Load data for Precision Delta bullets?

[ny32182]

My bullets and dies finally came in, so the last component I need for loading my first pistol rounds are primers...

I have HS-6 powder and 115gr FMJ bullets. I will be loading for 9x19. I am looking over the PD website and don't see any load data at all, and these bullets are not in the manuals of course.

Does anyone use this bullet and powder combination? The quantity of HS-6 suggested for most of the 115gr bullets in my manual is somewhere from 5.5 - 7.0gr, but I don't know what OAL to use. Thanks,

 

[NCsmitty]

I don't load 9MM, but do many other calibers.
You'll find that HS-6 needs to be loaded towards the top end to burn properly.
Hodgdon's website lists the Min load @6.7gr and the Max load @7.0gr with a 115gr SPR GDHP. Not much leeway on charge weight.
Info on OAL for the PD bullets range from 1.111" to 1.125".


NCsmitty

 

[ny32182]

Thanks NC; where did you see the info on OAL for PD 115gr bullets? I presume the charge weight that you want to use is very dependent on the OAL you go with?

 

[NCsmitty]

I tried to duplicate the search, but couldn't. I got the OAL info on a forum, and think it was thefiringline.com, but not sure.
Use the info if you feel right about it.

Other information that I didn't give you, was not to go shorter than 1.070. You can go longer if it fits the magazine without putting the bullet into the rifling.

NCsmitty

 

[Steve C]

I've loaded 7.0grs of HS6 behind a 115gr Remington JHP and the chrono'd result was 1,237 fps from my Glock 19. My Speer #13 says you can use up to 7.5gr of HS6 with their 115gr JRN with an OAL of 1.135". FWIW I usually use a factory loaded round to set my OAL, WWB 115gr runs around 1.160".

 

[Walkalong]

I tried 7.0 Grs of HS-6 with a Ranier 115 GR RN. 1.135 O.A.L. 86 Degrees


CX4-Storm 16" Barrel

Avg 1416 FPS

Bennelli 4 1/2 or 5" Barrel - I logged 5, but I think it was 4 1/2

Avg 1173 FPS

EMP 3" Barrel

Avg 1082 FPS

WSF shot better for me with that bullet, and I have not tried HS-6 with anything else, yet.

I was going off the Speer #13 Steve C quoted. There is no reason not to use their data with Precision Delta bullets.

 

[ny32182]

I can measure the OAL of a WWB or any other round, but if the bullet I am loading is longer or shorter than the bullet used in that load, I will have a different internal volume, correct? Also I don't know what powder is being used in the factory load, so how can I use a correlation like this?

 

[Walkalong]

how can I use a correlation like this?

For the same bullet style it can help find an O.A.L. that feeds well. After that you start at the low end of data and work up. How far a bullet is seated in the case is something to be taken into consideration, but is way over blown IMHO.

 

[ny32182]

Ah.. so this is just a function of pistols being lower pressure than rifles, so the OAL is not as important? I guess people inadvertently shoot setback factory pistol rounds all the time with only rarely catastrophic consequences.

Is a chrono very important in pistol load development? Thanks,

 

[Walkalong]

Ah.. so this is just a function of pistols being lower pressure than rifles, so the OAL is not as important?

Some pistol calibers pressure is right up there with some rifle pressures. I never said O.A.L. is not important, I just think people worry too much about .010/.020 either way. Some one always comes along ringing the alarm that if you seat a 9MM bullet a little deeper than shown in a manual somewhere it is just a catasrophe waiting to happen and scare newbies into thinking their gun is going to blow up.

Trunacated Flat Points load to a shorter O.A.L. than Round Nose, but may not be any deeper in the case simply because they are shorter themselves.

Find the O.A.L., within reason obviously, that feeds well in your gun/s, and work up your load using it.

I guess people inadvertently shoot setback factory pistol rounds all the time with only rarely catastrophic consequences.

Setback rounds are different that a round with a reasonable O.A.L. that feeds well in their pistol.

A chrono is a nice gadget, and is useful, but not needed.

 

[rfwobbly]

NY -
Walkalong is right.

