9 mm help

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Dirk Pitt

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I am a seasoned reloader but have never loaded 9 mm before. I have a Dillon 550 and plenty of components and knowledge to make it work. The ammo will be going through a Glock 17 and a new Ruger 9mm carbine ( that was a Christmas gift and I absolutely love that gun but that’s a different story)
I don’t want an anemic round but I also don’t want to send through a steady diet of plus P type rounds. Yes I have all the reloading books but was hoping for some data from guys who have some recommendations .
 
Two loads for 9mm handgun or subgun.
Both are relatively full power, but 35+ years of using with no broken guns yet.
I've always loaded Hornady's 124 gr. FMJ, but have switched (since the great shortage) to using RMR's 124 gr. FMJ or plated exclusively.
7.7 grs. of HS-7 (I also buy and substitute 571 when I find it) or
6.4 grs. of Herco.

On my 550 I give two shots of Lanolin lube to a small tupperware type box,
add 1/2 a coffee can of 9mm cases, and shake to distribute a bit of lube to the cases.
This really smooths out the cycling on the press.

JT
 
I Deprime my brass, then put it in the Vibratory cleaner with about a tablespoon of car wax and let it run for a couple hours. Then I move the cleaned brass to loading blocks. No need to use Lanolin as these are not bottleneck brass. Prime the brass, then you are ready to get with the program. Be sure of the 550 settings, then Rock & Roll.

If you use a hand primer (I do, others don't), spin the brass 1/4 turn after seating the brass, then seat it again. I know "Pain in the Butt" but you will have fewer if any misfires because the primers are well seated.

Good Luck, and Happy Trails
dg
 
I don’t want an anemic round but I also don’t want to send through a steady diet of plus P type rounds
About 3.9 Grs N320 or 3.8 Grs Sport Pistol and a plated or coated 124 is a nice plinker that drops brass at your feet. 1050ish from a 5" 1911.

About 5.5 Grs of Silhouette or N340 and a 124 jacketed or coated is a nice "full power" load, 5.7ish (Max) Grs BE-86 is as well with a bit more pop.

Lots of good combinations out there. What bullets and powders do you have?
 
Be sure to do the plunk test on both guns, I have a 16" AR 9mm carbine that has a short leade and I've heard others say the same thing about some pistol caliber carbines. I have to seat bullets shorter for my carbine as a result.

The best load I found for my 16" carbine was RMR 115 fmj and 6.1gn Power Pistol, seated to 1.100" COL. That gives me 1500fps and consistent 1.1" groups at 50 yards and < 2.5" at 100. While that load will work in any of my pistols, it does not feed quite as reliably in one of my pistols as my normal rounds do, seated to a longer COL.
 
Dirk, I am glad you asked this question. A Ruger 9mm Carbine is on my short list and I am curious as to what handloads folks recommend.
 
As others have stated, be sure to plunk your rounds. If you're like the rest of us you'll have to shorten your OAL for your carbine.
So far I've loaded nothing but the RMR 124 hollow point MPR for my new Ruger carbine. I have 2 loads that are great in it and have the same POI.
6.0 grs of Herco or 5.6 grs of BE-86. Both at an OAL of 1.070. (I previously loaded these to 1.080 and still had some "plunk problems")

Both of these loads feel like max loads to me in my Ruger handgun, in the carbine they hit hard and are very accurate.
Disclaimer: Be sure to work up your own loads. I suggest starting at 5.5 for Herco and 5.2 for BE-86. Keep in mind that the shorter OAL increases pressure.
 
Loading for a carbine really doesn't have to be any different than for a pistol. The carbines with a 16" barrel usually gain about 100-150 fps over a pistol with the same load. Just use whatever powder you have that works for 9mm, there are plenty of choices. You do need to do a plunk test to determine your oal though.
 
