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Thread: Casting and loading 9mm

  1. #21
    Boolit Buddy
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    Quote Originally Posted by JonB_in_Glencoe View Post
    I prefer using 9mm molds in the 120s, I have a 120 and 124 and 128.
    My experience has told me, "in General", middle of the road weight boolits just seem to have potentially less problems...that goes to any caliber.

    Now, we all know that you can make almost anything work, if you jump through some hoops...but your original question seemed to point to least problems possible.

    Lastly, I size to .357 to cover an assortment of pistols. I use WLL Carnuba Red lube. Generally, I use Unique and find it adequate for middle of the road weight boolits and loads.
    Good Luck.
    Yes sir. Your understanding of my post is exactly why I posted. Thank you for your insight.
    Willie

  2. #22
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    Texas by God's Avatar
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    If you have the Lee 358 105 swc mould, be sure to try it. I use it over 4.8grs of Bullseye unsized and powder coated- has worked great in four different 9mm pistols here.

    Sent from my SM-A716U using Tapatalk

  3. #23
    Boolit Master Targa's Avatar
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    This MP mold has been outstanding.
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  4. #24
    Boolit Grand Master fredj338's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Elpatoloco View Post
    I use the lee 356-125-2r in a 6 gang mold. The only lee mould that I haven't thrown away. I powdercoat and load over WSF after sizing to .357.
    Works in all my 9s with zero leading. I couldnt make the Lee TC bullet shoot groups and my 6 gang only had 5 good cavities. I recycled it.
    I have that mold, cant get it to cast good bullets. Some day i’ll try reventing it but its a pita. I have a newer lee 40/180, cast beautiful bullets from the start.
    EVERY GOOD SHOOTER NEEDS TO BE A HANDLOADER.
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  5. #25
    Boolit Master waco's Avatar
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    My two cents. Size to fit the throat. Of the six 9mm's I have cast for they all work best with .358" bullets.
    I'll second the powder coating.
    The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
    Proverbs 1:7

  6. #26
    Boolit Buddy
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    As I indicated in the first post of this thread. These 9’s will be sized and conventionally lubed in one pass with an old first gen Lube-A-Matic. Nothing at all against you all that prefer to powder coat but I am going to use the gear I already own. I have the sizers, stems, and lube for this project. Hopefully a mold and set of handles will be my only capital outlay beyond what I already have at my bench.
    Thank you all again for sharing your experience casting and loading 9mm Luger.
    The SA-35 is pretty sweet!
    Willie

  7. #27
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    NOE 358 - 124 - TC - GC ... size to .357 and install the gas check .
    With bhn 8 alloy (50-50 COWW / lead) and driven to + 1000 fps velocities
    It's a hard hitter and will mushroom like a J-word soft point .
    The gas check is the secrete ... also protects the base in loading (bullet seating) and when shooting at +1000 fps velocities .
    Lithi-Bee lube no powder coating ( I don't powder coat either ).
    Would love to have one of those SA-35's ... they are just drop dead gorgeous ... my 9mm is an old WWII Walther P-38 ... it's OK but not as good looking as a SA-35 !
    Gary
    Last edited by gwpercle; 12-02-2022 at 04:47 PM.
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  8. #28
    Boolit Master 243winxb's Avatar
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    10 twist Taurus https://www.thehighroad.org/index.ph...9mm-luger.317/

    No harder then any other cartridge, for an experienced* caster, reloader. 5 different Speer starting loads, worked just fine. Bullet diameter .3562" RCBS dies size brass with a taper. Comes with M type expander. 2 seat plugs.



    RCBS Pistol Lube or other 50/50 Alox/Bees wax.
    Last edited by 243winxb; 12-03-2022 at 06:03 PM. Reason: Add expander photo & spelling*.

  9. #29
    Boolit Buddy michael.birdsley's Avatar
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    Casting and loading 9mm

    I think this is a instance where powder coating is your best bet. I actually came up with a pretty good 9mm cast load. I’m at work at the moment so I won’t have access to my data untill after 6 am this morning. I know for a fact I was only using wheel weights for them and a Lee 6 banger mold for the bullets.


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  10. #30
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    Lee 358-105 over 4 grains of Red Dot or Promo.

  11. #31
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    GWPercle,
    I will eventually gas check some soft alloy Bullets and tip the powder can for velocity and expansion. Thank you sir. First thing I’m going to work out though is something easy shooting that is accurate with very little recoil and fun to shoot. I am still undecided if I’m going to cast 147’s with straight clip on wheel weights or make some Lyman no 2 and buy the 6 cavity Lee 125 grain round nose.

    243winxb.
    Thank you for making mention of the 10 twist in your Taurus sir. Ive never used a mandrel expander loading pistol ammunition. Cast or jacketed. Run out or the brass swaging my cast Bullets has not been problematic for me. The only place I use a mandel expander is with jacketed Bullets in bottle neck rifle cartridges loading precision long range ammunition. Uniform neck tension with little to no runout and velocity spreads lower than matters at the ranges I shoot my cast ammunition is what I’m after when I process brass with a mandrel expander. Kudos to you sir for your attention to detail. No such thing as producing ammunition that is too good!

