Favorite load for Hornady's 124-grain XTP

[Vacek]

OK, I (actually my lovely wife Lisa) have/has a Glock 17. I am reloading for a Hornady's 124-grain XTP. Please provide your favorite load for this round.

Happy New Year to all.

Vacek

 

[Galil5.56]

For 124 grain JHP's... 6.2 grains Unique, 6.5 grains Power Pistol. Both go well over 1200 fps from my 5" guns and are accurate. Power Pistol does seem to be more blasty/flashy if that is a concern.

 

[armoredman]

8.0 grains AA#7 at 1.10 COAL, PMP brass, Lee FCD used.

 

[Stephen A. Camp]

Hello. I use the following with the 124-gr. XTP in 9mm:

Federal or Winchester Cases
Federal or Winchester Primer
6.0-gr. Unique
Average Velocity (Browning Hi Power): 1244 ft/sec
LOA: 1.11"

Best.

 

[ants]

I use 4.0 grains Titegroup for a nice smooth load, overall length 1.15". Velocity is just above 1050fps. All mixed brass, usually WSP primers but lately Wolff small pistol. Similar load is Unique at 5.8 grains.

 

[Vacek]

Thanks much,

I have some Titegroup and Unique on hand and will try both. Any thoughts on W231?

 

[Galil5.56]

WW 231 will work real well for std, to slightly "hotter" than std velocity loads with a 124 JHP. There is a pretty wide range of what manuals state as max for WW 231, so careful workup and paying attention to OAL is paramount.

Should you decide to go the Titegroup route, be especially careful with workup, as it is MUCH faster in burning rate/pressure curve than WW 231 or Unique and any mistakes will be magnified with far less forgiveness.

 

[The Bushmaster]

Pick a powder. There are soo many that work well in the Wonder Nine. I have used W-231, WSF, AA #5 & #7. But there are many more...

 

[Walkalong]

Yep, 700X, SR 4756, W-231, WSF, AA #2, AA #5, HS-6, N320, N330, N340, Unique, Universal Clays. Lots of powders do well in the 9MM.

I like 700X or N320 for light loads. AA # 5, WSF, N330 & SR-4756 for near max to max loads.

 

[edSky]

I use 4.0 grains Titegroup for a nice smooth load, overall length 1.15". Velocity is just above 1050fps. All mixed brass, usually WSP primers but lately Wolff small pistol. Similar load is Unique at 5.8 grains.

I like ants' more conservative Unique load. I have just gotten TITEGROUP and haven't worked out a load yet, but I would be careful of starting out Unique at 6.0 or 6.2. It's a pretty fluffy powder, and 6 and above may be getting close to a compressed load. I usually stick to 5.4 or so of Unique, so I am on the other end of the spectrum.

Start low and work up

 

[Galil5.56]

Agreed. I sure hope no one starts at the 6 or 6.2 grain max, double checks and verifies that load for safety sake, and uses prudent reloading procedure. 6.2 grains is the listed max from some years ago from Alliant, and what I have found safe in my pistols after working up.

What issue do you think there is by compressing Unique? There is absolutely nothing unsafe by doing so (especially with fluffy flake propellants), and I can assure you 6 grains and any 124 grain bullet I have used is compressed pretty heavily.

 

[Walkalong]

All of my 9MM loads fill the case pretty well. I don't like Titegroup for a couple of reasons, and the tiny little charges is one of them.

 

[edSky]

Galil, I have no issue with compressed loads. I think Speer #14 has a max load of 5.8 for Unique with 124gr bullets if my memory serve me, and I'm just taking a conservative view to Vacek's question.

If 6.2 works, that's cool. I'm happy with 5.4 grains of Unique with 124gr JHPs. If I can get another reasonably priced box of XTPs I'll work them up, now that I have a chronograph. Perhaps I'll meet you up there at 6+/-

 

[rfwobbly]

I agree with Galil, Win231 is a great shooting and very clean powder for the mid-weight (120 to 130gr) 9mm bullets. Used with minimum loads like 4.4 to 4.5gr at 1.100" long... they feed well, are accurate, and knock down steel. What more could a guy ask for?

To further reduce hand sting, a lady certainly might prefer a powder with the slower speed of Unique, but I'd choose N340 or WSF first. I like to play with Unique, but in my minor loads it's simply too dirty.

 

[edSky]

Hehe, thanks for pointing out my latent homosexuality. I had no idea that Unique was for the ladies. I can't wait to sell my Nighthawk Talon and get a Lady Hawk instead. Why the soft and slow thud of a .45 never excited me I'll never know, but I think I'll shoot more of the pufta-like 9mm with fluffy powder. Come to think of it, the red lettering on the Unique can has always appealed to my inner woman.

Added: Interesting find: http://www.thehighroad.org/showpost.php?p=5206822&postcount=7. This person also expressed concern about compressing a charge around 6.0. Thank the Lord I don't get all I know from this board, as the information is contradictory, at best. Happy Loading!