9mm diameter preferences

[Lightfoot]

For coated lead bullets, I've noticed that .356" seems to be the most common size on the market.  Brazos Bullets (brazosprecision.com)  is considering making .3567 (just a touch shy of .3570") our standard.  Does anyone see a problem with being a little big?  I've had a few guys with leading issues and I think this would solve it.  We'd still offer other sizes but the "stocked" size would be a ~6-7/10ths of a thou big.   

 

I'd love to hear from y'all on this topic.  Pros/cons/concerns/etc.  

[223to45]

I run .357 no problem.

Few tenths of a thousand less should work just fine too.

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[jcc7x7]

I run .358 in two sig 226s, rx and x5.

SA osp, several 1911s. And 627and929 Revo. So should be no problem

 

[Kenstone]

1 hour ago, Lightfoot said:

For coated lead bullets, I've noticed that .356" seems to be the most common size on the market.  Brazos Bullets (brazosprecision.com)  is considering making .3567 (just a touch shy of .3570") our standard.  Does anyone see a problem with being a little big?  I've had a few guys with leading issues and I think this would solve it.  We'd still offer other sizes but the "stocked" size would be a ~6-7/10ths of a thou big.   

 

I'd love to hear from y'all on this topic.  Pros/cons/concerns/etc.  

Good question right there

As I mentioned in the other thread about bullet dia:

I buy ALL bullets at 0.358" or 0.359" dia. when I can get them, because I shoot/load for 38 and 357 too.

I push them thru a Lee sizing die, a size for the gun I'm shooting them in, and have found a 0.357" diameter bullet shoot thru all 9mm barrels, except one, a Storm Lake.

More often than not, I buy bullets listed for 38/357,  then size them and use them for 9mm. 

My preference is coated bullets with no lube groove, they feed best thru my Hornady bullet feeding dies.

 

[RAP]

I size all my 9mm Bullets .357”. I have never encountered a problem them. In my experience Cast Bullets perform better when they are sizes .002” over.


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[zzt]

The problem with oversized lead or coated bullets is taper crimping.  Many crimp dies are set up for .355" dia bullets (Lee FCD, etc.), do the die actually swages the portion of the bullet that is inside the case.  Accuracy suffers.  If you are shooting bullseye, it matters a lot.  At other games/sports, not so much.

[ExStreetWalker]

1 hour ago, zzt said:

The problem with oversized lead or coated bullets is taper crimping.  Many crimp dies are set up for .355" dia bullets (Lee FCD, etc.), do the die actually swages the portion of the bullet that is inside the case.  Accuracy suffers.  If you are shooting bullseye, it matters a lot.  At other games/sports, not so much.

 

Just screw the die out a bit.  Solves that problem.

 

My Canik requires a .357 bullet MINIMUM.  My Sig P365 also needs a .357 bullet.  My Ruger PCC works just fine with .357 bullets as does my S&W 5906.  I've got an RIA 9mm 1911 waiting to be picked up at GrabAGun.  I'll slug the bore and see where it comes in.

 

From what I've seen larger bores are more common that smaller bores on factory stock 9mm pistols.  Many 9mm pistols from overseas have larger bores.

 

I cast my own bullets, you really can't have too big of a bullet.  However a bullet that's too small will cause you all kinds of grief.

[Dwbsig]

I been shooting acme 147 flat point 356 dia with no leading but there bullet mics out at .3565. I was getting some leading from your .356 dia 147 r/n and they mic out at .356 so I ordered some .357 from y’all and that seems to have stopped  the leading I need to clean my barrel and shoot some more to be 100% sure. I think that would be a good move increasing the dia. By the way I was getting very good groups from both dia. bullets at 25 yards.

[Steve RA]

I use 0.358 in my 9mm KKM barrel and they are pretty accurate.  Am working on the load to see if I can get the same accuracy as I get from my .45, close but not quite there yet.

