Lee Loader

Hello from an old fart, long time shooter, just taking up reloading though.

Couldn't afford the Dillon and read some good (and bad) things about the Pro 4000. On sale at Midway so I took the jump.

I'm not casting (yet) myself, but I've been shooting my kind friend's cast reloads in my Glock 34 for a couple of years now & figured I could buy cast bullets for now and start reloading.

Big question, as so many folks sell cast bullets, but reloading data doesn't seem to specifically keep up.

SO: Is anyone using a Pro 4000, Winchester 244, and Summit City Bullets in either 9mm 124 Gr NLG BB or 9mm 147 Gr NLG BB?

If so, please give me details on powder charge and overall cartridge length for the respective bullet with 244.

If not - who has information on the closest thing to my planned loads?

PS - I've been shooting a 155gr cast bullet over various powders load by my friend, but since reloading to cut expenses, I see (obviously) that lighter cast bullets cost less (makes sense - less lead to buy).

My carry Glock (G19) likes 124 grain JHP, so I wanted to see if the G34 would like a 125/124 in a cast bullet as well. If not, I'll go to the 145/147 commercially cast bullets & work up a load.

The Winchester 244 Winclean, although relatively new, seems like something worth trying & I'm hoping that with hi-tek coating and this powder those hanging clouds of smoke on a still day will stop obscuring the steel plates! LOL!!

Thanks for welcoming me to this forum.

Kentucky Dave (who has been living in far Northern California for many years now)

P.P.S. Should I bother adding a factory crimp die into the empty station 4?

I used the FCD in the 4th hole, especially with cast bullets.

You can never go wrong with the FCD!

Thanks! I ordered it.

Off & running! I made 10 cartridges each of low charge, mid charge, and full charge and shot them today with my buddy doing the chrono work!!

First off, everything went bang at the proper moments. Functioned my Glock 34 just fine!

I loaded HSM 125g cast RN bullets into new Sig 9mm brass, with Fed primers, and Win 244 powder. The powder was at 3.6+/-. 3.8+/-, & 4.1+/-; 10 each.

The hottest charge was the most accurate and it didn't feel all that hot. But it averaged 1129fps (the lowest load averaged 1005fps).

All in all, I'm ready to slowly start using the press to its full capacity, bit by bit. It now has the factory crimp die in place.

My first bullet and best group!

Ooops! Here's the Pro 4000.

Update: I've added the Ultimate Stand and Lee Collator, as well as a second powder dispenser with the high rise attachment. Currently, this one is set up for one powder and COL, and the other for different powder & COL.

I'm not a fan of the carbide FCD . But . I shot a 9mm that needed a .358 bullet and until recently all of my 45s wanted a .454 . Try it if you get leading at least you'll have a place to start .

Most commercial cast bullets are too hard . They work but don't always deliver the best of what can be had and too hard will lead just as bad sometimes worse than too soft .
Hardcast is a sales word not a value . The only vaguely reasonable definition of it I've ever seen is "it means there's something other than tin and lead present" .
The cartridge now known as the 44 mag was created and worked up with 16# of lead and 1# of tin with gas checks.

In the case of the 12-35kpsi pistol cartridges 95% of the jacketed and cast data per bullet weight and shape is interchangeable. The lead is heavier than the copper jacket so at the same OAL there's less case intrusion and most cast bullets have a wider meplat and less ogive radius than their jacketed counter parts adding even more case space .

By way of my own mistake. ALWAYS weigh at least 25 or 5% of every lot or box of cast whether it's yours or commercial . Alloy can have an effect that changes weights dramatically. In my case it was a mould spec for lino type at .278" and 130 gr . My alloy however delivers .279" at 141 gr . That's not even a really huge deal if you're working say a 270 Win for a 12-1500 fps squirrel slayer load . It is catastrophic when you're pushing into jacketed data in a 6.8SPC . It's even more of a surprise when the available data matches the chronograph data for the charge and 130 gr bullet........

RBHarter wrote: ↑30 Apr 2024 13:04Hardcast is a sales word not a value . The only vaguely reasonable definition of it I've ever seen is "it means there's something other than tin and lead present" .

Thank you. "Hardcast" is a pet peeve of mine.

GasGuzzler wrote: ↑01 May 2024 04:49

RBHarter wrote: ↑30 Apr 2024 13:04Hardcast is a sales word not a value . The only vaguely reasonable definition of it I've ever seen is "it means there's something other than tin and lead present" .

Thank you. "Hardcast" is a pet peeve of mine.

As with me .....cast bullets have a BHN value that determines how "hard" it is.