Cast LRN reloading for 9X19?

[Spotteddog]

Never have reloaded round one of 9X19? Is anyone loading cast for it? Feed problems? Hard/soft/SWC/RN? 90% of use will be in a 3 1/2" barrel M&P9c. Just looking to reload in order to avoid spot shortages. Thanks to any/everyone for primer/powder and bullet advice!

 

[Spotteddog]

Never have reloaded round one of 9X19? Is anyone loading cast for it? Feed problems? Hard/soft/SWC/RN? 90% of use will be in a 3 1/2" barrel M&P9c. Just looking to reload in order to avoid spot shortages. Thanks to any/everyone for primer/powder and bullet advice!

 

[Paul5388]

Spot,

I've used some cast bullets in my Walther P-1 and didn't have a problem, as long as the OAL was right. The LSWC may not work unless its front driving band is seated level with the case mouth. I've also loaded some for the 9mm Largo, but I haven't really decided on a load for either I want to stick with.

A normal .38 Special bullet will usually work, since many of the 9mm barrels are .357" or .358" groove diameter.

I have Lyman Devastators in the Walther right now, but I only have a very limited supply of them. That means they are for serious social interactions, not plinking.

 

[john traveler]

I've loaded cast Lyman and Lee LRN and LTC bullets for almost a couple generations now. Cheap bullets and lots more shooting than factory bullets allow. I would suggest the traditional 121 grain or 125 grain designs sized to 0.356" to duplicate factory FMJ velocity, function, and point-of-aim. They have functioned reliably in most every 9mm I've fired: Walther P1, S&W M39/M52, Browning HP, Beretta M92F, Polish P-35, and even smg. The only one with marginal functioning was the Parabellum ("Luger"), and that was because of the stiff toggle action. All the others were tilting barrels or locks, and worked very well if you watch the OAL and load to above 1,000 fps.

 

[Skip Sackett]

I have loaded 9mm mostly for my Sig P226. I have a H&G #7 mold that trows wonderful bullets. It is a "TC" design and feeding was never an issue.

The other side of this coin though has been pretty discouraging. I have run them hard, I have run them soft. I have run them with commercial lube, I have run them with my homemade lube. I have run them big (.358"), I have run them small (.355"). But I cannot seem to get them to stop leading. I even ran some commercial bullets through it to no avail.

Do you know what I did to resolve the issue? I went back to plated! I use the H&G #7 for a light plinking 38/357 bullet and it works very will in my revolvers. Berry's or Ranier's are just fine in it and have proven both accurate and clean.

The Sig is my main carry gun. I like the 147gr bullets the best, but that is me. I load them with the maximum load of AA#7 and get right at 1000fps. It carrys 18 of those bad boys in it almost all of the time. With the other magazines I carry it's like having a whole bunch of 38spl snub revolvers stoked with "THE LOAD"!

That seems like a win/win to me!

 

[Spotteddog]

Thanks!
I'm feeling a lot better about it now!
Skip, I was almost ready to propose after that description?
Did you ever get published in Penthouse Forum?

 

[Skip Sackett]

Did you ever get published in Penthouse Forum?

I know I don't need to do this. It can be "reputational" suicide but here goes.

I never thought of that description as being "profane" or "vulgar" in context. That's how far removed I am from what I used to be. It has been by the power of God though, not of my own volition.


Case in point: Yes, I have been published in the Penthouse Forum.

It was when I was stationed in Japan with the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in Iwakuni. Many of us were more than cavalier with our affections, shall we say. One night I was rejected because I was too drunk. Can you imagine? At the time the editor of the forum, then on paper at the back of the magazine, was a well renown madam. I asked her how come I was refused because I was drunk. There was a lengthy dissertation from her about the smell of alcohol and other things I don't care to get into at this stage of my life. Suffice it to say, it happened. I was a "Lance Corporal" at the time and used part of that rank as a "surname" for my question.


I know that is a length answer to your question, which I suppose was rhetorical in nature, but I just want to go on the record that Jesus Christ has really changed my life!

 

[scattershot]

I have been loading 124 grain lead bullets in my 9mm pistols for a while now. They are sized to .356, and I don't get leading in my Ruger SR9 or my Hi Power. I use commercial hardcast bullets, and 5 grains of Unique for a near duplicate of factory velocity.

Hope that helps, and good luck!

 

[jaysouth]

Excessive leading(assuming a hard enough, but not too hard bullet) is usually caused by:

Too low velocity that does not obturate the bullet base causing it to expand and fill the rifling. I guess it is because the gases then come in contact with the bullet for its entire length, melting some lead and depositing it on the rifling.

Too high velocity leaves lead in the barrel from excessive friction.

I have loaded many thousand Meistercast 124 gr. TCs. My load is just under 5.0 grs of HP-38.
I have had good results with slower powders like Unique or Blue Dot.

They have been used with differing degrees of success in just about every pistol you can imagine. My load is very accurate in most Sigs, HPs, Glocks, Smiths, Berettas, and CZs.

My STI Trojan shoots them far more accurately than I can hold the gun.

Good luck, you will enjoy shooting them.