[BubbaJon]

Hey y'all!
I bumped into a Steyr S9-A1 at a gun show and started investigating because it just felt so danged good in my hand.
Eventually I made up my mind I wanted a C9-A1 because of the hi-cap mags. I called SAI, distributors, dealers that had Steyrs in old listings. None. Zip. Nada
Finally I had made up my mind to settle for the S9 since the dealer still had it and decided to give GunBroker one last go. Yee-ha! Got a C9 for a reasonable price with 4 mags.
Well... reasonable for unobtanium anyway. I heard rumors that Steyr would be getting some in soon but didn't want the bird-in-hand to fly.
So took her to the range with a couple hunnerd rounds of 124 grain cast boolits I sized at .356 and I tried 4.5 gn of HP-38 and 5.2 gn of Unique. They shot well enough for a new pistola but started to spread. At the end of the day I had a horribly leaded barrel. Took me a good long while to clean that mess up...
So - to y'all that reload - would I be better off sized at .357? What works for y'all?
I have a big box of 124 gn FMJ coming in this week so it's not that big a deal but I do like shooting my own cast.

 

[Syntax360]

I can't offer reloading advice (Wulf would be my go-to for anything like that), but glad to hear you like the pistol! If you ask me, you lucked out getting the S-A1 instead of a C-A1. The S-A1 will accept full-size 15 or 17 round Steyr magazines, so it's not like you're especially limited by owning the S-A1. :cheers:

What part of Texas are you in?

 

[BubbaJon]

I can't offer reloading advice (Wulf would be my go-to for anything like that), but glad to hear you like the pistol! If you ask me, you lucked out getting the S-A1 instead of a C-A1. The S-A1 will accept full-size 15 or 17 round Steyr magazines, so it's not like you're especially limited by owning the S-A1. :cheers:

What part of Texas are you in?

Austin. I think you got that backwards the. S only takes a 10 round mag the C takes the 17.
That was the main reason I wanted the. C was the larger capacity.

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[Wulf]

Hiya Bubba*

Welcome ta The Club, Bro. :thumbsup:

What *tax is talkin' bout is that the hicap mags for the full size grip models will function well in the S-Series, as well. Also, the S9-A1 can use S40 mags and magically, the capacity goes to 12 rounds. <shrug>

Far as your reloads for your 9x19, I'd prolly stay with .356 cast or resized to .356. And, keep the bbl "pristine" and not leaded up. That end-of-the-day-spread makes me wonder about the grooves gettin' leaded up. Just a thought. <shrug>

And, if ya wanna go with .357, ya oughtta consider slackin' off on your powder charge ta start with, just ta be safe. :thumbsup:

Anyway, keep us in the loop, Bro.

Wulf <-- not big on cast bullets for 'is 9X19 reloads and wonderin' about hastened lead build-up with .357 cast lead bullets opcorn:

 

[BubbaJon]

Hiya Bubba*

Welcome ta The Club, Bro. :thumbsup:

What *tax is talkin' bout is that the hicap mags for the full size grip models will function well in the S-Series, as well. Also, the S9-A1 can use S40 mags and magically, the capacity goes to 12 rounds. <shrug>

I wish I'd known that although I'm not sure where that fat mag would fit. All said and done I would have paid about the same with the 4 mags.
Good to know!


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[Branth]

I got away from cast lead loads in my gun for this very reason. I just got tired of endlessly scrubbing. Maybe a dire shortage of components will compel me once again to use substandard materials, but I hope not!

 

[Wulf]

Hiya Bubba*

Uhhh, whataya mean by "fat mag"?

...I'm not sure where that fat mag would fit....

Ifn ya got Q's, don't hesitate ta ask your Bro's. We all here for ya. :thumbsup:

Wulf <-- maybe not all there taday. <shrug>

 

[misterlarry]

Welcome from The Woodlands! Congrats on your new Steyr.

 

[Syntax360]

Right, the M-A1 magazines will protrude from the bottom of the S-A1 grip, but they are 100% compatible. You can buy either 15 or 17 round magazines from Steyr and use them in your S-A1, provided you do not mind the extended length magazine protruding from the bottom of your magwell.

 

[ETH77]

If you can spring for it, Precision Bullets in Kemp, TX has a polymer coated lead bullet that doesn't let the barrel lead up. It's used in USPSA and 9mm 124gr are $80/1,000. If you reload a lot, the bullets are $250/3500 - a little over 0.07/rnd. If you have primers, powder and brass, it makes practice real cheap. Not as cheap as wheel weights, but not bad.

I shoot .40 with 185 gr FP and 5.8gr of WSF on Winchester or Wolf primers - makes major power factor for USPSA Limited.

 

[BubbaJon]

If you can spring for it, Precision Bullets in Kemp, TX has a polymer coated lead bullet that doesn't let the barrel lead up. It's used in USPSA and 9mm 124gr are $80/1,000. If you reload a lot, the bullets are $250/3500 - a little over 0.07/rnd. If you have primers, powder and brass, it makes practice real cheap. Not as cheap as wheel weights, but not bad.

I shoot .40 with 185 gr FP and 5.8gr of WSF on Winchester or Wolf primers - makes major power factor for USPSA Limited.

Thanks. I've been following a discussion on powder coating cast.it may be something to consider. Meanwhile I found a source for 9mm 124gr8 fmj so I'll bff trying those next time out.
On another note, I finished my holster this weekend.

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[ThaiBoxer]

I would try sizing some .357 lead and retest if it is easy for you to do. I've shot .357 plated & lead in mine & works fine with no lead buildup. I don't cast, so I have no info on hardness that can obviously also be important.

 

[MrApathy]

Not sure how new production steyr pistols are but my steyr pistols in 9mm have a short throat and if you dont seat them short they will go into the rifling. keep in mind it can affect accuracy. It is worse with truncated or cone shaped bullets. .357" I never tried it in my steyr I shot 147gr lead bullets with flat point but had a ball like profile except the flat point comparable to JHP profile though no HP. My Steyr's in 9mm sometimes send 147gr bullets Lead/FMJ/Plated canted so they impact target sideways instead of a nice round hole. upping the hardness may be solution to your problem. I dont know what the hardness was for the lead 147gr I got on the cheap were but they shot pretty well and didnt lead real bad I used medium loads with WSF and Titegroup.

 

[BubbaJon]

Not sure how new production steyr pistols are but my steyr pistols in 9mm have a short throat and if you dont seat them short they will go into the rifling. keep in mind it can affect accuracy. It is worse with truncated or cone shaped bullets. .357" I never tried it in my steyr I shot 147gr lead bullets with flat point but had a ball like profile except the flat point comparable to JHP profile though no HP. My Steyr's in 9mm sometimes send 147gr bullets Lead/FMJ/Plated canted so they impact target sideways instead of a nice round hole. upping the hardness may be solution to your problem. I dont know what the hardness was for the lead 147gr I got on the cheap were but they shot pretty well and didnt lead real bad I used medium loads with WSF and Titegroup.

Hmmm I cycled all the rounds and didn't see any marks. I seat to oal of a little shy of max. I'll check that out.

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