Opinions on HP38 (231) in 9mm Luger 115 FMJ

[brainwake]

My next load I am considering
9mm Luger
115 gr FMJ

HP38 (231)
Speer 14 has 4.4 - 4.9
Lyman does have 115 FMJ

Gun will be Ruger SR9c

Anyone have any opinions on this load?

 

[Jim Watson]

I load 9mm with 4.8 gr HP38 and a 115 gr Remington bulk JHP.
About 1140 fps from a 5" SA Loaded.

 

[rfwobbly]

115gr feel too snappy for me. The recoil is sharp and blatant. You may be happier with 124gr. But as far as loads go, 231 and 115gr do very well together.

 

[Smaug]

My Lee book says 4.7 - 5.1 of HP38

I usually go more toward the hotter end, to avoid cycling problems.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I like W231/HP-38 in the 9mm but I like using a 124gr bullet over a 115gr bullet.

 

[J_McLeod]

4.7 gr shot and cycled well in my XD9 with 4" barrel. I thought it was a bit snappy though.

 

[dacavasi]

For me, out of a S&W M&P 9, 4" bbl:
124 JHP (Berry's plated) over 4.6gr HP38 = 1129 fps
124 JHP (Berry's plated) over 5.0gr HP38 = 1192 fps

 

[capreppy]

sub'd. This is good info as I am going to start reloading 9mm in the next few months.

 

[Miata Mike]

For me, out of a S&W M&P 9, 4" bbl:
124 JHP (Berry's plated) over 4.6gr HP38 = 1129 fps
124 JHP (Berry's plated) over 5.0gr HP38 = 1192 fps

What did you have for OAL? I currently use 4.2 grains Bullseye at 1.15" with same bullets, but have some HP38 that I wouldn't mind trying.

 

[BeerSleeper]

231/hp38 is a good powder for that load. It's been mentioned, but I'll second it, go with the upper midrange of the load data. Lower than that, for me, stovepiped once, and burns a little dirtier. My most recent batch was 115 FMJ over 4.9gr. I think the loadbook max I was working with was 5.1, so that's getting up there, but it shoots great in my sigma.

 

[gregj]

I like W231 a lot, and use it in my 9mms, both 124gr and 115gr, and in my 45, mostly 200gr.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Back in the late '80's thru the late '90's Precision Delta Cartridge of Ruleville, MS pretty much "owned" the market for factory ammo in NRA PPC competition. Many matches were won, and many National Records were shot with their 9mm ammo.

Their load was:
-Starline Brass (headstamped P-D) for Precision Delta
-Winchester Primers (Federal can be too soft for the 9mm pressures and give cratered/sheared primer metal in the firing pin hole. (ask me how I know!)
-Remington 115gr JHP from bulk packaging.
-5.0gr of Win.#231.
-Seated to 1.125"oal. (This is important to reduce pressure and improve accuracy and feeding reliability)
Nominal Velocity is/was 1,175fps from 4" bbl. My 5" S&W PPC-9 gives 1,200fps.

Accuracy is unbelievable. I was called full of "Green Garden fertilizer" by a former moderator of TFL. But have targets, trophies, guns won- to prove it........

Precision Delta for economic reasons has discontinued using the Remington bullet and Win#231 powder. Accuracy has suffered greatly too!

 

[dacavasi]

Miata Mike: I routinely load 9mm to 1.125" OAL, that is what most of my pistols seem to like.

 

[J_McLeod]

Good info to follow. I've only used 231 so far.

I had decent results today with 4.3gr behind a 124gr Rainier HP and OAL 1.150

 

[LiveLife]

I use Winchester 115 gr FMJ with 4.8 gr W231/HP38 at 1.125" OAL.