Trying to recreate Speer Gold Dot 147gr 9mm ammunition

[ZCP M3]

Hello all,
I use Speer's 147gr Gold Dot ammunition as my self-defense ammo in my Sig P229 and have been practicing with their Lawman ammunition for some time now. However, I'm down to a few hundred rounds of Lawman left and would like to put my Dillon 550 and Chrony to use making practice ammunition identical to the Speer stuff.

So far I've been using 3.4gr of Hodgdon Titegroup to make my 9mm ammunition with a COAL of 1.2". It shoots nice but isn't quite the same feel as my Lawman and I haven't gotten the Chrony out to verify it's performance.

Speer lists it's 147gr bullets having a BC of 0.165 and the ammunition reaches a muzzle velocity of 985 ft/s out of a 4" barrel.

From the research I've done, I've come up with a few powders that are capable of matching that velocity without exceeding the max...
Hodgdon Longshot (4.7gr @ 1004 ft/s)
Alliant Blue Dot (5.8gr @ 1001 ft/s)
Accurate No. 5 (5.3gr @ 991 ft/s)
Accurate No. 7 (7.2gr @ 1047 ft/s)
IMR 800-X (5.3gr @ 1025 ft/s)

I plan on using CCI primers for these loads (assuming I can ever find them in stock ) to try and come as close to a factory load as I can. For now I have Winchester Small Pistol and Remington #1 1/2 Small Pistol primers at my disposal.

Does anyone have any experience trying to recreate Speer factory ammunition? Any advice on what powder to use would be much appreciated!

 

[Mags]

I use 4.4 grains of Ramshot Shillouette seated to 1.65 with 147 grain Gold Dots. The start load for Shillouette is 4.1 grains. According to the Ramshot manual I should be producing 920 ft/s with that load. I really need to get a chrony though.

 

[ZCP M3]

Well I'm currently using Titegroup about 0.2gr short of it's maximum load. It shoots nice but can't come close to the velocity of the factory Gold Dot rounds. I'd like to select a powder that will match the velocity but also the recoil impulse.

 

[rcmodel]

From an old Speer Gold-Dot bullet box insert.
147 grain bullet
From 4.9" Beretta 92
OAL = 1.115"

All MAX loads:
AA #7 - 6.9 - 997
Blue Dot - 6.5 - 1,010
HS-6 - 5.7 - 957
AA #5 - 4.9 - 979
Herco - 4.6 - 950
Unique - 4.5 - 967
WW231 - 4.1 - 932
Bullseye - 3.9 - 922
700-X - 3.6 - 931
Red Dot - 3.5 - 891

rc

 

[ZCP M3]

rc, thanks for the reply!

It seems I've got a nice list of what powders are appropriate for the velocity range I'm looking for. The question I have now is in regards to the properties of the powders.

Is the powder used in factory Speer ammunition fast or slow burning? Which powder would match Speer's the closest to provide similar velocity AND recoil impulse?

 

[rcmodel]

There is simply no way of knowing what Speer uses.
They won't tell, and if they did, you probably couldn't get it anyway.

But I feel confident you can rule out the very fast powders WW231, Bullseye, 700-X, and Red Dot due to the "hitting a bowling ball with your fist" effect on the heavy 147 grain bullet.

I also think you can rule out the very slow powders like Blue Dot due to excess muzzle flash in short barrels.

So I'd try HS-6, AA#5, Herco, Unique, and other medium burn rate powders.

rc

 

[ny32182]

For practice you would be more interested in matching the recoil impulse than the velocity, I would think....

I'd locate a cheap 147gr FMJ, get a medium burn rate powder, and ramp it up until the recoil impulse is very similar. Your velocity then may or may not match, but what difference does it make for the stated purpose? If you are using a similar powder I would think it would be pretty close just the same.

 

[Anotherguy]

I've had excellent results with Power Pistol using a 147 gr. XTP.