Lee 358-158 RF in 9MM...possible???

IllinoisCoyoteHunter · November 2, 2009, 10:22 PM

OK fellas...here are the results. I used a COL of 1.08" for all 3 my loads (10 rds each...5 to test cycling reliabilty and 5 for accuracy). This seated the bullet just barely touching the lands. A little concerned, I started with a mild load of 2.3 grains HP-38 (same as Win 231 in case you don't know). This load did not cycle the pistol at all. Stovepipe city! Primers looked just fine...no other excessive pressure signs. My next load was 2.5 grains. A little better here, but not quite enough oomph to cycle it yet. No pressure signs here either. Finally, 2.7 grains cycled the gun reliably with still no pressure signs. I would not be afraid to even bump it up another .2-.3 grains. Were they accurate? Well I shot this 5 shot group after I shot the initial 5 to test functionality. I shot this group at 10 yards, without my glasses...LOL! Probably couldn't do much better with my glasses! Leading was non-existant. One pass with the bore brush left the bore shiny and clean. In case you can't read the writing on the target:

11/1/09
9mm
Boolit: Lee 358-158 RF
Sized to .358" ( my Sig slugs at .3565")
Lars Carnauba Red lube
HP-38/Win 231 at 2.7 grains
COL: 1.080"
Distance: 10yds
5 shots
Sig Sauer P228

WARNING: This is not published load data. Experiment at your own risks. All firearms are different. Individual results may vary.

Good Luck!

hornady · November 3, 2009, 07:17 AM

What alloy did you cast the bullets from, and did you mic, them after you sized them..

IllinoisCoyoteHunter · November 3, 2009, 01:29 PM

WWs alloy. Of course I mic'ed them. .3580" all the way around.

revolvergeek · May 9, 2011, 11:20 AM

Very interesting! Did you every shoot more of these? Chronograph them?

IllinoisCoyoteHunter · May 10, 2011, 07:40 AM

Naw, shooting a 147 grn rfn bb boolit. Shoots great and weighs a little less.

hornetguy · May 10, 2011, 10:28 AM

KUDOS!!

I like folks that aren't afraid to think outside the box, and all that.

That is a really nice group, and I imagine that it packs a lot more "smack" power than the typical 9mm bullet.

Now all you need to do is shoot a thousand or so of them to establish the "reliability" factor.

IllinoisCoyoteHunter · May 11, 2011, 03:58 PM

They were reliable. No FTF or FTE.

If you like that you would have liked my experiment shooting 75 grain wadcutters. That's right, the Sig reliably fed and fired 75 grain wadcutters. Not semiwadcutters....wadcutters...

Accuracy on my initial loads was unimpressive and I have since sold that boolit mold...I may revisit and tweak that experiment one of these days....

zippy13 · May 11, 2011, 09:24 PM

I've recently started casting this mold with an alloy of 3% tin and 5% antimony. I get a cast weight of 162-gr. Did you weigh your boolits?

IllinoisCoyoteHunter · May 12, 2011, 07:39 AM

I weigh all my boolits. Can't remember exactly what these dropped at.

GP100man · May 21, 2011, 04:10 PM

Good Bullet !!!!

I generally weigh enuff to get an idea of what load to put under the intended projectile but most are within 2-3% others (liter) will have visible flaws & be pot fodder on the next session !!

Good job ICH !!!!

Will this thread make it to it`s second birthday ?????

