9mm casters

skizzums · October 29, 2014, 05:25 AM

hey guys, i have made a trade for lead to get a good bit of 9mm brass. i only have one 9mm mold atm, the 120gr TC lee. i was shopping around, about to order a thousand rounds of plated bullets, when i thought for the same amount of money, i could get an actually "nice" mold for the same price and be done with it. the TC has proved innaccurate after endless tinkering with the size and alloy and PC. it is acceptable, but nor the accuracy i get from a jacketed RN. so i wanna hear from anyone casting 9mm, what is a mold that you have found to be as accurate or better? i would like to stay under 100$ and in the 120-135gr area. i don't want to constantly run 147's, even if they are more accurate, mainly because i like the "efficiency" of the faster powder that run the 125 and under loads. if i was running shotgun powder all the time to run heavies, it would end up costing me alot more money in the longrun over just using 4gr and under of TG or HP38.

thanks.

Vance · October 29, 2014, 10:11 AM

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product...roducts_id=326
Noe molds are awesome. These are stated as 121grain, but will probably drop at closer to 125 grain depending on the alloy and temp you cast at.

salvadore · October 29, 2014, 10:46 AM

I'm going to start reloading 9mm this winter, using the 358242 mold. I get 145gr with WWs and will shoot them out of a contract hi-power, a P-1, and a S&W Shield. Lookingforward to it.

FrankenMauser · October 29, 2014, 04:02 PM

I haven't use this mold, in particular, but the semi-conical flat point style has always worked well for me. And a bevel base is always nice to work with, unless you plan to mess with gas checks. (I wouldn't.)

Accurate 35-125D

If it were me, I'd order it spec'd to .358 diameter and size from there. ...But you know your 9mm better than I do.

NOE and Accurate are about the only places I'll buy a mold from, any more. Most other sources are too expensive, have ridiculous backorders, and/or having sizing issues (*cough* like Lyman *cough*).

chris in va · October 29, 2014, 06:57 PM

The Lee 358-125-RN mold works very well for my CZ. It drops at 362 using wheel weights so I size it .002" over bore size.

I had terrible accuracy and key holing with that TC mold you have.

skizzums · October 29, 2014, 08:07 PM

yeah, just not enough bearing surface, I don't keyhoe, but it's not very accurate. I guess I should try the lee round nose before I go spend 5x as much on the same thing. I was thinking about it, and if I am going to spend close to hundred bucks, I might as well wait on a Mi-Hec hollow-point

hartcreek · October 30, 2014, 03:53 AM

Why did you decide on that grain range? I have had good luck with Lees 105 grain trunicated mold for years.

skizzums · October 30, 2014, 06:33 AM

105 justused too much powder, so if I am getting 200 less bullets per pound, in the really long run, it ends up costing a fortune. plus, I wanna keep the speeed down for leading, a 100gr out of a 9mm is pretty fast

skizzums · October 30, 2014, 11:00 AM

I just ordered the 358-125-rf and a .357 sizing to replace my .356, hope that'll keep em straighter. ill see how it does

Vance · October 30, 2014, 10:13 PM

I like the round flat noses myself. Have had good accuracy from them.

FrankenMauser · October 31, 2014, 12:49 AM

I haven't really messed with them in 9mm, but I do like RFs in general.

Hopefully that bullet profile doesn't give you any throat or feeding issues. (It doesn't look like it would.)

skizzums · October 31, 2014, 05:04 AM

That's what you gotta love about Lee, get to try different things and not worry too much how they'll work, cause your only out less than 20 bucks. I shall know in a few days.

