9mm 160 GR. FMJ

SPUTTER · January 23, 2013, 01:46 PM

Buddy heard I was starting to reload (I am a NEWBIE) so he gave me about 3000 of this particular FMJ in a box that has been stored at his dads for who knows how long, and all I could read was 9 mm-169 gr. FMJ on the box. I only have my Lyman book but have a Speer and Sierra book on order but can not find this particular 160 gr. FMJ for reloading. Question - how should I reload this particular 9 mm if anyone has a good load that they used. I will use this only for plinking or load a few for my son to carry around. Have no clue or how I found the information to help me I am googling at this time. So HELP.

I aslo was give some Speer 88 gr. HP and some 115 gr. HP from Sierra.

Sevens · January 23, 2013, 03:13 PM

I'd like to see pictures of the box/packaging and pictures of the actual slugs.

I have never heard of a true 9mm (.355" or .356") bullet, either jacketed or lead, at 169 grains. I've not heard of a 9mm bullet at anything over 147 grains, or targeted for "about" 147 grains. (lead bullets tend to hit "near" a target weight depending on the alloy make-up of the slug)

Please go in to this knowing these things to be true:
--9mm is a high pressure round. It's not nuclear, but as a handgun/pistol round goes, it's right up at the "normal" limit for modern firearms. A select few handgun rounds inch ever so slightly higher in pressure, but at 35kPSI, 9mm is already running a very modern, high pressure. (compare to .38 Special which runs 17kPSI, .45 Auto which runs 21kPSI, etc)

--9mm is a very small cartridge case. Compare to lower pressure rounds (again, .38 Special), there simply isn't much room in a 9mm case. That space where the powder burns is extremely limited and when that available space is reduced -- pressure increases accordingly...and in some cases, exponentially. If you look at .45 Colt or .38 Special, there's plenty of room in those huge cases and if you weren't careful, certain powders could actually TRIPLE charge those cases. In 9mm, there's barely enough room for a normal powder charge.

--As bullet weight goes up...bullet gets l-o-n-g-e-r, and that bullet eats up more space inside the cartridge case which is available for the powder to burn and create it's gas. The heavy 147gr 9mm loads have low charge weights of powder because the bullet offers so much resistance and there's such a small space for the powder to burn. If you made the bullet even bigger, you'd have even less room for a powder charge. My point is that there are many cartridges where you really have a lot of latitude in bullet weight, but 9mm is NOT one of those cartridges.

Now the 9mm has been around for more than a hundred years and I'm quite certain there's been FAR more different loads than I've witnessed.

But I can honestly say that I've never seen a 9mm load with a bullet heavier than 147 grains... but 169 sounds, well, irrational.

I think it's possible that you have a bullet that MAY have been intended for .38 Super, but it's even too heavy for anything I've seen in that round.

I'm curious what the skill/experience level of your reloading friend is... and why he'd set up a new guy with such an oddball slug.

BoogieMan · January 23, 2013, 03:43 PM

I have never seen anything larger than 147 either.
Until----http://www.thebulletworks.net/160-gr-9mm-Round-Nose-bullet-p/09-160%20rn.htm
Check them out and see if it matched up.You can probably contact them for some specs.

Sevens · January 23, 2013, 03:56 PM

Yep, that linked bullet is a new one on me.

Keep in mind though that any specs or help THEY could offer would be for a lighter bullet, constructed of cast lead. The bullet the OP mentions is a heavier one...and FMJ.

I wouldn't use any load suggestions for a lighter cast lead bullet with a heavier FMJ slug.

serf 'rett · January 23, 2013, 04:36 PM

Yup, Stevens, hereabouts in Arkansas we's had to go to 160 grain 9mm lead to tak down them tough ol hillbillies. Standard cabin doors are rough sawn 5/4 oak, so a heavy bullet is needed unless you can hit a crack ...

The wild hogs is even worser...

One of the my fellow IDPA shooters said last weekend he was using bullets from The Bullet Works during the match. I seem to remember him talking about the 160 grain 9mm, but don't know if that was what he was shooting last Saturday.

BoogieMan · January 23, 2013, 04:42 PM

Quote:

hereabouts in Arkansas we's had to go to 160 grain 9mm lead to tak down them tough ol hillbillies. Standard cabin doors are rough sawn 5/4 oak, so a heavy bullet is needed unless you can hit a crack ...

I always herd that they shoot em in the crack down in Arkansas.

89blazin · January 23, 2013, 06:52 PM

Weigh a bullet and measure the diameter...may shed some light on the subject.

SPUTTER · January 30, 2013, 12:51 PM

Just got back from travel, I will measure and take pics to show what I have. Have not even touch them other than to look at and compare to the 147 gr 9 that I have. I have to leave a few more days then I will post: Thanks to all that posted.

mikld · January 30, 2013, 01:07 PM

There are 9mm rifle rounds, ya know...

9mm Mauser. 9x57 Mannlicher...

Xfire68 · January 30, 2013, 02:31 PM

I have not seen any 169g 9mm but, I have seen 153g FMJ, 154g FMJ and 158g FMJ for handgun.

Maybe the 169g is for subsonic loads???

January 23, 2013, 01:46 PM	#1
SPUTTER Junior Member Join Date: January 10, 2013 Location: INDIANA Posts: 6	9mm 160 GR. FMJ Buddy heard I was starting to reload (I am a NEWBIE) so he gave me about 3000 of this particular FMJ in a box that has been stored at his dads for who knows how long, and all I could read was 9 mm-169 gr. FMJ on the box. I only have my Lyman book but have a Speer and Sierra book on order but can not find this particular 160 gr. FMJ for reloading. Question - how should I reload this particular 9 mm if anyone has a good load that they used. I will use this only for plinking or load a few for my son to carry around. Have no clue or how I found the information to help me I am googling at this time. So HELP. I aslo was give some Speer 88 gr. HP and some 115 gr. HP from Sierra.

