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Old May 11, 2012, 07:07 PM   #1
Qnormous
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New to Casting. Layman mold question?

Hi I'm new to this forum and New to reloading as well so I may be asking questions that have been asked before. Any way i have been casting for a month or so still trying to get the wrinkles out and just went to load my first cast bullets tonight. (also my first live ammo) I'm using the Lyman 9mm 125gr HP #356637 before I started to load them I weighed them on my Gem Pro 250. They weighed 134gr useing WW so im guessing thats why they weigh more the the 124gr that the mold says they should be. The wight was vary uniform as they All weighed 134gr but my question is that the recipe I have from the Lyman cast book is to Start with 4.5gr of unique for there 124gr lead HP but my bullets are 134gr dose this change the powder amount or is Safe to use the recipe for the 124gr and start with 4.5gr? Being new to all this I'm trying to be a careful as i can. WOW sorry so long winded. Thanks for any help
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Old May 11, 2012, 08:26 PM   #2
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You`re only over the weight by 10-12% , I would`nt back of but a 10th or 2.

If ya get the pressures too low the action mite get funny acting.

Even if ya don`t back off it`ll only put ya in the mid load somewhere.

Degrease da mold & turn up da heat !!

I usually worry more over size than weight !!
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Old May 12, 2012, 04:28 AM   #3
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Generally, everything else being equal, a heavier bullet requires a lighter charge. Your bullet is not much heavier than your data, so don’t exceed the start load and you should be fine.
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Old May 12, 2012, 08:01 AM   #4
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Quote:
They weighed 134gr useing WW so im guessing thats why they weigh more the the 124gr that the mold says they should be.
You are correct. The 124 grain nominal weight was likely the result of Lyman using "Lyman Number 2" alloy to establish the weight of their bullets. Any other alloy with drop bullets of a slightly different weight.
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Old May 12, 2012, 08:21 AM   #5
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That is a 'start' charge. Load a few, shoot them then inspect primers and cases for possible excess pressure. If OK, increase charge a grain or two and repeat until signs of over pressure appear then back down a couple grains.
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Old May 12, 2012, 09:43 PM   #6
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WW alloy is always heavier but smaller in diameter. Lino is lighter but casts bigger bullets. You're on the right track with Unique powder; it's been around forever and is quite predictable. You should be able to load around 5.1 grains max with the bullets weighing what they are. Start low and work up is the best advice. Turn up the heat; your alloy isn't hot enough to fill out the mould cavities properly. 700 to 720 degrees should work nicely. CB.
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Old May 14, 2012, 04:53 PM   #7
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It is not the weight that is the reason to make charges lighter. It is the length of the bullet. Decreasing case capacity requires reducing a load. Though the load you have is for the same mold of the bullet you have cast so do not sweat it. The length of the bullet is the same so starting at the starting load is the thing to do. Though do not go hog wild loading up a bunch at starting load until you get a chance to shoot a few. The light loads may not be hot enough to cycle the action of the gun you are using. If so then increase the charge by two tenths of a grain at a time until it does.

Though I applaud you asking the question before doing something. Even if the seasoned reloaders may give you some flak it is good to know some will ask question before doing something not to bright.
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Old May 14, 2012, 06:13 PM   #8
Qnormous
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Thanks for all the help guys. I went ahead and loaded 25 rounds with 4.2gr of unique although I weighed 3 of them and the weight was from 4.17 to 4.26 with that powder. And i went with a OAL of 1.02 i'm going to take them to the range tommorrow and see how they fly. Another question i have is that I also cast a bunch of Lee 124gr RN bullets and the load data called for 4gr start load and 4.5 Max the thing im haveing trouble with is the Oal. These bullets have large lube rings that are larger then the bullet so if i seat the bullet all the way down to the lube ringes it seems like the case is way away from the bullet with a big lip that you can see and feel. I got the load data from alliant but they did not give me a AOL so does any one have an idea on how deep i should be loading these things. Sorry hope that made some sense.
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Old May 25, 2012, 08:06 AM   #9
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Old May 25, 2012, 08:26 AM   #10
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Quote:
Lee 124gr RN bullets
I assume you are talking about the far right bullet in the 9mm group here:
http://leeprecision.com/files/products/BulletMolds.jpg

If so, seating it to a "normal" OAL you find in a commercial/jacketd round of that weight should both cover the grease groove and function just fine.

Quote:
...large lube rings...
But the only 125RN I see here has only one lube ring. Are we talking another bullet?
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Old May 31, 2012, 02:53 AM   #11
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Just guessing here, but the OP is more than likely talking about the 124gr RN with the TL rings verses the standard lube grooves.

If so, and it were me, I would put just enough of a tapered crimp to close up the mouth of the case and provide reliable feeding, to to prevent set back. Maybe seat them to just under the top ring and lightly crimp under it so as to have a stop that prevents set back during the chambering of a round or possibly while in the clip.
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Old May 31, 2012, 12:20 PM   #12
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If it's the tumble lube bullet, I know what the OP is talking about, regarding the case mouth seeming to be a long ways away from the bullet.

I cast the .45ACP version of that bullet with wheel weights. I seat it so that the top ring of the bullet is even with the mouth of the case and put a very mild taper crimp on it. That works just fine with all three of my .45s (a Springfield Mil-Spec, Colt Officer's and Llama IX-B.)

I'd try doing that with the 9mm, assuming that it doesn't deviate too far from OAL, and see how it works.
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