Reloading the 9X18 Mak

[Burrhead]

I make it a point to reload everything I shoot at the range that I can so with the purchase of the P64 I am on a quest to do just that. I have 100 rounds on order but I'll never have it before the 4th of July from what Cabelas is saying and I don't want to spent the money on the CCI non reloading stuff.
So I am investigating trimming 9X19 Luger to the correct length and necking it up in the neck expander die. This should work bask on a comparison of the two cases hell the heads are with in .002" according to the manuals. I have tried a trimmed case in my pistols chamber and it fits just fine but I need to get the dies and bullets here to make sure. I'll use either HP38 or Accurate Arms #7 to reload it these both work real well in my P1 and the loading manuals list them both. I shall let you know how I fare on this.
Burrhead

[desdem12]

The mak bullet is bigger in diameter then the luger. I thought about reloading these too but i can never find the brass after i shot them. It is .360 or something odd. I have a box of bullets for it somewhere. As long as the stretching of the mouth of the case can be done then it is possible i guess.

[desdem12]

It is .364. I looked it up in my reload manual.

[Burrhead]

If I have to I'll get one of the machine shop guys spin me up an expander but I'll bet the Neck expander in the die set will do the trick. The fired cases from a 9mm pistol are already opened up some. I checked some I picked up Sunday and they are .360" on the inside so I don't really see a problem. I just have to wait for the dies to show up.

[tjtM38]

I don't want my 9 x 19 and 9 x 18 rounds mixed up; too confusing for me in my old age. I am using Fiocchi, Hornady, and Sellier and Bellot 9 x 18 Makarov cases as well as Hornady 9 mm Makarov (9 x 18) reloading dies. The bullet I am using is the Hornady XTP .365 diameter 95 Grain in front of 3.8 grains of Hodgdon Universal.

I really only reload a couple of boxes of this stuff every six months or so. My target rounds in the CZ-82 are Russian Novosibirsk 92 Grain FMJ, copper washed steel case. It is good ammo for plinking. I also have a Polish P64, Hungarian PA63 and a Baikal IJ-70 Makarov in this caliber. I don't shoot the Russian much anymore as it is getting a bit rare.

http://www.hornady.com/store/searchammo ... 2&x=30&y=9

http://www.aimsurplus.com/product.aspx? ... groupid=45

[tincansailor]

I heard people use a dremel and grind off the 9x19 mark on the rim to keep from getting mixed up. I was thinking of doing this but I have plenty of 9x18 cases.

[Burrhead]

I try and keep track of all my reloading so each weapon is listed in an Excel Spread Sheet with formulas so I can get an idea as to what I am spending for the ammo I load. I am using HP38 for my first try at this cartridge with a Berry's plated bullet 95 grains and a CCI small pistol primer. the load is 3.6 grains which is little less than the center of the chart for this round. The chart is saying 945FPS and 185 lbs/ft energy, brass is reformed 9X19 Remington head stamp. I painted the heads red so I don't get them mixed in with my other 9mm brass. If all goes well I'll try and shoot over to the range and give them a try tomorrow. I have some factory stuff ordered but no date on delivery. The Hornady Critical Defense is loaded with their HP 95 grain bullet at 975fps so I am under this load and my chart is saying a mid range pressure per the info from the powder manufacturer. One last thing my estimated cost per box of 50 is $7.50 not bad if I might say so.

[desdem12]

So is the berrys bullets the smaller diameter for the 9mm or are they the bigger diameter of the mak?

[res45]

Never bought any 9 x 18 brass I've converted 9 mm to 9 x 18 Mak. from day one. It's an easy conversion to do and cases are easy to identify by circling the primer with a colored sharpie of your choice. I trim my cases down with a Lyman power trimmer.

To date I've converted about 500 cases and have coffer can full of free 9mm brass from all those years I used to hang out at the public range. The only commercial bullets I have are the Speer 90 gr. GDHP I bought up cheap years ago before they were discontinued,I cast all my own lead bullets for general purpose shooting in my PA-63.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yrmgh3SToE

So is the berrys bullets the smaller diameter for the 9mm or are they the bigger diameter of the mak?

They make both size bullets.

[tjtM38]

So is the berrys bullets the smaller diameter for the 9mm or are they the bigger diameter of the mak?

Not sure your question ever got answered, and I don't know about the Berry's bullets because I am not familiar with that brand. However, I do know that the 9 x 18 is a larger diameter bullet than the 9 x 19. The Makarov is typically .364 or .365 diameter and the 9 x 19 is .355.

[Burrhead]

I have put this target up in the handgun section but as it applies tot his thread I thought I'd put it up here. I used the trimmed (X19 brass trimmed to .708" per the reloading manual and the load was as I posted earlier 3.6 grains of HP38 and a CCI small pistol primer. I think for a first outing I am very pleased with the results.
Burrhead

[SA1911a1]

I know all about being afraid about mixing them up. I shot PA-63s in .32 acp, .380 and 9 x 18. I can't read the headstamps on them without magnification. All of the magazines fit all of the pistols. I would not take two of them to the range at the same time. I ended up paring them down to a SMC .380 and one PA-63 in 9 x 18 before I blew something up.

My face is too pretty to get pocked up with lead, brass and steel.

[tjtM38]

My face is too pretty to get pocked up with lead, brass and steel.

Mine is not even pretty and I don't want it pocked up by brass and steel! I shot the CZ-82 this morning with some new Novosibirsk steel case ammo, and I quickly put my glasses on after the last round's case was periodically hitting me in the forehead on ejection. I hear ya about not mixing the calibers at the range. Today I shot 9 x 18 in the P-64 and the CZ-82 and the next time I might shoot 9 x 19 in the Walther P99 and my Luger, but I don't go mixing shoots with 9MM Makarov and 9MM Luger; not worth it.

[Burrhead]

I'm kind of regretting ordering the factory ammo for the brass after the way these performed, I think I'll cut some more of the (X19 I have down and use them for the Berry's plated bullets. Heck I may go ahead and order 1000 or the Berry's and a 1000 of the 124 grain 9mm bullets for target shooting. I'll order the critical defense and use it as a carry load in this gun I am quite pleased and I may take a dive at a CZ82 as well.
Burrhead

[tjtM38]

You should take a dive and buy a CZ-82. I have several more expensive auto pistols, and the milsurp CZ-82 is still the one I go back to as being easier to shoot well.