BrokenWheel
Member
Im looking for some suggestions on some powder and bullet suggestions for plinking. Any good ones?
new P30 - whats your 9mm reload formula?
- Thread starter BrokenWheel
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LiveLife
Member
These 9mm loads work well in my Glocks:
115gr Winchester FMJ, 4.9gr W231/HP38, 1.125" OAL.
125gr Plated/Lead RN, 4.3gr W231/HP38, 1.125" OAL
115gr Winchester FMJ, 4.9gr W231/HP38, 1.125" OAL.
125gr Plated/Lead RN, 4.3gr W231/HP38, 1.125" OAL
Marlin 45 carbine
Member
I get tighter groups with mastercastbullets 124gr tc's over RDot than most jacketed slugs in my 5906 S&W.
HOWARD J
Member
I have been using 115gr FMJ with 7.7 gr of blue dot---mild & accurate out of my P-35
Browning----it may be more my 1,5 # trigger than the bullets..................LOL
Browning----it may be more my 1,5 # trigger than the bullets..................LOL
rklessdriver
Member
I use Missiouri bullets 125gr LRN "small ball" over 3.8g Red Dot. Shoots very accurate and functions all my pistols without beating them, me or my brass up.
bds' recommendation on HP38/WW231 is also a good one that I've loaded very similar to in the past.
Will
bds' recommendation on HP38/WW231 is also a good one that I've loaded very similar to in the past.
Will
I use the following:
Case: S&B
Primer: Winchester small pistol
Bullet: 121 grain Zero JHP, Be aware that this is a .356 38 super bullet that works well for me but some may say not to use them.
Powder: 4gr of VV N320, it is more expensive but is by far the cleanest burning powder I have ever used.
OAL: 1.1", I realize this is short but my CZ requires this due to the extremely short lead in the barrel.
This load is a mild minor PF load for me out of my gun, but I would advise starting at 3.5 grains and working up.
Case: S&B
Primer: Winchester small pistol
Bullet: 121 grain Zero JHP, Be aware that this is a .356 38 super bullet that works well for me but some may say not to use them.
Powder: 4gr of VV N320, it is more expensive but is by far the cleanest burning powder I have ever used.
OAL: 1.1", I realize this is short but my CZ requires this due to the extremely short lead in the barrel.
This load is a mild minor PF load for me out of my gun, but I would advise starting at 3.5 grains and working up.
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tom357mag
Member
115 gr LRN , Unique lit by a CCI small pistol primer
cheygriz
member
WCC MilSurp brass
Remington 1 1/2 primers
Remington 115 FMJ bullets
HS-6 powder
And work up carefully to somewhere in the 7.0-7.4 grain range.
I get +P+ velocities (1325-1350 FPS) at low end +p pressure levels (judging pressure by the number of times I can reload the case before the primer pockets start to loosen)
Remington 1 1/2 primers
Remington 115 FMJ bullets
HS-6 powder
And work up carefully to somewhere in the 7.0-7.4 grain range.
I get +P+ velocities (1325-1350 FPS) at low end +p pressure levels (judging pressure by the number of times I can reload the case before the primer pockets start to loosen)
RainDodger
Member
115gr. Montana Gold FMJ or HP, 4.7gr. W231, 1.11" (RN), 1.07" (HP) OAL. Works in everything I own, from plastic pistols to Hi-Power. It's as accurate as I am. Been putting together that load for upwards of 20 years - at least with that weight bullet, if not a Montana Gold.
BrokenWheel
Member
Well I found some plated bullets made by some company called Barry's at 115grains and picked up some W231.
How does 4.6 grain sound to start off? the Winchester reloading site is a bit confusining because they list 2 different bullets only @ 115 grains; the first one is a Lead Nose round (4.3 to 2.8 grains) and another one that I have no idea what the code stands for is "SPR GDHP", whatever that is, its listed at 4.7 to 5.1.
Which one should I pick?
