AA#7 in 9mm

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This is shenanigans, just get yourself a jug of universal and call it a day. It will make factory spec velocity with no trouble.
 
>>Anybody use AA #7 for 9mm carbines?<<

I've used a heavy load of Blue Dot in that Hi-Point carbine and is works well. Blue Dot is even slower burning than AA #7. I wanted a slower burning powder in order to get maximum velocity from that 16-inch barrel.

To the OP: I wouldn't let the flash from Power Pistol scare you off. It just means they did not add a flash suppressant to it. That's just so you don't give away your position to the enemy at night. You don't have anyone shooting back at you, do you?
 
I use AA#5, exclusively, for .45ACP and 9mm reloading. Also use it for moderate 10mm, but prefer AA#7 for 10mm.
 
cfullgraf wrote: Shot well, metered well. Accurate Powders now has data for plated bullets in 9x19 with AA#7

Accurate was the first company that I know of that formulated plated specific data. Data is about 20 years old: Ranier Plated
 
9mm 124gr, AA#7, 4" barrel, Minor Power Factor

First time reloader; first time poster.

With no previous experience, I decided to start reloading 9mm. This thread was one of the many resources that I used to teach myself about the safety and performance of using Accurate No. 7 powder. This thread comes up high on a Google search, so I thought I'd attempt to add my experience.

I'm using the Lee Breech Lock Hand Press, with a Lee Deluxe Carbide (4 die) set, Lee Lock Ring Eliminators, Lee Ram Prime, WSP primers, mixed brass, and Ranier 124gr plated bullets.

I chose AA#7 because I wanted a reduced risk of overcharging my cases. I'm using the Accurate load data v3.5, available here: http://www.accuratepowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/accurate_load_data_3.5.pdf

I started with the start load, which is 6.7gr of AA#7. After going to the local range, and convincing myself that the slide was not going to come loose and impact my face, I pulled the trigger on my German Sig Sauer P228 (3.9" barrel), six times. My ProChrono Digital gave me the following:

FPS: 929, 912, 888, 910, 944, 944

After this string, unburnt powder was everywhere, inside of my frame and slide. However, the action did operate properly, and the rounds did eject, with and without bullets remaining in the mag.

I was happy with the low recoil and the function of the action, but I realized that all of the posters (on this and other sites), who told us that AA#7 was better-suited for heavier loads, were correct.

I kept working up...

TL;DR

Here's what I eventually settled-on. I don't shoot in competitions, but this load has a couple of conveniences for me. One, it is a typical powder scoop for my Lee 0.5cc dipper; and two, it averages to a 127 power factor in my P228:

124gr Ranier plated round nose, .356
7.3gr Accurate No. 7
Avg. COL: 1.152
Avg. taper crimp: 0.3765

Which gave me a recorded seven-shot string of:

FPS: 1024, 1031, 1030, 1052, 999, 1026, 1040
Avg. FPS: 1029
Avg. PF: 127
Avg. ft-lbf: 291

Use this data at your own risk. Thanks for reading.
 
124gr Ranier plated round nose, .356
7.3gr Accurate No. 7
Avg. COL: 1.152
Avg. taper crimp: 0.3765

This load is close to what I have in my notes:
9mm

Bullet: 124 grain -- Remington FMJ (MwUSA #420022), Remington JHP (MwUSA #465052)
124 grain -- Berry's Preferred Plated (from Cabelas) ***(See Note about COL)
Primer: CCI 500
Charge: AA #7, 7.2 to 8.0 grains per older AA
Using: ~7.4 grain AA # 7 (.5cc Lee dipper)
COL: 1.095"
Note: With the seating die set for 1.095" COL with the Remington FMJ, the COL for the Remington JHP is a bit less, but tests okay. For the Berry's Preferred Plated bullet, the seating die must be adjusted out to avoid seating the bullet too deep (I think this is because the mouth of the bullet is quite a bit wider). A COL for the Berry's of 0.06" less, or ~1.035" should give about the same seating depth as the FMJ, and tested okay.
These were worked up in a Taurus 24/7. I haven't shot them in my XDM in a while, but I seem to recall problems with the loads using the Berry's plated bullet having cycling issues.

FWIW. I think #7 is suitable, but as with all reloading, there will be some variation from one firearm to another, so work your own loads up accordingly. I tend to settle on conservative loads, and never approach the max.
 
Rev. A of the 9mm AA#7 chart

9mm-aa7-plated-revA.png

This is from a 3.9" barrel.

(Note that some of these loads exceed the recommended specs)

6.7 921
6.8 946
6.9 971
7.0 992
7.1 1013
7.2 1027
7.3 1041
7.4 1056
7.5 1071
7.6 1086
7.7 1102
7.8 1107
7.9 1119
8.0 1140
 
I kind of lean toward Red Dot up to 130 grain rounds, I've heard it is dirty but I haven't had any major problems with it, in my 92FS, or my Benelli B76, or my Hi-Point carbine. It is highly accurate in all three of my 9mm using 125 grn. rounds.
 
