9mm projectiles measure .357

[jimbob_walker]

About 2 months ago I ordered 2000 cast coated bullets. The site and the box says .356 which is what cast bullets should for a 9mm if I'm correct. I just measured them and they are all measuring .357.

The reason I measured is because I tried shooting out of 4 different 9s and only one would even chamber then and one jammed so bad I had to knock it out with a rod.

Anyone else run into this issue? Seems to me I now own 2000 357 projectiles and I don't even own a 357

 

[jimbob_walker]

Another question. I have a luber sizer. Can I push these coated bullets through a .355 die and use them? I've never used this luber sizer or cast bullets before.

 

[TheOfficeT-Rex]

I'm not a handgun loader, but aren't lead cast projectiles supposed to be .001 over normal diameter?

Did it jam in the chamber or squib in the barrel?

 

[Mudflap621]

lead is typically 1-2 thou oversized and it’ll really depend on ur actual bore diameter. I have a Dan wesson pm-9 that the barrel slugs out at .356 and it didn’t like the typical .356 lead coated and I moved up to .357-.358 projos. One thing to check for is sometimes you’ll have to adjust your bell for the larger diameter to get bullets to seat properly and also your crimp setting might change as well. Are you gauging your finished rounds? I much prefer using my barrel (out of the firearm) as my case gauge.

 

[sea2summit]

Not shooting through a Glock I hope.

 

[Mudflap621]

Also make sure your not jamming into the rifling. You said you had one jam in chamber what COAL are you running? Most lead projos I’ve used tend to need to be seating to much shorter coal because of their shape.

 

[Mudflap621]

I’d suggest reading over on Brian Enos forum or cast boolits there is a ton of great pistol reloading info. Coated lead projos seemed to have exploded with the target guys and there are many running them in glocks.

 

[jimbob_walker]

I'm running 1.099 on my coal. Just went by the fmj rn coal listed in my book. But it makes sense that it would be to long looking at a more tapered fmj.

 

[Gustav7]

I'm running 1.099 on my coal. Just went by the fmj rn coal listed in my book. But it makes sense that it would be to long looking at a more tapered fmj.

Ya, go shorter. If you're near the top of the book, you can always back off and double check. Coated lead is all I shoot out of any pistol anymore. They perform just as well for my needs and are substantially cheaper

And FYI, .357mag/.38spl bullets aren't usually sized to 0.357", they're going to be at least .358, if not .359. You should be completely fine running those in any standard 9mm.

Edit/Addition: I've ran .358 sized coated lead through my Glock 19 without issue.. so your .357" should be fine. I know guys on the Cowboy action circuit who purposely shooter lead bullets a little bigger so they don't have leading issues in cheap barrels...

 

[jimbob_walker]

I really appreciate all the info you guys have given me. I'll shorten these up and see what I come up with. They run really well through my sig 365. the hellcat and a couple full frames 9s wouldn't even slide closed.

 

[Gustav7]

I really appreciate all the info you guys have given me. I'll shorten these up and see what I come up with. They run really well through my sig 365. the hellcat and a couple full frames 9s wouldn't even slide closed.

I did the same thing when I switched to lead. I honestly don’t even look at book OAL’s anymore. Start conservative and work your load up like normal and seat so they chamber, or seat to the crimp groove (if you have one)

 

[ShtrRdy]

Many years ago I had a problem like that when trying to shoot lead bullets out of a .45 with a tight chamber. I ended up buying a LEE die that would reduce the diameter of the mouth of the case where the oversized bullet had pushed it out.

 

[Bullspotter]

Need to do a plunk test with ALL the 9mm Barrels you intend to shoot the lead bullets out of, Need to do some checking and find out whats wrong. Are they to long? Or to big around after loaded?

 

[mcfred]

"9mm" as far as production tolerance go is really vague. Depending on manufacturer groove diameters can be anywhere between .354" to .359".

Generally, lead is run at lower pressures than jacketed and the material is softer. Light a fire under a lead bullet and it will swage down to fit the bore. If you're not exploring max pressures then oversized is likely to be less problematic than undersized. The "plunk" test should tell you if the COAL and seated bullet diameters are acceptable for that specific chamber.

FWIW, I shoot .359-.360" cast in a 357Sig carbine that has a .357" groove diameter. It's tight, but it works.