New Bullseye Load Recipe for 115 CPRN

[luzyfuerza]

I've used Ranier and Xtreme 115 grain CPRN bullets with Bullseye powder in 9mm Luger for a long time. The last time I checked Alliant's Bullseye recipes on-line, 4.7 grains was listed as the recommended powder charge under a Speer gold dot hollow point. This load produced a velocity of 1,144 fps in their 4" barrel. This data is generally consistent with other manuals I consulted.

In my testing, 4.3 grains of Bullseye produced 1105 fps with a Ranier 115 CPRN in my XD9 service model, and 4.5 grains drove the same bullet to 1123 fps...consistent with Alliant's test data.

I am running low on 9mm and needed to load up a new batch, so out of habit, I checked Alliant's Bullseye recipes on-line, and found a new load listed:

5.1 grains under a Speer 115 CPRN, with min OAL of 1.135", producing 1192 fps from a 4" barrel.

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/powderlist.aspx?type=1&powderid=1&cartridge=23


Has anybody here pushed a charge of Bullseye under a 115 grain CPRN up this high? What were the results?

 

[Zendude]

That sounds a bit hot. I think my Hornady manual tops out about 4.4 grains of Bullseye for 115 grain FMJ.

 

[LiveLife]

Alliant's Bullseye recipes on-line, 4.7 grains was listed as the recommended powder charge under a Speer gold dot hollow point.

I am running low on 9mm and needed to load up a new batch, so out of habit, I checked Alliant's Bullseye recipes on-line, and found a new load listed ... 5.1 grains under a Speer 115 CPRN, with min OAL of 1.135", producing 1192 fps from a 4" barrel.

Yes, 4.7 gr for 115 gr HP that gets seated deeper in the case neck.

Here's current Alliant load data for 115 gr GDHP

9mm Speer 115 gr GDHP Bullseye OAL 1.125" Max 4.7 gr 1,144 fps

But 2004 Alliant load data listed 5.0 gr as max charge for 115 gr FMJ - http://www.thehighroad.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=182147&d=1364769070

9mm (No brand) 115 gr FMJ Bullseye OAL 1.120" Max 5.0 gr 1,180 fps

And here's current load data for 115 gr CPRN. Likely Speer CPRN is thicker plated TMJ. So with longer 1.135" OAL, 5.1 gr max with 1192 fps looks reasonable.

9mm Speer 115 gr CPRN Bullseye OAL 1.135" Max 5.1 gr 1,192 fps

Ranier and Xtreme 115 grain CPRN bullets

If you are using regular plated bullets, it's been my experience that using higher than mid-range jacketed load data decreased accuracy - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ng-at-25-50-yards.808446/page-3#post-10470195

With thicker plated bullets, accuracy was better maintained even at high-to-near max jacketed load data.

 

[Sunray]

4.7 grains is listed as the Max load for a jacketed 115 grain bullet. It's not the recommended powder charge. Or a recommendation of any kind. A CPRN is not a jacketed bullet. It's a Copper Plated Round Nose. Uses cast bullet data that Alliant does not publish on their site.
"...9mm (No brand) 115 gr FMJ..." An FMJ is not a plated bullet. It's a jacketed bullet. Who made it doesn't matter.
Don't recall there being such a thing as plated bullets in 2004. Friggin' things are a huge nuisance.
Oh and CCI, Speer and Alliant are owned by the same holding company. S'why their manuals are using each other's stuff.
Anyway, manuals differ because they reflect conditions using the exact components and firearm(if any firearm gets used) on the day of the tests only. A simple change of powder lot will produce slightly different results. Primarily just velocity so it's not a big deal.

 

[luzyfuerza]

Sunray, by "...Friggin' things..." being "...a huge nuisance..." are you referring to copper plated bullets?

Like Gold Dot bullets, one of the most popular bullets in law enforcement circles?

http://www.speer-ammo.com/products/gold_dot_const.aspx

 

[luzyfuerza]

BDS, thanks for the links to previous threads...very useful.

 

[LiveLife]

Don't recall there being such a thing as plated bullets in 2004.

TMJ (Total Metal Jacket) was trademarked in 1990 by Alliant Techsystems Inc. - https://www.trademarkia.com/tmj-73833272.html

Gold Dot was trademarked in 2001 also by Alliant Techsystems Inc. - https://www.trademarkia.com/gold-dot-76169278.html

Speer was owned by Alliant Techsystems Inc. (ATK) which in 2015 went through a merger-split with Orbital Sciences Corporation into Vista Outdoor (VSTO) and Orbital ATK (OA) where Vista Outdoor retained firearms and sporting goods companies and Orbital ATK retained aerospace and defense technologies - http://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...-spin-off-of-vista-outdoor-inc-300033100.html

Now Alliant Powder, American Eagle, Bell, Blazer, CCI, Estate Cartridge, Federal, Hoppes, Independence Ammunition, M-Pro 7, Savage Arms, Speer, Stevens, along with many other companies are owned by Vista Outdoor - https://vistaoutdoor.com/brands/

As to plated bullets in 2004, I was shooting USPSA matches since 1990s and was using Berry's and Rainier plated bullets for practice while using Montana Gold jacketed bullets for matches. Back then, X-Treme was known as West Coast Bullets - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/what-happened-to-west-coast-bullets.105211/

 

[TheDomFather]

I've used Ranier and Xtreme 115 grain CPRN bullets with Bullseye powder in 9mm Luger for a long time. The last time I checked Alliant's Bullseye recipes on-line, 4.7 grains was listed as the recommended powder charge under a Speer gold dot hollow point. This load produced a velocity of 1,144 fps in their 4" barrel. This data is generally consistent with other manuals I consulted.

In my testing, 4.3 grains of Bullseye produced 1105 fps with a Ranier 115 CPRN in my XD9 service model, and 4.5 grains drove the same bullet to 1123 fps...consistent with Alliant's test data.

I am running low on 9mm and needed to load up a new batch, so out of habit, I checked Alliant's Bullseye recipes on-line, and found a new load listed:

5.1 grains under a Speer 115 CPRN, with min OAL of 1.135", producing 1192 fps from a 4" barrel.

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/powderlist.aspx?type=1&powderid=1&cartridge=23


Has anybody here pushed a charge of Bullseye under a 115 grain CPRN up this high? What were the results?

I am shooting Ranier 115gr HP out of both a glock 17 with a 4" barrel and a Sig P320 X5 with a 5" barrel and using 4.3 gr of Bullseye. I think there is room for more oomph as I dont see any issues with primers or the brass. For the record 4.1 grains was not enough to lock the slide back on the sig.

 

[LiveLife]

"...9mm (No brand) 115 gr FMJ..."

It's a jacketed bullet. Who made it doesn't matter.

It sure does if you are working near or at max and different bullet nose profile/ogive results in different bullet seating depth. And OP is asking why the max charge difference of 4.7 gr vs 5.1 gr.

At lower charges, different bullet seating depth could certainly affect chamber pressure to influence accuracy.