9mm cast loads?

[Texas42]

I was thinking about trying to load up some cast plinking loads.

This is what i was thinking of ordering (115grain RN)
[url]http://mastercraftbullets.com/semi%20auto%20price%20list.html[/URL]

I know I have to keep the pressure down to keep from leading, but anything else that is markedly different from loading plated rounds? What is a good lead solvent to clean the barrel?

Thanks,

 

[Bullseye Shooter]

Solvent by itself probably won't do the job. A good brass bore brush helps. If you keep the loads around 1000 fps you shouldn't have that much leading. Try 3.8 grains of Bullseye or 4.5 grains of Unique for a starting load. Both those run right at 1000 fps.

 

[sharky47]

I use either 115-ish or 127-ish lead bullets over 3.5 grains of bullesye. Works great for shooting the Mac-11.

Just be real careful about shooting lead in suppressors! If you going to do it, only use a suppressor that you can take apart because the lead and crap will build up enough for a baffle strike pretty quick - seen it happen.

 

[robocop10mm]

I cast a 125 gr round nose that works very well. I have experimented with cast bullet 9mm loads for almost 30 years. To sum it up;

Velocity seems to have less to do with the leading problem than OAL does. The small case of the 9mm causes pressures and velocity to rise very quickly. If the bullet is allowed to get up a good head of steam prior to reaching the rifling, the bullet will try to squirt through and not spin. This strips off lead at the throat.

Load to or very near to the max OAL (1.169"). If you are using a round nose bullet this should work in the magazines. Truncated cones and HP's will require a shorter OAL because the bullet will likely drag on the front of the mag.

 

[sharky47]

^^^
Thanks for the info!

 

[captain-03]

I shoot a ton of cast in my 9mm's -- the first thing you need to do is to slug your bore. The most common cause of leading is gas blow-by -- gas blowing by your bullet while it is traveling down the barrel. The best way to prevent this is to cast/size your cast bullets .001 to .002 LARGER than your bore diameter. I own several 9mm's and the bore diameter is different on each; so the need to slug your bore. This is the reason many have leading problems when purchasing commercial cast bullets. Most commercial 9mm cast have a diameter of .355 or .356 -- too small diameter for many 9mm's. I use .357 in most of my 9mm's.

Alloy does have something to do with it also -- I use straight wheel weights cut with 25%-50% pure lead. Straight wheel weights will also work if you do not have the pure to cut it with.

Use the right size bullet, use a good lube, and keep velocities under 1000fps and you should have no leading!!

 

[AusTex]

in the last few months i have gone through 600 cast bullets 500 115 rn and 100 115 SMC.

No bad fouling. Only problem I have had is that if i dont seat them just right at a very precise depth for my pistol (xd 9) i will have feed problems. Now I would say this would be my inexperience.. However on the batches i have had jams with i have given the rounds to my friends (glock, walther p99) to have them test.. and they shot 100% with no jams.. So I am guessing my xd is picky.

However on another note i have shot my xd9 for 5 years now none stop.. I am wondering if my recoil spring is getting worn out? Any pistol smiths out there have any thoughts? Cause I am a pistol rookie..

Jeremy

 

[TxSgt1911]

in the last few months i have gone through 600 cast bullets 500 115 rn and 100 115 SMC.

No bad fouling. Only problem I have had is that if i dont seat them just right at a very precise depth for my pistol (xd 9) i will have feed problems. Now I would say this would be my inexperience.. However on the batches i have had jams with i have given the rounds to my friends (glock, walther p99) to have them test.. and they shot 100% with no jams.. So I am guessing my xd is picky.

However on another note i have shot my xd9 for 5 years now none stop.. I am wondering if my recoil spring is getting worn out? Any pistol smiths out there have any thoughts? Cause I am a pistol rookie..

Jeremy

Define "jams" as it relates to your XD. Is it a fail to feed, slide not going all the way into battery, stovepipe, fail to eject?

 

[AusTex]

The two main problems I am having is the slide not going all the way into battery and the slide not locking back. It is just stopping about 1/4" before battery.. From time to time. My xd-9 is porter, I assume this decreases the pressure applied to the rear?

No stove pipes yet, or FTE's.

 

[TexasRedneck]

Ah...yeah - if you have a ported pistol, it will need higher pressures to operate properly. As long as you're not exceeding safe max loads, pick the charge up a bit.

 

[robocop10mm]

Fail to lock on a cast bullet reload is most commonly due to improper crimping. A taper crimp should be applied in a separate operation from bullet seating. If you taper crimp while seating you will end up with a small amount of lead displaced forward of the case mouth. Jacketed bullets are more forgiving of this.

Rather than pulling and starting over, you can make a tool out of an empty case. File teeth into the mouth of the case. That case is then used to cut excess material from in front of the case mouth of the loaded round. Works pretty well.

The next problem could be insufficient crimp. The taper crimp has to reverse the belling and SLIGHTLY press the mouth into the bullet. Not enough crimp can cause problems.

 

[AusTex]

thanks robocop .. im going to give that a try