Help with 9mm load?

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JonB

JonB

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Last weekend I shot some of my 9mm loads that I loaded up last fall. I wasn't too pleased with the accuracy out of my XD9.

My XD is usually a great shooter and loves Winchester White box. I shoot this pistol better than my Glock even though I have had the Glock longer.

So the load I was trying is 124 gr plated pill over 4.2gr of Titegroup. Winchester brass. I weighed every charge and checked zero on the scale every 15 rounds or so. I use a Lee hand press so it's slow going but works for me.

From 15-20 yards my shots were all on the silhouette target, but not in the usual 9 and 10 rings.

I am going to try again and take a box of my loads and box of Winchester just to rule out a bad day.

Can any of you pros maybe suggest something that would lead to fairly pathetic accuracy with what should be a good load?
 
1. Don't crimp those plated bullets too hard.
2. Don't load those plated bullets too hot.

I do better when I just don't load plated bullets at all, but some people do all right with them.
 
Good thought on the plated Jim - maybe I am pushing them too fast with the 4.2 of Titegroup. I use a Lee FCD for crimping and even go medium/light on it. I'll pick up a box of non-plated and give them a shot too. My next thought was to back it down to 4.0 gr of powder.

I believe the Winchester factory loads are 115gr.
 
Plated 124/5 Gr bullets will take all that 4.2 Grs of Titegroup can dish out. (Less than 1100 FPS)

I run Ranier plated bullets a good deal harder than that in 9MM with excellent results. I use a very light taper crimp.

I was not impressed with the Berrys 124 Gr HP when I tried it, if that is what you have. Maybe my gun just didn't like it though.
 
Hi Walkalong, I don't recall what brand of plated I was using, but I know I have a few hundred left. I'll have to look once I get home later this week. I know they are FMJ

I use Ranier with good results in 10mm.
 
I have Berrys in .32, .38/.357 and .45 ACP that shoot great. I just didn't have much luck with that one bullet in my gun. It may shoot great in someone elses. I much prefer the Berrys 230 Gr RN over the Ranier 230 Gr RN, but Ranier makes really good bullets overall. The Ranier 115 Gr RN shoots very well for me, and I have pushed them to 1350+ FPS in a 16" barrel. We each develop our favorites.
 
Oh yea. My EMP dislikes 115 gr bullets in general, but really likes 124/5 Gr bullets. Go figure.
 
JonB said:
Last weekend I shot some of my 9mm loads that I loaded up last fall. I wasn't too pleased with the accuracy out of my XD9.

My XD is usually a great shooter and loves Winchester White box. I shoot this pistol better than my Glock even though I have had the Glock longer.

So the load I was trying is 124 gr plated pill over 4.2gr of Titegroup. Winchester brass. I weighed every charge and checked zero on the scale every 15 rounds or so. I use a Lee hand press so it's slow going but works for me.

From 15-20 yards my shots were all on the silhouette target, but not in the usual 9 and 10 rings.

I am going to try again and take a box of my loads and box of Winchester just to rule out a bad day.

Can any of you pros maybe suggest something that would lead to fairly pathetic accuracy with what should be a good load?
Click to expand...
The classic .38 Special HBWC load, 2.7grs of Bullseye under a 148gr bullet, does not shoot great in all 38 Special revolvers.

Your 124gr load does not shoot well in my Sig either. I'm sure there are people out there who rave about your load and will claim miraculous groups outa their Glocks. It just goes to show that each gun is different and prefers different ammo.

If you wanna replicate WWB, get some 115gr FMJ's, some WSF or Silhouette, some WSP and Winchester brass. Work-up a load with either powder and you'll be pleased, if in fact your gun likes WWB and it wasn't just a fluke.
 
From 15-20 yards my shots were all on the silhouette target, but not in the usual 9 and 10 rings. I am going to try again and take a box of my loads and box of Winchester just to rule out a bad day.
Click to expand...

So you are hitting 9/10 rings with WWB, but not with your reloads? I range test starting at 7 yards until I get a nice tight 1" group then to 10 yards and 15 yards.

... get some 115gr FMJ's, some WSF or Silhouette, some WSP and Winchester brass. Work-up a load with either powder
Click to expand...

I normally change one variable at a time (ensuring that all the other variables stay the same) to identify which component/process is causing my shot groups to get larger.
 
It might be a good idea to measure a bunch of your plated bullets.

I bought a 250 count box of Berry 124 9mm HP a couple of years ago that contained .355", .356" and .357" bullets in the same box.

I probably would never have noticed it if I had shot them in my S&W.
But my then new SIG P6 would not chamber the .357" ones until I ran them all through a Lubrisizer and resized them all.

rc
 
bds said:
I normally change one variable at a time (ensuring that all the other variables stay the same) to identify which component/process is causing my shot groups to get larger.
Click to expand...

When attempting to replicace a factory load, it helps to use components manufactured by the factory.
 
When attempting to replicace a factory load, it helps to use components manufactured by the factory.
Click to expand...

I realize JonB doesn't have the same components as WWB. Just trying to help him isolate where the inaccuracy might be coming from. They could be (already mentioned by several posters):

- Bullet diameter/weight variance
- Too much crimp cutting through plating on the bullet
- Powder charge weight variance
- OAL variance
- Shooter factor

He posted he'll test again using his reloads and WWB side by side. If he can rule out the shooter factor, he can better focus on other variables to see what may be causing the inaccuracy of his reloads. I noticed JonB did not mention OAL.

I would pull a loaded round apart to see if I was cutting into the plating of the bullet. If I am not, I would verify the OAL consistency of the loaded rounds. And I am assuming the powder charges are consistent and bullet diameter/weight variance is not that bad.

If crimp, OAL, shooter factor all checks out, then it's bullet/powder charge.

I start out at 7 yards to minimize shooter factor - if shot groups are tight (around 1") without flyers, then I increase my range to 10/15 yards.
 
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