How does 4.6 grain sound to start off? the Winchester reloading site is a bit confusining because they list 2 different bullets only @ 115 grains; the first one is a Lead Nose round (4.3 to 2.8 grains) and another one that I have no idea what the code stands for is "SPR GDHP", whatever that is, its listed at 4.7 to 5.1.
Which one should I pick?
LiveLife
Member
Referencing the Winchester website for W231 for 9mm, load data for Lead Round Nose reads 4.3 to 4.8 grain with 1.10" OAL.
SPR GDHP = Speer Gold Dot Hollow Point.
I normally load 5%-10% below max load data for lead/plated bullets. Also, note that 4.7 to 5.1 grain for jacketed bullet is with the longer 1.125" OAL.
You should be fine starting at 4.6gr for 115gr plated bullets. Have you determined which OAL feeds/chambers well for your pistol from the magazine?
BrokenWheel
Member
Have you determined which OAL feeds/chambers well for your pistol from the magazine?
Im glad you brought this up - on my rifle I use a hornady OAL gauge that I use to determine the OAL of the cartridge, but on this pistol Im running kinda blind! I had some American Eagle ammo that I used in it a couple of days ago, which ran flawlessly, and I measured it to be 1.14-1.15" so I thought I'll go with that length. Is there a better way to determine the OAL in a semiauto pistol?
Im glad you brought this up - on my rifle I use a hornady OAL gauge that I use to determine the OAL of the cartridge, but on this pistol Im running kinda blind! I had some American Eagle ammo that I used in it a couple of days ago, which ran flawlessly, and I measured it to be 1.14-1.15" so I thought I'll go with that length. Is there a better way to determine the OAL in a semiauto pistol?
hydraulicman
Member
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2009
- Messages
- 226
6.4 power pistol 115 fmj
cci 500 1.135 full power load
4.8 231 115 fmj cci 500 current load
cci 500 1.135 full power load
4.8 231 115 fmj cci 500 current load
LiveLife
Member
I usually start with a couple of dummy rounds (no powder/primer) with the usual OAL for the particular caliber (9mm/40S&W = 1.125", 45ACP = 1.25" OAL) and check the feeding/chambering from the magazine by releasing the slide by hand .
If the dummy rounds don't feed/chamber well, I gradually decrease the OAL (say by 0.005") until I have reliable feeding/chambering.
Once I have reliable feeding/chambering OAL, then I move onto making test loads starting with 10%-5% below max load data.
* This usually works for FMJ/lead round nose, but for some lead bullet weights/profiles and JHPs, you may need to decrease/increase your OAL.
Here's walkalong's link to determine MAX OAL - http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=506678)
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1SOW
Member
+1 for Walkalongs OAL method.
For jacketed straight case rds (9mm, 40 cal etc.) use a fired case that hasn't been sized.
Gently push 'your' bullet into it a few thousandth's.
With your barrel removed, push this case and bullet into your chamber steadily until the case mouth seats.
Gently remove and measure the oal.
Do this with a couple more cases to check consistency.
This will give you the oal that will "touch the leade/rifling" for THAT bullet only in that gun.
Shorten this by .005 + the max variation of your press. If your press loads within +/- .004, the .005 + .004 = .009--call it .01 to subtract from the oal test.
If the test gave a MAX oal of 1.160 for an MG 124gr FMJ, then (with that bullet only) your max loaded cartridge length should be ok at 1.15" or less.
With a dummy cartridge loaded to that length, you should be a able to drop the round in the chamber, hear it seat on the case mouth, and then be able to rotate the cartridge by hand. If it will rotate, it's not touching the rifling.
Do this test for each type & brand of bullet you use. JHPs will test way shorter.
For jacketed straight case rds (9mm, 40 cal etc.) use a fired case that hasn't been sized.
Gently push 'your' bullet into it a few thousandth's.
With your barrel removed, push this case and bullet into your chamber steadily until the case mouth seats.
