9X18mm bullet source - The Firearms Forum

Joker18 · 10-24-2009, 08:00 PM

The 9X18mm Makarov round uses a .364" diameter bullet. All the commercial 9mm (or 9X19mm) bullets are .355" in diameter. I have read some info elsewhere that people have written about using Hornady's XTP bullet that Hornady uses in their commercial 9x18 delf defense loads. The writer stated he could not achieve factory velocities (>1,000 fps) presumably because of the slight blow by of gases on the .355" bullet.
Has anyone a good source of proper 9X18 bullets?

tntrucker · 10-24-2009, 08:13 PM

There are several places on the internet to get them. Sportsmans Guide, J&G Sales, Aim surplus. You can get FMJ or HP in Russian ammo. Privi Partizan makes them too.

Joker18 · 10-24-2009, 09:08 PM

I should have been more clear in my post. I need just the bullet for reloading, not the whole cartridge. Sorry, my bad.

tntrucker · 10-24-2009, 09:14 PM

Actually, it was probably me who wasn't reading carefully.

res45 · 10-25-2009, 08:10 AM

Here are a few different ones,I shoot the last two but the Missouri brand came after I had made my purchase,they make excellent bullets and I wouldn't hesitate to use theres.

http://www.missouribullet.com/result...5&secondary=28

http://www.meisterbullets.com/asccus...22&navParent=0

http://store.thirdgenerationshooting...fm/4,6677.html

I make my 9 x 18 brass from once fired 9mm case,use W231,Bullseye I also have some HP-38 I picked up last week. HP-38 according to Hodgdons it's the same powder as W231 just a different lot,the load data on the web site is identical but I'm still going to work up my load as I usually do regardless.

I shoot cast bullets in my PA-63 in 9 x 18 about 99% of the time,I push them up to 1000 fps with no leading problems. I like 3.5 grs. of W231 as a general purpose load with the cast bullets for target and plinking. The speer GDHP preforms excellent in my PA using 4.0 grs of W231 2" groups at 25' are the norm.

9mm to 9 x 18 case conversion,it's all I shoot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yrmgh3SToE

Bindernut · 10-25-2009, 08:28 AM

Hornady sells their .365" XTP HP as a separate component for reloading. The catalog number for it is #36500.
MidwayUSA has it as well as a Speer TMJ and a Meister cast lead available too.
http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/Brow...9785***9015***
I'm pretty sure that Graf & Son's, Natchez, or MidSouth Shooters Supply would also carry a .364/.365 bullet or two.
Berry's also has a plated lead round nose for the 9x18 too.

I know a few years back Speer used to offer a .364" Gold Dot HP as a component but it seems that it's been discontinued.

Don't use a .355" bullet when reloading the 9x18. Because of the diameter difference, a resized Mak case won't hold a .355 bullet tight enough to make reliable ammo...bullets may slip forward and jam up your pistol or slip farther into the case and cause high pressures when fired. Besides, accuracy will be poor too.

res45 · 10-25-2009, 08:55 AM

Check my link if you want the Speer GDHP for the 9 x 18 there still available. I haven't tried the Berry's yet but there a good alternative between cast and jacketed bullets if you don't like lead and the price of jacketed bullets. I have shot a few of the Hornady XTP I reloaded and the Speer HP's grouped better in my pistol,your milage may vary.

http://www.berrysmfg.com/product.asp...&pp=8&sb=0&p=0

Joker18 · 10-25-2009, 02:00 PM

Wow thanks for all the responses, and the data too. I have been shooting the 9mm for decades as well as .45 ACP and .380. I am new however to the 9x18. I recently purchased a CZ-82 and it turned out to be a very nice weapon.

res45 · 10-25-2009, 02:48 PM

One note on the CZ you have is it has the smooth polygon rifling some will say that you can't shoot cast bullets in those, but a good shooting and reloading friend of mine shoot cast bullets in his with no problems. Just watch for leading and if thats a concern then shoot the Berry's plated bullets.

I shoot the Berry's bullets in my 9mm and they preform excellent,I see no reason why they wouldn't in the 9 x 18 also. If you don't have any data on th Speer GDHP email Speer they will email you a scan from there newest manual.

Some other data
http://www.makarov.com/mak03.html

Bindernut · 10-25-2009, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by res45

Check my link if you want the Speer GDHP for the 9 x 18 there still available. I haven't tried the Berry's yet but there a good alternative between cast and jacketed bullets if you don't like lead and the price of jacketed bullets. I have shot a few of the Hornady XTP I reloaded and the Speer HP's grouped better in my pistol,your milage may vary.

http://www.berrysmfg.com/product.asp...&pp=8&sb=0&p=0

Better snap up those Gold Dot HPs. Speer no longer has em listed in their catalog so I suspect they are discontinued & that's just some old stock that 3rdGen still has in the warehouse.
I hope not, as the Gold Dot is a good design and I'd hate to see it go away as an option for the 9x18 shooters.

I haven't reloaded for the 9x18 in many years. Had a couple Baikal (commercial) Makarov's that I used to load for. They're pretty much just "hanger-queens" now except for when I run a bit of cheap berdan-primed Wolf ammo through em just for fun.

