9 mm Luger reloading

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Mr Move -
You definitely won't need anything near max load for steel, and Berry suggests that you NOT load their bullets to max. I'd start by going back and reading the Berry FAQ on their web site.
 
OMG, the world is gonna stop rotating on its axis if we load plated bullets over 1200 FPS or exceed lead data with them. :eek: :D :) ;) :cool:
 
Are you promoting that?
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I shoot Ranier 115 Gr RN bullets at up to a little over 1400 FPS with no problems. Lead data is unnecessarily holding plated bullets back. Not just me talking...........:)

I have never been able to make the plating (not jacket) on a Ranier, Berrys, or X-Treme plated bullet "shed" or "separate". I have been able to make them tumble at a paltry 1100 FPS in one revolver, while others shoot then fine at the same velocities and more.

I am just saying we are unnecessarily limiting plated bullets by sticking with lead data, or 1200 FPS for all applications. There is a good bit of plated data out there. No need to limit ourselves.

Link to some plated data
 
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Sometimes I have some copper separate from a plated bullet shot from a Beretta 92FS at about 1050 to 1100, which makes the muzzle blast behind the bullet take on a really cooool vortex shape. At IPSC shoots where we hit the paper target on the run (maybe 4 to 6 feet away) it leaves these really cool swirls of burnt powder surrounding the hole. Everyone gathers around to admire the cool pattern left by Anthony's bullets. It's a sight to behold!

But I still hit Alphas on the field courses, so it can't be all bad.

Also, we sometimes shoot plated rifle bullets at around 1600 fps and they don't bust apart. Remington has a series of hollow point 50-grain plated .223 bullets that we shoot over 2000.

Also, Speer Gold Dot is a plated bullet, and no one is afraid to shoot them at full power.
 
Unless you guys have all of the means to test the loads I would go with Berry's recommendations. They are conservative I'm sure but they keep people safe.

You can play fast and loose all you want. All I have to say is, "I'm glad you didn't train me."

I like being safe and in the process protecting others from harm. Move, if I were you, I wouldn't play with load data until you have many years experience and the necessary tools to test the parameters. Being a "cowboy" doesn't do anyone any good when things go bad because of it.

Bullets are designed for specific purposes and GD's are designed differently than Berry's plated. Speer doesn't warn you, "don't shoot above 1200 fps" Berry's does and it should be just that simple.
 
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I shoot Ranier 115 Gr RN bullets at up to a little over 1400 FPS with no problems. Lead data is unnecessarily holding plated bullets back.
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I don't normally push mine that hard (prefer more subtle loads) but I don't doubt it either. One of the tightest 10 shot groups I ever got was with a batch of 115 Rainier at well over 1300. I think the bullet company's caveat is in large part due to the extreme spread of calibers & bullet weights available...they needed to offer a blanket baseline and chose to err on the cautious side.
 
I loaded cartridges with 3.5, 3.7 and 3.9 grains of powder (40 rounds for each weight, good for one IDPA match). 3.5 grain catridges did everything okay and were most confortable. So, I'll stick to 3.5 grain for a while. Also, I realized that my small electronics powder scale is temparamental and has a great deal of variation. 3.5 grain on one day can be 3.8 grain on other day. No wonder why veteran reloaders have a scale/dispensor costing $300 plus. Anyway, I'm enjoying shooting and reloading this summer.

Regards.
 
Also, I realized that my small electronics powder scale is temperamental and has a great deal of variation. 3.5 grain on one day can be 3.8 grain on other day.
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As they say on TV.... "Danger, Will Robinson !!"

9mm can't take that kind of variation, and you're gun's not going to be as accurate as it could be. You need to find a good used powder dispenser, like an old RCBS "Uni-Flow". If you want to load of (say) 3.9gr, then you weigh 10 powder drops and dial in 39.0gr. That's much more accurate than one drop at 3.9gr.

Then the dispenser will drop exactly 3.9gr until you run out of powder. Your loads will be more highly consistent across an entire "lot", and they will all shoot more nearly the same.


And read up on your model scale. Some of them are affected by weird things like air conditioning vents, florescent lighting, low voltage, etc.
 
9 mm reloading is inherently temperamental, I realized. It's hard to distinguish from 38 cal caeses to begine with, rims can brake and cases stuck in the sizing die, better be careful in powder amount, etc. I didn't start reloading 9 mm if there were not the recent panic ammunition market. 45 ACP reloading is way easier. Cases are big and tough. With 185 grain SWC bullets and if I stay away from max powder level, things are mostly okay. An irony is that some guys ridicule me in practical shooting matches that I break targets with half an inch holes and hard to patch. Sorry, I'm more accurate than being fast. Well, thinking to go for 40 cal now.

Regards.
 
I have not had any of those problems loading 9mm P.
As somebody already said, load as long as magazine and chamber will accept, then tweak if necessary for feeding. I recently had to change my OAL when I got a new brand of magazine and that has been about it.
I chronograph and adjust the powder charge for about power factor 131, similar to cheapmart econoball. But the only plated bullets I have shot in several years were out of a box given as a match drawing prize.
 
Hey Move,

You're close to me. I wouldn't mind coming over and loading some rounds with you. Let me know if you're interested.

It's really not a terrible thing and I have a great recipe I use for loading the exact some bullets.

Regards,
Beau
 
I much appreciate your help, Beau. But, being a newbie and silly, I'm comfortable to remain anonymous in the public domain. I've learned a lot in this forum in a quick time frame and would like to bring a closure to my original thread. Thank you and everybody.
 
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