9mm WestCoast Bullets 115gr RN

[ocabj]

I picked up a 500ct box of WCB 115gr RN 9mm Copper Plated bullets for $21+tax from a local dealer today. I was checking the Speer #13 and it said Max COL is 1.168. When I was seating a dummy round, 1.160 was still very high, and the bullet was not seated evenly. As I seated lower, the bullet started evening out, as expected. I don't have any factory RN/ball 9mm rounds lying around so I can't compare to factory loads. The Speer Gold Dot 9mm +P I have has a COL of 1.122. What are common COLs for this particular round type? How about crimp?

 

[MoNsTeR]

VV book says 1.142" min.
Alliant says 1.120" min.
Accurate says 1.100" min.

When loading 115RN I load somewhere between the min. and max., closer to the min.

 

[Zak Smith]

I've used several thousand of these bullets. They work for me between 1.100" and 1.155", but for medium plinking loads, I use 1.120" nominal.

-z

 

[Tony Z]

I use the West Coast 124Gr Flat Points religiously now, but when I first started loading I to used the 115Gr WCB, seated to an OAL of 1.120-1.130. Next time you order, try there flat points, IMO there more accurate.

Tony Z

 

[C. H. Luke]

Need to be vary careful with the 9mm re, seating depth.
As a rule of thumb it's best not to go below OAL listed
in major mfg. Load Books due to this cartridges tendency
to skyrocket in pressure if seated too deeply.

As for crimp, you're using plated rather than jacketed
bullets which are easily deformed with more than a slight crimp.
One of the best ways to determie same is mike actual bullet diameter and case mouth walls {assumes you're using all same mfg. cases} then add the 3 figures. Then test the round to determine if bullet is gripped firmly and has no chance to "set-back" when gun is being fired. This is the method that Brian Enos recomends.

FWIW, Have found WC bullets to be very consistant in dia. and weight
which is, in part, responsible for their quite good accuracy.