Gently remove and measure the oal.
Do this with a couple more cases to check consistency.
This will give you the oal that will "touch the leade/rifling" for THAT bullet only in that gun.
Shorten this by .005 + the max variation of your press. If your press loads within +/- .004, the .005 + .004 = .009--call it .01 to subtract from the oal test.
If the test gave a MAX oal of 1.160 for an MG 124gr FMJ, then (with that bullet only) your max loaded cartridge length should be ok at 1.15" or less.
With a dummy cartridge loaded to that length, you should be a able to drop the round in the chamber, hear it seat on the case mouth, and then be able to rotate the cartridge by hand. If it will rotate, it's not touching the rifling.
Do this test for each type & brand of bullet you use. JHPs will test way shorter.
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BrokenWheel
Member
Well I tried 115 grain jacketed bullet (Barry's) with 4.7 grains of W231 behind it (according to the book max is 4.8 grains) and the OAL was 1.15".
Compared to the store bought American Eagle (115 grain bullet), my handloads had FTE, especially the last one in the mag. The brass usually getting caught between the slide and chamber. I noticed that my handloads had the brass ejecting straight upward instead of to the 3 o'clock position.
Should I increase the charge or just seat the bullet deeper and keep the 4.7 grains of W231?
Compared to the store bought American Eagle (115 grain bullet), my handloads had FTE, especially the last one in the mag. The brass usually getting caught between the slide and chamber. I noticed that my handloads had the brass ejecting straight upward instead of to the 3 o'clock position.
Should I increase the charge or just seat the bullet deeper and keep the 4.7 grains of W231?
LiveLife
Member
That's sign of not enough force to push the slide all the way back.
Which gun are you shooting your reloads out of? Some guns (like Glocks) have stiffer recoil spring and require near max loads out of 115gr 9mm to cycle the slide properly. I seat my 115 gr FMJ bullets down to 1.125" OAL and use 4.8-4.9gr of W231 to get the slide to cycle properly.
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BrokenWheel
Member
Im shooting out of a P30. I thought reloading manual says to not exceed 4.8 grains on jacketed bullets. But it also says to seat the bullet to a OAL of 1.10" which visually seems waayyy too short! So thats why I am confused!
LiveLife
Member
Duh, the OP.
Excuse me BrokenWheel while I find my brain ....I think the 1.15" OAL is too long. Try 4.7gr at 1.125" and 1.12" OAL and see if they work out.
If you are still having slide cycling problem at 1.12" - 1.125" OAL, then try 4.8 gr.
BrokenWheel
Member
So you think that compressing the 4.7 grains of powder down, by decreasing the OAL by .03" will give it enough force to eject the brass?
Side note : dont you hate it when you agree to go out shooting with your friends on saturday (and to show off your new toy) so you try out your handloads the day before but all of them give you problems and you dont have the time to test out a new batch.... arrrr.
Side note : dont you hate it when you agree to go out shooting with your friends on saturday (and to show off your new toy) so you try out your handloads the day before but all of them give you problems and you dont have the time to test out a new batch.... arrrr.
LiveLife
Member
BrokenWheel, the full size Glock 22 (with 9mm conversion barrel) will cycle the slide fine using 115gr and 4.6gr of W231 at 1.125" OAL. But I had the same problem as you did when I shot the load in my Glock 27(with 9mm conversion barrel). When I increased the charge to 4.8gr, the load would cycle the slide on G27.
If you are looking for a load that WILL work, try 4.8gr of W231 at 1.125" OAL for the 115gr Berry's plated bullets. Have fun shooting tomorrow and let us know how it went.
If you are looking for a load that WILL work, try 4.8gr of W231 at 1.125" OAL for the 115gr Berry's plated bullets. Have fun shooting tomorrow and let us know how it went.
zxcvbob
Member
Magnus #505 bullet (135 grain LRN) with 4.2 grains of Bullseye.
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