cast boolit and the 9mm

[Kuyong_Chuin]

I don't cast yet so I need so input from you guys and gals. I have right at 250 piece of 9mm brass to load up for my Dad. 100 of these will be Jacketed hollow points. The rest will be "target loads". He wants me to load cast boolits for these loads for two reasons, first cheaper to make and two he wants some type of wad cutter. So here is where I need advice, what type of 115 grain cast wad cutters will work best in a 9mm using longshot powder. The two pistols that they will be used in is a S&W 5906 9mm and a Beretta 92. I am using 5.5 grains of Longshot powder in the 115 grain loads we are using now which are Winchester FMJ bullets. Note that if I can get these already PCed to do away with leading that would be a plus so if you know where I can buy these boolits that you recommend cheap let me know that too please. Thanks.

 

[greyling22]

cast in 9mm is a pain. some folks have great success right off the bat, some struggle for years (I"m in the latter category) The best advice I have for you is to use oversized bullets. as in bullets for a 38spl if they will chamber. I would start trying with 4.5-5grns and a a .358 sized bullet if it will chamber. .357 or .356 in that order if not.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?121737-Setting-up-for-boolits-in-a-new-9mm

I wish you more success than I have had.

 

[Thompsoncustom]

What do your bores slug at? Berettas are know for being oversized and causes people headaches when they start reloading lead.

Also I'm not gonna say you can't run a full wadcutter but a semi wad.cutter is going to be easier to make run right.

Bayou bullets offer a coated bullet in different sizes and shapes for 9mm but the most important thing is fit. If you bore is .355 run at least a .356 bullet, if its .358 u need a 359. My bore runs at .3555 and I run a .358 bullet. If it will chamber its not to big just make sure its not to small.

 

[Schwing]

I would echo what Thompsoncustom has said about the Beretta. All of the 92 barrels I have ever slugged were oversize. Mine is .358. I size my bullets to .359 and, believe it or not, can reliably shoot bullets up to about .362.

As has already been said 9mm can be challenging for bullet casters. It is a higher pressure round than other handgun semi-auto calibers and seems more prone to leading and accuracy issues. I, personally, would not even attempt a full wad cutter in a 9mm. 2 of my guns even have issues with semi wad cutters. I would stick to a round nose or, a truncated cone shape. It won't make holes as pretty as a wadcutter but it won't jam in your gun either. I can't speak to the powder as I have never used longshot for 9mm.

 

[USSR]

I also size my 9mm bullets to .358. My mould is an old Lyman 358480 that produces a 133gr SWC.

Don

 

[wrench]

I'm not aware of anyone selling powdercoated bullets commercially, right now it seems like a do it yourself venture.
Several vendors sell bullets coated using a different process:
http://shop.blackbulletsinternational.com/
http://www.bayoubullets.net/
I've shot several thousands of bullets from both of these vendors, with fine success.
Wadcutters, or semiwadcutters, are not normal bullet shapes for 9mm. Some folks shoot them, but it's a bit outside the norm.
I have loaded great 9mm ammo with RN bullets, RNFP, and truncated cone shapes. I size to .358" for most of my 9mm, Beretta, S&W, Glock, Springfield. The only ones that need a smaller bullet are the Browning Hipowers, they like a .357" bullet.
No experience with Longshot, sorry.

 

[Ditchtiger]

I've had great shooting using a .356 lead slug with a 358 gas checkhttps://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct...VUZkRV4Vd7YJ53Uonx4vPWA&bvm=bv.68445247,d.cGU over a 9mm. slug

 

[Kuyong_Chuin]

What do your bores slug at? Berettas are know for being oversized and causes people headaches when they start reloading lead.

Also I'm not gonna say you can't run a full wadcutter but a semi wad.cutter is going to be easier to make run right.

Bayou bullets offer a coated bullet in different sizes and shapes for 9mm but the most important thing is fit. If you bore is .355 run at least a .356 bullet, if its .358 u need a 359. My bore runs at .3555 and I run a .358 bullet. If it will chamber its not to big just make sure its not to small.

I guess I should have said some type of wadcutter a swc is fine too. Since they are Dads guns I have not slugged the barrel of ether as of yet but I will before buying some cast bullets with or without coatings.

 

[oldreloader]

I don't cast either but only shoot cast bullets in both my pistols. I settled on the Missouri Bullet Company 124 gr 9cone,swc and IDP#6. Friendswood also has good cast bullets.

 

[Kuyong_Chuin]

Thanks Guys, after reading some other threads concerning cast boolits I think I am going to ask Dad to hold off on having me use cast loads till I feel comfortable doing them. I'll get a cheap used 9mm that has a fully supported chamber and good rifling to use not only for testing the cast rounds to get the load right, but to use also use as a CCW backup for my 40. If something should go wrong I would rather it be in the cheap gun and not his till I get everything worked out. Thanks again.

