Question about loading with lead bullets

[Bert Gamble]

I want to load 9mm with 147gr coated lead bullets from bayou bullets. I have never loaded anything but FMJ and am a bit confused because of the shape of the bullet.

Do I load and crimp as usual, or do I need to crimp where the indent is?

[rsrocket1]

Are you talking about this bullet?
That indent is called a lube groove. It's used to hold bullet lube in a plain lead bullet. Since these are coated, they don't need a lube groove, but it's easier to use a traditional lead bullet mold than to have custom molds made without grooves. You would seat the bullet so that the case mouth is above the lube groove if possible. It just makes alignment of the bullet a little more secure although if you really needed the added case volume, you could expose the lube groove. I've done that with my Lee cast bullets and it didn't seem to affect accuracy.

You need to seat the bullet to take into account 2 key aspects:
1. Overall cartridge length (OAL or COL). The bullet can't be so long that it won't fit in the magazine and properly feed into your gun. Typically that is 1.135" or shorter.

2. Interior case volume. 9mm is a small case and seating the bullet deeper raises the pressure very quickly. For a fixed charge, as you seat the bullet deeper, your muzzle velocity will go up but the pressure goes up much faster.

This is where you need to play around with your loads and find what is best with your gun. Just remember a heavy bullet drives pressures up and seating deeper drives pressures up. 9mm was designed around a 115-124g bullet so you must be careful with a heavy 147g bullet.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Ditto on what Rocket Man said.

Start with a mid range load for 147 lead boolits and make sure your OAL is right for that boolit. 1.170 is about max for that Boolit size.

Your taper crimp will be above the lube groove and if your boolit diameter is .355-.356 then the crimp needs to measure right at .366-368 at the top edge of the case mouth. In other words your case mouths will be shoved into the boolit about .005-.006 on a side. This is enough to grip the boolit firmly and prevent it from being shoved back into the case while in the magazine or during feeding.

Using Coated or Powder Coated Boolits in Auto Pistol Rounds is a good way to get away from lubing Cast Boolits. It is here to stay and Federal is already offering Polymer Coated Bullets in loaded "Practice Ammo." Powder Coat Paint is Polymer. So that's what they are selling.

I can load .45 ACP for .07-.08 per round using my home cast and PC'd Boolits.

It doesn't cost that much to get set up to make your own boolits. Everybody who reloads and especially for Auto Pistols or Revolvers should do it. It is a very valuable skill to have. www.castboolits.gunloads.com Everything you ever wanted to know about the subject of Casting Boolits and Reloading Ammunition with them,,, at one site. Everyone welcome, no previous experience necessary.

If you plan on shooting a lot then making your own is the best way to go.

Randy

[Whiterabbit]

load and crimp as usual.

[jimmykan]

I shoot a lot of Bayou Bullets, but I haven't shot their 9mm 147s.

Here's how I developed my 45ACP 200 SWC load for my 1911:

My main concern, after safety of course, was feeding / cycling reliability.

I loaded some dummy cartridges with the new style bullet, and hand-cycled through a magazine of a given OAL, I started at 1.200". If it didn't get through a whole magazine, I would adjust the OAL and try again.

If a wide range of OALs work, choose the length that results in the smoothest feeding, the quietest with no clip-clop hiccup sounds. The sweet spot in my case was 1.240".

If you're shooting a Glock, it will most likely feed any OAL just fine.

From there, pick a starting load from 147 cast bullet data. For a given powder charge, Bayou's Hi-Tek coating seems to result in higher velocity compared to a conventionally lubed cast bullet. That's my experience anyway with 9mm 124 RNs and 45ACP 200 SWCs and RNFPs.

Don't crimp these coated bullets too much, they don't really need it, just enough to get rid of the case mouth flare and allow the round to chamber smoothly.

[Bert Gamble]

Thanks to all for the replies. I have ordered some of the 147 and 135 grain bullets. I ordered both because I don't know if the 147 grain with the flat nose will feed in a 2011 style gun or not and I know the 135 RN will.

I did not see any VV load data for this bullet, but some internet research indicated many use 3.5 gr N320 to produce 130 power factor with the 147.

I really appreciate the info on case pressure. I will make sure to have the longest OAL that will feed. I notice that there is a difference of opinion on length. One says 1.135 is about max, while another says he uses 1.240. This seems like a big difference. Can we get a tie breaker?

[jimmykan]

I notice that there is a difference of opinion on length. One says 1.135 is about max, while another says he uses 1.240. This seems like a big difference. Can we get a tie breaker?

1.240" is as long as a 45ACP cartridge. Are you using STI 9mm or 38 Super magazines? Except for the feed lips, I think all STI magazine bodies have the same external dimensions, and the shorter cartridges like 9mm and 40S&W use a spacer to take up the extra fore-aft space in the magazine.

If you're using 38 Super magazines, you can load them long.

[Bert Gamble]

1.240" is as long as a 45ACP cartridge. Are you using STI 9mm or 38 Super magazines? Except for the feed lips, I think all STI magazine bodies have the same external dimensions, and the shorter cartridges like 9mm and 40S&W use a spacer to take up the extra fore-aft space in the magazine.

If you're using 38 Super magazines, you can load them long.

I am using MBX 9 mm mags.

[stilly]

What everyone else said...



(I almost left my answer at that too...)

There are crimp grooves and lube grooves indeed... But you do not really crimp a 9mm. You merely push the case mouth back to being straight...

And as for length, it all really depends on the charge and the powder.