Your Favorite 9mm Loads???

[ArchAngelCD]

I'm starting to reload for my son's 9mm and I have no idea where to start.

I want to load 125 gr. LRN and 124 gr. FMJ rounds. Please post your favorite recipes for each.

I have loaded so far 3.8gr - 4.1gr and 4.4gr of W231 and 4.8gr - 5.2gr - 5.5gr and 5.7gr of Longshot with the 125 gr LRN bullet. It seems that 5.2gr of Longshot is the best of the 7 for accuracy. I can't be sure because he was shooting a 3" barrel pistol unsupported which really isn't a good test.

Your favorite recipes will be a big help on giving me a place to start finding a accurate 9mm round.

Thank you all in advance...

 

[philbo]

Don't care for the 125 LRN, couldn't get exactly what I wanted from it in my XD, but I have grown fond of the 124 FMJ over 4.2 grns of Titegroup at 1.155 OAL. Great for plinking. Accurate, clean, soft recoil. I also use 4.4 grns of the same under a 115 FMJ at 1.140, but the 124 is more accurate for me, and it only costs a few cents more.

 

[DWARREN123]

I have found some accurate rounds using Hornady and Sierra 90gr JHP, I had used these to reload for a 380 ACP. 5gr of Universal and Fed SP primers. The Sierra's are actually a little better than the Hornady.

 

[Texastbird]

I haven't had good accuracy with the 124 gr. rnl bullets I tried. My Ruger likes 115 grs. better. With the 3" barrel I would tend to go with a lighter bullet. I am using titegroup powder with a plated lead bullet.

 

[bakert]

I've used 4.5 grs of 231 with the 125 LRN bullets and it worked pretty good but the best results seemed to be with 7.7 grs of AA7 or 6 grs of HS6 in MY GUN, a Ruger P85.

 

[JDGray]

I shoot 124 & 115 fmj, both with 5.5gr Power Pistol. The 124s shoot best out of my CZ75, and my G19 likes the 115s best. 5.5gr is below starting loads , but still packs a punch, very clean and accurate

 

[Walkalong]

115 Gr. Rainer - WSP - full load of AA# 5 or WSF.

AA#5 will give a bit more velocity, especially in a carbine, but WSF is real close with less recoil.

 

[armoredman]

Remington bulk 115gr JHP works great in all the pistols I have shot it through, and it's relatively cheap for JHP. I use AA#7 almost exclusively now, though I have used both AA#2 and AA#5, and they work fine.
Fave load, (provided for academic purposes, use at own risk, no implied or express warrantee, no penguins were harmed in the making of this warning), is 8.8gr AA#7, 115 gr Rem JHP, PMP brass, oal 1.122, Lee FCD used.

 

[fourrobert13]

MY HK P2000 and G17 don't like the heavier bullets. I use 4.6 gr of Bullseye to push a 115 gr Berry's DS plated bullet. COAL of 1.13. This load give me excellent accuracy in both pistols.

 

[Noxx]

Like some others, I don't meet your bullet specs, but all the same.

My preferred plinking round is 115gr plated + 5.4 gr UNQ. I use Win primers and assorted brass, the 226 eats it all w/o complaint.

 

[baz]

Fave load, (provided for academic purposes, use at own risk, no implied or express warrantee, no penguins were harmed in the making of this warning), is 8.8gr AA#7, 115 gr Rem JHP, PMP brass, oal 1.122, Lee FCD used.

That's a max load, according to my data.

I like a little milder load. I'm using 7.4 gr of AA#7 behind a variety of 124 grain bullets. Mild recoil, and with the 124 gr HP Berry's Preferred Plated bullet, a pretty cheap plinking round.

 

[Noxx]

I just wanna know how he gets 8.8gr of anything in a 9x19 case!

