9mm

[mr surveyor]

I finally forced myself, kicking and screaming, to buy the Lee 4 die set for 9mm. I loaded several hundred 9mm with the "Classic Loader" several years ago when it was still just about as cheap to buy factory ammo. Not the case now, and even though I do carry a wonder nine occasionally on Sunday, I still don't put a lot of rounds of 9mm downrange. Probably won't load thousands of the nines per year as I'm still much more interested in the revolvers and lever guns, but it just seemed to make sense to buy the dies and stock up on components "for the future". When I was hammering them out on the Classic Loader, I was using either Unique or AA#7, and for the most part they felt pretty close to factory. Today, I loaded a batch of fifty Nosler 124 gr jhp's over 5.5 gr of AA#5 (about the middle of the Western Data recommendation and considerably UNDER the Start Load in my older copy of the Lee 2nd Ed). They did have enough umph to properly cycle the Kahr CW9, but the brass was falling at my feet rather than sailing 10 feet over my left shoulder and the recoil was almost nil (actually felt good ).

Should I just use Western's latest released data for +P and expect to get closer to factory performance? I probably won't be going through hundreds/thousands of jacketed bullets per year, but if my sample of 124 gr Bayou Bullets (maybe here in a couple more days) proves functional/reliable I will probably order 5k to split with my son. That 5.5 gr load of AA#5 will probably work well with the cast bullets.

It seems that all of the load data I was previously using has been considerably watered down.

Anyone want to school me a bit on the modern 9mm loads?

JD

[f100cleveland]

I like Titegroup, Power Pistol, and HP-38 for jacketed loads. I've loaded some cast 125g but can't remember right now what powder worked best for them. My load data is out in shop but will look tomorrow.

[Archer]

OAL?

Lyman 49th lists AA#5 from 5.4gr for 955 FPS to 6.1gr for 1078 FPS with a 125 grain Sierra JHP @ 1.075" OAL

I'd probably load 5.8 grains and expect to ballpark something like 1000 FPS out of a real gun instead of their universal receiver.

I think Power Pistol would be a good choice.
I LIKE Unique in .45 ACP and several other calibers.
I have been using a lot of Bullseye mostly in 9mm 115 grain FMJ or Plated ball for plinking since I bought a truckload of equipment and components from a coworker a few years ago and it included most of a keg of Bullseye. Since I've got it I might as well use it in the smallest handgun stuff I load. I don't think I'll be buying a lot more of it if I can get the Power Pistol, Unique or a couple other choices.

[f100cleveland]

I looked at my load book and 125g cast loads I have used are 5.5g of Power Pistol, 4.9g Unique, 5.9g #5, 3.4g 700x, 3.8g Titegroup, 4.0g HP-38 and 4.1g Bullseye. All should be below max but use at your own risk. These are out of manufactures load books, Handloads.com, M.D. Smiths reloading pages, and a 9mm edition from loadbooks.com Never have liked the 700x in anything I have loaded for yet.

[CHX77]

Most of my 9mm reloading has been 115gr jacketed bullets and Accurate #2. I found Accurate's starting load to be way too weak to cycle either of our Ruger SR9Cs. A mid range load would barely cycle the pistols and drop the brass by our feet also. When I got near their max load the brass ejected nicely, recoil felt similar to bulk WWB, and velocity was averaging 1070fps. I looked in a friend's Hornady book and their starting load was near Accurate's max load. It seems Accurate might be a bit on the conservative side with their load data.

[mr surveyor]

Thanks Guys.

It seems that every time I find a new data source, it contradicts what I thought I already knew. On a whim, I checked the Nosler web site and found their recommended data for the 124 gr jhp (never had a need to visit the Nosler site until buying this batch of bullets). From what I had gleaned from other sources, generally related to "124 gr jacketed bullet" (generic term), it would appear that the lower-mid range load of 5.5 gr of AA#5 I loaded was 0.2 gr over the recommended Max load of 5.3 gr per the Nosler data. Also, I was seating these bullets to 1.110-1.113 and the Data Sheet showed they tested their loads at 1.120, so shouldn't be much variation there. I'll probably load some up with Unique next chance I get. Unique is the Bacon of the powder world, it goes with just about everything


JD

[akuser47]

I have been loading 9mm since I started but 115 grain bullets is what my.guns like and shot best with so. Im no help keep us posted to your resklts.

[mr surveyor]

my little test batch of Mr. Donnie's 124 gr boolits came in today. Son is still out of town, my truck is in the shop, so I'll just have to load up a box of them tomorrow morning and give them a whirl in the Kahr (I feel like a kid playing hookey ... and I'm supposed to be the boss). Probably will load half with AA#5 and half with Unique. I loaded up my .44 mag "re-test" loads in trimmed brass today, so may just take it all to the range with the chrony tomorrow and do some more pondering.

Life is good!

JD