chris in va
New member
I've been using a Lee 358 mold in my CZ for a while with very good results, but leading is a problem. I've water dropped all of them, should I try air cooling instead?
9mm...water drop or not?
- Thread starter chris in va
- Start date
Ideal Tool
Moderator
Hello, cris in va. What alloy are you running? When I started casting for my
.22 Hornet & .222Rem. I thought I had to water quench..got all kinds of weight variations..probably doing it wrong..but I found I didn't need to after all. What kind of lube you using? What dia. is bullet as loaded?
.22 Hornet & .222Rem. I thought I had to water quench..got all kinds of weight variations..probably doing it wrong..but I found I didn't need to after all. What kind of lube you using? What dia. is bullet as loaded?
armoredman
New member
I have never water dropped, always towel dropped. No leading to minimal leading using wheel weight lead.
358? Kinda wide for 9mm, too, what does your barrel slug to? I've been using the Lee 356-124-2R tumble lube 2 cavity mold and just started using the Lee 356-125-2R single luge groove 2 cavity mold.
358? Kinda wide for 9mm, too, what does your barrel slug to? I've been using the Lee 356-124-2R tumble lube 2 cavity mold and just started using the Lee 356-125-2R single luge groove 2 cavity mold.
chris in va
New member
Clip wheelweights.
Everything I tried in 356 went in sideways, and the 358 solved that issue. Leading isn't a big deal but I can't help but think there's some way to reduce it. Heck, the 45's in my Glock don't lead at all.
Tumble lubing the 358-125-RF mold with JPW/Mineral spirits.
Everything I tried in 356 went in sideways, and the 358 solved that issue. Leading isn't a big deal but I can't help but think there's some way to reduce it. Heck, the 45's in my Glock don't lead at all.
Tumble lubing the 358-125-RF mold with JPW/Mineral spirits.
Edward429451
Moderator
Maybe you're getting some cutting. Air cooled might just do the trick. Try a small batch to see.
Shane Tuttle
Staff
Does your Glock have the stock polygonal barrel or an aftermarket such as Wolf?
Oven heat treated/wated cooled in 44mag. & 45acp leave a lot of nasty looking stuff in the barrel for me. But accuracy remains the same with many rounds fired. Not real leading. Air cooled with the proper alloy is the way to go if you want a clean looking barrel. Add linotype to your WW & scrap lead. Try for a BHN of 18 containing 2% tin or more.
IllinoisCoyoteHunter
New member
9mm and lead
.358" is perfect. Air-cooled boolits work great, no need to harden them. Use GOOD lube. I have found best luck using mid to upper end loads with 9mm and lead.
If you are using a tumble lube design I would maybe add some Johnson's paste wax in with the Alox. I have heard this really helps.
I prefer White label lubes "BAC" or "Carnauba Red".
.358" is perfect. Air-cooled boolits work great, no need to harden them. Use GOOD lube. I have found best luck using mid to upper end loads with 9mm and lead.
If you are using a tumble lube design I would maybe add some Johnson's paste wax in with the Alox. I have heard this really helps.
I prefer White label lubes "BAC" or "Carnauba Red".
Nevmavrick
New member
You say you're using JPW and mineral spirits, hmmm. Try adding LLA.
Many many shooters use 45-45-10 and that is with LLA.
Are you sizing, or using "as cast?" If you're not sizing, the larger, .358 bullet should fit better, so you MAY not need to WD, AC should work fine. also, what load are you using? Sometimes, in a high-pressure cartridge, like the 9mm Luger, using BE or WW231 etc, may allow leading. Maybe using a slightly slower powder may help.
Have fun,
Gene
Many many shooters use 45-45-10 and that is with LLA.
Are you sizing, or using "as cast?" If you're not sizing, the larger, .358 bullet should fit better, so you MAY not need to WD, AC should work fine. also, what load are you using? Sometimes, in a high-pressure cartridge, like the 9mm Luger, using BE or WW231 etc, may allow leading. Maybe using a slightly slower powder may help.
Have fun,
Gene
shoot1forme
New member
Water dropped 9mm's
I tried water dropping recently for my P95DC and it made a huge difference in the leading. The barrel is rough being as new as the pistol is but the leading was reduced by half. I would take the same boolits and load them in my .357 cases to .38 spec. velocity, shoot them in my Mod. 27 and no leading what so ever. I use the 124 TL Lee boolit sized .356 for 9mm and as dropped (.358) for the Mod. 27. LLA is the lube I use. I'm sure as soon as the Ruger barrel smooths out leading in it will be a non issue. I now water quench everything I cast.
I tried water dropping recently for my P95DC and it made a huge difference in the leading. The barrel is rough being as new as the pistol is but the leading was reduced by half. I would take the same boolits and load them in my .357 cases to .38 spec. velocity, shoot them in my Mod. 27 and no leading what so ever. I use the 124 TL Lee boolit sized .356 for 9mm and as dropped (.358) for the Mod. 27. LLA is the lube I use. I'm sure as soon as the Ruger barrel smooths out leading in it will be a non issue. I now water quench everything I cast.
chris in va
New member
Stock barrel.
I'm sizing the boolits to 358 as they drop at 361 as-cast, despite what the label on the mold says. I'll try towel dropping the 9's and see what happens.
armoredman
New member
shoot1, that's the same mold I use for 9mm and 38 Special, as well. I just got the newer 125 grain mold, doesn't drop wide enough for 38 special.
Nevmavrick
New member
Armoredman- you might go over to the "Cast Boolit" forum and google up a concept called Beagling. Your mold MAY produce the bullet you want.
I've produces a lot of bullets for my .41s, and am now experimenting with a 7.62x39.
Have fun,
Gene
I've produces a lot of bullets for my .41s, and am now experimenting with a 7.62x39.
Have fun,
Gene
armoredman
New member
Actually, it IS producing the boolit, (I have been at castboolits.gunloads.com for a bit), I want, bought it for 9mm. As for 7.62x39mm, I have 2 molds in that flavor, and while the Lee produces a decent 160 boolit, the NOE 314 129 5 cavity produces an incredible boolit that both the 527M and vz-58 like.
Interesting that a few say 358 is perfect for 9mm, I have never found that to be true, but I've only been casting for a few years and only for 3 calibers, 38 Special, 9mm and 7.62x39mm.
BTW, make sure to look at this thread, http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=13453 for a lot of great info on casting for 7.62x39mm.
As for 7.62x39mm, I have 2 molds in that flavor, and while the Lee produces a decent 160 boolit, the NOE 314 129 5 cavity produces an incredible boolit that both the 527M and vz-58 like.Interesting that a few say 358 is perfect for 9mm, I have never found that to be true, but I've only been casting for a few years and only for 3 calibers, 38 Special, 9mm and 7.62x39mm.
BTW, make sure to look at this thread, http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=13453 for a lot of great info on casting for 7.62x39mm.