Reload for Ruger PC carbine 9mm

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289FIA said:
The Ruger chamber is very short and tight.
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Might be worth getting a smith to check to see if it is undersized. Ruger will fix it if it is. If it isn't, make your ammo fit it. I use a Wilson case gauge on all my sized 9MM brass. If it fails to enter the gauge (Not often), or fails to fall back out of its own weight, I scrap that case. Ammo loaded with that brass never fails to chamber in my tightest 9MM chamber.

Use the "plunk test" to be sure the bullet isn't getting jammed into the lands causing chambering issues.
 
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289FIA said:
My PC9 won't shoot any of my 9mm reloads that I have loaded for my Dan Wesson P9. The Ruger chamber is very short and tight. I had ordered Berrys plated 124 and 147 grain .356 diameter bullets to load for it .. but they are flat point with high shoulders and would have to be seated way too far into the case to chamber in the PC9 carbine .. so I'll be loading them exclusively for my 1911. Really thought I would have flexibility .. same ammo for all 9mm .. but this PC9 is really finicky on ammo. Factory ammo that I have (don't like buying ammo .. prefer to use my handholds) will run. Just need to get the right bullet / profile so I can start loading with the Power Pistol I got for 9mm. Looks like RMR might have what is needed. Any input on crimp diameter and OAL's would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
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I'm right there with you. I bought the new ruger PCC 9mm thinking how great it will be to have a carbine that will shoot my big stash of reloads. I thought just grab some and go shoot. Well, to my disappointment it's not working out that way. Many of those loads will not "plunk" in the carbine. I'm going to start a new thread with a question about that.
 
This is interesting!
I just purchased a PC9 and went to shoot if for the first time and it wouldn't chamber my reloads with 147 grain RN BlueBullets at 1.160" OAL. Fortunately I had some factory ammo in my bag so I could sight it in. When I got home I noticed the only difference between my loads and factory was the overall length. My reloads fit into my Hornady cartridge gauge and all of my other handguns but not in my PC9. So I found I had to reduce the OAL to 1.100" to chamber in the PC9. Seems odd that Ruger wouldn't chamber them to accept S.A.A.M.I. standard length loads.
I'm glad I found this posting because I was wondering if the chamber wasn't finished correctly. I called Ruger and of course they told me that they don't recommend reloads be used in their guns...yea right! Pretty sad response. They told me they would talk to an engineer and get back to me and that didn't happen.
 
Welcome to THR!

Speedwagon said:
I found I had to reduce the OAL to 1.100" to chamber in the PC9.
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It is common knowledge that gun manufacturers have been decreasing the length of leade/freebore of factory barrels over the decades to the point some have almost no leade and require shorter max/working OAL to chamber reliably. PC9 is one such with short lead barrel.

Speedwagon said:
Seems odd that Ruger wouldn't chamber them to accept S.A.A.M.I. standard length loads.
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Even FMJ/RN bullets come with different profile/ogive/sizing and we have found that depending on the barrel, different OAL must be used to reliably feed and fully chamber as expressed in this reference thread - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...let-max-working-oal-col-for-reference.848462/
 
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I remember reading this thread when I was looking for a PCC

I got a Ruger PC9 earlier this year. It is amazing just how bad some off the shelf ammo shoots. I've only tried 3, and then I've been hunting down a cheap, relatively accurate blaster round I can reload.

So, I tried 3 off the shelf 115gr. FMJ. Remington green white box, magtech, S&B. The S&B kicked butt, the other 2 were a joke comparatively. Magnetospeed said the shelf rounds were 1200-1300 fps.
I had great luck with 115 XTP bullet.
Also the Xtreme 100grn rounded flatnose.

Started casting my own. Found the Lee 356-120-TC gave me the best hope out of 5 other molds I used. I can hold a 3" group with that at 50 yards. And it costs me ~$50 a 1000 rounds to load. I'm running these 1240-1300 fps.

This gun is so fun to just blast stuff with I don't shoot my AR nearly as much. Also my AR rounds are near 3x as much.
 
Nature Boy said:
Just got one myself so I’ll be following with interest

With Berry’s plated 115g and 5.0g of HP-38 I did this at 50 yards, 20 shots

View attachment 871728

I’ve got 1,000 of the RMR FMJ 124g pills now. Hoping I can still use HP-38 as I have 8lbs of it
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Are you happy with what you're seeing? I love the heck out of mine and it shoots very very similar groups. But then you read about some guy saying he can shoot a 3" barreled pistol shooting at 50 yards and can put 5 rounds through a quarter.
 
I started reloading for an AR9 earlier this year and found out quick about the short throat. I load brazos 115gr. Lrn coated bullets for mine. I target an OAL of 1.052-1.055 with 4.5 grains of W231. Very nice groups at 20 yards....this gun is set up for steel challenge, so I only check my loads at 20 yards.

Quite a few people on another forum sent theirs off to a guy in NC to ream the throat deeper. I have been contemplating doing that, just to be more standardized. As time as went on I am undecided. Mainly wanted to do it originally, cause I was new to reloading for 9mm and it concerned me seating them deep.
 
Ruger PC9. Rested. 50 yds.
I shot (3) different loads, (A, B, and C), ~10~ rounds each, round robin, on (24) 3" targets.
Here are the (8) from load "B":

PC9.JPG

"B" = RMR 115 Matchwinner + 4.8 gr Sport Pistol around 1.100 to 1.110.

A and C, (Not shown)

"A" was a close 2nd. RMR 124 Matchwinner + 5.6 BE 86. Same OAL

"C" was a '1st attempt' using pulled 124 GDHP and a low dose of Sport Pistol. Still needs work,,,

(As with any 'Internet" load, use this information at your own risk. You alone are responsible for your reloads.)
 
Speedwagon said:
I just purchased a PC9 and went to shoot if for the first time and it wouldn't chamber my reloads with 147 grain RN BlueBullets at 1.160" OAL. Fortunately I had some factory ammo in my bag so I could sight it in. When I got home I noticed the only difference between my loads and factory was the overall length.
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Since this thread is concerning the Ruger PC Carbine, I'm going to speculate that your post is referring to that model as opposed to Ruger's older PC9 carbine.

I'll also speculate that is you further compare the bullets, you'll find that the bullet profile of the factory ammo differs a bit from that of the 147gr BlueBullet. IIRC the BlueBullet is quite a but fatter than many 147gr factory offerings. That combined with loading to the longer end of the SAAMI range for OAL could easily be causing the issues you are experiencing.

Seems odd that Ruger wouldn't chamber them to accept S.A.A.M.I. standard length loads.
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The SAAMI "standard specifications" specify more than just OAL
 
I like 5.2gn of CFE under a 124gn FMJ RN bullet for carbine plinking. I get very good accuracy from my PC9, I've got a 1x Vortex optic on it and I am able to hold a 9-10" group at 50 yards standing (discounting the flyerss of course :)), 4-5" rested with that 1x.

I'd love to see what the rifle could do with a better shooter and a fixed rest, I'm cross eye dominant and shoot with an eyepatch and I know I'm half of the group sizes at least.
 
I was at the rang today and finished off my inventory of 115g Berry’s. I am surprised how accurate the PC9 is. 50 round mag performed perfectly until the last round which jammed
 
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