[zzt]

4 minutes ago, Steve RA said:

Am working on the load to see if I can get the same accuracy as I get from my .45, close but not quite there yet.

 

Push the velocity a bit.  The bullseye shooters who use 9mm in the centerfire leg tell me it doesn't get accurate until the velocity is high.

[Steve RA]

Ok, I'll give that a try.  At 1062 FPS average at present with a 130gr coated.  What do the Bullseye shooters generally run at ???

[IHAVEGAS]

Have only had one gun that was prone to leading with coated 9mm (929 S&W), moving up to .358's fixed this. 

 

If I was a manufacturer that wished to up nominal to 0.3567 I would want to advertise this so there was no potential confusion from purchasers.

 

Else. Are Glock kabooms an issue with coated? Would the increase diameter potentially make them more likely? 

[Beef15]

1 hour ago, IHAVEGAS said:

Have only had one gun that was prone to leading with coated 9mm (929 S&W), moving up to .358's fixed this. 

 

If I was a manufacturer that wished to up nominal to 0.3567 I would want to advertise this so there was no potential confusion from purchasers.

 

Else. Are Glock kabooms an issue with coated? Would the increase diameter potentially make them more likely? 

Glocks eat .358s no problem, coated or good ol fashioned lubed lead. Zero leading. I've never had traditional rifling stay as clean.

[ClayBuster]

All The 9mm bullets I buy are sized to .357, they just seem to work the best in my CZ’s and all the rest of my 9mm pistols. 

[jcc7x7]

I've shot literally 1000's of .358 dia bullets through Glocks, Sigs of all types, M&P's and a slew of revolvers with out issue.

Usually better accuracy than .355-356 bullets.  Some .357 dia bullets shoot as well but I've gotten to the point of using

.358 as my standard and not had a problem.

Side note! 

My tanfo shot .356 dia better that .358's but me and that Stock2 didn't get along so I swapped it with another benos member

for an X-5 SIG FWIW

[zzt]

16 hours ago, Steve RA said:

Ok, I'll give that a try.  At 1062 FPS average at present with a 130gr coated.  What do the Bullseye shooters generally run at ???

 

If any of them ever told me a number, I've forgotten.  I'm not sure some of them even know.  I see them out there with the Ransom rest testing at 50 yards.  When they finally find a bullet and powder combo that holds the X-ring of a B-6, they quit.  

 

This might help you out some.  https://www.shootingtimes.com/editorial/super-accurate-38-super-loads/326242  I found it in the 38 Super for bullseye thread.

 

 

Edited May 9, 2019 by zzt

[Lightfoot]

17 minutes ago, zzt said:

 

If any of them ever told me a number, I've forgotten.  I'm not sure some of them even know.  I see them out there with the Ransom rest testing at 50 yards.  When they finally find a bullet and powder combo that holds the X-ring of a B-6, they quit.  

 

 

 Most Bullseye shooters that shoot 9mm for the 50 yard line use jhp and push them pretty hard.  In fact in my humble opinion, there is no reason to load 9mm for bullseye because a 45 can hold the X ring with much lighter loads and with lead swc tips; therefore the recoil is easier to deal with than a snappy 9.  As soon as I can get the time, I want to test and develop loads for all of our bullets that will be "Bullseye accurate" just so we can have the confidence and personal experience.  There is a rumor that the 38 super can be loaded with lead in the ranges of 38 special target loads and be quite accurate and soft shooting, but I've been shooting bullseye for 3 years now and haven't seen a single 38 super on the line (at least that I'm aware of).  I'm tempted to try it just for a project.  

[zzt]

I agree.  Shooting 45 for centerfire is just easier.  

[BillR1]

OK, so why do some (many!) guns shoot just fine with Blue Bullets sized at .355? 

Just curious...

[Kenstone]

53 minutes ago, BillR1 said:

OK, so why do some (many!) guns shoot just fine with Blue Bullets sized at .355? 

Just curious...

Depends on what "just fine" means to you, may not be just fine to others, group size, etc.