The advice to avoid lead bullets in the polygon-rifled CZ-82 barrel is a good one. The Berry's plated bullet should still be a good option though.

10-24-2009, 08:00 PM	#1
Joker18 Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Southeastern US Posts: 4	9X18mm bullet source The 9X18mm Makarov round uses a .364" diameter bullet. All the commercial 9mm (or 9X19mm) bullets are .355" in diameter. I have read some info elsewhere that people have written about using Hornady's XTP bullet that Hornady uses in their commercial 9x18 delf defense loads. The writer stated he could not achieve factory velocities (>1,000 fps) presumably because of the slight blow by of gases on the .355" bullet. Has anyone a good source of proper 9X18 bullets? -->

10-24-2009, 08:13 PM	#2
tntrucker V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 119	Re: 9X18mm bullet source There are several places on the internet to get them. Sportsmans Guide, J&G Sales, Aim surplus. You can get FMJ or HP in Russian ammo. Privi Partizan makes them too.

10-24-2009, 09:14 PM	#4
tntrucker V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 119	Re: 9X18mm bullet source Actually, it was probably me who wasn't reading carefully.

10-25-2009, 08:10 AM	#5
res45 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 182	Re: 9X18mm bullet source Here are a few different ones,I shoot the last two but the Missouri brand came after I had made my purchase,they make excellent bullets and I wouldn't hesitate to use theres. http://www.missouribullet.com/result...5&secondary=28 http://www.meisterbullets.com/asccus...22&navParent=0 http://store.thirdgenerationshooting...fm/4,6677.html I make my 9 x 18 brass from once fired 9mm case,use W231,Bullseye I also have some HP-38 I picked up last week. HP-38 according to Hodgdons it's the same powder as W231 just a different lot,the load data on the web site is identical but I'm still going to work up my load as I usually do regardless. I shoot cast bullets in my PA-63 in 9 x 18 about 99% of the time,I push them up to 1000 fps with no leading problems. I like 3.5 grs. of W231 as a general purpose load with the cast bullets for target and plinking. The speer GDHP preforms excellent in my PA using 4.0 grs of W231 2" groups at 25' are the norm. 9mm to 9 x 18 case conversion,it's all I shoot. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yrmgh3SToE Last edited by res45; 10-25-2009 at 08:12 AM..

10-25-2009, 08:28 AM	#6
Bindernut Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: ND, USA Posts: 2,453	Re: 9X18mm bullet source Hornady sells their .365" XTP HP as a separate component for reloading. The catalog number for it is #36500. MidwayUSA has it as well as a Speer TMJ and a Meister cast lead available too. http://www.midwayusa.com/browse/Brow...9785*9015* I'm pretty sure that Graf & Son's, Natchez, or MidSouth Shooters Supply would also carry a .364/.365 bullet or two. Berry's also has a plated lead round nose for the 9x18 too. I know a few years back Speer used to offer a .364" Gold Dot HP as a component but it seems that it's been discontinued. Don't use a .355" bullet when reloading the 9x18. Because of the diameter difference, a resized Mak case won't hold a .355 bullet tight enough to make reliable ammo...bullets may slip forward and jam up your pistol or slip farther into the case and cause high pressures when fired. Besides, accuracy will be poor too.

10-24-2009, 09:08 PM	#3
Joker18 Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Southeastern US Posts: 4	Re: 9X18mm bullet source I should have been more clear in my post. I need just the bullet for reloading, not the whole cartridge. Sorry, my bad.

10-25-2009, 08:55 AM	#7
res45 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 182	Re: 9X18mm bullet source Check my link if you want the Speer GDHP for the 9 x 18 there still available. I haven't tried the Berry's yet but there a good alternative between cast and jacketed bullets if you don't like lead and the price of jacketed bullets. I have shot a few of the Hornady XTP I reloaded and the Speer HP's grouped better in my pistol,your milage may vary. http://www.berrysmfg.com/product.asp...&pp=8&sb=0&p=0 Last edited by res45; 10-25-2009 at 12:29 PM..

10-25-2009, 02:00 PM	#8
Joker18 Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Southeastern US Posts: 4	Re: 9X18mm bullet source Wow thanks for all the responses, and the data too. I have been shooting the 9mm for decades as well as .45 ACP and .380. I am new however to the 9x18. I recently purchased a CZ-82 and it turned out to be a very nice weapon.

10-25-2009, 02:48 PM	#9
res45 V.I.P. Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 182	Re: 9X18mm bullet source One note on the CZ you have is it has the smooth polygon rifling some will say that you can't shoot cast bullets in those, but a good shooting and reloading friend of mine shoot cast bullets in his with no problems. Just watch for leading and if thats a concern then shoot the Berry's plated bullets. I shoot the Berry's bullets in my 9mm and they preform excellent,I see no reason why they wouldn't in the 9 x 18 also. If you don't have any data on th Speer GDHP email Speer they will email you a scan from there newest manual. Some other data http://www.makarov.com/mak03.html