9mm Reloading

[RugerSteve]

This is my current recipe : 9mm mixed head stamped brass, 115 gr RN plated bullet from RMR bullets, Hodgdon HP-38 powder using 4.9 per cartridge, and COL of 1.125.

Now my question is if you look in Lyman Reloading Handbook it doesn't really help at all. It only lists 115gr JHP, with nothing listed for HP-38.

Another book I have is The complete Reloading Manual for the 9mm Luger. The following is what is listed thre:

115gr FMJ bullet Dia: .355". Col: 1.169

WSF. 4.9gr start. 5.7 Max

_______________________________________________

115gr JHP bullet. Dia: .355". Col: 1.169

WSF. 5.2gr. Start. 5.7 Max

_______________________________________________

115gr. LRN bullet. Dia: .356. Col: 1.100"

HP-38. 4.3 Start. 4.8 Max

_______________________________________________

115gr SPR GDHP. Dia: .355". Col: 1.125"

HP-38. 4.7Start. 5.1 Max





Hodgdon website shows:

115gr SPR GDHP. Dia: .355". Col: 1.125"

HP-38. 4.7 Start. 5.1 Max

------------------------------------------------------

115gr LRN. Dia: 1.100"

HP-38. 4.3 Start. 4.8 Max





So my question is with data from all these different sources, since I am using a Copper plated round nose bullet, do I use recipes for the SPR GDHP, or always use the recipes for LRN?



Steve

 

[SlowFuse]

How does your current load shoot?

I would use the Hodgdon LRN as your guide. If it were me I would probably drop down around 4.5 and go back up to about 5.0 in small intervals until I find the sweet spot.

 

[RugerSteve]

Kind of hard to tell. Was shooting a little low/right, but I think that was me with newer gun.

 

[Walkalong]

I imagine 4.9 grs is probably just fine. Did you work up to it? How did the other rounds feel/shoot?

 

[Potatohead]

Lyman49 is definitely not the way to go for 115 recipes.

 

[rogerstg]

Now my question is if you look in Lyman Reloading Handbook it doesn't really help at all. It only lists 115gr JHP, with nothing listed for HP-38.

You're right, except that it lists 231 which is the same as HP-38.
For 231 it's min 3.5 and max 4.9 giving 959 and 1253 fps, respectively.

 

[wooldl]

You need to pick up the 2015 Hodgdon Reloading manual at a bookstore....there is an entire article dedicated to 9mm with some extensive testing. May be just the ticket.

 

[Potatohead]

I dont have the Hodgdon manual, nor have I ever seen one. I'd sure grab one if I saw it. Also Im kind of pissed that there's somewhat current 9mm data out there that i havent seen!

 

[Ccctennis]

For plated bullets you are supposed to use mid jacketed velocities or upper lead velocities.

 

[BCRider]

Hodgdon has their reloading data web site which is their manual. You can also download the PDF of the full Hodgdon manual if you prefer. Again I found a link for this on the Hodgdon website.

I'd look for data from RMR or contact them for an email on their suggestion. But I know on the Berry Bullets suggests using cast lead data for their plated bullets and using a very light crimp to no crimp other than flattening the casing walls to avoid cutting into the plating.

 

[Artofgolf]

Courtesy: Hodgdon Reloading
www.hodgdonreloading.com

WHICH DATA DO I USE WHEN MY SPECIFIC BULLET IS NOT LISTED?

Hodgdon Powder Company provides reloading data that covers most bullets available today. However, because there are so many bullet shapes, styles, and construction configurations we cannot create data for every single one. If you cannot find your particular bullet in the reload data there is good news. We provide data in enough variations in most calibers to give you a safe alternative.

Current rifle bullets are constructed with a jacket/lead core or single material (such as all-copper). Bullets with lead cores typically display lower pressures than bullets of all copper or gilding metal structure. As such, we show data for both style bullets in a given weight, as often as possible. For example, should you have a Hornady GMX solid core hunting bullet, but our data for that weight bullet only shows a Speer lead core bullet and a Barnes all copper TSX bullet, use the data for the Barnes bullet. The GMX and TSX bullets being of similar metals and shape, can utilize the same data.