 

[FROGO207]

Lets see----I have a couple S&W 5906's, 3 Hi Point c9's, A star and cylinders for my 3 Ruger SBH's at this moment. I could not get a SWC to feed or work reliably in any of my auto pistols without leading to save my life. The Missouri Bullet 124 grain Small Ball RN bullets worked well in everything I tried with little to no leading issues. I presently do not cast for 9MM or 380 but will be getting the heavier bullet molds in a RN style if I do start to because they do work better in my hand guns. Some have had good success with the lighter 9MM ones in a SWC design but I used mine up in my Ruger revolvers and do not plan on going down that road again unless I get REALLY desperate. YMMV

BTW what works well in one will probably NOT work well in the other using lead bullets due to barrel size issues. You should try out loads for each one to get the best results with minimal leading.

 

[zxcvbob]

I don't think you're going to find a WC or SWC bullet that works well.

Look for a TC (truncated cone) or RNFP (flat-point) bullet if you want to punch clean holes in paper. They will probably be marketed for .38 Special rather than 9mm, but they'll work. The extra thousandth of an inch oversize should be a good thing.

 

[km101]

zxcvbob is right. In my experience a full wadcutter bullet will only work in a pistol designed and tuned to shoot wadcutters. And a SWC is only slightly better.

You would do well to go with a RNFP or a TC bullet to get better feeding and reliability.

 

[GLOOB]

A major hurdle in 9mm cast is the case, itself. It will swage the base of the bullet too small. Most standard expanders for 9mm are designed to only flare the mouth, for use with modern jacketed bullets.

 

[FROGO207]

^^^ I got around that by using one of my 38 SPL expanders and grinding enough off the bottom so it would expand the 9MM casing. Then use the regular 9MM seat/taper crimp to finish loading bullets.

 

[Thompsoncustom]

The right expander plug in a Lyman m die goes a long ways. Modification required.

 

[greyling22]

^^^ I got around that by using one of my 38 SPL expanders and grinding enough off the bottom so it would expand the 9MM casing. Then use the regular 9MM seat/taper crimp to finish loading bullets.

most folks use a 38s&w plug instead of trying to modify the 38 spl plug.

 

[Arizonasam]

I have had great luck with MBC's 135gr .357" hard cast made for the 38 super, using a very light load of Unique (3.8 gr) very accurate & comfortable and no leading in two CZ75's

 

[J_McLeod]

I have had great results in 9mm using MBC 147gr TC bullets. My XD will eat just about anything well. I use the regular 9mm dies and 4.8gr of HS-6. I've shot almost 2k of them so far with no leading or other problems. It's easy recoiling pleasant to shoot load and decent accuracy.

 

[Kuyong_Chuin]

Thanks for all the advice. I will just hold off for awhile till I am more confident with the whole reloading process before starting to use cast boolits. I don't want any mistakes when reloading especially using cast.

 

[chris in va]

On a side note, the Lee 356-125-2r mold I bought drops at 362. If you lived local I'd let you try a couple dozen. They get sized at 358 for my CZ.

 

[Kuyong_Chuin]

On a side note, the Lee 356-125-2r mold I bought drops at 362. If you lived local I'd let you try a couple dozen. They get sized at 358 for my CZ.

My Niece just moved to Fort Mitchell from Lexington, MY and we have to go through your area to get to her house but no telling when I will get to go visit her but thank for the offer.

 

[1KPerDay]

definitely slug your bore... My beretta has a .357" bore and needs .358"-359" pills to avoid leading. MBC smallball at .358" works a treat in my beretta as well as my SIG P226 (which also has a .357" bore.

 

[Dudedog]

I like Missori Bullet Compant 125 gr cones
http://www.missouribullet.com/details.php?prodId=168&category=5&secondary=8&keywords=
They give a discount to THR members if you want the code check out the thread on and someone will send it to you. Feel free to PM me and I will but I don't check here everyday.
I think MBC is great to do business with.
There are powder coated bullets out there to purchase. Bayou bullets has them but I have never used any. Happy with the MBC bullets.
Longshot is not my favorite for these I thnk faster powders work better for the lighter loads but I have loaded and shot 5gr (medium) up to 5.6 (stiff).
I prefer somewhere around 5.2 ish. I believe that is what I was getting with the Lee .43 disk. These funtioned fine in my Springfield XD subcompact and Taraus PT99 (Beretta 92 clone) Don't have the OAL but if you are interested PM me and I will get it for you.

 

[bluetopper]

You are being loaded up here with too much non-essential information. There's plenty of inexpensive casters selling 9mm cast bullets online. Buy a batch, load and shoot them. Odds are greatly in your favor they'll shoot fine with no problems with which ever powder is suitable for the caliber.