October 29, 2014, 05:25 AM	#1
skizzums Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2013 Location: Douglasville, Ga Posts: 4,615	9mm casters hey guys, i have made a trade for lead to get a good bit of 9mm brass. i only have one 9mm mold atm, the 120gr TC lee. i was shopping around, about to order a thousand rounds of plated bullets, when i thought for the same amount of money, i could get an actually "nice" mold for the same price and be done with it. the TC has proved innaccurate after endless tinkering with the size and alloy and PC. it is acceptable, but nor the accuracy i get from a jacketed RN. so i wanna hear from anyone casting 9mm, what is a mold that you have found to be as accurate or better? i would like to stay under 100$ and in the 120-135gr area. i don't want to constantly run 147's, even if they are more accurate, mainly because i like the "efficiency" of the faster powder that run the 125 and under loads. if i was running shotgun powder all the time to run heavies, it would end up costing me alot more money in the longrun over just using 4gr and under of TG or HP38. thanks. __________________ My head is bloody, but unbowed

October 29, 2014, 04:02 PM	#4
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	I haven't use this mold, in particular, but the semi-conical flat point style has always worked well for me. And a bevel base is always nice to work with, unless you plan to mess with gas checks. (I wouldn't.) Accurate 35-125D If it were me, I'd order it spec'd to .358 diameter and size from there. ...But you know your 9mm better than I do. NOE and Accurate are about the only places I'll buy a mold from, any more. Most other sources are too expensive, have ridiculous backorders, and/or having sizing issues (cough like Lyman cough). __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

October 29, 2014, 08:07 PM	#6
skizzums Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2013 Location: Douglasville, Ga Posts: 4,615	yeah, just not enough bearing surface, I don't keyhoe, but it's not very accurate. I guess I should try the lee round nose before I go spend 5x as much on the same thing. I was thinking about it, and if I am going to spend close to hundred bucks, I might as well wait on a Mi-Hec hollow-point __________________ My head is bloody, but unbowed

October 30, 2014, 06:33 AM	#8
skizzums Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2013 Location: Douglasville, Ga Posts: 4,615	105 justused too much powder, so if I am getting 200 less bullets per pound, in the really long run, it ends up costing a fortune. plus, I wanna keep the speeed down for leading, a 100gr out of a 9mm is pretty fast __________________ My head is bloody, but unbowed

October 30, 2014, 11:00 AM	#9
skizzums Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2013 Location: Douglasville, Ga Posts: 4,615	I just ordered the 358-125-rf and a .357 sizing to replace my .356, hope that'll keep em straighter. ill see how it does __________________ My head is bloody, but unbowed

October 29, 2014, 10:11 AM	#2
Vance Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2011 Location: North Bend, OR Posts: 743	http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product...roducts_id=326 Noe molds are awesome. These are stated as 121grain, but will probably drop at closer to 125 grain depending on the alloy and temp you cast at.

October 29, 2014, 10:46 AM	#3
salvadore Junior member Join Date: January 1, 2007 Location: Idaho Posts: 2,282	I'm going to start reloading 9mm this winter, using the 358242 mold. I get 145gr with WWs and will shoot them out of a contract hi-power, a P-1, and a S&W Shield. Lookingforward to it.

October 29, 2014, 06:57 PM	#5
chris in va Senior Member Join Date: December 26, 2004 Location: Louisville KY Posts: 13,806	The Lee 358-125-RN mold works very well for my CZ. It drops at 362 using wheel weights so I size it .002" over bore size. I had terrible accuracy and key holing with that TC mold you have.

October 30, 2014, 03:53 AM	#7
hartcreek Junior member Join Date: April 22, 2014 Location: Washington Posts: 1,549	Why did you decide on that grain range? I have had good luck with Lees 105 grain trunicated mold for years.

October 30, 2014, 10:13 PM	#10
Vance Senior Member Join Date: January 16, 2011 Location: North Bend, OR Posts: 743	I like the round flat noses myself. Have had good accuracy from them.

October 31, 2014, 12:49 AM	#11
FrankenMauser Senior Member Join Date: August 25, 2008 Location: In the valley above the plain Posts: 13,424	I haven't really messed with them in 9mm, but I do like RFs in general. Hopefully that bullet profile doesn't give you any throat or feeding issues. (It doesn't look like it would.) __________________ Don't even try it. It's even worse than the internet would lead you to believe.

October 31, 2014, 05:04 AM	#12
skizzums Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2013 Location: Douglasville, Ga Posts: 4,615	That's what you gotta love about Lee, get to try different things and not worry too much how they'll work, cause your only out less than 20 bucks. I shall know in a few days. __________________ My head is bloody, but unbowed