Anyone Reload 9mm Makarov?

Hey everyone how's it going? Contemplating getting a pistol that shoots 9mm makarov and I was wondering if anyone reloads for it, and if so what bullets do they use? I see Berrys makes a 95gr plated RN bullet for it. A search in the forum came up with nothing so I thought I would ask.
Thanks,
Mav

I shoot a lot of 9X18 in my Makarovs, CZ-82's and P-64. I have not started reloading for it yet.

With that said consider this a tag as this is relevant to my interests.

I have been using the Berry's 95 grain plated bullet over 7.5 grains of Accurate Arms #7 powder with very good results. I usally also use once fired 9mm NATO brass cut to the correct length and ran thru the sizer die these are easier to find than good reloadable Makrov brass, and tend to last longer. I use the NATO brass because it will not say 9mm Luger on the base just a date.

I have also been using berrys 95gr over 3.5 to 3.7 grains of HP-38. Never had a feeding problem with my CZ-82.

I've reload for the 9 x 18 for my PA-63 for several years especially since ammo is twice what it used to be. I make my brass from reformed 9mmcases it's and easy conversion.

As far as bullets I shoot cast,Lee make a nice 95 gr. RN mold and if you don't cast your own Missouri Bullet as well as Meister Bullets both make a 93 gr.RN cast bullet.

Powder wise about any powder that works in the 9mm works in the 9 x 18,Bullseye,Power Pistol,HP-38/W-231 all give excellent results with cast bullet loads. The only J bullets I shoot and not very often are the Speer Gold Dot HP's I bought up a good supply of those before they were discontinued.

9mm to 9 x 18
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yrmgh3SToE

I've been loading the Hornady 95 XTP's over 3.7 - 4.0 gr. of 231. I also make my own brass out of fired 9mm brass.

Good idea.

I have about 100 cases of factory 9x18 from some JHP defensive ammo... Been meaning to get dies and some tips and see what I can do... Perhaps I'll cut down some of my 9mm cases as well... That would give me a good reason to invest in those dies.

Interesting idea on using NATO brass to avoid confusion. One of the reasons why I don't use cut down 9mm Luger is I don't want to cause any confusion with regular 9mm brass. I was thinking about getting something to make the cases so that they stand out.

Two ways to do that I use brass primer in one cartridge and nickel plated primers in another or you can circle the primer with a Red or Black Sharpie.

I read on another forum where a guy was talking about using cut down 9mm brass for his P-64. He said that he takes a red marker and runs it across the base of his cartridges after he is finished loading the cases. I got the impression that he used the widest tip marker that he could find. This would be fairly easy and would stand out well.

Scrounge up some nickel 9mm cases and use those for 9 Mak.

Has anybody tried anything like Dykem? Dykem staining color

Thanks for the awesome replies everyone. Wow! I had no idea I can make my own cases from 9mm brass. That is awesome to hear. To the guys that do this, I watched the youtube video that res45 had in his reply. It seems pretty straight forward, but I do have some questions. Before I ask my questions I want to make sure I have the steps down correctly, here is what I got from the video:

A) Install your makarov expander die in your press along with the makarov shell holder (which is same size as 9mm shell holder)
B) Insert a previously fired (but not re-sized) 9mm case into the press and expand it to take out the case taper in the 9mm case.
C) Remove makarov expander die from press and install makarov full length sizer die. When doing so screw die in until it just touches the shell holder (do not move die in further).
D) Run the 9mm case that you previously expanded in the makarov expander die from step 2 to re-size the entire 9mm case to a similar straight-walled makarov case.
E) Trim the 9mm case by 1mm double checking overall case length with a new unfired makarov case for comparison.
Your 9mm case is now a makarov case.

So those were the steps I got from it, so now for my questions.

1) For step A, he doesn't say how he sets the makarov expander die.

2) After I do the steps and have my newly formed makarov cases, what steps need to be done with the makarov dies again in order for them to be reloaded? What I am thinking is that these newly converted cases were re-sized and trimmed to the same dimension as a new makarov case, I shouldn't have to re-size them again, but do I have to run them through the neck sizer die again to flare the mouth of the case so the bullet seats okay, or will a bullet fit okay in the case as is? What steps in the reloading process do I need to do with these converted cases to reload them as makarov ammo?

Sorry about the long post, just want to be sure of the parts he didn't cover in his video. I don't have the Lee makarov dies yet, but am going to be getting them soon. I am also going to buy a small amount of makarov boxer primed factory ammo so I have some stuff for comparison.
Thanks,
Mav

For step "A" run it down as far as you can and still have it fit in the sizing die after your done, remember that it will cause the case to expand to a bell shapped too much and the case mouth will not fit backinto the sizer die. THis might take a case or two to get right but once you find the sweet spot I usally run a couple of hundred cases at a time. Once you run them thru the expander you can use a trimmer to make the cases the correct length, I use a lee trimmer and an electric drill seems to work the best, for me. Then just relaod as normal, just treat the newly trimmed cases as once fired and reload like you would any other cartridge.

I have a friend that asked me about loading 9 Mak the other day.

Toward the end of the video you will see that he show the progression of the case reforming,the third case has the typical amount of case mouth flare to use. Thats about the amount I put on mine before running the case through the 9 x 18 FL resizing die.



After you do the case conversion and trim them to the correct length you will need to flare the case mouth to accept the new bullet just like you would any other pistol rd. The case may or may not have a slight hourglass shape to them when first loaded but it's ok if they do, the new converted case will fire form to the pistols chamber. From that point on just prep and load them like any other pistol cartridge.

