Loading 9mm

[BJung]

I use AA2. It flows very well. The grains are so fine that the weight doesn't change from a full hopper to half full hopper using my RCBS thrower. I've read that it creates a low muzzle flash. I've used Power Pistol with good results in the past.

 

[forrest r]

While shooting this target many years ago, the wind folded the paper over and the fifth shot went through the back of the target & through the group. I stopped, stapled the left side of the paper (I always staple all four corners now), and shot the last two rounds. The group is so good (One ragged slightly over caliber hole) that one believes me, but I was there. Can't find the pic right now.

Found it. 7 yards, so close.
View attachment 996229

Interesting setup

 

[lordpaxman]

Never choose one powder. Always think about having multiple favorite loads for each intended use. I’ve found the faster powders on the burn rate chart produce light target loads. Mid to slower powders produce mid to full power loads. Coated lead bullets will do nicely for light target loads, there’s a reason the production and CO crowds use them.
Lots of powders have been mentioned, but IMR Target is another fast one that works well. Good luck.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

I have used many powders in 35 years of loading for the 9mm.

I've settled on 2. okay, 3.

For light, casual shooting it's Promo. I have scads of it, so I use it. I have a load with the 125gr Lee 358-125-RF that drops the brass just past my right foot, all in a pile.

For factory/NATO type full power, it's HS-6 or AA#7.

I shoot 50 of the light load to every one of the heavies.

 

[webrx]

I bought some 9mm dies a few years ago because they were on sale when I picked up some others, figured I shot 9mm so might as well have the dies, though I like the OP did not use them as 9mm was so plentiful and inexpensive. I think I paid like $20 for a set of Lee dies. Last year I started loading 9mm and I find I am loading more 9mm than I am any other caliber these days.

I carry 9mm, so that is what I practice with, wife and son both shoot 9mm also, so that is what I am loading these days. occasionally some 45 acp are also getting loaded but not at the same volume. The days of shooting up 500 rounds of 223, and 9mm each at the range in a single day are on hold for a while, now it is 50 - 100 max and 5-10 rounds of SD ammo, then some .22 to fill out the range trip, then go home and reload the 9mm. I have plenty loaded right now, but who knows when the craziness will end.

I use Titegroup (I have a bunch of this) and plated 115s for plinkers, Bullseye and Unique for 124s of one flavor or another. Keeping my eyes open for some w231 and to replenish Bullseye, hopefully it will show up again soon.

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[Walkalong]

Interesting setup

Works great, now that my eyes don't see iron sights so well anymore.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

Works great, now that my eyes don't see iron sights so well anymore.

I gotta get me some of them new-fangled red dot thingies....

 

[Blue68f100]

I started use the dot sights back in 2013, when it downed on me I was never going to shoot accurate if I can not see the sights. I tried a special set of glasses for shooting. All they did was give me head aches. Now All of my 1911 have dot sights. The last ones I bought where Holosun with a 2 moa dot, solar powdered w/battery backup. All of the auto adj brightness over drive the led, so I run on manual most of the time it I'm shooting for accuracy.Shooting for speed and COM targets auto adj. Smaller the dot the better for accuracy. EGW carries the mounts to fit most guns.

 

[forrest r]

I've been running burris fastfire III's on the boy's.


Just got back from the range, burned up a bunch of my favorite blammo ammo plinking loads in the 9mm 1911. 4.0gr and just about any 115gr to 125gr bullet will easily do under 2" 10-shot groups @ 50ft. I was using the lee 120gr tc bullets.

 

[Walkalong]

I no longer have this gun, but........

 

[Blue68f100]

Here's mine I just finished up on. 9mm has the dot sight, the extra slide is a 357 sig upper, waiting for the new dot sight to come in.

 

[Hooda Thunkit]

I no longer have this gun, but........
View attachment 1001990

Here's mine I just finished up on. 9mm has the dot sight, the extra slide is a 357 sig upper, waiting for the new dot sight to come in.

You guys are killin' me.

And I'm not a 1911 guy.

 

[GeoDudeFlorida]

You guys are killin' me.

And I'm not a 1911 guy.

I’m a 1911 guy, I’m just not so much a 9mm guy. I have a few - a FEG Hi-Power, Star BM, Star Firestar, and my wife’s got a CZ 75c - because it’s a good enough target round but it’s not a .38Spl.

 

[vsteel]

I did testing with different loads and I found that 5.1 grains of AA#2 work great in my Glock and are the most accurate. I have not tested a ton of powders though, still working on that.