9mm with unique ?

[jcerillo70]

The lee modern reloading Manuel calls for 5.1-5.8 max grains of unique for 115gr 9mm

From the Alliant website they call for 6.3 gr of unique for the 115gr 9mm

seems like much to big of a difference... I did 5 round with 5.4 gr and 10 rds with 5.7 grs. Ill try them tomorrow

Any insight?

 

[Steve Koski]

I've ran 115 round nosed jacketed bullets up to 6.3 Unique. Plenty of power, and freaky accurate to boot. 6.3 barely fits in the case though. Takes a smooth hand on the ole Dillon 550.

Work up slowly.

Koski

 

[rcmodel]

6.3 is perfectly fine with most 115 jacketed bullets.
Reduce 10% for the starting load = 5.7.

An exception might be Hornady XTP, as they have a longer bearing surface then some other bullets.

And if you notice, Lee doesn't bother to tell you what exact bullet they are talking about.
Alliant says they are testing using a Speer Gold-Dot.

Lee data is copied from old powder & bullet manufactures data available at the time the book was printed.
At that time Alliant was probably testing with 115 FMJ-RN bullets.

rc

 

[beeenbag]

The most best shooting load I got out of my g 19 was 5.3 g of unique under a 115 g berrys hollow point. The hotter I got the more accuracy suffered.

 

[X-Rap]

I load 5.6 under cast bullets and 6 under fmj's and hp's all 115 gr.
Unique is all I use in 9mm and .38 spl.

 

[ny32182]

Does anyone load 147's with Unique?

Reading online I picked out 3.8gr Unique and a 147gr FMJ as a potential match load. Average velocity out of my gun was slightly high at 903fps, but the problem for me was that the velocity was reading very inconsistent; I recorded an ES of 50fps... do you guys see this kind of thing?

 

[918v]

Go with the bullet manufacturer's data.

 

[Steve C]

To give you some idea of what kind of velocities you will get with Unique here are some I've run over the chrono, all using Remington 115gr jHP's. Unfortunately they where all shot from different pistols on different days so an meaningful extrapolation of velocity progression isn't possible but it will give you some idea.

5.2grs 1,151 fps Glock19
5.7grs 1,220 fps Taurus PT92
6.0grs 1,257 fps Walther P1

 

[rfwobbly]

The lee modern reloading Manuel calls for 5.1-5.8 max grains of unique for 115gr 9mm

From the Alliant website they call for 6.3 gr of unique for the 115gr 9mm

seems like much to big of a difference... I did 5 round with 5.4 gr and 10 rds with 5.7 grs. Ill try them tomorrow

Any insight?

In 9x19 the case volume is so small that the OAL makes a HUGE difference. So on 9x19 you can't simply discuss powder loads without also giving the OAL. Often you'll see that more powder is applied to longer OALs.

 

[rbernie]

For cast bullets in the 124gr-125gr range, I have run as low as 4gr of Unique and usually settle around 4.5gr-4.8gr as a good compromise of economy, recoil, and oomph.

 

[jcerillo70]

In 9x19 the case volume is so small that the OAL makes a HUGE difference. So on 9x19 you can't simply discuss powder loads without also giving the OAL. Often you'll see that more powder is applied to longer OALs.

im using a 1.138 OAL / Recommended for all Glock 34's

 

[Sapper771]

One of my best loads for my Glock 17 is 5.4gr of Unique under a Montana Gold 115gr FMJ.

 

[popper]

5 grn Unique for rem RN and MBC cast 115 grn from XD.

 

[Rollis R. Karvellis]

Yesterday, I, fired 46 rounds out of my G17, using 115 gn. FMJ Winchester's, 6gns. of Unique, Magtech SP primer's. This was offhand, accuricy was good at 25 yard's. I, might back it down to 5.5gn., the recoil was a littil snappy for a load that will be used 99% of the time for target's.

 

[PapaG]

Use Alliant data. Lee loads are for the "dippers" and of necessity are light. I'd trust the manufacturer ten to one over data which is massaged so that one dipper can load "anything".

 

[918v]

How about developing a load for accuracy if intended for target shooting?

 

[Steve Koski]

You and your damn accuracy all of the time. We just want our ammo to go bang, alright?

 

[atblis]

The thing to do would be to get your hands on a chronograph and load to a desired velocity. 1200 fps with a 115 gr is warm but safe with unique (assuming 4-5" barrels).

I do think Unique does better when you keep the pressure up (burns cleaner). I settled on 5.8 gr with a 115 gr FMJ. IIRC, it makes 1225 fps out of a Glock 34.

 

[Overkilll0084]

Does anyone load 147's with Unique?

Reading online I picked out 3.8gr Unique and a 147gr FMJ as a potential match load. Average velocity out of my gun was slightly high at 903fps, but the problem for me was that the velocity was reading very inconsistent; I recorded an ES of 50fps... do you guys see this kind of thing?

I played with some 147 gr Missouri Bullets (Subsonic) + Unique. I wanted to shoot a pin match with a 9 mm, it worked, within my abilities. In my gun (CZ75BD) 3.6 gr worked very well, quite accurate. Minor leading. 3.8 was starting to show pressure signs. YMMV.

 

[psyshack]

IMHO 124gn bullet is the best bullet for the Luger. Work with the bearing surface of the bullet and work up your loads. There are many powders that will power a 9mm. I like TightGroup. Unique seems soft and dirty to me. Smoother a tad, but like it's tring to be a a 45 acp load. And much more senstive to follow through on the shooters part......

 

[918v]

You and your damn accuracy all of the time. We just want our ammo to go bang, alright?

Bang is only half the effort. I want you to go all the way.

 

[bubbacrabb]

Im not sure cause I dont have my notes, but if my memory serves me right, for my glock 17, a precision delta 115 rn fmj with 5.2 grains of unique seated at 1.13 is what I have as my target load. It shoot accurate for me, and I like it.

 

[GLOOB]

I like Unique in 9mm, esp with lead bullets. I use Alliant's data, which does appear to be a little hotter than many other manuals. But I use 124 gr, so my data won't help you.

 

[arizona98tj]

My regular practice 9mm is Berry's 115 gr plated round nose over 5.0 gr Unique @ 1.150" COAL. It runs right at 1130 FPS and gives me good groups. This is from a Springfield XD 4" barrel.

I also routinely load Hornady 124 gr HP/XTP over 5.4 gr Unique @ 1.125" COAL. It runs 1209 FPS from my 4" XD. SD is half what it is with the 115 gr Berry load. This same load drops to 1077 FPS out of my 3" Kahr PM9.

I couldn't imagine working up loads any more without using a chronograph. I rarely find the velocities in my reloading books match what I see first hand....hence, it is important to me to know what my loads are actually doing.