Need some advice on loading lead bullets for my M&P9

[Troy]

I have been searching, but I can't find a definitive answer. I have 124gr LRN bullets, I want to load with WSF. Hogdon's website say start with 4.0 - 4.7 with OAL of 1.169. With that overall length the round doesn't come close to chambering. Only if I seat the bullet to a 1.10 it wil sit in the chamber like a factory round. It would appear to me that 1.10 is what I am looking at, but what should my starting load be since there seem to be quite a big difference in OAL. Is there anything else that I may be overlooking? I really don't want to blow my gun up, or my hands since they both compliment each other.

 

[C Hyde]

Lots of luck with the lead bullets. I have tried different power, bullet wts, guns and never could get the lead bullets to shoot straight out of a 9mm. Now jacketed bullets all the time.

 

[mike cyrwus]

Im thinking your bullet profile is either weird or you bulged the bullets when you seated or crimped, because RN bullets I load can be loaded out to 1.14" or so and still feed in the mags and chamber.
What brand are they?

 

[kaiserb]

Im thinking your bullet profile is either weird or you bulged the bullets when you seated or crimped, because RN bullets I load can be loaded out to 1.14" or so and still feed in the mags and chamber.
What brand are they?

I have been searching, but I can't find a definitive answer. I have 124gr LRN bullets, I want to load with WSF. Hogdon's website say start with 4.0 - 4.7 with OAL of 1.169. With that overall length the round doesn't come close to chambering. Only if I seat the bullet to a 1.10 it wil sit in the chamber like a factory round. It would appear to me that 1.10 is what I am looking at, but what should my starting load be since there seem to be quite a big difference in OAL. Is there anything else that I may be overlooking? I really don't want to blow my gun up, or my hands since they both compliment each other.

I have had some oddball results with 124 gr lead. The ogive is different on the lead bullets vs. the jacketed ones and loading at max length 1.169 causes issues.

For 124-130 gr LRN I load at 1.140 OAL
For 147 gr RNFP I load at 1.135 OAL

 

[Troy]

Im thinking your bullet profile is either weird or you bulged the bullets when you seated or crimped, because RN bullets I load can be loaded out to 1.14" or so and still feed in the mags and chamber.
What brand are they?

These are bullets my dad cast from a Lee mold. After sizing the bullets the diameter is .355.

 

[mike cyrwus]

Maybe call Lee?

 

[Troy]

Maybe call Lee?

Now why would somebody do that?

I guess I could to see what they have to say for themselves.

 

[Rodshoot]

If you have the same Lee 9mm RN mould I do, TL356-124-2R, generic loading data is worthless. All the oversize bearing surface has to be inside the case for it to chamber, and if you size the bullet to .355, forget accuracy.. The 4 gr of HP38 load with this bullet fires and functions in a Sigma, but won't cycle a Brn HP (does not like lead or plated anyway in full-power loads). Haven't tried it in an M&P because I just load all my 9mm with Precision Delta 124gr jacketed and don't even mess with plated or lead in 9mm anymore.
.38 and .45, yes; 9mm and .40 S&W, no.