9mm IDPA load.

[Marc257]

As much as I love .45acp, I recently traded my 45 M&P for a 9mm M&P for stock service in IDPA. All my reloading has been for 45, 38, and 223 thus far so I'm looking for suggestions from others about their favorite load. I'm using Ramshot Competition for .45 but also have Clays, 231, Blue Dot, and Titegroup and would be open to even another powder. I like the coated lead bullets from Precision Bullets and Black Bullets International so I'll probably go with bullets from them, but not sure which weight. Thanks for any advise.

 

[Runningman]

Here is five pages or so that should give you some ideas. http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=89264&st=0

 

[LiveLife]

W231/HP38 is my designated USPSA match powder (I shoot 40 S&W).

For the baked on Moly coated Precision lead bullets, how about 125 gr bullet with 4.3 gr of W231? Should make 125 power factor.

 

[rfwobbly]

• I found that plated bullets are about the same price as moly-coated, but create much less smoke. That can be a big plus in a match when rapid fire or simply lots of rounds are used.

• Most modern 9mm pistols seem to be rifled to do best with 124/125gr

• Win231 (aka HP38) in the neighborhood of 4.3 to 4.4gr will shoot clean and accurate. Play with OALs from 1.100" to 1.160" and see what feeds reliably.

 

[Runningman]

I found that plated bullets are about the same price as moly-coated, but create much less smoke.

Same here.

 

[LiveLife]

I found that plated bullets are about the same price as moly-coated, but create much less smoke

Plated 125 gr bullets are around $85 - $100/1K depending on brand/quality.
Precision bullets are $ 67/1K - $ 214/3.5K ($ 61.14/1K)

Early Moly bullets had poor thin coating and often performed poorly. I have shot a lot of Moly coated bullets that have thicker coating (some baked on like Precision) and there's no smoke (same as shooting plated or jacketed). Precision bullets have even harder Moly coating with their proprietary process. Over the years, Precision bullets have been popular USPSA match bullets. If you are shooting 2-3K rounds a month for matches and range practice, the difference in price compared to plated will add up.

 

[Walkalong]

Precision Bullets have shot real well for me. Clean to handle and shoot.

 

[jmorris]

The coating on Precision bullets is not Moly. I fixed the price problem for our club by becoming a dealer for Berry’s so now we all get a good deal.

The best 9mm IDPA load I have ever found is 3.1 gr of VV310 with a Berry’s 147 loaded to 1.160” OAL. A close 2nd would be 3.2-3.3 gr of Titegroup in place of the vv310.

 

[LiveLife]

The coating on Precision bullets is not Moly

Ooops, jmorris you are correct - it is a proprietary hard coating.

If you can get a group pricing on Berry's, that's great. But if you are individual buyer, $83/1K is probably the best you can do - http://www.hitfactorshooting.com/Berrys-9mm-124gr-RN-DS-Plated-1000-qty-B-9MM-124-RNDS-1M.htm

I shot my matches with Montana Gold jacketed bullets and practiced with Rainier plated bullets. Lately, I have practiced with Berry's and Missouri lead bullets. Heck, if the California governor pays us federal minimum wage until there's a budget, I may have to compete with Precision bullets and practice with Missouri lead bullets!