I love AA#7 in my 9.
With 125JHP the sweet spot seems to be about 7.3grs @1.150" OAL.
It is flash suppressed.
It cannot KB guns.
It measures like water.
 
I've had good results with #7 124 gr and Hornady HAP 125 gr. I mostly use #5 with 115 gr and the 121 gr HAP.
 
I've been using #7 for many years in 9mm and other cartridges. A number of years back I acquired about 30 pounds of AA #7 and 18 pounds of AA #5. I experimented with both powders in 9mm and both have worked very well for me. I have been quite fond of the #7 in 9mm with both 115 gr as well as 124 gr plated and jacketed bullets. All work very well in a Beretta 92 pistol as well as a Sten. I load both the 115 and 124 gr with 7.6 grains of #7 and this has given me 1000 fps with the 124 gr, and 1080 fps in the 115 gr. Recoil is not bad with either bullet.
 
I started reloading my first real batches of rounds with AA#7 and 9mm 115 gr bullets, I was going for safe as there is no way one can double charge with it. I don't remember any muzzle flash to speak of and my indoor pistol range is quite dark from the line out to the first target lights.

It is a very forgiving powder, I thought.
 
I bought a couple of jugs of surplus #7 powder a few years ago. I wish I had bought 4 jugs of it. It is Israeli pulldown 9mm SMG powder, and a just little faster than real AA#7. I haven't tried it in 9mm, but it works great in .357 Magnum.
 
AA#7 is a Favorite

AA#7 is one of my favorites for 9mm. As already stated, it meters well, can't be double charged, accurate, dependable, etc.

Over the past few days, I have loaded 1000 rounds of 9mm using 7.8 grains of #7 under a 124 Montana Gold HP and CCI-500 primer. I did this on my Dillon RL550B. I always keep it set up with something and just sit down and load a few hundred at a time.

This is my favorite IDPA match load. It gives me the power to knock down steel plates, poppers, and bowling pins but recoil is still mild. I have not run it through a crony but I guess they are in excess of 1100 fps coming out of a 5 inch barrel. I would not hesitate to use these for personal defense as well.
 
Lots of good info here. I load everything I shoot, .380, 9mm, 38SP, 40 S&W, 45 ACP, 45 Colt, .223, 7,62x39, 30-30, 300 BLK, 12 Ga, and 410.

At the Nations Gun Show today here in Northern VA, due to a lack of my favorite Unique for pistols, I bought A #7. My intent is to put 115 gn fmjs [I have lots] down my AR chambered in 9mm. I am not critical on Unique yet, but would like to keep it for the other cals. Now that I have the #7, I want to take advantage of it. I have read all the posts, and it seems that about 7.5 gns should do it. Any one have any comments? What else is it good for - from my list above. Any help here would be appreciated, but its primary use will be 9mm it the AR. Thanks, Dave... We are all in this together.
 
Win case, Fed 200 primer, 7.8 grains AA-7 and Hdy 124 xtp @1.113 oal.
1180 fps from BHP, excellent accuracy. Work up to it slowly, it exceeds some manuals slightly and consider a plus p velocity. Works fine in every 9mm tried in.

Unique (and lots of others) is another very good 9mm powder, but harder to work with.

Another loader who uses it for 357 mag loads, but lower velocities than full bore slower powder loads.
 
AA7 has been fair, as I like the medium to slow burners. But my favorite medium burner for 9mm has been HS6. As for my over all favorite 9mm powder it's hands down Longshot. In fact, I find Longshot to be my favorite for 9mm, 38 spcl, and .40 cal.. It is flashy and pretty exclusively for full powered loads, but it simply produces the best of such. It fills the case very well, never given me pressure management problems, and it's produced excellent accuracy.

GS
 
I think it's the Hornady manual that said Power Pistol was their favorite 9mm powder overall. They may be in cahoots though, I know nothing of that.
 
I'm with Walkalong and several others. I believe that No7 is too slow for general use in 9mm, especially with 124 grain bullets. Not only that, but it is simply not efficient. That is to say, what takes 7+ grains of No7 to do can be done more realistically with half that in a slightly faster powder.

This is not to say it's not an excellent powder in its own right. In cartridges like 38 Super, 9x23 Win, 10mm where case volume isn't so much an issue and speeds in excess of 1200 fps are normal, then No7 starts to shine.

No7 is one of my all-time favorites in 38 Super, using the same 147/150 grain bullet and primer as the 9.
 
I believe that #7 is not too slow for general use in the 9mm. How is it too slow? Because you can get the same velocity with a smaller charge weight using other powders? That's no way to measure burning rate. #7 burns as completely as any other medium-rate powder, delivers excellent accuracy, and is flash suppressed. It meters better than other powders. It gives you 100% load density and a gradual pressure curve.

While you can't use it for "3grs of Titegroup/147gr" type applications, you CAN use it for all reasonable applications.
 
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