9mm reloading advice

[hawkeye1]

Kellyj00, sounds like you hit a brass gold mine.

With about 1.7 cents/ primer, 1 cent/powder, and casting your own bullets with reloaded brass that comes to about $27/1000. That is a pretty good reason to reload 9mm to me. Of course not everyone is set up to cast, but still makes good sense to me. Mine is a Beretta 92F.

 

[kellyj00]

hawkeye1: how does your baretta 92f function with a 125 gr Lead truncated cone? What kind of powder do you use...?

Also, about casting.... I don't. that's the worst part, the cheapest bullets I can find are about $20 per 500 at 125grain. For .45acp with 230 grain they're about $25 per 500. That really doesn't make sense...the 45acp loads have almost twice the lead in them!

 

[hawkeye1]

Kellyj00: I have not used the truncated cone in the Beretta, but use the 124 grain round nose. They function flawlessly. I do, however, use the TC in a Para-Ordnance P16-40. They work great with no hiccups. As for powder, I use W231. I bought a large can a couple of years ago, and have used it exclusively for most all pistol cartridges.

As for casting, I picked up a used Lee 10 pound furnace for $20, and Lee bullet mold from E-Bay for $12-$15 each. The local tire shop will usually give you any scrap wheel weights they have on hand just for the asking. I shoot straight wheel weight material with no other additives. They show no signs of leading in any of my pistols. After the furnace and mold, you are practically casting for free, except for the Lee Liquid Alox bullet lube and some of your time. But the time is part of the hobby, right? Just make sure if you do cast, that you do so in a well ventilated area.

If you do decide to start casting your own, write back and let me know how it turns out.

 

[layusn1]

I'm gearing up for the real savings in reloading 9mm...casting your own with free and really cheap wheel weights . My CZ75 seems to like the 124gr bullets. I only tried one 147gr offering so I can't really say it didn't like it. I would definitely agree with the others and say load up just a few of each powder charge for testing purposes. I see a lot of CZ75 shooters in these responses. I don't know about the others but man...my barrel just loves to collect the lead. You might want to keep a close eye on that, especially while you are testing and working up your loads. If you are getting leading note where in the barrel it is collecting because it is indicative of different causes. Unfortunately, as frustrating as it can be, load workup is a slow and methodical process but the pay-off is well worth it. I feel your pain...my range is 45 minutes away...each way so I only get out there once every month or two. Happy shooting.