Xtreme 9mm-135gr RNFP

[RMH]

I just picked a box of the Xtreme 135gr from my lgs because they were out of the 124's. In looking thru my manuals and data sheets, the nearest data for W231 I could find is on the Hodgdon web site.

Berry's 130gr RN 1.150 oal, start 3.9gr vel. 903, max 4.3gr 1005 vel.

After doing a plunk test my max oal is 1.145 so I settled on 1.135 for my oal. I think I should start at 3.5gr and work up to a max of 4.0gr. I would like to hear what all of you think.
If you have other powder suggestions I would like to hear that too. All I am looking for is soft plinking loads, not trying to make any power factor.

The pistol is a Taurus PT-809, 4" barrel, 1:9 twist.

Thanks
Russell

 

[Walkalong]

That sounds like a safe enough place to start, but may be too low to cycle the pistol. Be very careful that all bullets exit the barrel. I would load about five of your starting load, whatever you choose that to be, try them, then go from there.

 

[Dudedog]

Not exact, but I would take recommended 125 charges and recommended 147 charges (for whatever powder) and split the difference between the 2 as 135s fall in the middle between 125 and 147 weight wise.
Lyman 125 3.9-4.4gr W231
147 3.5-4.1gr W231
so you would end up with something like 3.7 - 4.25 W231 which is a little higher than your range..
If you use the 10% off MAX rule for start and take the MAX 147 charge of 4.1, that would give you 3.7 as a start charge for 147s which I would think would be a safe place to start with a 135 at a reasonable OAL.
If it was me I would load maybe 5 rounds at 3.5, 10-15 at 3.7, 10-15 at 3.8, 10-15 at 3.9 and maybe 5 at 4.0 or 4.1. (how many of each depends on how far away you are from where you shoot), and see what works for you.
For plinking loads I am guessing somewhere between 3.7 and 3.9 will do the trick.

 

[RMH]

If it was me I would load maybe 5 rounds at 3.5, 10-15 at 3.7, 10-15 at 3.8, 10-15 at 3.9 and maybe 5 at 4.0 or 4.1

Thanks for the info. I will give that a try

Russell

 

[lonewolf5347]

I use the same bullet in my 9 mm
Bulleye 3.4 _ 3.6 grains
COAL 1.140