 

[CZ57]

AA#7 has an average grain diameter of .012"/ .305mm and at .985 grams/cc, or 985 grams per liter, it is the densest handgun propellant available to reloaders. Originally formulated for the 9 X 19mm, it is an exceptional powder. The 8.8 grain charge is listed as max, but it's about a factory equivelant load and runs 29,700 CUP, or just under 32,000 PSI. Well under the 35,000 PSI/ 33, 000 CUP limit for standard pressure 9mm. Another plus is very low flash to go with the excellent accuracy potential.

But, when a question like this is asked, the answer usually depends on the type of load you're after. If you want to build defense type loads, or FMJ loads that feel like your carry load, few are better, very few! If you're after something that squats on the minor power factor level of 125, it probably won't float your boat. Personally, I practice with what I carry, or a handload that behaves very much like it!

 

[Cloudpeak]

I've been working up loads for my M&P 9mm. So far, just with W231. So far, my most accurate loads are with a Lee TL 124 gr lead rn (home cast) with 4.0 of W231 which gave me groups of .78" and 1.05". The 3.6 grain load gave me 4 shots in a .665", .81" and 1.0" group. COAL is 1.12.

On a couple of targets, there is one flyer (that I conveniently left out). These were fired off a bench at 21 feet. I still want to work up loads with Clays and Power Pistol (the two other powders I have on hand).

Cloudpeak

 

[Clark]

I carry 380 and 9mm pistols for self defense, and load for the most power I can get from the tiny pistols.

For a heavy slide .380 I use 158 gr XTP bullets and Power Pistol.
For a light slide .380 I use 90 gr Gold Dot bullets and Power Pistol.

For a heavy slide 9mm I use 158 gr XTP bullets and Power Pistol.
For a light slide 9mm I use 124 gr bullets and Power Pistol.

I wrote to Sierra and Asked if 1336 fps was too fast for their 124 gr JHP bullets to expand properly. They wrote back that I was at the upper limit, but ok.

 

[The-Fly]

for 124gr fmj, 4.6gr of W231 works nicely. Very clean burning, does about 1100fps.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

Thank you all for your input so far, please keep it coming.

CZ57,
Like you I'm looking for a round that acts like his carry round. He carries 124 gr Federal Hydra-Shok SD ammo so that's why I'm using that bullet in my reloads.

 

[CZ57]

AA, check this out: http://www.accuratepowder.com/data/...ddata/355Cal(9mm)/9mm 19 P pages 91 to 92.pdf

One reason that Accurate holds their max loads down is because of the short OACLs they list, and that's to cover the enormous amount of 9mm pistols imported over the years. Many good, many not so good. I have loaded several thousand 124 gr. Remington Golden Sabers and it is excellent. I also use the Remington 124 gr. JHP, referred to as a bulk bullet. What I've found is that when pushed to higher velocity, it's a bit more accurate than the Golden Saber. In 115 & 124 gr. weights, Rem. bullets are about the deepest penetrators at a given weight. In the factory loaded version, they penetrate better than they expand. But, as velocity increases, things change. As an example, the standard Rem. 115 gr. JHP factory load performs in the low 80% range. The same bullet in the "Secret Service Load" which is the 115 gr. +P+ JHP that achieves 1250 FPS, goes to 90% or a little better. The reason is that penetration lessens to an ideal depth, while the extra velocity increases expansion. Same thing only better with the 124 gr. JHP. The 8.0 gr. max charge that Accurate shows is very short at 1.095" with FMJ bullets, yet pressure is rated under 30,000 CUP / 32,000 PSI. The OACL that Armoredman listed is a very good one to use for CZ 9mms. If you have a SIG, or another pistol that allows a longer OACL, 1.142" is what I load for SIGs with the Rem. 124 gr. JHP and for CZs, 1.122", just like the 115 gr. JHP. By lengthening the load and carefully working up, watching for signs of overpressure along the way, it is possible to increase the powder charge slightly because of the increase in OACL. The FMJ load listed by Accurate is about NATO spec. You can save some money with cast or plated bullets (I don't use plated), but the Rem. bulk JHPs are an excellent value for the money.

