More fun with AA#9 and 10mm!

[the pistolero]

That's right, friends, I rolled some more 10mm last week on my day off, and this morning I took it out. For the record, one more time:

155 gr. Hornady XTP
14.3 gr. AA#9
1.250" OAL
Firearm: Kimber Stainless Target II

And to boot, I had a better setup for the chronograph this go-round -- a tripod! I got to the range, set up the tripod with diffusers in place (since it was a beautiful sunny morning, and the sun's still out), and started blasting away, not quite so nervous as I was last week. My data:

from 8 feet, in feet per second:
1352
1338
1362
1345
1339
1328
1338
1353
1356
1328

Average:1343.9 fps
ES: 34 fps

I was a little suspicious still, though, considering Accurate rates my load at 1244 fps -- although, granted, I have seen chrony results for several different Kimber .45s, and for what it's worth they do shoot a little faster. So, I moved the Shooting Chrony back a couple of feet, diffusers in place, and reeled off some more.

Velocities @ 10 ft:
1374
1366
1331
1343
1353
1335
1345
1350
1359
1347
1394
1393
1343
1345
1311
1366
1295
1359

Average: 1350.5 fps
ES: 63 fps

And just for grins, velocities @ 20 feet:
1288
1345
1345
1310
1356
1374
1343
1343
1355

Average: 1339.8 fps
ES: 86 fps

I am unsure as to why the extreme spread became more pronounced as I moved the chrony back; I was thinking my load was pretty consistent, or could the chronograph be off that much because of the sun, even though I did have the diffusers in place? Comments, anyone?
In any event, though, the 155-grain XTPs are surprisingly easy to shoot, not that much recoil to speak of. Maybe it's the grips on the pistol, though, or that the bullet really IS moving at below 1300 fps. But all in all, it was another successful trip. I think I am getting the hang of this handloading thing...though something's gotta be done to keep the gun from throwing the brass halfway across Jefferson County...

 

[Clark]

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

10mm
1) Book load: 15.9 gr. AA#9 max AA, HDY 155 gr. JHP, CCI300, 1.250",, 1414 fps
a) Experiment: 15.9 gr. G20 stock, WLP 1.26~1.27", 155 gr. FMJ FP .513" MG, ok, 0% overload

2) Book Load: 13.5 gr. AA#9 max AA, 180 gr. XTP, CCI300, 1.250", , 1242 fps
a) Experiment: 15 gr. G20 stock, 180 gr. FMJ FP .616", WLP 1.3”, feedramp bulge,
11% overload

AA#9 takes up allot of volume and will not compress.

The Barsto barrel [good case support] in the 10mm with go to higher power with hotter powder that will fit, and the 40 S&W with small primer pocket will go even higher with a good case support barrel.

 

[CZ57]

Clark: the data may be higher than some manuals, but it's the same as what's listed at Accurate's website. A very good powder choice for high velocity 10mm.

Pistolero: I should have told you my Spanish isn't too bueno, but I'm sure you know what I meant on the tripod issue. I'd stick to the 10' distance and you were more than objective in shooting an 18 shot string. I like 10, myself. Other external forces come into play as distance increases. The 1288 velocity in the 20' string adds to the extreme spread a bit, otherwise it's not bad at all. Could be an anomaly anyway. The 10 shot string at 8' looks very good. Does your chrony calculate Standard Deviation? It should be pretty low, but I haven't worked up the wherewithal to run it on my calculater! Congratulations in any case. Now you're hooked!

 

[the pistolero]

AA#9 takes up allot of volume and will not compress.

Yup. And if you throw a double charge on accident, it'll overflow the case. I like that. I used the Accurate data, albeit with CCI primers instead of Winchester. Before I go too much hotter, though, I do believe I'd be wise to beef up the gun with at least a stiffer recoil spring & shok-buff, and perhaps a bigger firing pin stop. I may get a .40S&W barrel before it's all said and done, but I figure if I can handle at least what I am currently loading with the 10, I'll just stay with it.

I should have told you my Spanish isn't too bueno

Mine either, CZ, but from the translations I was able to dig up, it means, "nice to meet you." The chrony doesn't calculate std. deviation for me; I'll have to do that myself, or maybe plot it out on a graph so I can see for myself what it looks like. In any event, I could shoot that all day long; it really was quite comfortable. I may just go back to that or something real close after I experiment with hotter loads just for the fun of it.
Some enterprising soul apparently one day took the Accurate data and spiked it -- used magnum primers instead of regular large pistol, with some interesting results. It was on a site called ballisticreview.com, which has since gone down, but I was able to go to a site called the Wayback Machine and dig it up. The archived 10mm page is here, and...

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

...the tweaked data is here. It also has some wild data for No. 7 and Blue Dot.

 

[CZ57]

Hello tripod, mucho gusto!

I don't not what to tell you. Some guys just like to pop off the hottest round they can make and later wonder why they don't hit anything. I shouldn't say that, I know Smith & Wesson needs to sell more revolvers. I haven't had the pleasure, I think, of shooting with anyone shooting one of the newer behemoths like the 500 S&W, but I know it has to be more bang for the buck or more buck for the bang, one or the other. By that point I've moved on to a rifle.

The hot data is out there for 10mm and some of it is dangerously high. Some of the loads with acceptable pressure can still be a bit much for some pistols. I think the Accurate data is logical for #9 and the higher end loads have practical application on game with a pistol that's accurate enough, provided the shooter is as well. My opinion is that if you want a magnum, buy a magnum. I also feel like some pistol makers are afraid to put products on the market, knowing the very hot data is out there. But what do I know. It seemed logical to me that Springfield would offer an XD in 10mm right after the XD in .45 was introduced. Hasn't happened yet and I quit holding my breath a long time ago.

 

[the pistolero]

Personally, I'm not so sure I'd want to use that data in anything but a revolver, and when you get to that point you might as well just go ahead and get a .357, or a .44 if that suits your fancy. 10mm is mad fun, and quite versatile indeed, but as far as I'm concerned, if I need that much beyond what I am getting with the 10mm now and could get with it, I should have brought a rifle. But what am I talking about, I should bring a rifle anyway.

 

[gator378]

AA#9

I am so impressed with AA#9 that I bought 8 lbs of it for my Glock 20, 10mm. I use 200 grain Hornady XTPs and 200 grain Rainers. Works great. Accuracy is also great if you back off max by half a grain or so.

AA#7 is also great for the 155 grain bullets

 

[Lennyjoe]

I used AA#9 but didn't stick with it for 10MM. It was ok out of my G20 and 1006 but I've gotten better performance out of 800X. Downside is 800X is tough to meter.

For range loads I use Blue Dot or PowerPistol.

 

[nitesite]

I'd like to try AA#9 but my G29s 3.8" barrel gets all it can with AA#7.

I can see why you like #9 in your longer barrel, as #7 is such a good powder for me in mine.

 

[Clark]

Ramshot Enforcer = AA#9 = H108 = WC820