lordpaxman
Member
- Joined
- Jun 4, 2011
- Messages
- 2,446
No worries, thanks! I was just trying to read your pressure signs the right wayYou're right and I should have more clear on that.
No worries, thanks! I was just trying to read your pressure signs the right wayYou're right and I should have more clear on that.
Yes, bullseye match shooters do this to identify lighter yet accurate loads with faster burning powders like Bullseye to W231/HP-38, even replacing recoil spring with lighter rate spring to cycle the slide.when you do your "Work down", you're just looking for loads that function and don't meet a specific PF?
Glad to help another member. After years of "hunting" to identify most accurate load, I tried to come up with a process/method that was more standardized.This! This is very helpful and well laid out. I’m going to have to read over it a few times to get that how to find the most accurate load! A lot of information there!
That's the joy/fun of reloading, experimenting/customizing our loads until we attain the accuracy and/or particular felt recoil we desire.I will have to see about that OAL once I do my own load testing. I’m actually enjoying playing around with load workouts and bullet lengths. I’m going to start slowly shortening the OAL up while still using the 3.6-4.3gr test range. Going to try 1.135” then 1.130” and finally 1.125”. If all goes well I may get down to 1.100 and 1.08.
Very helpful, again much appreciated. I plan to try and keep as detailed of a log as possible with my findings and will definitely keep this updated.Glad to help another member. After years of "hunting" to identify most accurate load, I tried to come up with a process/method that was more standardized.
There are many reloading variables that affect accuracy. Identifying the "most" accurate load is often a balancing act of different variables like less gas leakage (from longest working OAL) vs more consistent pressure build (from greater neck tension/shorter OAL). And sometimes another variable overshadows other variables (like bullet diameter) and blurs our findings.
That's why we often suggest to change only one reloading variable at a time. And ultimately, our efforts will show on target as smaller groups.
That's the joy/fun of reloading, experimenting/customizing our loads until we attain the accuracy and/or particular felt recoil we desire.
And while you experiment with decreasing OAL which increases chamber pressure, also proportionally decrease the powder charge to maintain similar chamber pressures.
"For longer 1.150" OAL, you will need to keep increasing powder charge towards 4.3-4.4 gr to decrease group size.
At 1.130"-1.135", accuracy achieved with around 4.2-4.3 gr.
At shorter 1.080"-1.100", accuracy achieved with around 4.0-4.1 gr."
Enjoy the process and keep us posted.
There is a certain amount of joy and fun but there’s some pain as well, especially if things don’t go as expected or you’re comparing notes from last year and realize a load combo behaved differently...That's the joy/fun of reloading, experimenting/customizing our loads until we attain the accuracy and/or particular felt recoil we desire.
I will definitely have to try that!I've posted this method to determine OAL in many other threads and may be applicable here:
OAL
Find a fired case that the bullet just slips into with some resistance.
With the bullet barely into the case push them into the barrel with the shortest throat. You'll feel the bullet hitting the rifling, continue to push until you feel the case hit the chamber shoulder.
Carefully remove the case/bullet assembly, pinch the case/bullet juncture between you thumb/index finger, and measure the OAL with a caliper.
That measurement is the max OAL for that bullet in that barrel.
No research of conflicting data/opinions or interpolation, just a direct measurement.
Do it a couple of times, if you like, to check for consistency.
just the way I do it,
Sorry you're having continuing problems,
Not sure if my shooting just sucked that bad today, even though i was using the seat of a chair as a rest at 20ft or if my Glock 19 didn’t like those combinations haha !
I loaded up a couple more rounds at different OAL tonight. Gonna try and make it to the range tomorrow. Hoping my shooting isn’t bad again or maybe it’ll just be not liking the lengths I previously loaded.Honestly, very well could be. I've been there before too. Shot some test that looked good, went back and made more only to find the next trip they opened up. Then the next trip go to just burn up the remaining and they were spot on again.
This bulge is normal as it shows sufficient resizing of brass and neck tension after seating the bullet.I’ve noticed on some of my cases that this expand the case as the bullet is seated and you can kinda see a slight bulge
I usually just return the flare back flat on the bullet and just a bit more. Since case wall thickness averages .011"+, I usually add .022" to the diameter of bullet I am using. This thread lists measured thickness of case wall of various headstamp brass - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...nd-bullet-setback.830072/page-3#post-10712225Do you normally crimp your 9mm loads? I took some measurements after seating my 124gr RMR FPMW and got a measurement between .376-.379 at the case mouth with no crimp.
Yup that’s what mine look like, even buldge around the entire case. I’m using Lee does and per the manual it says a crimp could be added while seating if the die was screwed in. Following the manual to a T (due touching shell plate then backing off three full turns? I’m not sure if it adds any crimp or not.This bulge is normal as it shows sufficient resizing of brass and neck tension after seating the bullet.
But you should see an even bulge around the bullet as if you only see bulge on one side of case neck, it means bullet was seated tilted (See picture below).
I usually just return the flare back flat on the bullet and just a bit more. Since case wall thickness averages .011"+, I usually add .022" to the diameter of bullet I am using. This thread lists measured thickness of case wall of various headstamp brass - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...nd-bullet-setback.830072/page-3#post-10712225
So for .355" sized 9mm bullets, I use .377" taper crimp and for .3555"/.356" sized 9mm bullets, I use .378" taper crimp.
Below is RMR 9mm 124 gr FMJ sized .3555" with .378" taper crimp loaded to 1.130" using Lee combo taper crimp/bullet seating die - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-unique-or-old-news-sop.848206/#post-11064321
How much is too much? I don’t see the bulge in my 9mm reloads. I’ll agree in your picture you have undersized and therefore the bullet is now expanding the case. I’d expect 0.00001” of setback in your case!! Even with my .357 Bayou’s I don’t see the bulge, although in that case I do need to flare just a skosh more so I don’t shave lead. If you have that bulge with lead bullets isn’t the case then swaging the bullet? My bullets don’t move when I press them in the bench and cycled in the gun leaves about a .001” setback, (across several headstamps), which leads me to believe I have ok neck tension.This bulge is normal as it shows sufficient resizing of brass and neck tension after seating the bullet.
With .355" sized bullets, the bulge can be very subtle, especially with thinner case wall brass. If you look at the pictures below, you can barely notice the bulge and for my close up picture above, it took some effort with thicker walled brass and just the right lighting to show the even bulge around the bullet base.I don’t see the bulge in my 9mm reloads.
Here’s a question for everyone. Do yo normallly crimp your 9mm loads? I took some measurements after seating my 124gr RMR FPMW and got a measurement between .376-.379 at the case mouth with no crimp..
Nice range report.In the end I believe I have two good loads to work with ... freedom reloads 115 gr grouped 1.85” as baseline.
Glock 19 ... 124 gr RMR FP Matchwinner ... W231 ... 3.8 gr OAL of 1.110 grouped 1.35” ... 4.3 gr OAL of 1.135 grouped 1.44”
At 1.130"-1.135", accuracy achieved with around 4.2-4.3 gr.
At shorter 1.080"-1.100", accuracy achieved with around 4.0-4.1 gr.
Guilty as charged, but a good outing with great results is always a good feeling.Now, many members will post that this was "one" range trip sampling and accuracy trend must be repeated on subsequent range trips to confirm/verify true accuracy of your loads.