Catpop
Member
Thank you so much for your valued opinion!
I’m at 4.8, but accuracy doesn’t seem to be improving—yet!
Recoil is now on par with WCC 1988 115 FMJ. But I have noticed a few primers slightly cratering, so I’m getting a little leery of continuing this quest.
Any comments?
Blame the use of faster powders to USPSA match shooters shooting minor 125 power factor loads.Unless you are intentionally making puff loads and tuning the pistol with springs, my general rule of thumb to insure cycling of modern pistols is light bullets slower powder. For a 115gr bullet, I'd be loading with something that has the burn rate along the lines of Accurate No. 7
While I have loaded 9mm with as slow as HS-6/CFE Pistol/AutoComp powders, I have gotten plenty high enough velocities with WSF and recently changed to BE-86 for greater velocities and accuracy. BTW, BE-86 has burn rate between Unique and Power Pistol with less muzzle flash. And Promo, which is a very fast burning powder, almost no muzzle flash - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/need-low-flash-9mm-powder.809859/page-2#post-10357740Power Pistol (if they still make it)
Myself and many THR members will disagree as W231/HP-38/Sport Pistol burn rate powders are often commonly recommended powders for those new to reloading, especially for 9mm. One of my reference 9mm loads for decades has been 115 gr FMJ/RN with 4.8 gr of W231/HP-38 loaded to 1.130" OAL and no pressure issues and has run reliably in various "modern" semi-auto pistols.stay away from the fast powders like 231, bullseye, etc for light 9mm bullets. They peak fast and and you'll run into over pressure problems trying to get them to run right in a modern auto.
And I will recommend WSF/BE-86 and slower powders for higher velocity loads and W231/HP-38/Sport Pistol and faster powders like Titegroup/N320/IMR Target and yes, even faster Red Dot/Promo/Bullseye, for lighter target loads to use with factory recoil springs, even Glock/M&P compacts/subcompacts with stiffer recoil springs - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-and-discussions.778197/page-10#post-10966508For practical applications for use in modern firearms, like the bunch of striker fired pistols out now
Not chicken, but wise reloading practiceWith 4.7 being the MAX with a 124 I would have guessed 5 to 5.3 with a 115 but if you see primer cratering I think it's wise to not go any higher. (of course I am chicken)
Maybe WSF just does not play well with lead 115s (in your pistol or at all)
Since you have Universal, maybe time to give it a try?
Universal worked well for me with lubed lead 124s in 9mm
But then again I did say WSF worked well for me too
(It does honestly, with 125gr jacketed.)
WST and Clay Dot are my two favorites.I've been using WST for all my 9mm lead bullet loading in the lighter weights.
I like WSF behind a 124 jacketed bullet and use Clay Dot behind a 124 Poly coated bullet. Vihtavuori N320 is an excellent powder as well.I moved on from WSF to Ramshot Competition. WSF just didn’t work for me in my LC9.
I thought I was going on to Silhouette, but alas it was Competition I had in the powder locker.
I was pleased with performance but I was a hair over max 3.8 to get my best accuracy which was 5” at 20 yard rest.
I was pleased with both 231 and Competition.
Not sure where I’m going now, but I think I’m going to move up to 124 gr as I hear it is inherently a more accurate 9mm boolit.
Any comments?
Charlie98 two powders that I have found that work very well in both the 9mm and the 45acp are AA#2 and Ramshot Silhouette. I have been loading these with 115gr and 124gr plated bullets in the 9mm and with 185gr and 200gr plated in the 45acp.
I have had excellent results with AA# 7 and Bullseye.Thought I’d asked of those that regularly reload 9mm what is their top powder choice for conventionally lubed 115 gr lead round nosed boolits.
I’ve been using Win231. Just curious what others are using.
Thanks for your input.