158gn cast 9x19 loads

[walnutred]

Looking at my old Lyman #45 I see some cast, 158gn SWC loads listed for 9x19 that move at > 900fps. Has anyone tried these loads? I'm thinking of trying some in my 9x19 carbine and just wondering if anyone else has used them. Should be just over 1000 fps from a 16" barrel.

 

[john traveler]

Years ago, I tried loading some 158 g RNL bullets for the .38 Special in 9x19 cases. The deep seating required to stay under maximum OAL to fit and feed in magazines resulted in case bulges and many failures to chamber. An additional problem is that the minimum powder space made powder charges a bit touchy to avoid overpressures.

Between the problems of long OAL, shallow chamber throats, and difficult chambering, the experiment was abandoned.

 

[cylinder]

Prvi Partizan is making 158gr 9x19mm FMJ rounds, if you can find them in USA. They're subsonic and work OK, but not very good for target shooting, at least for me.

I know this has nothing to do with reloading but it tells us that it's feasible...

 

[swamprat]

I sell quite a few 160 gr. RN to folks who load them in 9mm. Just make sure they are sized properly and you should be good to go.

 

[David Sinko]

I sized a few 158 gr. LSWC down to .356" with the Lee sizer die and loaded them into the 9mm with a reduced charge of Power Pistol to see what would happen in my 940. Recoil was brutal (far worse than the 147 gr. jacketed bullets I shoot at 1080 FPS) and extraction was difficult. This is not something I would want to try again. The SWC is just not a good bullet for the 9mm, as too much bullet needs to be shoved into the case. But I'd still like to try a good 147 gr. cast bullet that was designed for the 9mm.

Dave Sinko

 

[walnutred]

Thanks all. I have a mold that throws a 150gn SWC, maybe I'll try and work something like that up instead.

 

[Paul5388]

Here's some 105 gr Lee SWC loaded in 9mm brass.

The problem I have with them is where they hit on the various feeding ramps. They don't feed at all in a Walther P1, but seem to do OK in a Hi-Point carbine.

You'll probably need to load a few and check for feeding issues before you get too carried away.

Lyman 49th Edition does have loads for the 147 gr 356637 Devastator, but that isn't a SWC.

 

[Gatofeo]

Years ago I used to load Speer 158 gr. lead roundnosed bullets in 9mm cases, for use in my wartime Walther P-38.
They functioned fine, and accuracy was good; better than standard .355 bullets because the darned Walther has a .359 inch bore! That's what prompted me to load .358 diameter lead bullets in the first place.
I believe I used Unique powder, or perhaps Bullseye. Haven't assembled loads like that since about 1975, and back then I wasn't keeping records.
They functioned fine. No idea what the velocity was; back then, chronographs were clumsy, expensive gizmos that required a solid background in math.
I'm mathematically challenged and grumble-enhanced.

 

[Paul5388]

I have 124 gr RN in my P1 right now, but they aren't any better or worse than JHPs. At least that's what the possum I shot with them said.

Of course, the one before that was shot with a 255 gr LSWC out of a 1911 and he said it wasn't any better or worse than a 9mm.

 

[TSQUARED]

Looking at my old Lyman #45 I see some cast, 158gn SWC loads listed for 9x19 that move at > 900fps. Has anyone tried these loads? I'm thinking of trying some in my 9x19 carbine and just wondering if anyone else has used them. Should be just over 1000 fps from a 16" barrel.

I have used the 147 gr. cast lead bullets in the 9mm Luger with W-231 powder. I believe that W-W recommended max was 3.5 gr. W-231 with a 147 gr cast bullet. If you cannot find the data on the Hodgdon websire PM me with your e-mail address and I'll send you a copy of the W-W 14th Ed reloading mnual.

 

[azjohn]

I've loaded Lyman #358156's in my 439. It's a 158 gr SWC. I've used both bullseye and unique for these loads. It does take some experimenting with but can be done. Start with some dummy rounds to find your oal then work from there. Best to remove your barrel when you do this. This wasn't much of a problem because my next limiting factor ended up being the length to fit in my magazines. I had to shorten my oal a bit for more for that.