Regardless of any one individuals experience, the 9 mm seems to be prone to various problems shooting cast bullets. Many tried but gave up before success, while many others worked long and hard at it before they got leading free performance. Some got lucky and had no problems.
I was in the "worked long and hard" category above. I have participated in many threads on cast in the 9 mm (mostly at the cast boolits forum). I eventually assembled some info to make it easy on myself when the issue comes up. Here is my "canned response":
First lets start out with something that combines a good measure of truth with some humor.
Take your time and read the following. Then do it. As corny and funny as it may sound, it is probably as good a solution as is available.
The 9 mm can be very frustrating. Do not let that put you off. The solution is simple. There 10 easy steps to the 9mm.
Step 1: Try what you have and what you think might work. Take notes. You might get lucky.
Step 2: If step 1 did not work, tell us exactly what you did.
Step 3: Sort through the 50 suggestions, pick one.
Step 4: Try it and hope you get lucky.
Step 5: If it did not work, tell us exactly what you did and what happened.
Step 6: Sort through the 40 suggestions. Pick a new suggestion.
Step 7: Try it and hope you get lucky.
Step 8: If it did not work, go back to step 5.
Step 9: After you get something that works, assume you are an expert and provide suggestions when some else shares their problems.
Step 10: After a bunch of newbies ignore your suggestions, come to understand that the 9mm is too finicky to ever be simple and work the same way for anybody else.
Now for me, the combination below has worked. It may help others figure out something that may want to try next.
- I use a custom deep plug 0.3575" expander
- I use 0.3595" PC coated boolits (Lee 120 TC)
- I use select brass, a mix of Blazer, FC and CCI
- I seat and I do flare removal as separate steps
- I can now use any powder I want and loads up to book max with great accuracy and no leading.
I have come to believe that much of the 9mm "just can't figure it out frustration" comes from having boolits sized down by the case more than you think and/or just not going with big enough boolits. I Also I am convinced that sorting headstamps is an easy thing to try early on when your are having problems. Some headstamps seem to be much worse than others for sizing bullets down. For me this was obvious from the effort required when running the brass over the expander plug.