9MM Reloading - Bullet Weight and Powder ?'s

[bcremer]

I am going to start reloading my 9mm shells. I primarily shoot at the range, and some IDPA.

I have always shot 115 gr. bullets, but was wondering peoples thoughts on 115 and 124 bullets. I am going to use jacketed bullets. A friend of mine recommended Berry's bullets and they seem to be reasonably priced.

Q1: Which do you recomend 115 gr or 124 gr bullets, what kind and who to buy from?

Q2: What powder do you use? Looking for something clean and reasonably priced. I use Clays for my shotgun shells. I saw one recipe for 9mm, but wanted others opinions.

Thanks!!!

 

[nwb01]

I only load 147's for range and IDPA. I used precision delta bullets with 3.2 grains of titegroup. YMMV

 

[jr45]

Berry bullets are fine, I have used them before. I also like to use Bullseye (Alliant) powder for my 9mm w/124gr Speer bullets. Very clean, does not need much powder (4.2grs), and gives decent velocity.

 

[ants]

One of my all time favorite 9mm loads is 3.6 grains Clays and a 124 grain Berry's round nose bullet. It makes IDPA power factor and it sweetly cycles every pistol we've ever shot, and it's clean. Since Clays is an inexpensive powder and you only use 3.6 grains per round, it is highly economical. I think my cost (using scrounged brass) is currently $101.59 per thousand rounds of 9mm when using Berry's bullet, Clays powder, and Wolf primer.

 

[bcremer]

Which primer do you use? Regular or magnum?

 

[Texas Colt]

I like the 124 grain RN bullet from either Berrys or X-treme.

4.3 grains of Bullseye with CCI-500 standard primers and a OAL of 1.155" will get you 1050 fps out of a 4.5" barrel. This load shoots great in all of my 9s.

 

[JJE]

None of the powders mentioned require magnum primers (don't take our word for it, get a reloading manual!!).

I've shot a lot of Berry's 124 gr, but they don't make a 115 gr bullet (Rainier does and their bullets are basically the same as far as I can tell). Lately I've been shooting Winchester 115 gr jacketed FMJ (exposed lead base) because they've been available at my usual source while the Berry's have been out of stock for a while.

 

[ants]

Regular small pistol. Double based Clays is soaked with nitroglycerine, has little or no retarder, the granules are shaped as flattened spheres, the cartridge is very short, and the powder doesn't even half fill the volume, so it requires little effort for ignition. Rifle and magnum primers overcome difficult conditions exactly the opposite of Clays. You can use small rifle or magnum primers if you want, but you won't gain anything.

 

[ants]

JJE, Berry's makes two 115 grain plated bullets: A flat point and a round nose. http://www.berrysmfg.com/categories/11-0.php

 

[zxcvbob]

I use 135 grain LRN bullets from Magnus (when I run out, I'll start using my own 120 grain cast bullets.) and I load them kind of hot. Bullseye powder works very well, and it's not as "peaky" as other fast powders. I don't have my load data available to tell you how much Bullseye, but you'd want to work that up yourself anyway.

 

[The Bushmaster]

One thought bcremer (and everyone else). Berry's and Rainier bullets are not jacketed, but plated bullets...

 

[rfwobbly]

BCR -

I've shot 115 and 124gr from Berry's in both RN and FP. They all do very well in my CZ. Berry also has a 130 and 135gr you might also try.

Shooters will tell you that most 9mm handguns are optimized around the 124gr weight. I like the 124gr becasue you don't want to load plated bullets to move too fast. So a mid-range loaded 124gr (~1040 fps) has enough Whap! to take care of steel targets, shoot good, and still cycle pretty fast. And they are more comfortable to shoot than 115 gr.

If you like something in between 115 and 124gr, then may I humbly suggest 121gr Montana Gold.

("Whap!" is a highly technical term I use. )

Hope this helps!

 

[CatsEye]

I shoot 124gr plated bullets with Titegroup powder. Makes a very good combination.

 

[Grassman]

I hope I get plenty of "WHAP" out of my next loads.......

 

[ants]

OH, Great! Now someone is going to start the old "45acp has more Whap" argument.

 

[ljnowell]

OH, Great! Now someone is going to start the old "45acp has more Whap" argument.

I know for a fact, because a cousin of my buddys uncle, who used to be a navy seal, told me that a 9mm will just tick a guy off and a .45 will blow him clean across the room.

 

[armoredman]

8.8grains of AA#7 under a 115gr JHP Remington slug is a fast little number I use a lot.

Edit to add, listed max load.

 

[1911user]

I've settled on 4.2gr titegroup with a 124gr FMJ (and regular primers) as a semi-standard load for general use.

Make sure the sizing die sizes the case enough for good tension between the bullet and case neck. You should not be able to easily press the bullet deeper into the case on a loaded round. If you load mixed 9mm brass (like me), be aware that some cases have a thinner neck section than others. Those are the ones to watch for potential bullet setback (bad thing with fast powders). I use a special undersize sizing die to make sure setback is not an issue. It's easier than sorting 9mm brass by headstamp. They are made by Lee and sold be Lee and Evolution Gun Works (EGW).

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Berry's bullets are Plated, not Jacketed. It's recommended you use load data for lead bullets when loading a plated bullet.

I like W231 when loading a plated/lead 124gr bullet in the 9mm. I like 124/125gr bullets best in the 9mm too. It's a good compromise between velocity and penetration IMO. With Jacketed bullets Longshot works very well!!

 

[Bear2000]

I'm with 1911User for 9mm: 4.2-4.3 gr of Titegroup (whatever my Lee charger decides) under a 125 Zero FMJHP at 1.125-1.128" (whatever my Lee seater and the brass I use decide). The chrono at about 1075, which is just fine for everyday shooting.

 

[RustyFN]

I don't care for 115 grain bullets. I load 124 and 135 grain Zero bullets. I have also used a lot of Berry's and they shoot fine. When I run out of Berry's and Zero I'm going to start casting my own.
Rusty.

 

[oneounceload]

I, actually my 9mm's, prefer 124 grain bullets. I use both Bullseye and Universal Clays with good results

 

[modwerdna]

if you want max performance use Bluedot and 115 jhp . I think Last time I used 9 grains, but it was as much as the case would hold - check out a manual to be sure, but bluedot will give you the absolute most fps

 

[chbrow10]

Does IDPA have steel in it? If so, I recommend a 147 grain bullet. We shoot USPSA and the 147s really give you some wiggle room with the steel. We use W-231. We're loading for minor power factor. Does IDPA have a power factor? (mass x velocity = some number (125000 in USPSA)

My 9 year old son can not tell the difference between a 115, 124, and 147 grain load when it comes to recoil. At minor power factor, they all fell the same to him.

 

[FM-793]

I like Sierra 125 gr Tournament Masters with Clays for target shooting. Very nice load and fun to shoot - you can get the recipe from the Hodgdon load data on their website. Don't use magnum primers - absolutely no need. I've got the Berrys in 147 gr., but not sure how I feel about them yet - Berry's suggests you use mid-range jacketed bullet loads, and don't use the maximums. The Lee manual carries loads for plated bullets, and they do fall right smack in the mid-range of the jacketed loads. I loaded some up with Accurate #7 - wasn't crazy about the combo after shooting the Sierra 125's with Clays. I'm going to load some up with HS-6 and see how that goes.

Mark