Loading for a carbine really doesn't have to be any different than for a pistol.
Yep.
The carbines with a 16" barrel usually gain about 100-150 fps over a pistol with the same load
Depending on powder speed. My N320/124 Gr load mentioned above gains no velocity in my 16" AR, while my Silhouette, BE-86, N340, HS-6, AA #5, True Blue, etc loads do benefit from the longer barrel.
 
Loading for a carbine really doesn't have to be any different than for a pistol. The carbines with a 16" barrel usually gain about 100-150 fps over a pistol with the same load. Just use whatever powder you have that works for 9mm, there are plenty of choices. You do need to do a plunk test to determine your oal though.
When I bought my carbine I was excited about using the same reloads and same magazines as my Ruger 9e.
It really hasn't turned out that way for me though.
In my handgun I like to shoot Berry's plated 124's with a light charge of Unique or BE-86. I don't like those in the carbine. They seem too wimpy and don't group well at 40 or 60 yards I tested.
In the Carbine I like the heavier loads I mentioned in my above post, but I don't like to shoot them much in the handgun...too much recoil for shooting paper.
I really like the carbine, it's my new favorite weapon, but I just load differently for it.
 
Depending on powder speed. My N320/124 Gr load mentioned above gains no velocity in my 16" AR, while my Silhouette, BE-86, N340, HS-6, AA #5, True Blue, etc loads do benefit from the longer barrel.
Agreed, it does depend on the speed of the powder. I gained 250 fps going from my Witness Elite 4.75" barrel to the 16" carbine barrel, using 6.1gn Power Pistol and 115fmj bullets.
 
In my PC9 @ 50 yds: Berrys 124 HBFPTP shoot well. RMR 124 jacketed do a bit better,,, Xtreme plated 124/147, Berry's 124 RN, Blue 124's, EGM 124's,,, eh,,, plumb pitiful,,,
 
I just picked up a Ruger PC Carbine at a Turner's Outdoor sale and took it out last week for a shake down. I had my chronograph with me to verify some 9mm loads for my SIG 320 Compact (3.9" barrel)

Shooting RMR 124gr FMJ loaded over 4.2grs of Win 231 seated to 1.130", I was getting 1050fps out of the SIG and 1150 out of the Ruger. The carbine functioned fine with the bullets loaded to that length
 
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Ive only used Unique, 700X and True Blue, but out of those 3 hands down its True Blue. I like 5.8gr of True Blue with 115gr plated bullets seated to 1.155. I also like how easy it measures ( spot on every time), how easy to spot that dreaded double charge, how clean it burns, and how accurate it is out of my 9mm's. All 3 work, but for me, True Blue beats the other two I listed.

Edited to include some chrono numbers.

Fired from Taurus Pt111 G2

5.0gr True Blue 115gr Extreme Plated RN
937 avg 45 spread 14 dev

5.2gr True Blue 115gr Extreme Plated RN
959 avg 60 spread 18 dev

5.4gr True Blue 115gr Extreme Plated RN
991 avg 24 spread 10 dev

5.6gr True Blue 115gr Extreme Plated RN
1034 avg 44 spread 15 dev

5.8gr True Blue 115gr Extreme Plated RN
1065 avg 36 spread 10 dev
 

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Thank you everyone, but I only have one question ?

What is the “plunk” test ?

I have never heard of it ????
 
Thank you everyone, but I only have one question ?

What is the “plunk” test ?

I have never heard of it ????
Basically it is a way to test how long you can seat the bullet before it touches the lands. The method involves seating a bullet and inserting into the chamber of the barrel, then checking that it falls out easily. You don't want the bullet jammed into the lands when it chambers.

 
When I started loading, late 2011, a wise older man at the range suggested using HS-6 for my 9mm full size guns. He said the HS-6 being slower than typical fast, popular, powders people use in 9mm and .40 such as Titegroup, 231 etc will work better as it continues to push the bullet down the barrel. That would tend to reduce pressure spikes. HS-6 runs clean in 9mm and .40, fills the case well and has a wider range of loads in 9mm so you have more room to tune your loads, and measures very well. I don't currently have a PCC but I'll continue to use HS-6 when I do.
 
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