9mm luger load

coltonjdavis · January 20, 2012, 10:41 AM

I will be starting to load 9mm tonight. I have loaded 45 and 40 S&W just fine. I plan to use CCI primers, bullseye powder, 115 gr bullets and i am looking at doing 4.2 gr of powder. Tell me what you guys think or what your loads are please.

Thanks,

Gitsum · January 20, 2012, 11:25 AM

I just loaded 50 starting loads for a CZ 75B and an STI Trojan 9mm. I had a heck of a time getting my oal correct to cycle manually through the cz (dummy rounds). I think I ended up with a very short 1.065 in the end. Loaded 3.5gn of unique under a 120gn TC cast and test fired 2 rounds each to make sure they would cycle on their own, and plan on shooting 25 through each gun this wknd and will adjust the load appropriately. Hopefully this will be sufficient with little to no leading. If any problems I will try 3.7-4.0 gn loads next.

jr05 · January 20, 2012, 11:28 AM

What is the bullet? FMJ, Lead, Etc?

What is your OAL?

Lots of missing information to know if this is a safe load.

If it is a FMJ and your OAL is reasonable (start long 1.15" for example). It should be a decent load. Can't hurt to go lower though, there is a lot of data with starting loads in the high 3s for bullseye.

coltonjdavis · January 20, 2012, 11:30 AM

They will be loaded to 1.14 in OAL and the bullets are berrys plated 115 gn.

Edward429451 · January 20, 2012, 11:45 AM

The starting load is 3.5 gr of Bullseye.

BigJimP · January 20, 2012, 11:56 AM

I've been loading Hodgdon Universal or Hodgdon Titegroup in 9mm ( mostly Universal lately ) - for both a 115gr and 124gr - either Berry's plated bullets or Montana Gold ...mostly Montana Gold bullets lately ....

I shoot a lot of 9mm ...so I keep 50 or 60 boxes loaded up most of the time...and some of the grandkids go thru it like water...

9mm is easy to load...

as long as you're following a published recipe - you should be fine.

overkill0084 · January 20, 2012, 12:19 PM

My practice 9 mm load is 4.0 gr of Bullseye w/ a Rainier 115 gr RN. It works quite nicely in my CZ75BD.

golfnutrlv · January 20, 2012, 11:05 PM

FYI...Look at the burn rate for Bullseye. It's an extremely fast burning powder. 9mm has very little room in the case between powder and bullet. This means pressure increases quickly if your round is short, or it sets back during feeding.

Would suggest something a little slower. Hodgdon HS6, Unique, and Power Pistol are excellent choices.

1SOW · January 21, 2012, 12:03 AM

For 9mm light loads: Medium-fast powder for heavier bullets (124gr @ 1050'/sec -147gr @ 900) A little slower powder for lighter bullets (115gr @ 1130'/sec).

Slow powders (HS-6, Blue Dot, etc) don't burn efficiently with light loads in 9mm.

overkill0084 · January 21, 2012, 10:28 AM

Quote:

FYI...Look at the burn rate for Bullseye. It's an extremely fast burning powder. 9mm has very little room in the case between powder and bullet. This means pressure increases quickly if your round is short, or it sets back during feeding.

Setback is going to be a problem with any powder. Slow powders don't like it either.
With light bullets, Bullseye has a broad enough operating range. Most of the Bullseye loads posted are fairly mild, which is also one of it's pluses, it burns pretty well and doesn't get weird at lower operating pressures.
Bullseye is not a good choice for higher power loading or for heavier bullet (IMHO) because the operating range gets small fast and you reach the point of diminishing returns quite quickly.
Within it's limits, it's a very good powder. FWIW, with 147 gr or full steam 115 gr, I use Unique or HS-6.

.45 Vet · January 21, 2012, 12:06 PM

My load is 4>4.5grs Bullseye under a 115 JHP (bulk purchase). You're load sounds ok, but why not back off to 4grs. to start? If your just using for informal shooting/practice, all you need is reliable slide operation. I have no experience with Berry's plated, do they recomend to use starting loads for lead bullets ???

coltonjdavis · January 21, 2012, 01:28 PM

So after looking in my book I went with the 115 gr berrys plated bullets. I went with 4.2 gr of powder because the book says to start with that. Do you guys see any problems with that before I take them to the range? The oal is 1.135.

mumbo719 · January 22, 2012, 05:41 AM

I love BE in 9mm. IMO the only downsides are

1. It can be easy to double charge a case and not notice.
2. As noted above about fast burning and pressure spikes I stay away from near max loads.

PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ARE DOING!

According to Alliant Data for Bullseye the max load is

4.7gr Bullseye - 115 gr Speer GDHP - COL:1.125 - Primer:CCI 500
Scource: http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...1&cartridge=23

A good starting place would be 10% less than max so 4.23 is your starting load for that bullet weight.

If it were me I would make 10 rounds each with 4.1gr, 4.3gr and 4.4 gr in addition to the starting load you already have so you have something to gauge accuracy/reliability/recoil with.

My pistols seem to prefer 1.14 - 1.15.

Your crimp should be .376 to .378.

