How do you think about bullet weights in 9mm?

[Commo]

Commo -
Forget what you know about reloading for rifle when you reload for pistol. We are NOT setting the OAL so the bullet can get close to the rifling. Instead we are trying to get the bullet seated (generally) 0.200 to 0.250" deep into the case. This method usually shows better results for the same bullet/ same powder combination.

Since cartridge gauges don't have the rifling, you can use one to check many features of the cartridge, but OAL is NOT one of those. For that you need the gun's barrel. You'll soon see that every bullet brand, weight and style return a different Max OAL. So get used to working with your barrel. And get used to keeping good notes !

Per the cartoon below, the Max OAL is just that... the maximum limit as determined by the barrel. You are still free to pick an OAL that is shorter, down to about 1.000". The PD 124gr JHP usually "pushes" to a Max OAL of 1.110". Since that's fairly short, most people chose that as their working OAL, but that's not always the case... especially with RN bullets.

You already have BE-86 and W231/HP-38. Those are 2 powders that work very well in 9mm. You can certainly look for and test others, but I'm fairly conservative and would tell you to try those first before any others in an effort to cut your ordering and stocking.

Hope this helps.

Wobbly,

This certainly does help -- and if I gave the impression that I thought the chamber checker could measure OAL then I wasn't clear enough. For rifle Max OAL I use the Hornady OAL gauge in the rifle barrel and for pistol Max OAL I'll certainly be using the push technique in my pistol's barrel. I use the chamber checker to make sure the completed rounds plunk and spin and I'll be more sensitive now to any differences I can measure between the chamber checker and the actual barrel.

I'm coming to the end of my third pound of BE-86 and am curious to see how it works in the 9mm, so will probably start with the HP-38 and BE-86..

Thanks!

Commo

[Wobbly]

I'm coming to the end of my third pound of BE-86 and am curious to see how it works in the 9mm, so will probably start with the HP-38 and BE-86..

Do a search within this forum on "BE-86" and "231" and you'll find threads with nothing but test results on using that powder. The guys here have already done a lot of the chrono work for you. This info will really speed up your testing.

 

[Commo]

I'm coming to the end of my third pound of BE-86 and am curious to see how it works in the 9mm, so will probably start with the HP-38 and BE-86..

Do a search within this forum on "BE-86" and "231" and you'll find threads with nothing but test results on using that powder. The guys here have already done a lot of the chrono work for you. This info will really speed up your testing.

 

I sure will -- thanks!

Commo

[Commo]

Circling back to say I appreciate all the wise counsel -- I did indeed get going on my 9mm reloading for my CZ 75 Compact...but first I took a week in Florida to get out of the Michigan snow while I waited for all my purchases to arrive..they have sunshine down there...who knew???

Following your good advice I:
1) bought 2,000 Precision Delta 124 grain JHP bullets
2) bought 250 RMR JHP/MPR 124 grain bullets (not yet arrived)
3) settled on my in-hand HP-38 powder for starters
4) push-tested my Compact's barrel for Max COL (1.118"-1.119")
5) settled on a logical COL (1.100") Redding's Competition Seating dies are so nice..not cheap but so easy to tweak COL...
6) Loaded 25 each of the PD JHPs at 4.0 and 4.2 grains (CCI No. 500 primers btw) in my Dillon 550 press. Random range brass.
7) Crimped them at .379" (I first set the die to .378" but found that the .379" spun & plunked so decided to try that first..
7+1)* Chrono'd them today with my Labradar chronograph at nearby range.
-- 4.0 grains of HP-38 averaged 1029.14 fps, ES = 26.52, SD = 9.2
-- 4.2 grains of HP-38 averaged 1058.49 fps, ES = 20.16, SD = 6.72

Good results, no issues in function and both loads seemed very accurate..I do have a couple other powders (BE-86 and CFE Pistol) that I'll probably try as I only have about 1/2 a pound of HP-38. Most likely I'll replace it with more HP-38/Win231...and I'd like to trip over some Sport Pistol for the heck of it as well.

Your thoughts, comments always welcome..

Commo

* if I type 8-parentheses I get a smiley wearing sunglasses...hmmmf

[painter]

You must mean 1.118-1.119 to have settled on an OAL 1.10

[Commo]

Of course you're right -- fixed..thanks!

[DWARREN]

I like X-Treme 124gr flat point for range use.

[Wobbly]

Alliant Sport Pistol is supposedly a direct competitor for W231 / HP-38, or another way to read that is they are so similar you won't need both. I'll have my testing done by this Sunday or so. Keep watching here for my thread on Sport Pistol.

 

[Commo]

Looking forward to Sport Pistol updates..

Commo