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Thread: Setting up for boolits in a new 9mm

  1. #61
    Boolit Master crabo's Avatar
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    Some of my manuals say I can go as high as 5.8 of Unique with a 120 grain TC boolit. This is 5.4 and it looks compressed. Is that a problem with Unique?

    If I were to go to 5.8, it looks like it would be at the top of the case. I am looking to use this in my 9mm M&P and my 9mm AR.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 5-4unique.jpg  
    Crabo

    Do not argue with idiots. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience.

  2. #62
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    My Lyman manual list 5.3 as a maximum for Unique using their lead boolit. It would be a compressed charge for sure.

    Bob
    Its been months since I bought the book, "How to scam people online". It still has not arrived yet!

    "If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown"

  3. #63
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Compressed is not necessarily bad, but can be difficult to
    seat the boolit properly if really compressed. Check multiple
    books and the online data from Alliant to be sure what is
    OK.

    Bill
    If it was easy, anybody could do it.

  4. #64
    Boolit Mold
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    very good write up. Thank you

  5. #65
    Boolit Buddy
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    Thought I would read this post again, still having leading issues with my 9mm.
    Typical 9mm leading starts just ahead of the chamber and works its way down the barrel the more shots I fire.
    Don't have a mic but with dial and digital verniers as best I can slug it goes .3555-.356.
    Have tried .356 and .358 boolits, don't have a .357 size die so have been working with what I have, both lead equally as bad.
    Pulled some loaded boolits and found my problem, all pulled boolits measured .355 which brings up my next question.
    What size expander plug should I buy, I see lymans 9mm M die is .353 probably a bit small for .356-.358 boolits, the 38 die is .356 to big for .356 although should be good with .358.
    Would it be worth getting a .355 expander made?

  6. #66
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    220 what gun do you have? What lube are you using and if you are using your own cast bullets what is your alloy? If you do cast your own bullets do you water quench them?

    In most 9MM guns a .357 sized lead bullet properly lubed should not lead up a barrel. If you are using to soft an alloy they will. Are you using a Lee Factory crimp die?

    Take Care

    Bob
    Its been months since I bought the book, "How to scam people online". It still has not arrived yet!

    "If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown"

  7. #67
    Boolit Grand Master
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    My 9mm "combination" is as follows--.355" expander spud into R-P cases after tungsten-carbide resizing, slight trumpet flare at case mouth; 92/6/2 alloy bullets sized @ .357"/verified with 50/50 BW/alox lube; seating as a discrete step; only enough taper crimp to straighten the case mouth flare.
    I don't paint bullets. I like Black Rifle Coffee. Sacred cows are always fair game. California is to the United States what Syria is to Russia and North Korea is to China/South Korea/Japan--a Hermit Kingdom detached from the real world and led by delusional maniacs, an economic and social basket case sustained by "foreign" aid so as to not lose military bases.

  8. #68
    Boolit Buddy
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    Gun is a Norinco 1911,
    Loads I tried yesterday were 75/25 WW/pure with HiTek, leading was confined to the first inch of the barrel but I was doing some accuracy testing and inspecting the barrel after 10 shots and cleaning.
    Have tried a few combinations, straight WW, various WW/pure ratios, 92/6/2 water quenched and air cooled with LLA, BW/alox and even tried some BPG lube I had.
    Best results as far as accuracy holding up and not tumbling has been water quenched WW with LLA, seemed to reduce the amount of leading ahead of the chamber but I got leading along the full barrel length and tumbling after about 70 shots.
    Looking at where the lead is and after measuring my pulled boolits and seeing even my .358 sized boolits are measuring .355 I think I have found my cause. Measured some sized cases and my die is sizing them to .350-.351, a fired case is about .359-.360 so I think I can run .358 without trouble. Just need to get an expander plug to open them up a touch. Currently just using the lee powder through die it only flares the very mouth of the case to make starting the boolits easy but the are obviously being swaged down on seating.

  9. #69
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    It would seem your die is the problem. Measure your expander spud. It should be .355 as Al indicated. I am sure once you get that solved your leading should disappear.

    As an aside I water quench all my 9MM boolits. I never see leading with any of my loads in any of my 9MM guns. Let us know how you make out.

    Take Care

    Bob
    Its been months since I bought the book, "How to scam people online". It still has not arrived yet!

    "If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown"

  10. #70
    Boolit Buddy
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    MtGun44,
    I know this is an old post, but thanks again for sharing. Great info and read.

  11. #71
    Boolit Mold
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    The initial post and this thread are FANTASTIC. I just recently joined cast boolits because I intend to start loading 9mm this summer. After reading Bill's initial post and a large portion of this thread, I'm ready to get started. Thanks for so much great information.

