You thoughts on 9mm molds?

C

Chainsaw.

New member
So its time to buy a 9mm mold, what I do know is Ill be getting a lee six cavity mold. What Im not sure about is should I get the round nose or the truncated cone. This will be used 98% in auto pistols. Any reasons to choose one over the other or am I splitting hairs?
 
Just whatever you pistols like. I know I did a bunch of research before I bought one. Most the research I found was folks weren't having good luck with lead in Walther PPS 9mm, but most were using a RN. So I chose the Lee 120gr TC (have 2-cav and 6-cav), which drop around 123-124gr. They run flawless in my Walther using a minimum charge of Titegroup.

Be sure to slug your barrel. I run these 120gr TC in my PPS and PK380. The .380 I size to .356, but my 9mm I have to size at .357.

Between sizing and using a product called PB Blocker, it takes a lot of rounds before I need to clean my barrels.
 
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I have had great luck with RCBS 124g TC. They run through every gun I have had the opportunity to shoot them in. From Barretta to Gl;ock to Colt, 7 so far.
 
We use the 358-125 RF in several 9mm's and it works great. It also works good in 380's and 38spl.
It drops at 130gr for me and has a nice usable meplat for varmints.
We size .358 for everything but you may need .357.
Hollow pointed with a softer alloy makes for nice expansion too.
 
So its time to buy a 9mm mold, what I do know is Ill be getting a lee six cavity mold. What Im not sure about is should I get the round nose or the truncated cone. This will be used 98% in auto pistols. Any reasons to choose one over the other or am I splitting hairs?
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One of the first bullet molds (early sixties), I ever had was a Lyman truncated cone for a 9MM Walther P38. What I discovered was that while they shot and functioned fine, when handling the cast bullets while lubing, sizing and hand loading, they were very hard for me to get ahold of and manipulate with my fingers. I got rid of that mold and have used Lee and RCBS round nose bullet molds ever since. I would never go back to the truncated nose bullets just for that reason...round nose bullets are way easier (less frustrating), for me to handle.
 
Been using the Lee 356-124-2R mold for years now, works quite well with either Lee Liquid Alox or Powder coat. The slightly rebated nose seems to help with feeding a bit, especially with short chambers.

 
I have a Lee 124 Truncated Cone mold that I use for 9mm. When I was looking at molds, I wasn't if TC bullets would cause feeding problems or not. So far its been flawless, both in my Glock and my brother's SCCY.
 
I have been partial to a (conical) flat point for about 10 years now. I don't like truncated cones, and round nose bullets don't provide the giggle factor when shooting reactive targets (potatoes, expired soup cans, etc.).
(More like this .40 caliber design, than a truncated cone.)


But, I recently picked up a 4 cavity, RG (HP), plain-base version of the SC357-135-RF from NOE (a standard lube groove version of a Ranch Dog design).

I suspect it will make me very happy.
 
I had a TC mold, nice single cavity Lyman, but I never got the TC stem for my bullet seating die...and they came out looking very weird after being seated. I was probably doing it wrong, oh well, gave that mold away to a friend who uses it today.
 
That NOE website is cool but overwhelming for a noob.
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It's overwhelming even for people that know EXACTLY what they want.

Al (owner) claims they're working on better organization. ...But he's been saying that for three years. That's what you get when you pay the web guy in beer and twinkies. :rolleyes:



(I have no idea what Al's relationship is with his "web guy" or if Al is the one that handles it. It just seems like things could be improved much more quickly.)
 
I started wih he TC in my CZ and they all keyholed. Switched to the 358-RF, which drops at 362, so resized to 358 they worked fine. I ended up wih the 356-2r which again...drops at 362.

Frankly I'm a bit frustrated with Lee molds. Their ogive starts awful darn late and I end up with a seriously short OAL. A guy at the range showed me another non-Lee mold bullet and it had a more 'natural' shape that I would prefer.
 
I just love the Lyman 356402 4 cavity mold. The bullets look a bit weird but they have been flawless in every 9mm pistol I've shot them in. Mine tend to average 123 grns. I use them for plinking, target and IPSC.
 
1) Lee 6-Cavity Bullet Mold 358-140-SWC
$41.99
2) Lee 6-Cavity Bullet Mold TL356-124-TC
$41.99
3) Design your own.

For my 9x19 guns, I cast with WW alloy and tumble-lube the as-cast bullets (gave up sizing bullets about 3 years after I started casting in about 1976). I find SWCs at about 0.357-358" are most accurate.
 
My preferred cast bullet that works in 9mm, .38 Special, and .357 Magnum is Lee's 358-125-RF. All I do is size for each gun and get excellent results in all six guns. I've found an alloy of around 16 works well in my 9mms and my .38s/357s don't seem to care so that's what I normally cast. Revolvers get .358"+ and pistols get .357"-.358" depending on gun, same bullet...:D

Any "need" for a six cavity mold? If you are new to casting a 2 cavity is easier to learn with (consistent mold temperature control). I can start with 90%+ good bullets with the first pour with my two cavity Lee molds but it takes a bit longer to get better than mebbe 75% good ones, prolly 6 or seven pours...
 
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