As for trimming I use a Lyman lathe trimmer like in the video but mine has the power adapter powered by a cordless drill. I use a piece of once fired 9 x 18 steel case ammo as my case length gage thats trimmed to .710" to set up my trimmer each time I do a batch and trim them all to that length. Case length on the 9 x 18 run between .703" Min. and .713" Max I trim mine to .710. as my Lyman manual suggest. You can't really trim just 1mm of a 9mm case and call it a day because 9mm cases vary greatly in length for one case to the next and especially between brands. You will notice when your trimming down the converted brass that some cases will trim alot of excess brass and some want trim off much at all.

Okay so it sounds like I understand the steps from the video. In regards to setting the makarov expander die in step A, from what you guys stated, I will have to use some trial and error with this? I watched the video again and here are a couple of things I noticed. When he puts the makarov expander die into his press it looks like the die is pretty much all the way in the press. I got this by judging where his lock ring on the lee die was. Looking at the video I really don't see any threads on the die above the lock ring, so it looks like his die is threaded all the way into his press. Correct me if I am wrong on this. The other thing I noticed is that the case only looks flared a little. Maybe I am wrong on that one.

Thanks for clarifying that I will still need to flare the newly made makarov cases again enough to accept a new bullet. I have an old RCBS manual trimmer in storage that I will need to break out to try to do this. Will I be able to use the RCBS 9mm pilot and collet for these cases in the trimmer?

Res45-Thanks for the suggestion on using a steel case as an indexer for trimming. Yeah I agree case lengths vary a lot, and it is best to always go off a proper sized case keeping it within min and max recommendations in reloading manuals.

One other question is in regards to lead bullets. I am looking at getting a CZ-82. It has a polygonal rifled barrel. Is this like a glock barrel where you can't shoot lead bullets through it? I ask because I was looking at the prices between berrys plated and missouri bullets leaded and you can get twice as many lead bullets as the plated for only a few dollars more. I can just get the plated if lead is not advised to shoot through that barrel. Currently the only lead bullets I reload are for my 1911 which shoot great through it...
Thanks,
Mav

I reload for my E. German Mak using 95 Gr Hornady XTP over 3.7 gr. W231. Makes for a very accurate combination for me. Love that gun.

That is correct but it's not all that critical that you have it set to any predetermined amount of flare,you just need to flare the case mouth enough so that it can get an easy start into the 9 x 18 FL resizing die. The Lee expander die is made a bit differently than the RCBS die,the RCBS die has a mandrel that adjusts up and down to vary the flare where the Lee expander die has a floating expander and the amount is adjusted by adjusting the die body up and down in the press.



Yes on both counts. Since the cases are formed for once fired 9mm brass you can use the same collet. Reforming the brass doesn't change the case head dimensions,all your doing is turning a tapered case into a straight wall case. As to the trim pilot it wasn't mentioned but the 9mm pilot works best because of various case thicknesses of 9mm brass even though you have expanded the case using the 9 x 18 FL die the inside case mouth dia. on some cases will be slightly smaller till there fireformed in the pistol so the 9mm pilot works well for the trimming process. A good sharp cutter head is a plus also.



Well thats debatable as to where you can shoot lead in polygonal rifled barrels or not based on Internet rumor or ask people that have experience and have actually done it. My casting and shooting buddy Andy shoots nothing but cast bullet loads out of his CZ and has for years with no issues,what little lead does show up on occasion is easily removed with a brush and tight patch. If you do go with lead don't hot rod the load and inspect your barrel often to see if there is any lead buildup if so clean it out before shooting anymore. Also don't shoot jacketed or plated bullets after shooting lead without cleaning the bore first. Here is some more info http://forums.gunboards.com/showthread.php?121312-9-X-18mm-MAK-Cast-Bullet-Loads-in-CZ-82

Dykem is made to be scratched though with a scribe, so it wears off fairly easily and is "thicker" than a marker mark and tends to flake.

Res45;
Thanks again for your continued help with answering my questions. I think I 'm all set. I gotta get everything, but once I do if I run into any issues I will post up again. Also-thanks for the link about the lead vs polygonal barrel debate. I think what I will do for now is just load up some initially with the plated bullets until I get comfortable making my cases and reloading for the gun. Then perhaps later I will venture into shooting lead through it.
Cheers,
Mav

Sounds like a plan and a good approach taking things one step at a time. Best of luck.

Thanks for the reply Chris. I guess I will keep using a red Sharpie.

Another x18 loader here... Berrys plated, Titegroup and Nickel cases (to distinguish from 9x19).


I still have ~2000 nickel cases to trim down to x18. If anyone has any tricks as to the easiest/fastest way to do this, I'm all ears eyes! Right now using a lathe-style trimmer and with my ADD, I quit after doing about a dozen cases.

Wondering if there's a way to use a drill press trimmer or something?

For $25 at Harbor Freight, you can get a mini chop saw that works pretty well for trimming off most of the extra 1mm. I suffer the same impatience you do but was able to do about 500 cases last weekend using the saw and finishing with a hand trimmer.

This is what I use.
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/736582/lyman-universal-trimmer-power-adapter

Chop saw! So you use this with success, eh? Sweet! I was actually looking into getting one of the mini-chop saws for 300BLK (not that I own a 300BLK... yet!), the thought of using it for Mak never entered my empty head. I might have to try that whenever I get back into converting more cases.



I have that for my trimmer... but for reasons that I cannot recall, I had still had problems. I'll have to dig everything up again and do a small batch to figure out what my issues were.

Thanks for the suggestions!

Thanks dryflash, may have to give that a try.

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