Cast bullet loading question

[myFRAGisFUBAR]

I find that when loading up Lee 356-120 grain TC bullets That somethings they just dont load right. I am using a S&W M&P9c to shoot and I have found this has a super small chamber as it is. Most rounds need to be loading to 1.035 to chamber all the way with this design. Is it normal to have to flair the case A LOT for this round? I have my flaring die almost all the way screwed in for 4 of 5 rounds to fit my gun. I have another lee mold (356-124 grain RN) That I can load at 1.125 and I have no problems. Is it my gun or does this mold give anyone else a headache? After sizing, these are .357.

 

[WestKentucky]

Cast is a bit tougher than jacketed as the bases are more square than a jacketed bullets base is. I see the same thing when I load but I only adjust about 1/2 turn. My dies seem to square up my bullets well as I seat so no major issues.

 

[sexybeast]

Truncated always load shorter. Shoulder of the bullet engages the rifleing of the barrel sooner. No biggie, with lead you should not be loading hot anyway so its a non issue. As long as it feeds you are OK.
But an issue is shooting lead out of a compensated gun! This will give you problems sometimes even with plated bullets depending on the load. Do you notice any spitting? It also effects accuracy!

 

[USSR]

With cast bullets, a Lyman Type M die is your friend.

Don

 

[1KPerDay]

But an issue is shooting lead out of a compensated gun! This will give you problems sometimes even with plated bullets depending on the load. Do you notice any spitting? It also effects accuracy!

C for compact, not C for compensated.

 

[Arkansas Paul]

With cast bullets, a Lyman Type M die is your friend.

Its darn sure your friend when loading cast 9mm bullets.
That tapered case has a way of sizing the bullet down below what you need and leading barrels.
I'm about to order one myself.

 

[MichaelK]

I load Lee's 120 TC and I had a somewhat different, but maybe related problem. My OAL is actually 1.09", but at least in my pistols, the bullets were not engaging the rifling.

My problem was removing all of the flair for the cartridges to feed properly.
I use Lee's carbide die set, and for whatever reason, I have never gotten rid of the flair with their bullet seating die. I see the same thing with 40S&W and 45ACP.

My solution in all cases was the purchase of a "real" dedicated taper crimping die either by Lyman or Hornady. I always taper crimp with that AFTER I've loaded the bullets with my Lee bullet seating die.

To test this yourself, take the barrel out of the pistol and to the "plunk" test. Drop a completed cartridge into the chamber. If the bullet doesn't hit the rifling, and it does not hit the headspacing shoulder of the chamber with an audible metallic "click", then that is your problem.

 

[myFRAGisFUBAR]

I have dont the plunk thest with my barrel. If a round is longer than 1.04 it wont drop in at all.

 

[dickttx]

I load the Missouri Bullet Co. 125gn TCFP (IDP #6, .356) for 38 Super. It took me nearly a year before I could get them to chamber consistently. I kept getting them shorter and shorter and finally ended up with just about a thumbnail thickness of the full diameter of the bullet out of the case mouth. As most people recommend with SWC lead. I also put just a skose more crimp on the case mouth than I usually do, using my Lee FCD. I would also try sizing some to .356 before doing anything drastic, as .357 may be just a tad large for your chamber.

 

[rsrocket1]

You will probably see that when you do the plunk test and press the cartridge into the chamber (then pound it out from the other end) the vertical part of the bullet is scraping the throat of the barrel. Even when sized to 0.356, you may still get hangups if you don't seat the bullet to where the cone meets the vertical part of the body, then taper crimp to where the case is once again vertical.

My M&P 40 and 9 barrels have the same characteristics. A round nose bullet with a shoulder will chamber fine so long as the shoulder is below the case lip. A round nose bullet that is straight will be a real pain to chamber. The TC bullets need to be seated flush or no more than a few mils above the lip. They will still resist full chambering, but the recoil spring and the momentum of the slide closing will ram it home.

 

[myFRAGisFUBAR]

What is your OAL when loading them? Just out of curiosity. I can have some"fail" the plunk test because the round will stick our just a little too much, but ifI rack that round in, It will go just fine. I didnt know if it was safe to use them, so I just set them to the side.

 

[hartcreek]

I use the Lee 105 grains and flare my cases just enough that I hook my finger when I slide it across the case. If you do not have a good flare on your cases you will have problems as these bullets do not use a gas check and the bullets have a shoulder that will catch without a decent flare.