9 mm reloading

[45lcrevolver]

I am having concerns with a load for 9mm. The recipe calls fo 6.2 grains of unique under a 125 grain bullet. Now when I do this it seems that the bullet compresses the powder. Is that normal on 9mm loads or is this not safe? That is a alliant published recipe but I haven't been reloading long and I know for sure that my bullet doesn't touch the powder in my 45lc. Please help me thank you.

 

[56hawk]

Well, I just checked my Lyman reloading book and they list 5 grains of Unique as the maximum load. 6.2 sounds pretty hot.

Nothing wrong with compressed loads. Usually a loading manual will let you know if this is going to happen. Also check the overall length of the round since this will effect pressure.

As far as the 45 Colt goes that was designed as a black powder round, so there is going to be a lot of empty space when loading it with smokeless powder.

 

[LiveLife]

6.2 gr of Unique for 125 gr 9mm bullet?


2011 Alliant's load data lists:
124 gr Speer GD HP - 5.8 gr at 1.12" OAL/CCI primer.


2004 Alliant load data lists:
125 gr FMJ - Max 4.9 gr at 1.15" OAL/Winchester primer.
125 gr LRN - Max 5.5 gr at 1.15" OAL/Winchester primer.


Lyman #49 lists:
125 gr JHP - Start 4.5 gr - Max 5.0 gr at 1.075" OAL/CCI primer.
120 gr LRN - Start 4.0 gr - Max 5.0 gr at 1.065" OAL/CCI primer.

 

[GLOOB]

per BDS: currently, Alliant lists 5.8 grains, max (which is also compressed) for a 124 gr GDJHP.

The compression isn't the problem. As long as you work it up, properly, you'll be fine.

 

[Steve C]

I am having concerns with a load for 9mm. The recipe calls fo 6.2 grains of unique under a 125 grain bullet.

Lots of 9mm loads will be compressed since the case is of relatively small volume. 6.2grs of Unique is a maximum load and should only be approached if you use proper reloading procedure and start with a 10% reduction. FWIW that load would be pretty hot and higher than most all current data.

 

[45lcrevolver]

Here is the link. It's for a 125 fmj but I don't think that there is a big enough difference to a 124. It's about halfway down the page.

http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/d...&Weight=All&type=Handgun&Order=Powder&Source=

Might it be +p?

 

[ColtPythonElite]

Another vote for .6.2 sounding pretty hot....I have loaded a good bit of 124/125 grainers. My max was always 5.0 grains of Unique.

 

[Ultravox]

Handloads.com is not an Alliant site, so that is not an Alliant published recipe.

The loads on Handloads.com are contributed by unknown people and should be verified against manufacturer data.

It also says the suggested starting load is 5.6 grains.

You should always start at least 10% below max and work up, watching for signs over pressure.

 

[bradhub99]

I mainly load 9mm 124 gr and when l use unique powder i use 4.8gr and it work good for me

 

[Topload]

I'm currently loading 4.7 gr. of Unique under a 124 gr. Berry plated bullet - getting good accuracy.

 

[mgmorden]

Handloads.com is not an Alliant site, so that is not an Alliant published recipe.

The loads on Handloads.com are contributed by unknown people and should be verified against manufacturer data.

Basically, this. That site's data is user contributed, which basically means "some guy on the net". Use such data with extreme caution (in my case, I won't use such loads at all).

For safety's sake, you're much better off sticking with data published by the powder manufacturer or a reputable loading manual.

As has been mentioned, Alliant lists a max load of 5.8grns of Unique for a 124grn jacketed hollow-point. I'd consider that gospel, and I'd never go higher than that.

 

[45lcrevolver]

Good thing I asked before I loaded a few of these. So max load mean plus p or is there another recipe altogether for plus p.

 

[oneounceload]

That link showed a MAX of only 6.0 and a start of 5.4

Follow the recipes from the powder makers - they have the pressure testing equipment AND the insurance

 

[mgmorden]

Good thing I asked before I loaded a few of these. So max load mean plus p or is there another recipe altogether for plus p.

Depends on the loading manual, but I've usually seen +P listed as if it were a separate cartridge altogether (ie, .38 Special will be listed as a cartridge, and a completely new section will be listed for .38 Special +P as if it were a new cartridge). Each have their own starting/max load listings.

Though I don't think its a rule or anything, I noticed that for several loads in my Speer manual the max charge on the standard load was the starting charge for the +P.

Personally, since I don't really reload self-defense ammo, I see little benefit in chasing max loads for pistols. As long as it cycles, then it's got enough powder for me .

 

[LiveLife]

You'll note different powder charges as max depending on various reloading components used (bullet type, primer) and particular OAL used.

Also, powder formulations do change over the years depending on who manufactures/blends them for the powder manufacturers.

It is for these reasons, for pistol loads specifically, that I prefer to use current published load data from powder manufactures than older reloading manuals. If there were changes to powder formulatios, they would be the first to change the load data.

As to "internet" listing of user data like Handloads.com, we don't know how old the reference data used was. When I post load data excerpt, I list the load data date (current, 2011, 2010, 2004, etc.).