November 2, 2009, 10:22 PM	#1
IllinoisCoyoteHunter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,527	Lee 358-158 RF in 9MM...possible??? OK fellas...here are the results. I used a COL of 1.08" for all 3 my loads (10 rds each...5 to test cycling reliabilty and 5 for accuracy). This seated the bullet just barely touching the lands. A little concerned, I started with a mild load of 2.3 grains HP-38 (same as Win 231 in case you don't know). This load did not cycle the pistol at all. Stovepipe city! Primers looked just fine...no other excessive pressure signs. My next load was 2.5 grains. A little better here, but not quite enough oomph to cycle it yet. No pressure signs here either. Finally, 2.7 grains cycled the gun reliably with still no pressure signs. I would not be afraid to even bump it up another .2-.3 grains. Were they accurate? Well I shot this 5 shot group after I shot the initial 5 to test functionality. I shot this group at 10 yards, without my glasses...LOL! Probably couldn't do much better with my glasses! Leading was non-existant. One pass with the bore brush left the bore shiny and clean. In case you can't read the writing on the target: 11/1/09 9mm Boolit: Lee 358-158 RF Sized to .358" ( my Sig slugs at .3565") Lars Carnauba Red lube HP-38/Win 231 at 2.7 grains COL: 1.080" Distance: 10yds 5 shots Sig Sauer P228 WARNING: This is not published load data. Experiment at your own risks. All firearms are different. Individual results may vary. Good Luck! __________________ ~~IllinoisCoyoteHunter~~ ~NRA LIFE MEMBER~ ~NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR~

November 3, 2009, 01:29 PM	#3
IllinoisCoyoteHunter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,527	WWs alloy. Of course I mic'ed them. .3580" all the way around. __________________ ~~IllinoisCoyoteHunter~~ ~NRA LIFE MEMBER~ ~NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR~

May 10, 2011, 07:40 AM	#5
IllinoisCoyoteHunter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,527	Naw, shooting a 147 grn rfn bb boolit. Shoots great and weighs a little less. __________________ ~~IllinoisCoyoteHunter~~ ~NRA LIFE MEMBER~ ~NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR~

May 11, 2011, 03:58 PM	#7
IllinoisCoyoteHunter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,527	They were reliable. No FTF or FTE. If you like that you would have liked my experiment shooting 75 grain wadcutters. That's right, the Sig reliably fed and fired 75 grain wadcutters. Not semiwadcutters....wadcutters... Accuracy on my initial loads was unimpressive and I have since sold that boolit mold...I may revisit and tweak that experiment one of these days.... __________________ ~~IllinoisCoyoteHunter~~ ~NRA LIFE MEMBER~ ~NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR~

May 12, 2011, 07:39 AM	#9
IllinoisCoyoteHunter Senior Member Join Date: December 23, 2008 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,527	I weigh all my boolits. Can't remember exactly what these dropped at. __________________ ~~IllinoisCoyoteHunter~~ ~NRA LIFE MEMBER~ ~NRA CERTIFIED INSTRUCTOR~

November 3, 2009, 07:17 AM	#2
hornady Senior Member Join Date: April 6, 2009 Location: SWPA Posts: 428	What alloy did you cast the bullets from, and did you mic, them after you sized them..

May 9, 2011, 11:20 AM	#4
revolvergeek Senior Member Join Date: March 28, 2001 Posts: 289	Very interesting! Did you every shoot more of these? Chronograph them?

May 10, 2011, 10:28 AM	#6
hornetguy Senior Member Join Date: January 14, 2011 Location: on the north side of DFW Posts: 970	KUDOS!! I like folks that aren't afraid to think outside the box, and all that. That is a really nice group, and I imagine that it packs a lot more "smack" power than the typical 9mm bullet. Now all you need to do is shoot a thousand or so of them to establish the "reliability" factor.

May 11, 2011, 09:24 PM	#8
zippy13 Senior Member Join Date: August 23, 2008 Location: SoCal Posts: 6,442	I've recently started casting this mold with an alloy of 3% tin and 5% antimony. I get a cast weight of 162-gr. Did you weigh your boolits?

May 21, 2011, 04:10 PM	#10
GP100man Senior Member Join Date: August 1, 2007 Location: Tabor City , NC. Posts: 1,969	Good Bullet !!!! I generally weigh enuff to get an idea of what load to put under the intended projectile but most are within 2-3% others (liter) will have visible flaws & be pot fodder on the next session !! Good job ICH !!!! Will this thread make it to it`s second birthday ????? __________________ GP100man