Heavy 9mm Bullets

[John A.]

OK, this may cause some people to develop a case of the uncontrolled twitches but I'm going to post it anyway.

I do know there are a few 147 gr 9mm bullet molds out there, but I don't like them. 

I shoot a lot of heavy subsonic 9mm stuff.  Matter of fact, that's almost exclusively all I do shoot these days.  Mostly because it's quiet and uses very little powder.

In taking a pointer from what the israeli's did to keep the longer barreled uzi's subsonic, they started using 158 gr bullets.  Since there are no 158 gr bullet molds for 9mm, I did what I thought was a good idea and started using my 38/357 mold for them.

And obviously run them all through a 9mm sizing die and then powder coat them.

They sound as good and load exactly the same as the 165 gr bullets that I've been making and loading for a couple of years now.

Just throwing it out there for anyone else that may be interested.

[sqlbullet]

Done it a bunch.  I use the Lee 358-158RF 6 cavity mold, or I did until I lost it.  Luckily I still have several thousand cast up and waiting while I continue looking.

I also have a NOE 358-128SWC mold I like a great deal.  I load them with 4 grains of 231 for about 1020 fps to save both powder and lead. But, that load won't cycle my HK P30's reliably.  Works find in everything else though.

It only takes 2.2 grains of 231 to give about 700 fps with the Lee bullet. Again, the HK's don't always cycle with that load, but everything else runs it fine.

Plan to test both of those loads in my new-to-me Fusion this weekend, along with some FMJ and some Gold Dot +p 124 grain.

[John A.]

I've been loading with about 2.8-3.0 gr of titegroup with the 158 and 165 pills.

They sound great with a good suppressor.  Depending on barrel length, they're generally in the low to mid 900's.  Which is a good plinking and showing off load.

I do have a 9mm mold, but I seldom ever use it anymore.  It's a 6 cavity 125 gr lee. 

As for primers, I'm pretty good there, but could use some large pistol if anyone knows who may have them in stock pretty cheap.