9MM & TITEGROUP

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Texanreloader

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Hi! 1st post. :) I have 500 bullets by Everglades. 115gr rn plated v2 (heavy plated, their web site). I also have some Hodgdon Titegroup. Is there a recipe for light loads, just for plinking at the range? First gen Shield. Searched internet can't find an exact match. New to pistol reloading, all my experiance is shotgun shells and even w/that its been years. Looks like I picked a pretty bad time to get into this, no primers or much powder to choose from. A friend gave me an old Rock Chucker (70th b-day) so very therapeutic. Anyway any help would be great. Thanks.
 
@Texanreloader, welcome to THR, and the new addiction!
For heavy plated bullets, I’d use jacketed data, so you don’t end up with a squib. Heavy plated bullets behave more like a jacketed bullet. But I believe Hodgdon’s online data doesn’t list an FMJ for 115gr 9mm, so I’d start in the middle of the lead data. Titegroup is a good powder, but it’s very fast, and very unforgiving. Make sure you stay within the lines, especially when it comes to COL. You’ll find there’s very little case fill, so insure there’s no double/triple charges, and makes sure there’s no bullet setback (good neck tension).
Ask your friend if he could spare a little of a slower powder, like 231 or WSF. I understand the components are sparse, and not trying to talk you out of Titegroup, it’s just there are better powders for new reloaders, or new to 9mm reloaders. Good luck.
 
I forgot to mention Extreme bullets publishes load data, and there may be a similar bullet to the Everglades one. While I mentioned COL is important, when substituting bullets it’s equally important to keep in mind bullet OAL, which will translate in to seating depth for a given COL. If a bullet is seated deeper in the case, it will increase pressure.
 
I use a lot of Titegroup powder, Everglades v2 RN bullets and shoot them in a 1st gen Shield.
Try 3.8-3.9 gr of Titegroup powder with a OAL of 1.130". That is my light target load and will cycle your Shield with no problem.
The other load I use is 4.1-4.2 gr of Titegroup at 1.130". Very accurate and still what I call light recoil. It's not maximum load and no where's near what some other powders produce for recoil.
 
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Lots of folks use Titegroup playing the pistol games, I' sure someone will have a good place to start. I'd use starting jacketed data with those before I used starting lead data. As posted, OAL is critical to pressure in 9MM, and Titegroup is fast and not very forgiving, with poor case fill (Double charge possible), so just be careful.
 
@Texanreloader, welcome to THR, and the new addiction!
For heavy plated bullets, I’d use jacketed data, so you don’t end up with a squib. Heavy plated bullets behave more like a jacketed bullet. But I believe Hodgdon’s online data doesn’t list an FMJ for 115gr 9mm, so I’d start in the middle of the lead data. Titegroup is a good powder, but it’s very fast, and very unforgiving. Make sure you stay within the lines, especially when it comes to COL. You’ll find there’s very little case fill, so insure there’s no double/triple charges, and makes sure there’s no bullet setback (good neck tension).
Ask your friend if he could spare a little of a slower powder, like 231 or WSF. I understand the components are sparse, and not trying to talk you out of Titegroup, it’s just there are better powders for new reloaders, or new to 9mm reloaders. Good luck.

All of that... ^^^

In fact, I just finished up a box of Berrys plated 124grn 9's with TiteGroup yesterday. I agree that starting with jacketed data for the 'heavy plate' bullets is a good idea.

Speer #14 has data for their TMJ 115grn RN bullet... 4.1-4.5grn TG @ 1.135", I would estimate the Everglades bullet to be quite similar to the Speer, but as others have said, TG can get testy fast, and OAL had a big influence on how it behaves. I like Tiger's idea of starting at 3.8grn TG @ 1.130", which is where I load most of my 115's at, I don't like loading them all the way out at 1.135".
 
I cringe when a new reloader starts off with Titegroup and 9mm! It's a dense fast powder and can really go over pressure with small amounts.
It is a very fast powder, 9mm is very small and bullet depth makes a big difference.

Do you have a manual? If not you need one
Calipers?
What kind of scale and powder measure?

Yes, we were all new once, do lots of research before loading anything!

https://hodgdon.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/burn-rate-color.pdf
 
I've loaded quite a bit of 9mm with Titegroup. I follow Hodgdon's data and load 4.2 gr at 1.100". They show a range of 3.8 to 4.3. I started on the low side and worked my way up to 4.2 for MY best results. Everyone says to follow manufactures data and that is excellent advice.
I don't know how new you are at loading, but as mentioned, watch very carefully for an accidental double charge AND watch for missing a charge. A good load fired after a squib will ruin your day.
 
Newbies and old timers all need to have a procedure in place as to not double charge with powders like Titegroup. The two biggest sins IMO are double charging or not charging. Following a good procedure, no matter your experience level, is everything.

btw I regularly load 4.1gr Titegroup with 115gr plated Speer or Berry's.
 
This thread is making me think. (Uh oh).

I loaded 100 115gr berry's over 3.4 gr of bullseye this weekend. The 3.4 came from the Lyman manual with a similar lead bullet. I set col at 1.150 because it is less than 1.169 SAAMI, matched factory ammo on hand, dummy round chambered and ejected, and was more than the berry's stated 1.13 which I took to be a minimum. I was trying to avoid overpressure, but am worried about squib now. Thoughts?

No hijack intended!

Thanks!
 
This thread is making me think. (Uh oh).

I loaded 100 115gr berry's over 3.4 gr of bullseye this weekend. The 3.4 came from the Lyman manual with a similar lead bullet. I set col at 1.150 because it is less than 1.169 SAAMI, matched factory ammo on hand, dummy round chambered and ejected, and was more than the berry's stated 1.13 which I took to be a minimum. I was trying to avoid overpressure, but am worried about squib now. Thoughts?

No hijack intended!

Thanks!
If it punks test it. Shoot one and check target for a hole and continue. Dont pull a rifleman until you verify.
 
Some things you just can't get around completely, recoil is one. Your semi-auto needs a certain amount of recoil to function and trying to go low often causes poor feeding and stove piping. For a new reloader; use data right from your manual (ignore forum data). Start with a light bullet and min. book load; Reloading 101...

Welcome to THR and the wonderful, oft confusing and frustrating world of reloading.
 
This thread is making me think. (Uh oh).

I loaded 100 115gr berry's over 3.4 gr of bullseye this weekend. The 3.4 came from the Lyman manual with a similar lead bullet. I set col at 1.150 because it is less than 1.169 SAAMI, matched factory ammo on hand, dummy round chambered and ejected, and was more than the berry's stated 1.13 which I took to be a minimum. I was trying to avoid overpressure, but am worried about squib now. Thoughts?

No hijack intended!

Thanks!

Is your bullet a round nose of flat nose??

Plated bullets are closer to FMJ than lead. When they first came out there was no data so that is were the us lead data came from. Some plated are darn near TMJ,

You are below the start rate for BE and that bullet(round nose)per Alliant data. Probably not a squib but a pretty anemic load. As mentioned fire on, two very slowly.

Alliant max is 5.1 so start is 4.6'ish OAL 1.135

https://www.alliantpowder.com/reloa...owderlist.aspx&type=1&powderid=1&cartridge=23
 
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