I'm working up a good load for a Beretta 92. I'm using a Lee mold 356-125-2R. Titegroup or HP38 powder. Any suggestions? Thanks.
-
ODT Gun Show & Swap Meet - May 4, 2024! - Click here for info
Lee 90309 Bullets
- Thread starter Jerry Rice
- Start date
Have you shot cast from 9mm before? I find 9mm to be the fussiest cast boolit pistol caliber. But when you get it, you've got it. Good lube and sizing, or even .001 to .002 oversize, helps a lot. And don't push 'em too fast. The starting load with either of those two powders should be good.
Don't make a big batch of anything until you've shot a couple magazines full and made sure the barrel isn't getting heavily leaded.
I shoot the Lee 358-125 RF, sized at .358, over 3.1 grains of 700X. It's a pokey load, subsonic, but it reliably cycles every 9mm I've tried it in.
Don't make a big batch of anything until you've shot a couple magazines full and made sure the barrel isn't getting heavily leaded.
I shoot the Lee 358-125 RF, sized at .358, over 3.1 grains of 700X. It's a pokey load, subsonic, but it reliably cycles every 9mm I've tried it in.
- Joined
- Oct 1, 2010
- Messages
- 7,019
- Reaction score
- 9,450
I had a Beretta 92 years back before I started casting my own bullets. It was over bored big time. It wouldn't shoot anything well at all. Didn't matter what you shot in it. I would go to about. .357-.358 and see if they chamber. If they do shoot them. Now wish I kept it, but my HP shoots great.
^^^ this, lots of powders to pick and choose but stay on the moderate "functional" range.
1) Slug the barrel and determine actual groove diameter. Lead bullets generally need to be 0.001" over actual groove diameter. Really hard lead, 18-22BHN, sometimes needs to be 0.002" larger.
2) I find that 0.357-0.358" cast bullets work best in ALL my 9x19s, even those that have a groove diameter of 0.3550"
3) DON'T size the bullets. Use Lee Liquid Alox, Xlox, or 45/45/10.
4) If loading for accuracy in 9x19, and not just steel plates at 10 yards, you will generally get best accuracy with slower powders. Best I have found is Power Pistol, followed by Silhouette, BE86, and True Blue. Likewise, best accuracy for 9x19s is generally somewhere between mid-range and MAX loads. I have never had any problem pushing 9-12 BHN bullets to full 9x19 velocity--as long as fit is correct (and I found as-cast better than sized) and lube is good.
2) I find that 0.357-0.358" cast bullets work best in ALL my 9x19s, even those that have a groove diameter of 0.3550"
3) DON'T size the bullets. Use Lee Liquid Alox, Xlox, or 45/45/10.
4) If loading for accuracy in 9x19, and not just steel plates at 10 yards, you will generally get best accuracy with slower powders. Best I have found is Power Pistol, followed by Silhouette, BE86, and True Blue. Likewise, best accuracy for 9x19s is generally somewhere between mid-range and MAX loads. I have never had any problem pushing 9-12 BHN bullets to full 9x19 velocity--as long as fit is correct (and I found as-cast better than sized) and lube is good.
