What effects accuracy with reloading?

[Puddin99]

I've been reloading 9mm for about a year now. I don't think they are as accurate as factory ammo. I'm using Berry's bullets with Unique.

What are some of the different things that play into accuracy? load length? amount of powder? bullet type? etc?

Thanks,

 

[dakotasin]

i run 6.7 grains of power pistol behind a 115 xtp and have no trouble at all cutting factory load group sizes in half at 25 and 50 yards...

i think in an autoloading pistol the top determinants for accuracy are bullet and powder.

 

[Ifishsum]

I think for a pistol round, the bullet itself probably has the largest effect on accuracy. I've not got the greatest accuracy from the plated bullets (like the Berry's) I've tried, but still use them for plinking purposes because they're inexpensive. A truly jacketed bullet like the Hornady or Sierra may very well give you better accuracy due to better consistency.

I load .45ACP, .45 colt, .40SW, .38 sp, .357 Mag and .41 Mag and have tried several different powders for each. For target velocity loads, it does not seem to matter much which powder I use, accuracy is not noticeably different. Changing bullets definitely make a difference, and each gun has it's favorite bullet weight/design that it shoots better than others.

 

[Shoney]

In auto pistols, plated bullets get less accurate as more crimp is applied, generally.

For better accuracy with plated, I have found that the bullet must be seated in one operation, and very very lightly crimped in the second.

 

[Captal_de_Buch]

Some of the most accurate 9mm loads I've ever created were with Berry's double struck 115gr plated bullets.

I've also really botched a bunch of those bullets before I figured out that I had to be careful crimping.

It seems like the base of those bullets is fairly easy to crumple if a guy takes the crimp much further than the bullet dia. plus 2x the brass thickness.

 

[BeJaRa]

I have found that the hardcast lead bullets give me the best accuracy out of my 1911, granted the difference between the plated jacketed and lead is almost negligible but the lead tend to be a little tighter groups. I only shoot jacket in my other pistols.

 

[Jim Watson]

The bullet is the big actor. NRA and PMA tested a lot of .38 Specials and found that nothing but bullet quality mattered. Powder, primer, brass, made no difference.

In 9mm, your best chance is with real JHPs. I have done best with Sierras, some like Hornady XTP. FMJs are not usually as accurate, although I had some very good Noslers (since discontinued.)