9x18 Ammo

[Abulg1972]

I finally caved and bought a CZ82. I plan to reload for it but I like to buy a bunch of cheap factory stuff to use for the brass. I assume PPU is good stuff, since everything they make is good stuff, but any other suggestions? .365" projectiles are pretty cheap, but if someone tells me I'm nuts for reloading when I can buy XYZ commie ammo, I'm all ears.

 

[dapefley]

Quick question, where did you find a CZ82 in stock?

 

[j8064]

The cheapest way I've found to feed my 9x18's is trim a millimeter off free 9x19 range cases and load them with Berry's plated bullets. They shoot as well as any factory rounds I've fired and are cheap, cheap cheap.

 

[Abulg1972]

Quick question, where did you find a CZ82 in stock?

Dennis at Empire.

 

[Abulg1972]

The cheapest way I've found to feed my 9x18's is trim a millimeter off free 9x19 range cases and load them with Berry's plated bullets. They shoot as well as any factory rounds I've fired and are cheap, cheap cheap.

Good suggestion, thanks. I have a boat load of 9x19 brass.

 

[Machodoc]

PPU is very good stuff, and it reloads well. For anything that I plan to shoot more than a time or two in the future, I get dies for that caliber ... and usually a bullet mold, too ... even if I don't plan to use them soon. Then I try to buy ammo with reloadable brass, even if it's a bit more expensive. I save all of the brass, of course.

Over the long run, I tend to mainly re-load 9x19, .45, .380, and 9x18 with any regularity (of handgun ammo), and just "bank" the brass for other calibers. It's probably impractical, and may be a waste of $$, but we never know when some nut will touch off another panic and we again won't be able to find--or afford--ammo or reloading supplies.

As for the 9x18 round, it's relatively cheap and easy to take a bunch of 9x19 brass, cut one mm off of it, and re-size it to make 9x18 ammo. You just need to be careful to separate the cut-downs from the full-length ammo with the same head stamps. I blacken the whole base of the case with felt marker, but that comes off eventually, so it needs to be re-done when you clean a load of those cases. They work just fine, though. When cutting those, I clamp a Lee case holder into a drill and use the Lee cutting tool with handle and depth gauge. A little mm doesn't seem like much, but if you try to do a lot of cases any other way, it takes a long time (wear thin leather gloves if you use a drill).

 

[j8064]

Good suggestion, thanks. I have a boat load of 9x19 brass.

Just don't get the trimmed cases mixed up with the untrimmed 9x19's...

 

[TexasBob]

Using trimmed 9x19 brass sounds like a great idea, then I thought, man all that mixed up brass someone going to get the sorry for the pun "short" end of the stick!

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[Melnic]

Do you shoot outside?
Indoor range I shoot at does not allow Wolf/Tula/Brown Bear.

Like Machodoc, I mark my 9x18 cases.
If you mix them up, you will feel it when you either size it or expand it. It will feel different for sure if your paying attention.

Here is my Mak reloading thread:
http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=119936

If you have found "cheap" mak bullets, let me know. The only cheap ones I ever got were cast bullets. I use x-treme bullets for 9mm. which have always been cheaper than Mak.

 

[MacGuns]

Dennis at Empire.

Was that via his request line? I haven't seen him post one on his recent updates.

The only thing stopping me from getting one is the mag issue. I have been looking for mags when I'm out of state, but haven't had any luck finding them yet. Once I can get a standard capacity mag, I will probably start looking for the gun.

 

[Abulg1972]

Was that via his request line? I haven't seen him post one on his recent updates.

The only thing stopping me from getting one is the mag issue. I have been looking for mags when I'm out of state, but haven't had any luck finding them yet. Once I can get a standard capacity mag, I will probably start looking for the gun.

He had one several months ago for $225. I immediately sent him the "I'll take it" but he said I was the 2nd in line, but said he had others and would get back to me. The next day he e-mailed to say that he has one for $375. At that time, SOG was still selling them for $279 so I balked, which I now regret. When all this P64 stuff started flying around, I got the itch so I e-mailed him and he said he had one in "excellent plus" condition and no flaking finish, and I accepted.

 

[Squaregrouper]

My friend Lisa is thinking of selling her CZ82. It has (2) 12rd mags and is blued. She moved just over the PA line to New Freedom, so a C&R and a drive up I-83 would be good to go for the magazines.
Don't know what she's asking for it, but I told her it is currently worth $350-$375
PM me if interested and I'll put you in touch with her.

 

[54rndball]

I have yet to load any Mak, although I have the dies. It is very hard to find many cartridge cases after shooting at the range. They seem to fly far and wide, thus not easy to recover.

 

[toolness1]

Do you shoot outside?
Indoor range I shoot at does not allow Wolf/Tula/Brown Bear.

Like Machodoc, I mark my 9x18 cases.
If you mix them up, you will feel it when you either size it or expand it. It will feel different for sure if your paying attention.

Here is my Mak reloading thread:
http://www.mdshooters.com/showthread.php?t=119936

If you have found "cheap" mak bullets, let me know. The only cheap ones I ever got were cast bullets. I use x-treme bullets for 9mm. which have always been cheaper than Mak.

Berry's finally started making their plated 9x18 bullets again, they work great. They stopped making them for almost two years due to the panic.

Missouri Bullet Company sells cast Mak bullets also, those are two I've used. Now I just cast my own, but I really like Berrys (and X-treme)

Your best deal on Berry's is going to be setting up a dealer account with Grafs with your C&R and ordering them. You get a nice discount vs ordering them from Powder Valley or Berry's direct.

 

[toolness1]

71 bucks for 1,000. Not bad....
https://www.grafs.com/dealer/product/241514

and 64 per 1K for the Missouri Bullet cast
https://www.grafs.com/dealer/product/433074

 

[toolness1]

I have yet to load any Mak, although I have the dies. It is very hard to find many cartridge cases after shooting at the range. They seem to fly far and wide, thus not easy to recover.

9x18 and 7.62x25 are a PAIN, they both tend to fly fly flyyyyy and you hate to lose the brass.

I use Starline 9x18 brass as well as some PPU from loaded ammo I've shot.

I stumbled on a Sportsmans Guide deal for 198 bucks shipped per 1,000 rounds of Wolf 9x18 about 5 months ago. it was like Christmas, hadn't seen a price like that since 2012

 

[damifinowfish]

Missouri Bullet Company sells cast Mak bullets also, those are two I've used. Now I just cast my own, but I really like Berrys (and X-treme)

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Dito

I use 3.4 grains of unique.

In my little P64 that round is accurate out to 50 meters

 

[Melnic]

I get close to the partition and they usually end up behind me at the indoor. I have a clamp on net for outdoor.
Yes the powder you need for Mak is like a penny per round. The cost is in the bullet. That's an attractive price at grafs. I still have hundreds of Mak I bought or reloaded I need to run through.

 

[toolness1]

Tell me more about this clamp on net!

 

[Machodoc]

Another tip that works well, if you are cutting down 9x19 brass, is to order some 9x19 once-fired brass with nickel-plated cases and only use those for your modified casings.

Another check that I do, as I clean and inspect my cut-downs, is to put them all into one of those red plastic universal-style reloading trays. When you get it loaded up you can quickly sight down the tops of the cases row by row. If one's a mm different, it shows up pretty easily.