Reloading for 9mm carbine and pistols

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lonestar2222010

lonestar2222010

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I have a 9mm ruger PC carbine a shield and Glock 26. When loading should I custom my load for each one? A friend told me I should make my loads to suit the rifle as those would be enough to cycle the pistols. I generally use 115 gr rnd fmj with win 231. Anyone run into this situation before?
 
Im doing 124gr rn xtreem with 5.2gr of cfe pistol for both my carbine and g34. Seems to work good. Chrono'd 1150 out of the g34 and 1330 out of the 16' pcc
 
Really depends on your needs.
I'm no Marksman and my pistol targets reflect the same
I worked up some loads for the Carbine. The Pistols get whatever is left over and/or 'lesser quality/price' projectiles.
 
If you want max velocity with the carbine, use medium & medium slow pistol powders, you can gain a couple hundred feet per second in the long barrel over a pistol, where the fast powders don't gain much FPS from it, if any. My N-320 124 Gr plinker load gains no spped from a 5" to a 16" barrel, but cycles it fine and is very accurate. My Silhouette 124 gr load gains approximately 150/200 FPS, I would have to go look to be sure of the number.

My pistol loads shoot great in the carbine.
 
I predominantly use 5.2g of BE-86 under an RMR 124g Match Winner FMJ, 1.08. I also use RMR 124 RN-FMJ, same load, different OAL. I don't have a chrono, but the load runs my P-320s, P365, G19, 16-inch AR-9 PCC and 10.5-inch AR-9 Pistol. I have worked up loads for Power Pistol and Bullseye all middle of the road, somewhere in the neighborhood of 1100fps according to the load data. I am currently working up CFE-P, I'm up to 5.0, but I think I am still too light. 4.9 of CFE-P worked everything fine, but the cases were scorched.
 
I develop a load for my 9x19 handguns and my 9x19 AR gets the same ammunition. Same for my 45 ACP handguns and Thompson.

One could tailor the ammunition to the specific gun but for me that just complicates keeping the ammunition separate.
 
Some bullets have a manufacturers recommended max velocity, such as Berry’s plated. Bullets loaded for a pistol may exceed that velocity.
That was my case in a Masterpiece Arms carbine.
 
lonestar2222010 said:
Is it just me or am I one of the few people that uses Win 231? Lol everyone else seems to use different powders, just asking. If so why do others use the powders they do?
Click to expand...
I use mostly W231 in my 9mm ammo except for some of the SD ammo I build. I use W231 in most of my handgun ammo and I'm very happy with it.
 
I have a load using CFE-P with Precision Delta 124 gr. JHP bullet. It's for pistol and carbine.
Some time ago I had some cast bullet loads using Titegroup. I fouled the barrel up pretty good with them, lube and lead fouling. Took a lot of scrubbing and the discovery of Chore Boy pads to clean it up. Lesson learned. :)

I see better benefits of using slower powders in carbines.
 
I use 231 for my standard pistol loads.
I don't have a 9mm carbine so I can't help with any useful load information.
 
I'm using the same basic load for for both that I use in my IDPA match pistol.

147s or 135s over HP38, It's just logistically easier. My PCC (Colt AR6951) is primarily used as a trainer and sometimes to shoot PCC matches. We shoot a PCC match on every month that has a 3rd Tuesday, using basic IDPA stages so there's no need for any extra oomph. I've never had an issue shooting the same loads in my PCC that functioned in my pistols. The only issue I've ever had is that occasionally a timer won't pick up my shots with the 147s (subsonic) depending on where the SO is standing.
 
As a former USPSA competitor I still load for "Minor" of around >1000 fps in 124-135 grain bullets. For this weight bullet in 9mm I use mid burn rate powder such as Winchester Auto Comp.

W231 is on the high end in terms of burn rate. It's fine if pushed a little otherwise pretty dirty.

Slower powders allows higher velocities within acceptable pressures in the 124-147 grain bullets.

I use the same loads in pistol and carbine. There is no reason not to especially if you get the giggles slamming steel at 100 yards!

The down side is to watch the PCC buffer to be sure it isn't being beat to death!

All the best,
 
When I first got my Ruger PCC 9mm a couple of years ago, I was quite excited about the same magazines and reloads for it and my Ruger handgun.
I quickly realized that the loads I preferred in the handgun were not what I liked in the PCC and vice versa. The handgun loads seemed to "weak" for the PCC and the PCC loads have too much recoil in the handgun. So I developed different loads for each, using BE-86.
Also, I have to load to a much shorter OAL for the PCC. With my handgun a RMR 124gr MPR hollow point will plunk at 1.20 in my handgun. To plunk in my PCC I have to seat the same bullet to 1.07.
 
When developing your load, I would first investigate the differences between the Glock and Ruger chambers, and their effect upon Max OAL. The rifle might have the most effect upon the load, but the pistol might have more to say about the final OAL.
 
lonestar2222010 said:
Is it just me or am I one of the few people that uses Win 231
Click to expand...

I use it.

I also have a Ruger PC9. My objective was to develop a load that would run in everything I own that shoots a 9mm. I found that with a 124g FMJ, 5.3g HP-38, 1.140" OAL, I could get acceptable accuracy and 100% reliability in all my 9mm platforms
 
What are your priorities? If your shooting hollow points my first priority would be getting inside the optimal expansion window. Then dial for function. Trying to get both perfect may become a compromise situation and your end goal will determine if two groups are necessary. Faster powders will make the velositys closer and less tunable in the longer carbine. If your using these for ringing steel or targets inside 25 yards I would not worry yourself about it.
 
I have various 9mm pistols, each seems to have it's own favorite but all seem to like certain loads.
For practice/plinking I use the same ammo in my carbine. (I shoot matches so I load to about 128-130 PF, a 124 at about 1040 ish)
If I decide to shoot my Ruger carbine in matches I might work up a load for it (once primer supply comes back), but would not be concerned about using what I currently use in my pistols.
 
Last edited:
lonestar2222010 said:
Is it just me or am I one of the few people that uses Win 231? Lol everyone else seems to use different powders, just asking. If so why do others use the powders they do?
Click to expand...

I use W231 and HP38 for the majority of my practice/match loads in 9mm and .45ACP. It just works, is very cost effective (3.5grns for 147s and 3.7 grns for 135s), and I can find it locally in the 8lb jugs.

I save the slower powders for my JHP practice loads that mimic the MVs of my carry loads.
 
lonestar2222010 said:
Is it just me or am I one of the few people that uses Win 231? Lol everyone else seems to use different powders, just asking. If so why do others use the powders they do?
Click to expand...
I use 231 or CFE Pistol for my 9mm loads.Both meter well and are good for range and friendly club competition.
I did have a Ruger PC9 carbine and fed it the same loads as my pistols. I load middle of the range for powder grains and get good results.
 
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