January 23, 2013, 03:13 PM	#2
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	I'd like to see pictures of the box/packaging and pictures of the actual slugs. I have never heard of a true 9mm (.355" or .356") bullet, either jacketed or lead, at 169 grains. I've not heard of a 9mm bullet at anything over 147 grains, or targeted for "about" 147 grains. (lead bullets tend to hit "near" a target weight depending on the alloy make-up of the slug) Please go in to this knowing these things to be true: --9mm is a high pressure round. It's not nuclear, but as a handgun/pistol round goes, it's right up at the "normal" limit for modern firearms. A select few handgun rounds inch ever so slightly higher in pressure, but at 35kPSI, 9mm is already running a very modern, high pressure. (compare to .38 Special which runs 17kPSI, .45 Auto which runs 21kPSI, etc) --9mm is a very small cartridge case. Compare to lower pressure rounds (again, .38 Special), there simply isn't much room in a 9mm case. That space where the powder burns is extremely limited and when that available space is reduced -- pressure increases accordingly...and in some cases, exponentially. If you look at .45 Colt or .38 Special, there's plenty of room in those huge cases and if you weren't careful, certain powders could actually TRIPLE charge those cases. In 9mm, there's barely enough room for a normal powder charge. --As bullet weight goes up...bullet gets l-o-n-g-e-r, and that bullet eats up more space inside the cartridge case which is available for the powder to burn and create it's gas. The heavy 147gr 9mm loads have low charge weights of powder because the bullet offers so much resistance and there's such a small space for the powder to burn. If you made the bullet even bigger, you'd have even less room for a powder charge. My point is that there are many cartridges where you really have a lot of latitude in bullet weight, but 9mm is NOT one of those cartridges. Now the 9mm has been around for more than a hundred years and I'm quite certain there's been FAR more different loads than I've witnessed. But I can honestly say that I've never seen a 9mm load with a bullet heavier than 147 grains... but 169 sounds, well, irrational. I think it's possible that you have a bullet that MAY have been intended for .38 Super, but it's even too heavy for anything I've seen in that round. I'm curious what the skill/experience level of your reloading friend is... and why he'd set up a new guy with such an oddball slug. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

January 23, 2013, 03:43 PM	#3
BoogieMan Senior Member Join Date: April 4, 2012 Location: South Jersey Posts: 2,217	I have never seen anything larger than 147 either. Until----http://www.thebulletworks.net/160-gr-9mm-Round-Nose-bullet-p/09-160%20rn.htm Check them out and see if it matched up.You can probably contact them for some specs. __________________ Concentrated power is not rendered harmless by the good intentions of those who create it. Milton Freidman "If you find yourself in a fair fight,,, Your tactics suck"- Unknown

January 23, 2013, 03:56 PM	#4
Sevens Senior Member Join Date: July 28, 2007 Location: Ohio Posts: 11,756	Yep, that linked bullet is a new one on me. Keep in mind though that any specs or help THEY could offer would be for a lighter bullet, constructed of cast lead. The bullet the OP mentions is a heavier one...and FMJ. I wouldn't use any load suggestions for a lighter cast lead bullet with a heavier FMJ slug. __________________ *Attention Brass rats and other reloaders:* I really need .327 Federal Magnum brass, no lot size too small. Tell me what caliber you need and I'll see what I have to swap. PM me and we'll discuss.

January 23, 2013, 04:36 PM	#5
serf 'rett Senior Member Join Date: June 25, 2009 Location: Stuttgart, AR Posts: 1,569	Yup, Stevens, hereabouts in Arkansas we's had to go to 160 grain 9mm lead to tak down them tough ol hillbillies. Standard cabin doors are rough sawn 5/4 oak, so a heavy bullet is needed unless you can hit a crack ... The wild hogs is even worser... One of the my fellow IDPA shooters said last weekend he was using bullets from The Bullet Works during the match. I seem to remember him talking about the 160 grain 9mm, but don't know if that was what he was shooting last Saturday. __________________ A lack of planning on your part does not necessarily constitute an emergency on my part.

January 23, 2013, 06:52 PM	#7
89blazin Senior Member Join Date: March 13, 2009 Posts: 107	Weigh a bullet and measure the diameter...may shed some light on the subject.

January 30, 2013, 12:51 PM	#8
SPUTTER Junior Member Join Date: January 10, 2013 Location: INDIANA Posts: 6	Just got back from travel, I will measure and take pics to show what I have. Have not even touch them other than to look at and compare to the 147 gr 9 that I have. I have to leave a few more days then I will post: Thanks to all that posted.

January 30, 2013, 01:07 PM	#9
mikld Senior Member Join Date: February 7, 2009 Location: Southern Oregon! Posts: 2,891	There are 9mm rifle rounds, ya know... 9mm Mauser. 9x57 Mannlicher... __________________ My Anchor is holding fast! I've learned how to stand on my own two knees... Last edited by mikld; January 30, 2013 at 01:16 PM.

January 30, 2013, 02:31 PM	#10
Xfire68 Senior Member Join Date: March 31, 2010 Location: Communist State of IL. Posts: 1,562	I have not seen any 169g 9mm but, I have seen 153g FMJ, 154g FMJ and 158g FMJ for handgun. Maybe the 169g is for subsonic loads??? __________________ NRA Life Member, SAF Member

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