• .010 to .020" difference in OAL is NOT the end of the world. Now, if we were talking .100" then you'd have a valid point. What we really worry about is beginners who might feel inclined to "load by eyeball" rather than buy a caliper and measure. Since few 9mm bullet have canelures, we really want to encourage newbies to buy calipers at the outset (that is to say, before they blow off their hand), and load to a known OAL.

• You can safely use most any load and OAL you see listed for a jacketed RN 115gr bullet in 9 Luger that specs your powder. Equivalent jacketed RN bullets would include Remington, Winchester, Speer, Hornady.... well, you get the picture.

• If you feel unsure or simply want to know about the volume in the case below the bullet, then subtract the bullet's length from the OAL and that will tell you where the base of the bullet is sitting relative to the base of the case. This dimension also comes in handy when it comes time to make sure the bullet is not compressing the powder.

• To ensure good feeding, keep your OAL for RN out on the long side. The SAAMI max is 1.169" (or 29.70mm), so stay in the ~1.150" area and you'll do well. (If I remember correctly, the WWB is in this OAL range.) The reason for the 'longer vs. shorter' is how the ammo will sit in the magazine. If the OAL gets too short, say 1.010", one cartridge may sit way forward in the mag, while the very next may sit far to the rear of the mag. The lips of the mag may present the 2 cartridges differently as the slide strips off the next round causing failure-to-feeds. So the longer length helps maintain consistent stacking within, and feeding from, the mag.

• Now then, whatever decisions and calculations you make, be sure and record those in your reloading notebook. After a few reloading/shooting sessions, a clear preference for load and OAL will emerge. Shot groups will shrink. Smiles will emerge.


You're going to love those PD bullets! I've experimented with over 30 different brands and weights since I started reloading for my 9mm CZ. Of all those, the 124gr RN PD is the most accurate of the lot. I love those bullets.

Enjoy!

 

[ny32182]

Well that simplifies it a bit. I can definitely duplicate the OAL for a major mfg 115gr jacketed RN, and work up from the low end of the HS-6 data, if that is a safe thing to do. I guess my worry was that my bullet might be longer than the major brand bullet, leading to high pressure from less internal case capacity.

So what are the early signs of high pressure in a pistol round? Flattened primers like a rifle, or something else?

 

[ny32182]

Also, how do I know if my taper crimp is "good" or not?

 

[Walkalong]

It should be just enough to remove any bell, and a hair more. The hair more is really just for good measure for the short cases that come along.

Here is a pic of some of my .45 reloads. 9mm crimping is the same as .45, or .40 etc.

 

[ny32182]

Thanks Walkalong... do you do any "testing" of the crimp, i.e. chamber a round 10 times from the magazine and measure the amount of setback, etc?

 

[Walkalong]

No, not the crimp. I just eyeball it. I need magnification to see my crimp, it is so light.

Neck tension is what holds bullets in place in autos, not crimp. That is tested for setback. Many of my expander plugs have been polished down some to get better neck tension.

 

[ny32182]

The point of the crimp is to remove the "bell" in order to allow for reliable chambering then?

 

[Walkalong]

Yes.

We really just need to get the case straight, but a slight taper crimp won't hurt, and makes sure every case gets straightened.

If one has to taper crimp heavily in hopes of getting their rounds to chamber, something mechanical is wrong with the pistol.

 

[JDGray]

HS6 is so slow, I dont think you'll get into pressure problems with it at any seating depth. That being said, long is safest, and I load as long as I can on all my calibers

 

[rfwobbly]

NY -

Hodgdon data shows a max load of 7.0gr of HS-6 at an OAL of 1.090" for 115gr GoldDot. Obviously you can go longer on that load (a reduction in pressure) all the way out to 1.169".

So, if Winchester white box fed extremely well in your gun and you wanted to copy that OAL you could do so. WWB uses an OAL of 1.160", so you could load that, knowing it gives you had a small marging of safety (1.160 vs. 1.090").

You never start at max, subtract 10% or 0.7gr. So your starting load would be 6.3gr of HS-6 at the WWB OAL of 1.160". Then load five rounds of 6.3gr, five at 6.4gr, five at...

I think you get the picture.

A 115gr Speer GoldDot bullet is exactly 0.525"

Hope this helps!