    Michael birdsley,
    Which mold? The local reloading shop stocks a very good selection of molds. I plan to pick one up tomorrow. I already have two particular molds in mind. If the misty fog we have had all day clears out, I hope to be shooting a load work up by Sunday afternoon…
    Thank you all for responding.
    Willie
    Last edited by Willie T; 12-02-2022 at 09:28 PM.

  12. #32
    Boolit Mold Quinnbrian's Avatar
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    Has anyone ever tried the black Graphite spray booms, as a lube...won't be as good as PC but would it work?

  13. #33
    Boolit Buddy
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    I use a 125 grain truncated boolit, from my Master Caster, I would assume Lee or others have have similar shapes. They are sized to .358. Generally load with fast powders, D032, 231, AA#2. I use a medium lube, not too fussy about brand, several will work. Have had good luck with White Label Lubes BAC. If they want to lead, try using Lyman Super Moly, it is messy but works.

    At the velocities you are using it should not be too difficult get a load you like.

    Almost forgot, I use clip on wheel weighs cut 50% with soft lead, either from stick on wheel weights or lead melted out of jacketed bullets.

    Enjoy the ride!

  14. #34
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    pworley1's Avatar
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    You have been given much very good advice. I switched from the 147 to the 120 bullets because it makes my lead go further and the paper can't tell the difference.
    NRA Benefactor Member NRA Golden Eagle

  15. #35
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    The 9mm has been the most frustrating caliber I have ever loaded for. The various size of the bores between a CZ and a Canik have made the use of a single sized bullet impossible between the two pistols. The chambers have essentially no leade in them and boolits haxe to be loaded extremely short in oal. Also a cast boolit that is sized for the bore will scrape off lead or powder coating and quickly accumulate at the end of the chamber. This will not allow the slide to go into full battery because the round is not seating on the case mouth. I have had to resort to jacketed bullets.

  16. #36
    Boolit Master


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    I bought some commercial 125 grain cn, polymer coated to try in my Glock 48. Slugged bore is .3554 - .3558 depending on where is measured. This is with digital calipers, not with a micrometer. Boolits marked at .356, measure .3558 +/-. They leaded very bad. I bumped them up, and then ran them through a .357 sizer. Now the measure .3572. Yes, they are short. Boolit length is .500. Meplat is .280. Distance from front of the bore riding section, to the meplat is .200. Coal is .975. So far, there's been no failure to feed at all. Leading has dropped off considerably. Still doing some fine tuning. Probably getting some different boolits after these are gone.
    Is there currently any commercial manufacturers casting .357 - .358 9mm cast bullets around 125 - 130 grain?
    Good loading to all.
    Regards
    If a 41 won't stop it, I wouldn't bet my life on a 44.

  17. #37
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by gwpercle View Post
    NOE 358 - 124 - TC - GC ... size to .357…
    Gary
    That’s what I do, except no gas check. The COAL didn’t line up well with my load data, so I had some figuring to do.

  18. #38
    Boolit Master 243winxb's Avatar
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    Should add- my alloy is scrap or WW, plus 2" of Rotometals Linotype from a bar. No idea of BHN. Don't ever check, other then a thumb nail.


    https://www.speer.com/reloading/handgun-data.html

    RCBS Pistol Lube or other 50/50 Alox/Bees wax.
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails 20201211_084139.jpg   Screenshot_20221203-165412_Drive.jpg  
    Last edited by 243winxb; 12-03-2022 at 06:04 PM.

  19. #39
    Boolit Grand Master popper's Avatar
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    Most important is a proper case expander - 38P works. I like 135gr PB RNFP mold. Using WST for compacts.
    Whatever!

  20. #40
    Boolit Buddy
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    Update. Purchased Lee 6 cavity 356-125-2R this morning. For casting alloy I used 10 pounds of clip on wheel weight ingots and one pound of 50/50 solder. Once the mold gets up to temp it drops very nice air cooled bullets at .358-.359. Didn’t take long to work 2/3 through the Pot. Sized enough at .357 and lubed with Carnuba Red to do a work up with W-231. No leading after 10 separate 5 shot groups. 4.1 grains is a little smokey but appeared to shoot the best. All loads cycled the pistol reliably and locked the slide back. Loaded 5 more at 4.1 and shot another 5 shot group from a rest at 25 yards for confirmation. Have not measured group size but it will do. Gonna have to drift the rear sight over a bit but my range load is done. Thanks to all of y’all that took the time to share. The SA-35 appears to be a shooter.
    W-231-4.1 grains
    CCI SPP
    Win cases
    Lee 356-125-2R. Lyman no 2 Sized at .357
    COAL-1.1
    Hornady taper crimp die set. Seated and crimped in one pass.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Thanks to all
    Willie
    Last edited by Willie T; 12-03-2022 at 07:03 PM.

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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