Thought I’d do a quick update. Headed to the woods today.
Today the weather cooperated and I managed to test my first 9mm loads. I loaded 100 rounds at 6.9, 7.0, 7.1, 7.2, and 7.3 gr of AA#7 under 124 gr RMR Truncated Cone Match Winners, with a COL of 1.100”. CCI primers were used.
I shot them from a P30SK and a CZ Shadow 2. Unfortunately I was fighting the wind and I had to rush my shots a bit between gusts. That made accuracy testing a little tricky. But I got some data and seem to have found an accurate load. I managed to shoot a 2.25” group at 25 yards off hand, despite the wind. Seems fine to me, and I’m guessing a rest would’ve done much better.
That was at 7.0 gr and was very pleasant. The results from a 20 shot group were the following.
Shadow 2
1095 fps average
1108 high
1067 low
40 ES
11.2 SD
P30SK
1039 average
1063 high
996 low
67 ES
16.7 SD
They shot better from the Shadow2, but that likely has something to do with the longer sight radius and barrel. And honestly the wind got bad so I question the accuracy of all these loads and suspect they were better than my perception.
I think now that I have some velocity data I’m going to load up a new ladder starting at 7.0 and going up to 7.4 and then try them at my local indoor range so wind is eliminated. I’ll try the P30SK at maybe 10 yards and the Shadow at 25 again. At 7.3 gr the recoil was noticeably more stout and groups opened up but fatigue may have been coming into play by then. I’m also making fun practice ammo so I guess I’m really just looking at reasonable velocity and good accuracy.
All together I feel it was relatively successful and I had fun. A 500 round day is a good day. I am under the weather also so that might have contributed to the difficulty with accuracy testing. Honestly I probably shouldn’t have even been shooting.
That’s likely the last day I’ll break out the chronograph. Winter is coming. So in spring I’ll load up some different powders.
On another note, afterwards I grabbed my walking stick and went in a short walkabout. Didn’t have much energy but it was still nice to stretch the legs where there’s no cell signal.