Need help with reload recipes. [9mm & 223]

[Kyle9859]

Just Joined, So please don't be too rough.

I have recently taken the plunge and invested in some reloading equipment. I see that reloading will start saving me money (especially in the 9mm caliber as I shoot about 1000 rounds per month).

The reason I am posting here is because I need to verify recipes and maybe get some new ones along the way.

I bought many different powders to start off with so I can see which my guns like the best.

Starting with 9mm Luger, the following are the supplies I have:

Powders:
Alliant Unique
Alliant Bullseye
Winchester 231
Winchester AutoComp
Hodgdon Titegroup

Primers:
CCI #500 Small Pistol Primers

Brass:
Mixture of Winchester, Federal, and Remington UMC

Bullets:
Winchester 9mm Full Metal Jacket (.355 Diameter) 115grain.

Guns:
Springfield XD 9 4" Service
Kel-Tec PF9
German Luger P08

Load data from the books I have do not list 115gr FMJ but lists other bullets as in the Hornady XTP 115gr, 115 GR. SPR GDHP (I'm assuming stands for 115 grain Speer G? D? Hollow Point. A friend told me that it doesn't matter what the bullet is made of, as long as it weighs the same. (I don't think this is entirely correct.)

My books list for 115gr. 9mm:
Alliant 2012 Reloader's Guide
115-gr Speer GDHP__Unique__CCI500__Speer Brass__6.3max
115-gr Speer GDHP__Bullseye_CCI500__Speer Brass__4.7max

2012 Hodgdon Basic Reloading Manual
115-gr SPR. GDHP__AutoComp_CCI500_Win Brass___5.6max__1161vel
115-gr SPR. GDHP__Win 231__CCI500__Win Brass___5.1max__1167vel
115-gr SPR. GDHP__TiteGroup_CCI500__Win Brass___4.8max__1158vel

Hodgdon 2012 Annual Manual
115gr LRN__AutoComp__4.4 Starting, 5.1 Max load
115gr LRN__Winchester 231__4.3 Starting, 4.8 Max Load
115gr LRN__TiteGroup__3.9 Staring, 4.3 Max Load

Modern Reloading Second Edition
115gr XTP__Unique__5.5 Start, 6.3 Max
115gr XTP__Bullseye__4.1 Start, 4.7 Max
115gr XTP__Win 231__4.7 Start, 5.1 Max
115gr XTP__AutoComp__5.1 Start, 5.6 Max
115gr XTP__TiteGroup__4.5 Start, 4.8 Max

If Im thinking right, I should be able to use the XTP recipes on my FMJ's since they are both jacketed and both weigh the same even though one is HP.

___________________________________________________________________

.223 Supplies I have:

Powders:
Hodgdon H335
IMR 3031
IMR 4227
IMR 8208 XBR

Primers:
CCI #41 Military for 5.56mm

Brass:
PMC, and Lake City (have taken out the primer ring "groove")

Bullets:
Hornady Bullets 22 Caliber (224 Diameter) 55 Grain Full Metal Jacket BT
Hornady V-Max Bullets 22 Caliber (224 Diameter) 60 Grain Flat Base
(Only want to use the V-Max for super accurate hunting rounds.)

Gun:
ArmaLite M15A4 5.56 16" barrel


Hodgdon's 2012 Annual Manual
55gr HDY FMJ__TiteGroup__3.1 Max__4,000CUP (not sure what this load means, unless it's for pistol, but its listen the the Rifle section)

55gr SFIRE__H335__21.4 start, 22.8 Max
55gr SPR SP_H335__23 start, 25.3 Max
55gr SPR SP_IMR 3031__21.6 start, 24.6 Compressed Load Max
55gr SPR SP_IMR 8208XBR__23 start, 25.3 Max
60gr VMax__H335__22.5 start, 24 Max
60gr VMax__IMR 3031__21 start, 22.5 Max
60gr VMax__IMR 8208XBR__21.5 start, 23.6 Max

Modern Reloading 2nd edition
55 Grain Jacketed Bullet__H335__23 start, 25.3 Max
55 Grain Jacketed Bullet__IMR 3031__21.6 start, 24.6 Compressed Max
55 Grain Jacketed Bullet__IMR 8208__23 start, 25.3 Max
55 Grain Jacketed Bullet__TiteGroup__2.7 start, 3.1 Max

the Annual Manual gives me exact data on the Hornady VMax bullets so I think I should be pretty much fine using those recipes.

