9mm SWC?

[bluetopper]

Is there anybody making a 9mm cast lead bullet in a semi wadcutter design?

Preferably 147 grain?

More bearing surface for better accuracy is really my main goal.

 

[ants]

Saeco makes a 140 grain semiwadcutter in 9mm. But when you look at the profile you may change your mind. It's pretty funky, and doesn't even look like a semiwadcutter. It looks like a giant truncated cone.

One of the beauties of the swc design is that it takes weight off the nose of round nose bullet without removing it from the bearing surface between the base and the shoulder. That is perfect for a lightweight bullet. But there is a limit to how much you can move away from the nose on a heavy bullet, and then it becomes a full wadcutter, not a semiwadcutter. The Saeco design is a compromise. Take a look at the profile (maybe MidwayUSA has one for you to view). It looks too nose heavy and doesn't really make the bearing surface much longer. You may change your mind when you see it.

How about a 130 or 135 grain? Like maybe a swc designed for the 38 Super. It might be the perfect balance you seek.

 

[Floppy_D]

I have great results with the 120g TC as far as accuracy. Out of a P226 from a rest, I get a sub 2" group at 25yds.

Lee makes custom molds if you're set on 147g, and it would probably be less expensive than the Saeco or Lyman.

 

[Quoheleth]

Funny...I was thinking this exact thing last night.

I'll be watching to see if anyone else makes a 9mm SWC - FWIW, I would be content with a lighter bullet (125, maybe?).

Q

 

[Galil5.56]

Penn bullets shows a true SWC, but it's only 115 grains

http://www.pennbullets.com/9mm/9mm-caliber.html

You could go with a 158 grain LSWC if wanted, and your pistol will chamber it. Speer used to list 160 grain lead bullet loads using HS-6/WW540 and HP38/WW231. Max charge with HS-6 was 4.8 grains for 975 fps, 3.3 grains of HP38 for 792 fps. No OAL listed, and this along with case bulge will be the tricky part. Sized .358" should be no problem concerning pressure if the rounds chamber easily.

Plenty of bearing surface, and if you can safely get 975 fps, a hell of a lota thump... Kinda like a 15-20 shot 38 Special stout +P. Looks like fun, and I may load up a few myself.

 

[Floppy_D]

If you have the sizing die for ".356 and data, 38 or 357 rounds should work. You might run into feeding issues due to the wider meplat, but it might be worth a shot.

Let us know.

 

[Galil5.56]

If you have the sizing die for ".356 and data, 38 or 357 rounds(*BULLETS) should work. You might run into feeding issues due to the wider meplat, but it might be worth a shot.

I normally run .358" in my 9's, but might have to size a bit to lessen the expected very large case bulge caused by the cases sharp internal taper. Relatively soft Hornady LSWC's, and the especially soft, seemingly pure lead Speer LSWCHP's might just swage down, and not cause excessive bulge. I like a lotta case bulge in my pistol reloads, but .358" and very deep seating may necessitate a smaller diameter to allow chambering at the loss of some potential accuracy.... Won't know until I knock out a few and test chamber.

As far as meplat it may be a problem for some. I think my M9 would feed a regular wadcutter (might even try some of them) and my Walther P1 may have a little trouble. Been meaning to try some .358" 125 grain TCFN "Cowboy" bullets to see how functioning is across a wide range of pistols.

 

[Floppy_D]

Bullets (or "boolits" to some), you know what I meant.

 

[NuJudge]

There's a lot of people that like the Lee 105gr .38 SWC in the 9mm.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=30307

 

[rcmodel]

Most 9mm guns rifling twist will probably not stabilize a SWC bullet that heavy.
That's why there are no bullets available like that.

If you really want some good info on loading cast bullet 9mm, the October Handloader (on news-stand now) has an excellent test article on it!

rcmodel

 

[Galil5.56]

Meister lists a 150 grain SWC sized .356:

http://www.meisterbullets.com/asccustompages/products.asp?cartID=&affID=&categoryid=22&navParent=0

 

[Jim Watson]

Most 9mm guns rifling twist will probably not stabilize a SWC bullet that heavy.

European standard rifling twist for 9mm P is 10". Or more likely 9.84", four turns per meter.
Colt rifling twist for 9mm P is 16". I don't know what S&W uses.

.38 Special rifling twist is 18.75 from S&W, 14" from Colt, and they have no trouble stabilizing 200 grain bullets.

The limit on bullet weight in 9mm is in seating depth over a worthwhile powder charge and OAL for the magazine, not stability. I shot a fair number of 140-150 gr SWCs back when Bull-X made them, I am glad to see another source at Meister. Friend of mine routinely loaded for his S&W M59 with 158 gr .38 Special SWCs, which amazed everybody by feeding reliably and shooting accurately.

 

[ants]

Jim, when your friend loads the 158g semiwadcutter, does he size the bullets to his bore diameter or leave them at 0.358 inches? I have a bunch of those cast bullets, but only use them in 38 Special.

 

[Jim Watson]

It has been too long for me to remember. I'd wager he took them out of the box, seated them in the brass, and loaded them in the gun.

The OTHER interesting thing about 9mm barrels is that a lot of them are larger than the nominal .355". I have an article about a Beretta at .359". Didn't seem to care what bullet diameter he shot in it, though.

As P.O. Ackley said, any bullet will be sized to fit the bore by the time it has traveled its own length. The key is whether the round will chamber freely and the brass release the bullet. Avoid what Clark calls "bullet pinch."

 

[ants]

Thank you, Jim. I understand about the 'bullet pinch' thing. It sounds like good advice when seating long bullets.
My bore is 0.356 inch. I'm loading up some of those 158g tomorrow and see how they shoot.

 

[Jimfern]

.358 out of 9mm

I tried some 158 gr lead rounds out of my 9mm pistol and they grouped to the right and not as tight, as the 147 gr .355 plated rounds I also tried. The 147 gr bullets were dead on.

The pistol didn't have any function problems with either round and I started with the plated bullets

 

[g.willikers]

The best lead bullet that I ever discovered for the 9mm was the 147 truncated cone in .357.
It seemed to work well, both in feeding reliability and in accuracy, in every gun tried, even Glocks.
And it makes nice, easy to see holes in targets, too.