Recommend a 6 cavity casting mold for 9mm

[DS94901]

On a budget so I'm leaning toward the lee but is there a specific model you recommend? There are different 9mm molds from lee aren't there? Reloading for target ammo.

[thenodnarb]

The lee ones are great so far. Once I get them heated up, they work pretty well. I like how light they are and I like the sprue handle so I don't have to work with a mallet. I can cast several hundred in an hour. Just don't lube them like they say. Get it as clean as possible. Smoke the cavities if you like, and maybe use a dry lube like graphite on the sprue plate. Adding beeswax will just get into the cavities and screw up 5-6 pours of bullets(wrinkles).
Lee sure is budget friendly and it works!
I assume you already have a bottom pour pot? It might be hard to keep up with the 6 cavitiy if you are ladle casting.

[CSACANNONEER]

H&G 8 cav molds work best for me.

[Cowboy T]

I use Lee's 358-105-SWC mould for not just .38 Special, but also for 9mm. Due to the Crayola-tip shape of the SWC, it actually feeds very well. From my mould, the boolits drop at an actual weight of 108 to 110 grains.

The TL356-124-2R, a tumble-lube-style boolit, is also excellent for 9mm and equally recommended. I have this mould, too, in a 2-cavity model (should've gotten the 6-banger). I have not yet used the 356-125-2R, but it's the same thing with a traditional lube groove, and therefore it should also work very well.

[DS94901]

Do they all have lube grooves? I notice some have 1 large groove and some have something like 3 thin grooves. I've never reloaded cast before so I've never used anything with grooves and honestly don't know if it's required or not.

[Cowboy T]

Yes, they all have lube grooves. All cast bullets need some kind of lubrication in order to prevent lead fouling during the bullet's trip down the barrel.

The multiple smaller grooves are intended for a lubing style called, "tumble lubing". It uses a type of lube called liquid Alox. The other one has a single, larger lube groove and is intended for pan- or Lubrisizer lubing using a wax-based lube; however, liquid Alox works equally well on these.

Most of my "boolit" moulds are of the traditional lube groove variety, e. g. the 358-105-SWC. A few of them are of the tumble-lube groove type, e. g. the TL356-124-2R. Either style should work very well in your gun. I happen to use tumble-lubing on all of my boolits, regardless of type, because it saves me that much time.