. Bullets run around 10.5-11 bhn.