loading lead rounds for 9mm

[Hamonrye]

I have been shooting lead 200 grain semi wadcutters in my .45 for months now and they shoot like a dream and are cheaper than jacketed, they are Kead bullets. It's not really the price but the barrel wear I am concerned with. I have been thinking of doing the same for the 9mm. Suggestion? Comments? Also suggestions for cleaning would be great. BBS works great but I am wondering if there is something better.
Am I out of my mind?

 

[vega]

I use Hoppes 9 for cleaning my barrel after shooting leads but I don't shoot lead now... I still use Hoppes 9.

If the barrel is polygonal you should be worried. If its the standard rifling then shoot to your heart's content. IMHO.

vega

 

[Dave R]

I use Laser-Cast lead bullets in my 9mm. 5.6 gr. of Unique behind the 115 grain bullet is a very accurate load for me. Cycles fine. Runs about 1100fps. Cleans easily. No problem with barrel leading.

 

[Quantrill]

Even in semi-auto pistols, the Lewis Lead Remover works wonders for cleaning out the lead. Even easier than revolvers because you don't have to clean out the cylinder, only the barrel. I believe that Hoppes also makes a clone of the original Lewis which should work just as well. I think that the original Lewis was bought out by Brownells. Any way you slice it. it works. I use 4.0gr of 700X under a 124gr Lee self cast hard RN lead bullet for accuracy and functioning in both a S&W #59 and an WWI Luger. Quantrill

 

[WESHOOT2]

lead

Suggest avoiding cleaning lead-shooting barrels UNLESS accuracy deteriorates, ala a certain high-end tubemaker......

 

[clown714]

124gr.LRN under a weak dose of Unique.

reliable and accurate.

Hoppe's#9 is all I,ever use

clown

 

[Quantrill]

Clown 714,
Not wishing to be a wise guy, but in case there is a newby reading this. Don't you mean "124gr LRN OVER a weak dose of Unique"? Best wishes quantrill

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

Unique for pistol Loads

Over the years I have heard of damaged pistols and injuries from using Unique powder of either double loads or too light a load.

As a commercial reloader I prefer using WW231 for all of my small caliber pistol loads from metering accuracy and lack of clogging in my reloader powder reservoirs and powder feeding systems.

Fitz

 

[Mikul]

I use 4.5gr of Winchester Super-Field under a 124gr LRN, and I even do it with a polygonal bore (gasp!). I've probably fired 15,000 lead rounds through that gun without a problem, although I am adamant about cleaning the bore after each range session.

Just about anything seems to clean the bore well as long as I use bronze brushes. I wipe the bore once, run the brush through 12 times, and repeat one time. Then I run one more wet and finally a dry patch.

My favorite bore cleaner thus far is Kroil.

 

[fecmech]

I run a 125gr truncated cone that I cast and size .357 over 3.8 bullseye out of a polygonal Kahr barrel and don't clean it because it does not lead. Velocity is just under 1000fps and very accurate. ymmv. Nick

 

[Smythe77]

With cast bullet of 125 to 140 gr I have used Unique, to Green Dot, to W231 with best of results & have to admit Unique or Green Dot are my preference & same for my 45 loads.

 

[Fatelvis]

Suggest avoiding cleaning lead-shooting barrels UNLESS accuracy deteriorates, ala a certain high-end tubemaker......

Weshoot, that comment intrigues me. Ive heard that alot about shooting lead bullets of all kinds, including rimfire. Ive been shooting my 303 Brit with Lyman's 314299, over 16 grns of 2400. It is a VERY ACCURATE load and very mild. I havent cleaned it for over 350-400 firings, and I haven't noticed any deterioration of accuracy, whatsoever. In fact, after about 25-35 rounds, the groups shrunk, and stayed smaller than the clean barrel's groups. (Notice I used a inexpensive rifle to do this experiment?)

 

[HSMITH]

I too don't recommend cleaning a lead shooter. I will use some ChoreBoy and knock out leading if present, but no solvents or anything are used. The barrel plain shoots better.

I have loaded a lot of lead 9mm, and like Unique a lot. Bullseye is another good choice for lighter loads.

 

[armoredman]

115gr LRN .356" dia over 4.3gr AA#2. Accurate enough in my CZ PO1. I prefer JHP, so i still have about 200 or 250 of these loaded up somewhere in the safe....

 

[donkee]

I use Unique for 9mm and don't see how you could double charge without dumping powder all over the place. I use 4.7g and it fills up approx 3/4 of the case. I load single stage 200 at a time and visually inspect charged cases before seating bullets.

 

[bakert]

I use HS6, AA7 and some 231 with 124gr cast bullets in a Ruger auto. Never have had a leading problem. Most time unless I really fire a lot of rds just brush the breech block good and run a bristle brush through the barrel. Each gun is different though. Some may lead more or less than others.

 

[Wastemore]

Durring trips to the range I shoot lead until I'm ready to go. Then I'll run a couple of jacketed rounds down the tube to remove any excess lead.
Not sure how well it works, but it makes me feel like I do less barrel cleaning.

 

[Wastemore]

double.

 

[donkee]

Word on the street is that firing jacketed after lead will just smear the lead and possibly raise pressures. I just scrub mine out with Shooter's Choice after 200-300 rounds (2 Saturday IDPA practices). SC gets the barrel squeaky clean....

 

[MNgoldenbear]

Word on the street is that firing jacketed after lead will just smear the lead and possibly raise pressures. I just scrub mine out with Shooter's Choice after 200-300 rounds (2 Saturday IDPA practices). SC gets the barrel squeaky clean....

Yup. The 'jacketed bullets cleaning the barrel' thing is a myth. I've run lots of lead through my Glock 19. 125 grain LRN (molycoated) over 8.2 AA#7 with WSP primer at 1.125" OAL, chrono-ed at 1120 fps. Doesn't seem to lead much, and cleans easily.

 

[RecoilRob]

I only cast bullets that I cannot find somewhere on the shelf. The Lyman 147's in 9mm are worth the trouble to make myself. Very accurate over 3.8gr WW231 and, when cast of moderately hard alloy don't lead at all...even out of a PC-9 carbine.

 

[Sunray]

121 grain truncated cone cast bullets and 3.5 grains of Bullseye has worked well for me. No leading at all.

 

[wolf_from_wv]

124G Penn Lead Round Nose and 5.5G of Unique.

Been able to chase empty shotgun hulls with that load in a HiPoint.

 

[clown714]

Quantrill,
my bad,thanks for clearing that up.

clown

 

[oscar]

I have just never been totally satisfied with lead in the 9mm. With Blazer being so cheap, I quit trying to find the right lead combination.