  12. #72
    Boolit Mold jimga's Avatar
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    Viht 3n37 works very well with 9mm, have used it for about 20 yrs... very clean powder, it cost more but is well worth it... I use the n320 for my wife's 380. I use n133, n135, n140 for my rifle needs.. every thing from a 204 thru to the Russian 7.62 X 54... so if you can find viht give it a try...
    jim
    jimga

  13. #73
    Boolit Master silverado's Avatar
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    Nice post, but I must say that the lee 105 grain swc is the only boolit that has EVER jammed in my beretta 92 and that was about 1 in 100 rounds if i remember correctly. I get great accuracy from the 120 tc boolit and definitely recommend it.
    You better watch where you go and remember where you been
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  14. #74
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    MtGun44,

    I recently purchased a S&W 669 9mm. I've never loaded 9mm before and have no 9mm molds. I do have a 125rn Magma bullet bolt which I have some sized to .357 can you recommend a load and length? I was thinking Unique 3.2gr with a OAL of 1.155 I have made some dummy rounds to see if they will feed and chamber and all seems good. What are your thoughts?

  15. #75
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    Since no one cared to answer I test fired what I loaded. They worked fine.

  16. #76
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Sorry - I don't really monitor this thread very closely. If you want to talk about it,
    or ask a question - better to PM me. Well, if I keep my inbox cleaned out enough!

    Can't recommend a load length for anything except Lee 105 SWC or Lee 120 TC as these
    are the only boolits I have ever loaded in 9mm, I have also loaded a lot of jbullets.

    You are all very welcome on the thread, glad it has helped. I am thinking about doing
    one like it for .45 ACP, a cartridge where I have loaded probably above 250,000 rounds
    and I do have a lot of experience helping folks get their ammo sorted out in IPSC
    shooting over the last 35 years or so.

    Bill
    If it was easy, anybody could do it.

  17. #77
    Moderator Emeritus robertbank's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by 6bg6ga View Post
    Since no one cared to answer I test fired what I loaded. They worked fine.
    I have posted this before so for some, bear with me. 6bg6ga to determine the OAL for any bullet for any pistol try this method:

    1. Using a Veneer caliper measure the length of the bullet.
    2. Remove the barrel from your gun and drop just the bullet into the barrel.
    3. Measure from the base of the bullet to the point where a cartridge base would lay flush with the barrel hood.
    4. Add the two measurements together.

    You will then have the maximum length for the cartridge using the bullet you measured. Back off a few thousandths of an inch to allow for play in your press and you should be good to go. Check to see the cartridge will load in the magazine.

    The OAL length of a cartridge varies from one bullet to the next that weigh the same can vary depending on the shape of bullet. It won't vary much but it can be enough to cause problems with seating in the chamber.

    Take Care

    Bob
    Its been months since I bought the book, "How to scam people online". It still has not arrived yet!

    "If the human population held hands around the equator, a significant portion of them would drown"

  18. #78
    Boolit Grand Master tazman's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by robertbank View Post
    I have posted this before so for some, bear with me. 6bg6ga to determine the OAL for any bullet for any pistol try this method:

    1. Using a Veneer caliper measure the length of the bullet.
    2. Remove the barrel from your gun and drop just the bullet into the barrel.
    3. Measure from the base of the bullet to the point where a cartridge base would lay flush with the barrel hood.
    4. Add the two measurements together.

    You will then have the maximum length for the cartridge using the bullet you measured. Back off a few thousandths of an inch to allow for play in your press and you should be good to go. Check to see the cartridge will load in the magazine.

    The OAL length of a cartridge varies from one bullet to the next that weigh the same can vary depending on the shape of bullet. It won't vary much but it can be enough to cause problems with seating in the chamber.

    Take Care

    Bob
    I like that idea. It should work for any boolit or bullet out there.

  19. #79
    Boolit Buddy
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    I slugged the bore and it measured .355. I used a .360 bullet from a 38-200 webley. my resizing die is for Lee and it is .356. I put a .356 bullet in a resized case and it came back out at .356. I took all the taper crimp off and used just a straight wall case, I think the inside of the case measured about .350. the .153 gr. bullets where accurate this time. using 2.9 gr's of clean shot.(it's an overseas powder). All shooting was done with a CZ75B and a new steel frame witness with with 4.2 inch barrels(or so) the 124's with 3.5 and 4 gr's of clean shot where not accurate with these two guns. but I had my 75D with me(3.5 inch barrel) the 124's with 3.5 gr's of CS where accurate. what I'm thinking is the shorter barrel kept the muzzel Vel. down to where the bullets/and or gun liked it. next time I"ll load the minum load of CS behind the 124br bullet . I should be fairly close to what something likes. Thank you Mtgun44 for you input I just needed to make a few litttle addjustments and it looks like it's good now. there where no FTF's or FTE's with any of these loads.

  20. #80
    Boolit Grand Master

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    The most recurring themes seem to be:
    1) you need a .357 or larger boolit in most 9mms
    2) lots of dies have expanders that are too small for boolits (probably just fine with
    jacketed projectiles), so pulling a loaded boolit to see what the diam is after seating
    is a critical step. A lot of nice .357/.358 boolits wind up at .355 after seating. OOPS!

    Good quality lube is also important, 9mm is not the place to be working with your
    never-tested before homebrew lube, at least until you have it working with a known
    good lube. Then you can experiment as you wish and will have a baseline to compare
    your results to.

    Good luck to all with the 9mm, happy to help, and "You're Welcome" for all the 'Thank you's.
    Happy to share info, that is what the site is for. Pass it on, 9mm is a real problem child for
    many folks and they need a guide to help.

    Bill
    If it was easy, anybody could do it.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check