 

[gamestalker]

I think 9mm load data is cursed or something because, a little while back I loaded some 147 gr. bullets with the wrong data and was over the maximum by more than 1.0 grains. I cought my mistake prior to seating the bullets. But still, I'm seeing a couple of load data error's for the 9mm lately ever since my mistake.
Unique is a pretty slow burning powder in comparison, but not slow enough that I would consider using a load that is .4 grains over the listed maximum.
Regarding compressed loads, I load them all the time as in nearly every load I use is " compressed data". But some powder's are not slow enough burning to be compressed because of pressures going to high. For 9mm and depending on bullet weight, I use Longshot or HS6.

 

[MickKennedy29]

The data from Handloads.com lists the source as "Alliant", but, as already stated, there is nothing to denote how old the data is. It is a good example of why you should make sure to cross reference data like that with current publications.

 

[Hammerdown77]

OAL matters a LOT when loading 9mm. Just a minor variation can have a drastic affect on pressure.

Be careful.

 

[rcmodel]

Yikes!!

Recent Alliant guides from the last few years do not list anything even close to that 6.2 Unique/125 grain bullet in 9mm.

The 2002 Alliant guide says 4.9 is MAX, giving 31,700 PSI!!!

An even older pre-Alliant 1992 Hercules powder guide says 6.2 MAX with a 125 FMC.
And a still older 1976 Hercules guide says 6.0 MAX with a 124 grain FMJ.

But that was way before modern transducer pressure testing allowed them to really know what kind of pressure spikes they might be getting.

rc

 

[gamestalker]

I want to elaborate a bit more on my last response. Compressed data is just that, it is in the data as such. If your loads are clearly compressed charges and the data, especially cross refrenced data as has been mentioned already, you need to take a closer look at that data and be sure you haven't made an error in what your reading. Like I said, I've made the mistake of looking at the wrong data, but because things didn't look right I caught my mistake before it made it into my gun.

 

[Galil5.56]

I am having concerns with a load for 9mm. The recipe calls fo 6.2 grains of unique under a 125 grain bullet. Now when I do this it seems that the bullet compresses the powder. Is that normal on 9mm loads or is this not safe? That is a Alliant published recipe but I haven't been reloading long and I know for sure that my bullet doesn't touch the powder in my 45lc. Please help me thank you.

I loaded the 6.2 grain charge back when it was current published data using 124 grain JHP bullets with great results, and measured velocities of 1180-1200 fps. Never were any issues (why should there?), and even when used in firearms with unsupported chambers, brass remained undistorted, w/o any "guppy belly". Compression at any published charge weight is a complete non issue as far as safety goes.

The late Stephen Camp's go to load from his site http://www.hipowersandhandguns.com/ consisted of 124 grain JHP bullets and 6 grains of Unique, and worked fine for him for decades and many thousands of rounds. I'm not suggesting anyone use these loads, or that the current loadings are bunk, but I will say Hercules/Alliant has gotten some interesting results over the years, even when comparing psi-to-psi; no hokey extrapolation of CUP-to-psi. Highlights of this can be seen here:

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=325464

To put some numbers on much lighter Unique data, 4.7 grains of Unique drives a 127 grain cast bullet from my 5" pistols at 1070-1095 fps... Jacketed bullets of 124/125 grains would be markedly slower in my experience.

 

[Fishslayer]

I use Handloads.com but always bounce that data against other sources, which includes the powder manufacturers. Some of those "guests" on handloads.com think they're Elmer Keith or somethin'.

I've found I usually get my best accuracy at the lower end of the charge data anyway...

 

[rg1]

6.2 grains sounds very HOT to me. I'd recommend to start at 4.8 grains which gets about 950 fps with 124 grain bullets and work up to 5.5 grains. Go above that carefully. I like a 5.1-5.2 grain load with 124 fmj bullets and use 5.4 grains of Unique with Speer Gold Dot 124 HP for 1130 fps. I use mostly Win cases and CCI 500 primers.

 

[Sapper771]

Galil5.56,

I have used Mr.Camp's Unique load in the past. 6gr of Unique under a 124gr XTP. Good warm load. Showed a little above 1200fps from my Glock 17.

 

[GLOOB]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

I'm amazed at the number of people using 5 grains and less. I use 5.05 gr for my 125 gr cast bullet plinking loads, and I consider it fairly anemic. The cases eject reliably, but don't go very far. When I use 124 gr plated bullets, I load 'em between 5.4 and 6.0, depending on the bullet type and OAL. Recoil is what I'd call powder puff, still. 6.2 is certainly not the place to start from, but if you work it up gradually, I don't think it's an unreasonable place to end up at. No wonder so many people are having issues with Gen4 Glocks.


BTW, I don't have a chronograph, but I'm fairly certain that 6.0 grains behind a Berry's 124 gr plated are breaking the sound barrier out of my Glock (hot, dry conditions), whereas 6.0 grains behind a jacketed bullet are not. I guess that would put 'em around 1150fps give or take 100. Alliant lists 1180fps for a GDHP, so I think that's in the right ballpark.