Learn casting with 45acp or 9mm?

[gwpercle]

Reloading the 45 ACP with cast lead , plated , coated or J-word is like taking a walk in the park on a nice sunny day with your beat girl ... who enjoy's kissing you .

Loading the 9mm Luger ... untill you learn all the confounding idiosyncrasies ... is about as much fun as a Root Canal without Novacane ... getting beat with a large stick ... !

The 9mm Luger , with cast boolits is a Stinker ... and will give you trouble at every turn .
If not for tips , hints and directions from fellow members I would have given up loading the 9mm with lead .. I actually said curse words at this confounded tapered cased pain in the butt ... I gave up twice but on the 3rd try ... got a load that worked with 4 different 9mm lugers owned by myself , son and friend . It wasn't easy !!!

I just noticed the OP's question was not about reloading ... but about casting boolits . My Bad ... I jumped the gun again .
Thinking about that ... shorter fatter 45's are no easier or more difficult than smaller diameter 38 / 9mm's ... pretty much a wash ...but I think I might enjoy casting 45 's a little more than 9mm's . I have a Lyman double cavity #452460 that is a pleasure to use ...but I have a 4 cavity NOE 358-124-TC GC 9mm mould that I really enjoy using too ... so it's a wash ... 45 / 38-9mm , six of one , half a dozen of the other .
Gary

[Bird]

I have been reloading for 35 years, and just started on the 9mm, and my first auto pistol. Loading for the 9mm has been the most challenging so far. I would guess if you teach someone to load for the 9mm they would learn a lot of useful points that should enable them to load just about anything.

[243winxb]

9mm loading is easy with RCBS dies.
1. Carbide die retains the taper of the brass.
2. The expander is M type.
3. 2 seating stems to fit most bullets.

Cast bullet diameter needs to be smaller then throat. Short COL may be needed.
Alloy needs a bit of linotype added.

[JimB..]

I started loading 9mm on a SDB, then switched to a 650. I’ve loaded more of it than any other caliber, by far. Past few days I loaded two 50cal ammo cans worth and tomorrow I’ll load 1k 147gr subs for the AR SBR and 1k 90gr JHPs for practice with the p365. I’m pretty comfortable with reloading 9mm, both cast and jacketed.

Same with 45acp, 38spcl, and 357mag although volumes of those are half. Actually don’t think I’ve loaded 38/357 on the 650 yet, went nuts and loaded several cans of each before selling the SDB.

I load .223 on the 650, but 357max, 45-70, 41mag, 41spcl, 44mag, 44spcl, 45LC and probably some others on the single stage. I do really like RCBS carbide pistol dies.

I almost always start people reloading 45acp, it’s easy to see in the case, the bullets are easy to handle, and the pile grows fast bringing a smile to their face.

Anyway, question was about casting and I’ve decided on a 230gr RN since I have an iron 2 banger that drops easy. Now to clean up some space and the tools before the party starts.

Thanks again all.