Pistol bullets create the same situation, having even more changes in shape and type. There are lead bullets, copper plated lead bullets, copper-jacketed lead core bullets, and frangible bullets. Frangible bullets are unique such that we always show separate data for them (and recommend not using any other bullet type data).

Lead bullets and copper plated lead bullets yield very similar pressure and velocity results, so when the weights are the same, the same data may be used for each. Jacketed Lead core bullets come in a variety of configurations. Jacketed Hollow points and Jacketed Flat points of the same weight use the same data. Round nosed, lead core, full metal jacketed bullets of the same weight can also use the same data.

In conclusion, bullets with similar shapes and construction materials will utilize the same data. And, above all else, work up your loads by starting with the beginning load and increase charges in small increments, at all times watching for case head pressure signs and stiff extraction.

 

[Potatohead]

Oh yea, Duh...i use the Hodgdon site all the time.

Its Monday:banghead:

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I agree 4.9gr W231/HP-38 should be just fine under a 115gr plated bullet but no higher. The real question is, why so hot? That is .1gr over the max charge recommended on the Hodgdon site for a 115hr cast bullet and most plated bullets should use cast bullet data. I would think something lighter would be a good choice too especially if this is just range ammo.

 

[LiveLife]

I agree 4.9 gr W231/HP-38 should be just fine under a 115 gr plated bullet but no higher. The real question is, why so hot?

+1. I use 4.8 gr of W231/HP-38 as my reference 9mm load for 115 gr FMJ at 1.135" OAL as 4.6 gr will start to reliably cycle the even stiffer recoil springed compact/subcompact Glocks and 4.8 gr will produce slightly greater accuracy than 4.6 gr loads.

I could see using higher powder charges if using really long OAL as with 115 gr with shorter bullet base, neck tension/initial pressure build may go down enough to warrant higher powder charges. Perhaps the OP is not getting reliable slide cycling?

Due to this reason, I tend to use shorter 1.135" OAL with 115 gr FMJ/RN bullets. I do use longer OAL (like 1.150"-1.160") when I am using fluffier powders and charges that will produce compressed loads at shorter OALs.

 

[GLOOB]

Find out what the bullet manufacturer recommends. The way a plated bullet performs can vary. A Gold Dot plated bullet acts pretty much like a jacketed bullet. A thinly plated bullet might shoot a lot like a cast bullet. And there's everything between.

But the proof is in the pudding. If your gun shoots reliably, then don't worry too much more about it, IMO. But if you find you are possibly above max charge, you might want to back off a little. Most of my high volume reloads that aren't straight out from a load book have been tested to about .2-.3 grains higher, just to make sure I'm not on the edge of a reliability problem. This has been learned the hard way. Just because it works today, doesn't mean it will work tomorrow, after your gun's recoil spring has taken more wear.

 

[Mad Chemist]

RMR and Xtreme recommends using charges from high-range lead data up to mid-range jacketed data.

So for a simple example the imaginary data says:
124gr LRN 4.0-5.0gr powder Y 1.40"

124gr FMJ 5.0-6.0gr powder Y 1.40"

Then I would start my plated bullet work up around 4.5gr of powder Y and I would consider 5.5gr of powder Y to be the max load for my plated bullet.

I'd end up with:
124gr Plated RN 4.5-5.5gr powder Y 1.40"
This would be the data I'd use for my load development.

 

[Walkalong]

Find out what the bullet manufacturer recommends. The way a plated bullet performs can vary. A Gold Dot plated bullet acts pretty much like a jacketed bullet. A thinly plated bullet might shoot a lot like a cast bullet. And there's everything between.

But the proof is in the pudding. If your gun shoots reliably, then don't worry too much more about it, IMO. But if you find you are possibly above max charge, you might want to back off a little. Most of my high volume reloads that aren't straight out from a load book have been tested to about .2-.3 grains higher, just to make sure I'm not on the edge of a reliability problem. This has been learned the hard way. Just because it works today, doesn't mean it will work tomorrow, after your gun's recoil spring has taken more wear.

Lots of truth to this.