Your Opinions & Advice Welcome

[exnodak]

I am reloading for three different 9mm pistols - a S&W M&P9, a Ruger SR9c, and a Beretta Nano. I am using the same load for all three. It is a Missouri Bullet Co. 125 gr. conical bullet and 3.8 gr. of Bullseye. Mixed brass and whatever primers I have been able to find.
All three pistol barrels are leading heavily with this load. I have done a lot of research on leading, and I know about slugging the barrel to match the bullet size to the barrel. However, is it even probable that all three barrels from different manufacturers could be oversize? The bullets in question are .356 diameter, with a Brinell hardness of 18.
A tech at Missouri Bullet suggested that I try Hodgdon HS6 loaded to about 1100fps. I have been looking for HS6 for months with no success.
I know that I could switch to jacketed bullets, but I am sitting on 2500 of the lead bullets that I would like to use up. Any words of wisdom from the experts?

[Nick_C_S]

I come not with the solution

But I did want to chime and to say that I think the Missouri Bullet tech is onto something. There's something "lead-friendly" about HS-6. I think it burns cool - as odd as that may sound.

I'm a big fan of HS-6; and I currently have almost 3lbs of it

Hopefully as this spring rolls around, pistol powders will become more available and you can snag some HS-6.

[Nick_C_S]

P.S. I'm not a fan of loading 9mm with lead. But when I do, I use Mo Bu Co's 147g FP Hardcast. 5.0g HS-6 They're a good company. Make great bullets.

[bedbugbilly]

I'm sure I won't be much help either. I cast mine - usually use "range lead". I'm using a Lee 356-120-TC mold. They drop at .358+. I size 'em to .358 and tumble lube in Alox/Paste Wax - load over 3.5 gr. of Bulls Eye - mixed range brass - shoot 'em out of my SR9. I don't have any leading problems at all and it's an accurate, flawless load for me.

I don't know anything about nor have I used what you are using - but .356 seems on the "smallish side" in terms of diameter for a lead bullet out of a 9mm. Perhaps the tech is correct on the powder - again, I have no experience with it.

If you like the present load you're using of 3.8 gr. of BE - why don't you see if you can find some in .357 and .358 and give 'em a try and see if you still get the leading problem. Cut your charge down and work it up and see what happens? Just a thought . . . .

[Unclenick]

Exnodac,

The BHN 18 is likely too hard to bump up and obturate the bore, so you are getting some blowby. If you know the bullets are over your groove diameter, you can often decrease leading by getting the bullet better lined up in the barrel so it doesn't tilt. Make sure the shoulder sticks out enough to actually enter the throat of the bore when the rounds are chambered. I like to headspace on the bullet for this, but you can often be a little bit short of that and still get accuracy increase and leading reduction. See third from left, below.



You can also improve your bore condition. Ken Mollohan writing in the Los Angeles Silhouette Club firlapping page (scroll down to his part) runs a bore mop with JB Bore compound, leaving some in the bore. He then fires a low pressure load through. I forget how many times, but eventually the bore smooths and polishes and leading is reduced.

You can add lube. A number of folks take troublesome cast bullets and dip the lower half into Lee Liquid Alox or White Label X-lox lube and let that extra lube dry before loading. This can reduce leading.

You can use plastic disc wads on the bottom of your bullets. These are called P-wads or poly-wads. Neco sells them, but if you get a punch and make your own, it's a lot less expensive. These insert in the case before seating the bullet, and seem to work as well a gas checks, but are no less expensive to purchase pre-made. Still, buying some to try them makes more sense than investing in a die for punching them out of LDPE sheet before you know you're going to like the results.

[totaldla]

Originally Posted by exnodak

A tech at Missouri Bullet suggested that I try Hodgdon HS6 loaded to about 1100fps.

Yep, that will work. So will AutoComp, Silhouette, Power Pistol, True Blue, AA#5 and even LongShot. The idea is to use a slower powder to push them relatively hard.

I load that same bullet for a stock G19, using AutoComp - zero leading. Runs a smidge over 1100fps.

[WESHOOT2]

As above, using a 'slower' powder very likely will cure your leading.

[chris in va]

Size to 357-358. 356 is too small. I got bad keyholing with undersized bullets in my CZ when I first started reloading.

[WESHOOT2]

I own "9mm" barrels that slug from just under .355" to one bad actor at just over .359".

I find most 9x19s run .356" bullets well. But not all

[Goatwhiskers]

It bears saying again, and again, FIT is king. Slug your bore, then use cast bullets .001-.002" over groove size. You can use straight WW material and will get no leading, hardness is greatly overrated. Many lead bullet shooters shoot them as cast, just lubed. Good luck! GW

[TfflHndn]

You may also want to consider going to 147s. I am going to the heavier bullets in lead, because in my guns they seem to shoot softer and the lower velocity limits leading. I don't seem to sacrifice any accuracy, and they cycle my very finicky Sig 229 better.

[mjes92]

What UncleNick said "The BHN 18 is likely too hard to bump up and obturate the bore."

I had a similar issue with loading plinking rounds with to hard of a bulltet. With loading handgun cartridges softer is better.

Good luck