Factory JHP, Mexican match or full reloads

[Sunray]

From what I understand, a civilian just thinking about using a handgun for self-defence is pretty much illegal, in Europe. However, why bother mucking around with pulling bullets and replacing 'em with anything? Shot placement is what matters.
"...Do Europeans leave the "h" out of "three"?..." French Canadians do. snicker.

 

[ljnowell]

From what I understand, a civilian just thinking about using a handgun for self-defence is pretty much illegal, in Europe. However, why bother mucking around with pulling bullets and replacing 'em with anything? Shot placement is what matters.

"...Do Europeans leave the "h" out of "three"?..." French Canadians do. snicker.

Europe is a big place. Things change greatly from country to country.

 

[fguffey]

"Increasing the load 10-15%" is not a viable option. You have no way of knowing what the powder is. Further you would have to resize the cases anyway, so you may as well just buy primed brass, that's what you are using anyway.

No way of knowing? Sure he does, he could use powder from one case to add powder to 10 other cases or 1 1/2 cases if he is serious about 15 other cases.

I would not do it. I would not assume all bullets of the same weight require the same powder charge.

F. Guffey

 

[Potatohead]

Haha! Good observation, and strange that I missed such an obvious thing. No that's just my keyboard, I spilled some sugar-loaded drink on it a few weeks back and some keys are still sticking, my arrow keys still won't move a bit.
I can assure you we all spell "three" with an "h" here When we are awake, properly thinking and have a functioning keyboard at least.

LOL. Gotcha. I should've suspected it was keyboard induced.

 

[30cal_Fun]

Again, thanks for all the advice people! It is much appreciated!

ArchAngelCD:
I must have read over the S&B description of their JHP, thanks for pointing that out.

Jim: Chrono's are about 150-200 dollars here, and I'm not willing to spend that much since I've never needed one and 90% of the ammo I shoot is factory .22lr.

The best option to me so far seems to load them myself. I already have reloading equipment suitable powder and an RCBS 9mm carbide die set on the way, so I would only have to order the bullets and primers.

 

[Edarnold]

For what it's worth, Vita Vitahouri has a load with N340 powder and the Hornaday 115gr XTP that hits over 1300 fps. In a four-inch barrel. However, the chamber must accept this bullet loaded to an overall length of 1.142 ( 29mm ). Some gunmakers choose to shorten the leade to fit military round-nose ammo, you will have to assemble a test round with this bullet and see if your pistol will accept it. If not, you would have to load down due to reduced case capacity, which is why we see lower velocities from the short-loaded commercial ammunition.

 

[poco loco]

The most common "Mexican Match" ammo was the military M72

Match 30-06 ammo with the 173g fmj pulled and swapped with the 168 Match Kings.....supposed to gain you a minute of angle.....haven't tried it myself but I have a 45 cal can full of pulled 173's I picked up dirt cheap from a retired match shooter....

 

[FROGO207]

When I pull bullets and replace them I use one that is the same weight/Diameter and weigh the propellant in twenty rounds as I take them apart. Then I average the weights by adding them up and dividing the results by 20. That is what I refill my ammo with and get good to great results. That is how I Mexican Match mine.

 

[Mad Chemist]

Edarnold:
For what it's worth, Vita Vitahouri has a load with N340 powder and the Hornaday 115gr XTP that hits over 1300 fps. In a four-inch barrel. However, the chamber must accept this bullet loaded to an overall length of 1.142 ( 29mm ). Some gunmakers choose to shorten the leade to fit military round-nose ammo, you will have to assemble a test round with this bullet and see if your pistol will accept it. If not, you would have to load down due to reduced case capacity, which is why we see lower velocities from the short-loaded commercial ammunition.

The XTP bullet has a very "pointy" profile for a JHP and will fit nearly all pistol chambers when seated at 1.142". Of course you could always seat it shorter. Very good 9mm defensive ammo can be created with the combo of XTP bullets and VV powders. N320, N340, and 3N37 work very well for this task. N340 has the edge for 115gr XTP and 3N37 is tops for 124gr XTP. I have worked up both of these loads and they have performed well for me when loaded near max.

 

[30cal_Fun]

Thanks for the reloading tips Mad Chemist and Edarnold.
I like Vihtavuori a lot and have both N320 and N340 so I should have plenty of load development to do once the rest of the reloading components arrive.

Continuing on the seating depth issue described by Mad Chemist and Edarnold; I am thinking of ordering either 115 gr Speer Gold Dots or the Hornady 115 gr XTP's, would you prefer one over the other? Their profile looks very similar to me.
I will be shooting them through a Glock 19 Gen 4.

 

[Mad Chemist]

124gr XTP are what I use for stockpiled defensive ammo. These bullets can be driven hot. For N340, I would start at the middle of the load data and test up to near-max. Keep the load that yields the best combination of accuracy and controlability during rapid fire.

I can't speak to the lighter gold dot bullets. The only 9mm gold dot load I've worked up is the 147gr nuclear load with 3N38. Recoil is pretty beastly with that one.