I buy these blue bullets and re-size  'em

https://www.thebluebullets.com/product-p/250-125-38.htm

jmo

 

Edited May 9, 2019 by Kenstone

[Steve RA]

Thanks, I may try a few of those bullets as I mainly use coated.  JHP or FN might work better.  I'll see.

[Beef15]

2 hours ago, BillR1 said:

OK, so why do some (many!) guns shoot just fine with Blue Bullets sized at .355? 

Just curious...

My experience: Their coating is better, whether thicker, better adhered, or more abrasion and gas resistant I don't know, but Hi Tek does not seem as tolerant of being "undersized". When it comes to leading.

 

Accuracy has too many variables to make a apples to apples comparison in my opinion. One thing to consider is good enough in USPSA, IDPA, and Steel Challenge is not that tall an order for most people. It would be interesting to test same bullet from the same mold, with same coating, but sized .002-3" different, with the same powder charge and COAL, in a handful of guns starting with a clean bore for each bullet dia. from a ransom rest.

[jcc7x7]

1 hour ago, Beef15 said:

My experience: Their coating is better, whether thicker, better adhered, or more abrasion and gas resistant I don't know, but Hi Tek does not seem as tolerant of being "undersized". When it comes to leading.

 

Accuracy has too many variables to make a apples to apples comparison in my opinion. One thing to consider is good enough in USPSA, IDPA, and Steel Challenge is not that tall an order for most people. It would be interesting to test same bullet from the same mold, with same coating, but sized .002-3" different, with the same powder charge and COAL, in a handful of guns starting with a clean bore for each bullet dia. from a ransom rest.

I do the good enough load for new guns during the shooting season.

THEN

During the winter I play with loads , bullet Dia.,, and seating depth(oal)

Usually find a load that shoots half of what the "good enough" load was.

Latest example was the 147 9mm load that shot fine for winter indoor matches.

After experimenting with the load I'm using 124gr RN, Bayou's or Brazos HyTec, at 1.150 and getting 2" groups at 25 and very consistent

chrono results.

Blue Bullets where in the mix but were .355 and the ones I settled on were .358 Bayou's the 357 Brazos shoot the same group

but the sample was much smaller since I just found them a month or so ago.

 

Not a fan boy of anybody's bullets but enjoy the pricing of Brazos and have used Bayou's for 10 plus years FWIW 

[Kenstone]

5 hours ago, Beef15 said:

My experience: Their coating is better, whether thicker, better adhered, or more abrasion and gas resistant I don't know, but Hi Tek does not seem as tolerant of being "undersized". When it comes to leading.

 

Accuracy has too many variables to make a apples to apples comparison in my opinion. One thing to consider is good enough in USPSA, IDPA, and Steel Challenge is not that tall an order for most people. It would be interesting to test same bullet from the same mold, with same coating, but sized .002-3" different, with the same powder charge and COAL, in a handful of guns starting with a clean bore for each bullet dia. from a ransom rest.

Go for it

and report back to us

 

[Kenstone]

3 hours ago, jcc7x7 said:

I do the good enough load for new guns during the shooting season.

THEN

During the winter I play with loads , bullet Dia.,, and seating depth(oal)

Usually find a load that shoots half of what the "good enough" load was.

Latest example was the 147 9mm load that shot fine for winter indoor matches.

After experimenting with the load I'm using 124gr RN, Bayou's or Brazos HyTec, at 1.150 and getting 2" groups at 25 and very consistent

chrono results.

Blue Bullets where in the mix but were .355 and the ones I settled on were .358 Bayou's the 357 Brazos shoot the same group

but the sample was much smaller since I just found them a month or so ago.

 

Not a fan boy of anybody's bullets but enjoy the pricing of Brazos and have used Bayou's for 10 plus years FWIW 

Thanks for posting your test results

Consider trying the 38/125RN BLUE bullet for it's 0.358" dia, you might get better results than with the 9mm/0.355" dia/RN/version.