9mm-JHP-and OAL's

[Timothy]

I’d like to collect a good sample of OAL’s, by brand, that you guys are seating your 9mm JHP’s. Load data seems to be all over the place and I don’t have a sample of each bullet to compare ogives. As you know, some data cites bullet manufacturer and some just says “JHPâ€.
I’m currently working on an OAL for a Zero 9mm 125gr. JHP for a CZ P-01. Given the pistol that I’m loading for, I know I will need to be shorter than most. I am blackening the seated bullet with a “magic marker†and dropping it into the chamber (barrel out of pistol of course) and gently rotating it. The longest OAL with no telltale scratches is 1.090†so I know I’m off the lands and so this is where I’ll start.
I’m hoping this little survey will help me know if I’m playing in the same band with you guys for Zero bullets as well as other brands I may try.
Thanks for the help.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Winchester (Bulk) 115 gr. HP----1.100 to 1.120 OAL for a firestar M43.

Remember...When you reach the longest OAL it still must fit the magazine and function without fail.

 

[Jeeper]

I load zero 147 JHP to 1.155 out of a glock 17

 

[sigarette]

Timothy,
I'm going through the same exercise right now for my Zero 125gr JHP's. I initially loaded these with an OAL of 1.110 and that worked fine for my Sig P226 and my XD Tactical, however this was too long for my CZ-75B. I had to go down to 1.097 before these fit into the CZ-75B without any contact with the lands.

 

[zeke]

1.03 for Sierra's jhps (115 and 125 gn) for a CZ-75 compact. 1.05 for Noslers 115 jhp, 1.13 for Hornady's xtp's. My BHP tolerates longer COL, as does a CZ-75B owned.

 

[GooseGestapo]

I bought a coupla of thousand of those three years ago, and shot them though my S&W PPC-9's.

I found that for my guns, (tight, short throats), that 1.125" worked best. I've found that having sufficient bullet bearing surface supported by the case neck is necessary for proper alignment of the bullet to bore with minimal runnout is more important than distance from the grooves. I seat my 115's to 1.10" oal, or shorter (1.085" minimum except for Sierra's, at 1.050" with a 5% reduction in charge weight).

I also found that my 6"bbl gun needed a near maximum load to cycle properly. I was using Winchester SuperField powder, and found that 5.2gr worked best.

However, I was not overly found of this bullet (Zero 125gr JHP) as it didn't have the accuracy I required. (None of the Zero JHP's met my criteria). It also dosen't seem to expand well (observation based on bullets recovered from dirt berm).

They are good for the price, but my guns much prefer Remington 115gr JHP's, along with the more expensive Nosler', Hornady's, and Sierra's.