Loaded my first round tonight

[Grendel]

9mm HDY 115gr FMJ RN  (#35557)

4.3gr of Win 231, C.O.L 1.140"

  Man, I took an age fiddle farting around with it.

Now someone will come along and tell me I cocked it up 

[Mods added needed clarifying info]

[Crawl]

Congrats! You're gonna love it! Welcome to the club!

[Boris_LA]

My test notes show that at OAL 1.150" the best accuracy with 115gr FMJ (both HDY and PD) was with 4.5gr HP-38/W231. 1100-1150fps
You've loaded shorter OAL = 1.140" and lower powder charge, so performance should be close and expected velocity in the same range (1100-1150fps)

[Grendel]

My test notes show that at OAL 1.150" the best accuracy with 115gr FMJ (both HDY and PD) was with 4.5gr HP-38/W231. 1100-1150fps
You've loaded shorter OAL = 1.140" and lower powder charge, so performance should be close and expected velocity in the same range (1100-1150fps)

Thanks for that info. I'll try that next. Do you have any loads for 124gr JHPs?

[Boris_LA]

My test notes show that at OAL 1.150" the best accuracy with 115gr FMJ (both HDY and PD) was with 4.5gr HP-38/W231. 1100-1150fps
You've loaded shorter OAL = 1.140" and lower powder charge, so performance should be close and expected velocity in the same range (1100-1150fps)

Thanks for that info. I'll try that next. Do you have any loads for 124gr JHPs?

Yes.
HDY 125 HAP   1.069   3.9   1075-1090 (do not exceed 4.1gr)
PD 124 JHP   1.080   4.0
Those are the best with HP-38/W231
My even better match load is with different powder TG, but Wobbly will critic me for recommending it to the new reloader.

[armoredman]

Welcome to a brand new addiction.

[Wobbly]

9mm HDY 115gr FMJ

4.3gr of Win 231, C.O.L 1.14"

  Man, I took an age fiddle farting around with it.

Now someone will come along and tell me I cocked it up 

? Which 115gr Hornady FMJ ?  There's a number on the box.

? Where did you get you load data. I think I know, but you had better tell us anyway.

 

[Grendel]

Data from Hogdon/win load site. Bullet HDY 35557


In other words, the 115gr FMJ RN.

[baldrage]

Congrats and welcome to your new addiction!

[Grendel]

My test notes show that at OAL 1.150" the best accuracy with 115gr FMJ (both HDY and PD) was with 4.5gr HP-38/W231. 1100-1150fps
You've loaded shorter OAL = 1.140" and lower powder charge, so performance should be close and expected velocity in the same range (1100-1150fps)

I tried that OAL, but the rounds wouldn't pass the 'plunk' test with my P225 barrel and fully chamber, so I ended up setting them at 1.097/8.

[Wobbly]

9mm HDY 115gr FMJ RN

4.3gr of Win 231, C.O.L 1.140"

I tried that OAL [1.150"], but the rounds wouldn't pass the 'plunk' test with my P225 barrel and fully chamber, so I ended up setting them at 1.097/8".

So which is it?  1.140" or 1.098" ??

IMHO, typically 9mm FMJ should be loaded with a seating depth between 0.200 and 0.250" to get optimal results. Don't know the exact length of a Hornady 115gr RN is because [ahem!] no one has volunteered that information to the CZ Forum bullet length chart, but at ~1.100" you seem to be achieving this depth.

 

[painter]

He's talking about the JHP load now.

[Wobbly]

Do you have any loads for 124gr JHPs?

Your Lyman manual is full of them. It's very important that you develop your own, because for about 15 reasons... your 9mm pistols are going to shoot very differently from other peoples pistols. Especially when you are sharing loads across your collection of multiple and very specific 9mm pistols.

To think that Person A's loads for his pistols are going to perform the same in Person B's guns of a different mix of brands is a falsehood. If that were the case, then load manuals would only have a single, specific load listed under each caliber. If that were the case, all load manuals would be only 10 pages long !

This is not fairy tale magic, where a single, specific incantation unlocks the genie in the bottle. No sir, this is reality where results are the culmination of 15+ variables that change the end results for every user.

Reloading is more like accurate weather prediction or finding the right spouse. We can give you clues, but we can't tell you YOUR answer. You have to find that for yourself.

 

[Grendel]

My test notes show that at OAL 1.150" the best accuracy with 115gr FMJ (both HDY and PD) was with 4.5gr HP-38/W231. 1100-1150fps
You've loaded shorter OAL = 1.140" and lower powder charge, so performance should be close and expected velocity in the same range (1100-1150fps)

I tried that OAL, but the rounds wouldn't pass the 'plunk' test with my P225 barrel and fully chamber, so I ended up setting them at 1.097/8.

Derr. Disregard this, my calipers are a piece of excrement. I rechecked everything and the rounds are seated now to an OAL of 1.150 + or - 1. They plunk perfectly.

Wobbly: The length of the HDY 115gr FMJ bullet is .547.

[Grendel]

Do you have any loads for 124gr JHPs?

Your Lyman manual is full of them. It's very important that you develop your own, because for about 15 reasons... your 9mm pistols are going to shoot very differently from other peoples pistols. Especially when you are sharing loads across your collection of multiple and very specific 9mm pistols.

To think that Person A's loads for his pistols are going to perform the same in Person B's guns of a different mix of brands is a falsehood. If that were the case, then load manuals would only have a single, specific load listed under each caliber. If that were the case, all load manuals would be only 10 pages long !

This is not fairy tale magic, where a single, specific incantation unlocks the genie in the bottle. No sir, this is reality where results are the culmination of 15+ variables that change the end results for every user.

Reloading is more like accurate weather prediction or finding the right spouse. We can give you clues, but we can't tell you YOUR answer. You have to find that for yourself.

 

Yeah, I get this.

I know there's a bunch in various manuals, and not all pistols are made the same when it comes to load performance. However, when starting out, it's appropriate to draw on those more experienced than me to at least have a starting point to begin experimentation. It also gives confidence that I'm not going to blow my hand off by mistake. Hence all the questions and requests for successful load data.