I haven't seen any data what-so-ever for the IMR 4227 Powder. Should I not use this in 223? I read somewhere that IMR4227 was a powder used in 223, but all my Hodgdon manuals say its a Magnum Pistol Powder. I suppose I wasted $19.95.:banghead:

Any help you guys can give me would be great. Basically what I'm looking for is a safe starting and ending point for each of the powders I bought and for my guns. I want to start reloading to pick up a new hobby, and possibly save money and make accurate ammo, but I don't want to blow my guns.

Truly sorry for the crazy long post, but I just had a lot of info I needed to say.
Thanks

 

[Kyle9859]

One More thing,

I usually shoot 115 Remington UMC FMJ and Federal 115gr FMJ through my 9mm's and Ive only shot 55gr PMC .223 and Federal Lake City 55gr 5.56Nato through my AR (ArmaLite M15A4)

 

[LiveLife]

Welcome to THR.

Load data from the books I have do not list 115gr FMJ

1999 Winchester load data and 2004 Alliant load data have 115 gr FMJ loads.


My reference 9mm load is Winchester 115 gr FMJ with 4.8 gr of W231/HP-38 (same powder) loaded to 1.125"-1.135" (Shoots comparable to Winchester white box or slightly warmer). You'll mostly likely need to use high-near max load data to reliably cycle the slides of your pistols (like more than 4.5 gr of W231/HP-38). I used 4.2-4.5 gr of Bullseye with the same OAL for target load.

Of course, you should always determine the Max OAL by doing barrel drop test using your barrels (should drop into chamber freely with a "plonk" and spin without hitting the rifling) and then determine the Ideal OAL by manually feeding/chambering from the magazine by releasing the slide.

1999 Winchester load data:
115 gr FMJ W231 Start 4.4 gr (1045 fps) 25,900 PSI - Max 4.9 gr (1135 fps) 32,600 PSI

Current Hodgdon load data:
115 gr Speer GDHP W231/HP-38 .355" OAL 1.125" Start 4.7 gr (1075 fps) 25,300 CUP - Max 5.1 gr (1167 fps) 28,100 CUP


2004 Alliant load data:

If Im thinking right, I should be able to use the XTP recipes on my FMJ's since they are both jacketed and both weigh the same even though one is HP.

No. XTP is a hollow point bullet and FMJ is round nose bullet which may result in different seating depths. You could use the start charge to conduct your powder work up, but often max powder charge won't be the same. Also, load data for lead bullet will typically be less than jacketed bullet load data.

As to powder burn rate, Bullseye/Titegroup/W231 are faster burning pistol powders and Unique/AutoComp are slower burning pistol powders (Hodgdon powder burn rate chart):

13. Bullseye
14. Titegroup
29. W231
31. Unique
43. AutoComp

Generally, reloaders use faster burning powders to load lower recoil/velocity target loads that are still accurate and clean burning and slower burning powders for full-power loads. For new reloaders starting out, I usually recommend W231/HP-38 as it is moderately fast burning, meters well, clean burning and usually has wider load ranges (compared to Titegroup's narrower load range). It produces accurate target loads at mid-to-high range load data.

 

[35 Whelen]

You can interchange FMJ & HP data with the same weight bullet. I do, any the Hornady manual does as well.

Titegroup powder is a pistol powder and the load you listed is a reduced load. It will shoot fine, but will not function your rifle and you need to be really careful to not double charge your cases with it.

You haven't seen any data for 4227 because it's a bit fast for most rifle cartridges. Its forte is in very small rifle cartridges, magnum handgun cartridges, and reduced loads in rifles.

Google Hodgdon powder and you'll find tons of loading data.

Good luck,
35W