Load data for Winchester 9mm 124 grain bullets.

Status
Not open for further replies.

slowr1der

Member
Joined
Mar 25, 2010
Messages
1,176
So I ordered some of the Winchester 124 grain 9mm bullets. My question is, what's the best way to find load data for these? In the past I've always used Hornady, Speer, etc or one of the companies who produce a reloading manual so I could just follow the manual. Since Winchester doesn't have a manual what's the best load data to use? Also for OAL is it safe to just seat these to the same OAL as the factory Winchester White Box ammo?
 
What powder are you using? All the powder companies have load data online now.

W231/HP-38 is a good choice for practice ammo. For more serious work give Longshot a try. Data for both powders and all Hodgdon/ Winchester/ IMR powders is available on the Hodgdon Load Data site.
 
Honestly, I'm not sure which powder to use. I was hoping to find out which powders worked well with this bullet.
 
I like a reloading manual but I ALWAYS double check and use the manufacturers website for load data.

The only powder I've ever tried loading for 9mm is universal clays. Ive had awesome results. It is very clean burning and is a small flake powder that meters exceptionally well for me. It does seem that for accuracy both of my 9mm's like the upper end of the charges.
 
I use 231 on about 95% of my 9 MM no matter what the weight. HP38 is the same stuff BTW.

Greg
 
Power Pistol is good for 9mm 'hot' loads.
True but the excessive flash is hard to get past. Longshot will do a better job like I mentioned in Post #2, IMO of course. Looks like there are a lot of W231/HP-38 fans here. We all can't be wrong! LOL
 
I use either Unique or W231 for that bullet weight. W231 is a very versatile powder and meters much better than the Unique.
 
One other question is the OAL of these. Should I go by what a manual says, or is it safe to just seat them the same as the factory Winchester White Box rounds? I've heard OAL is important since the 9mm headspaces on the case.
 
I just finished working up a load for the 124 grain XTP using HS6. 6.4 grs. to 6.8 is Hogdon's listed data. I'm worked up to 6.7 right now and it is very nice, certainly not a standard velocity load. The pressures are very stable, though they are in the higher working range. Above the 124 gr. bullet weight I've gone with Longshot, which has been working with a simular stable yet higher working pressure. Go to Hogdon's loading site for a fairly good list of loads to choose from that utilize IMR, Hogdon, and Winchester powder's.
I don't know what OAL will serve you well with that bullet, but I would think some where around 1.090" would be a good starting point. Take the barrel out of your gun and check to be sure you are not touching the lands at 1.090". If it isn't touching, then you should have a safe starting OAL to work with. It is also important be sure that OAL will cycle in your firearm well. I've found 1.100" to work well in mine.
 
OAL and headspace have nothing to do with one another.
I must have misunderstood the reloading manual. I thought it said something about the 9mm headspacing on the case mouth or something to that effect.
 
All powder companies have a powder or two that will work very well for that bullet and all that I know of have load data listed online.
 
Quote:
OAL and head space have nothing to do with one another.

I must have misunderstood the reloading manual. I thought it said something about the 9mm headspacing on the case mouth or something to that effect.

9 MM's do head space on the mouth of the cartridge. OAL is the measurement from the base of the cartridge to the tip of the bullet.

OAL has no relationship to head space. It can make a difference on the jump of the bullet from the case into the lands. We adjust this in rifle cartridges all the time for maximum accuracy.

On an auto pistol we are usually stuck with the space available in the magazine to control our OAL. The only way to cheat on it is to run a non-standard magazine as in using 38 Super magazines with 9 MM ammunition. You could conceivably seat the bullet out far enough to engage the lands by doing this.

I have not checked the available space in my 9 MM's to see if that is possible but if you seated something like a 160 grain RN in the case you would have enough bullet inside the case mouth to give you proper bullet pull. The only 160 grain 9 MM's I'm shooting are in a 9X21 and that is a whole different horse race. :what:

Greg
 
One other question is the OAL of these. Should I go by what a manual says, or is it safe to just seat them the same as the factory Winchester White Box rounds?

Maximum OAL is determined by how your bullet fits your barrel. In other words, since we're not there with you, that's something you have to find out for yourself.

Minimum physical OAL on 9mm is somewhere around 1.050" because feeding issues usually start to show up.

Minimum usable OAL should always be what's listed in your reloading book. You can certainly go longer, out to the maximum the barrel will allow. But for safety's sake don't go shorter because the pressure increases, and you can't be sure by how much.

Things get really interesting when the only published load you can find is for 1.160", but your barrel will only accept 1.100". But even that can be conquered.

If we knew the type/model gun we might be able to get you close. Here's a cartoon to try to help you understand...

Rifling%20Depth.png


I must have misunderstood the reloading manual. I thought it said something about the 9mm headspacing on the case mouth or something to that effect.
You read exactly correct, but you are confusing case (brass) length with over-all cartridge length (OAL). Case length on 9x19 Luger is always at or just under 19mm. OAL varies by how much the bullet sticks out of the finished case.

In the graphic above, see where the case mouth is butting up against the step at the end of the chamber? That's the headspacing on an auto-cartridge. It's done by the case, not the cartridge.


Hope this helps! ;)
 
I'm working with the 124 XTP right now which may not be the same OAL as what you are using. I think Hogdon listed the 124 FMJ with an OAL of 1.100". I would just check with them and other reliable sources to find a good working OAL. In my Speer manual it was stated that .030" deeper than SAMMI listed OAL produced pressures of over 62,000 PSI. I'm not trying to cause a panic here, but it is fairly improtant to use a good listed OAL to start from, and try not to go deeper than that by very much if possible. Magazine function and avoiding contact with the lands will probably set your limitations here.
 
Use data appropriate to the bullet: i.e. TC data and OAL for TC bullets and RN data and OAL for RN bullets. Do not use RN data for TC bullets at short OAL's.
 
Well, I got Power Pistol powder today. I went to get Win 231 or HP38, but he was sold out of Win 231 and said he doesn't carry HP38 as he hasn't had anyone ask about it in about 10 years. He highly recommended Power Pistol powder, so I bought a pound of it. Now, my questions is what power range should I start with? On the site for Power Pistol it only lists load data for Speer GDHP's. Is it differen't for this Winchester FMJ bullet? I also saw it listed in the book he had from Hornady. Is it safe to just use the same load it recommends for Hornady bullets and just swap the bullets to the Winchester ones and use the same powder charge? Should I use the same OAL the Hornady manual states? Or should I go by what Winchester claims for this bullet with their powder when it concerns OAL?
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top