Loading 9mm 147g compared to 115g

[TH3180]

Two weeks ago I shot in my 1st IPSC style match and I had a ton of fun. Something that was brought up to me is some steel matches this summer about an hour away from my house, which sounds really fun to me. I plan on giving it a go. One problem I have is I own one center fire pistol, which is a G17. I have been doing a lot of searching and reading. From what I have found I will have trouble at a steel match with 115g bullets unless I load them hot which I really don't want to do. I have found that I should be ok with 147g bullets. I know the simple solution would be get a bigger gun like a 45. For many reasons that is not going to happen before summer. I am stuck with what I have for a while, I have to make it work.

Today I went out and bought some Montana Gold 147gr CMJ bullets. I want to start working up loads now so I am not crunched for time this summer. I only make it to the range once or twice a month. I have two powders to work with right now, Unique and HP38/W231. I would rather work with W231 because I get more consistent metering from it compared to Unique. Lyman 49th list W231 at 3.5g to 4.1g at 1.115 OAL. I seated a few dummy rounds and I came up with 1.125 OAL. The way I came to that OAL. I didn't adjust my die from seating 115g bullets. Which I seat to 1.150 OAL. I would rather not have to adjust my seating die when I load 147g compared to 115g. The only thing I don't know is if it crimped the case. It should have shouldn't it? I mean the case is still the same length regardless of what bullet is in it right?

I am thinking of going up by twos. At 1.1.25 OAL, I will load 15 rounds at 3.5g, 15 rounds at 3.7g and 15 rounds at 3.9g. I will find the sweet spot there and then maybe go 0.1g either side of that and see what I get. I am not a good enough shooter that 0.1g will matter.

Any advice I can get would be great. From what I have read 147g is the most accurate 9mm bullet out there. I would like to shoot it in some of the IPSC like matches I will be shooting but they end the beginning of April and I'm not sure I will have time to work a good load by then. As of right now the shop doesn't have work for me tomorrow. I may try and work up my 45 loads and sneak away to the range. I don't now if that will happen or not. The wife may have better plans for me if I'm home.
Thanks in advance
Tim

 

[rfwobbly]

You may have some more thinking to do.

You don't want to shoot a 45 for the simple fact that the bullets are twice as heavy, therefore they cost twice as much. You can do it just fine with a G17 and on a shoe string budget too.

IMHO 231 is a little too fast for 147gr (almost no loads available), and although Unique is about right, the stuff is so darn fluffy there's no room for it inside the case. You either need to scale down your bullet, or buy a new powder.

In my opinion, you'll want to go for a 124gr or 130gr bullet. Those will work really well with the 231 and you'll have plenty of room inside for powder. Zero, Magnus and Berry all make 124 and 130gr bullets. You may have to look under 38 Super in place of 9mm.

Try that.

 

[LiveLife]

Hodgdon currently don't list HP38/W231 for the 147 gr 9mm bullet. I do like 125 gr bullet for HP38/W231.

FWIW, here's a thread at Brian Enos you can check out - http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=113540

Have fun.

 

[TH3180]

Hodgdon currently don't list HP38/W231 for the 147 gr 9mm bullet. I do like 125 gr bullet for HP38/W231.

FWIW, here's a thread at Brian Enos you can check out - http://www.brianenos.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=113540

Have fun.

Thanks for the link. I just read it from start to finish You are correct Hodgdon does not list load data with W231 and a 147 bullet. I have found it in the Lyman 49th.

 

[Magichelmt]

I have heard that glocks don't shoot lead well. Not being a glock man I don't know. If this is true and you can afford another barrel for lead bullets, I have been using BBI 147grn Molly coated bullets for 4 months now. I am shooting IDPA and am not familiar with the rules of your game. With a 147 grn projectile I need to make 850 FPS to make power factor. I am loading 3.4 grns of HP-38 and making 890 FPS average out of my M&P PRO. I worked this up from 3 grns .1 at a time. I have found this to be an accurate and comfortable load. And of course don't trust my data, work one up for your self. I cannot remember where I found the data to begin with. I am going to try and load some Magnus 147grn JHP projectiles next.

 

[TH3180]

I have heard that glocks don't shoot lead well. Not being a glock man I don't know. If this is true and you can afford another barrel for lead bullets, I have been using BBI 147grn Molly coated bullets for 4 months now. I am shooting IDPA and am not familiar with the rules of your game. With a 147 grn projectile I need to make 850 FPS to make power factor. I am loading 3.4 grns of HP-38 and making 890 FPS average out of my M&P PRO. I worked this up from 3 grns .1 at a time. I have found this to be an accurate and comfortable load. And of course don't trust my data, work one up for your self. I cannot remember where I found the data to begin with. I am going to try and load some Magnus 147grn JHP projectiles next.

I will someday shoot lead. For right now I want to load FMJ and CMJ. I don't want to throw to many things into the mix right off the bat.

 

[918v]

I currently favor 3.6 grains of 231 under 147gr bullets. I load 147 XTP's to 1.115" and Win JHP's to 1.125" 3.6 grains is a max load at those OAL's. I don't think 4.1 will work for you. Too hot.

 

[LiveLife]

3.6 gr should make minor PF:

147 x ~900 = 132300 = 132 PF