 

[baz]

Excellent information, CZ. The 124 grain Rem. bulk JHP's are one of the bullets I'm using with AA#7, along with Berry's Plated hollow points. For HD -- I don't carry the 9mm -- I keep it loaded with Speer GDHP's.

As I said earlier, I use ~7.4 grains of AA#7. I like the lighter recoil, and this is what I get using the .5cc Lee dipper. (I'm truly handloading, with a Lee hand press.) I load the 124 grain Rem. bulk JHP to 1.060" OAL, which according to my estimate, should seat the bullet to the same about the same depth as the 124 grain FMJ at 1.095" OAL. Using the same setting for the seating die, the Speer GDHP's come out to about the same OAL, and the Berry's plated at about 1.030". These are my first 9mm loads, and so far have all performed well (I've been to the range twice to test them) in my Taurus 24/7.

Your explanation for why the AA guides show shorter OAL's than some others was especially informative for me. Still a bit of a n00b, I was not sure how to take all the variations I see in OAL's for various 9mm loads. While the AA loading guide didn't have a load for the 124 grain Rem bulk JHP, the Hornady HP-XTP is similar, and Hornady lists an OAL of 1.060", equal to what I worked out on my own. OTOH, the listed loads I have for the Speer GDHP 124 grain start at 8.1 grains of AA#7, and max at 9.0 grains! But the OAL for these loads is 1.120". So that fits in with what you are saying about going to higher loads with a greater OAL. But 7.4 grains at 1.060" works for me, for now.

 

[layusn1]

Anybody have any favorites with a 124gr FMJ, Unique and WSPs? Getting ready to load some up for the wife's Sig.

 

[CZ57]

Thanks Baz. The Gold Dot is an outstanding bullet. You must have the SPEER manual. 1.120" is what the factory load OACL is. The 124 gr. +P Gold Dot load is about as good as it gets with factory ammo. Using that bullet and OACL, you won't have any problems working up to the max charge if you choose to. Nothing wrong with the load you're using if the accuracy is working for you.

If you don't have the Gold Dots, the Remington 124 gr. JHP will work. 1.122"/28.5mm for CZs, 1.142"/29mm for Sigs.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

I see there is a narrow selection of powders in this thread. I was expecting more choices from other threads I've seen on this forum.

Is HS-6 really that much different from HP-38/W231? I was looking at HS-6 but wasn't sure it was worth buying since I already had plenty of HP-38/W231 on hand.

 

[kk5ib]

My 9mm Loads

Carry gun is a Kel-Tec P11, only problem is that it doesn't like 12-round not genuine Smith mags, works well with factory mags. Old favorite load was 6.0 gr SR-4756 and either W-W or R-P 115 bulk JHPs and either WW WSP or CCI 500 primers, low pressure, good velocity, good accuracy, from Midway Load MAP. (6.0 gr is my max.) New favorite load from Speer #14 is 8.2 gr Blue Dot, same bullets and primers, either Win or R-P brass, better velocity and accuracy. The W-W primers are fairly flattened out, and the CCI primers are usually very rounded with all other components the same. My Kel-Tec will not stabilize 147 gr bullets, short barrel, wrong twist? I don't like fast-burning powder in my 9mm, pressure builds up too quickly for me with small changes in amount of powder. Hope this is of interest.
Darryl in AR

 

[bp78]

My IDPA load.

Precision 125gr Flat Point
http://www.precisionbullets.com/products.html

4.5 grs UNIQUE

Loaded to 1.090"

Runs great in my STI Trojan.

 

[JDGray]

I've loaded plenty of 9mm with HS6, great velocity with low pressure. I switched to Power pistol because its cleaner, and a tad more accurate. I ran 6.5gr with both 115 and 124fmj, the 115 load cronoed at 1150fps, no data for the 124s.