January 20, 2012, 10:41 AM	#1
coltonjdavis Member Join Date: November 2, 2011 Posts: 20	9mm luger load I will be starting to load 9mm tonight. I have loaded 45 and 40 S&W just fine. I plan to use CCI primers, bullseye powder, 115 gr bullets and i am looking at doing 4.2 gr of powder. Tell me what you guys think or what your loads are please. Thanks,

January 20, 2012, 11:25 AM	#2
Gitsum Senior Member Join Date: September 23, 2011 Location: Delawhere? Posts: 146	I just loaded 50 starting loads for a CZ 75B and an STI Trojan 9mm. I had a heck of a time getting my oal correct to cycle manually through the cz (dummy rounds). I think I ended up with a very short 1.065 in the end. Loaded 3.5gn of unique under a 120gn TC cast and test fired 2 rounds each to make sure they would cycle on their own, and plan on shooting 25 through each gun this wknd and will adjust the load appropriately. Hopefully this will be sufficient with little to no leading. If any problems I will try 3.7-4.0 gn loads next. __________________ Want Some?... GITSUM!

January 20, 2012, 12:19 PM	#7
overkill0084 Senior Member Join Date: August 7, 2010 Location: Northern, UT Posts: 1,162	My practice 9 mm load is 4.0 gr of Bullseye w/ a Rainier 115 gr RN. It works quite nicely in my CZ75BD. __________________ Cheers, Greg “At the core of liberalism is the spoiled child – miserable, as all spoiled children are, unsatisfied, demanding, ill-disciplined, despotic and useless. Liberalism is a philosophy of sniveling brats.” — P.J. O’Rourke

January 20, 2012, 11:05 PM	#8
golfnutrlv Senior Member Join Date: November 5, 2008 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 1,347	FYI...Look at the burn rate for Bullseye. It's an extremely fast burning powder. 9mm has very little room in the case between powder and bullet. This means pressure increases quickly if your round is short, or it sets back during feeding. Would suggest something a little slower. Hodgdon HS6, Unique, and Power Pistol are excellent choices. __________________ ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ VIGILIA PRETIUM LIBERTATIS "The price of liberty is vigilance" America is at an awkward stage. It's too late to work within the system, but too early to shoot the bastards.

January 21, 2012, 12:06 PM	#11
.45 Vet Senior Member Join Date: May 21, 2004 Location: Western Penn. Posts: 387	My load is 4>4.5grs Bullseye under a 115 JHP (bulk purchase). You're load sounds ok, but why not back off to 4grs. to start? If your just using for informal shooting/practice, all you need is reliable slide operation. I have no experience with Berry's plated, do they recomend to use starting loads for lead bullets ??? __________________ For those who've never fought for it, the price of freedom shall never be known...

January 20, 2012, 11:28 AM	#3
jr05 Senior Member Join Date: November 3, 2006 Location: NH Posts: 145	What is the bullet? FMJ, Lead, Etc? What is your OAL? Lots of missing information to know if this is a safe load. If it is a FMJ and your OAL is reasonable (start long 1.15" for example). It should be a decent load. Can't hurt to go lower though, there is a lot of data with starting loads in the high 3s for bullseye.

January 20, 2012, 11:30 AM	#4
coltonjdavis Member Join Date: November 2, 2011 Posts: 20	They will be loaded to 1.14 in OAL and the bullets are berrys plated 115 gn.

January 20, 2012, 11:45 AM	#5
Edward429451 Junior member Join Date: November 12, 2000 Location: Colorado Springs, Colorado Posts: 9,494	The starting load is 3.5 gr of Bullseye.

January 20, 2012, 11:56 AM	#6
BigJimP Senior Member Join Date: February 23, 2005 Posts: 13,195	I've been loading Hodgdon Universal or Hodgdon Titegroup in 9mm ( mostly Universal lately ) - for both a 115gr and 124gr - either Berry's plated bullets or Montana Gold ...mostly Montana Gold bullets lately .... I shoot a lot of 9mm ...so I keep 50 or 60 boxes loaded up most of the time...and some of the grandkids go thru it like water... 9mm is easy to load... as long as you're following a published recipe - you should be fine.

January 21, 2012, 12:03 AM	#9
1SOW Senior Member Join Date: December 2, 2007 Location: South TX Posts: 269	For 9mm light loads: Medium-fast powder for heavier bullets (124gr @ 1050'/sec -147gr @ 900) A little slower powder for lighter bullets (115gr @ 1130'/sec). Slow powders (HS-6, Blue Dot, etc) don't burn efficiently with light loads in 9mm.

January 21, 2012, 01:28 PM	#12
coltonjdavis Member Join Date: November 2, 2011 Posts: 20	So after looking in my book I went with the 115 gr berrys plated bullets. I went with 4.2 gr of powder because the book says to start with that. Do you guys see any problems with that before I take them to the range? The oal is 1.135.

January 22, 2012, 05:41 AM	#13
mumbo719 Senior Member Join Date: June 27, 2008 Location: Tampa Bay, FL. Posts: 346	I love BE in 9mm. IMO the only downsides are 1. It can be easy to double charge a case and not notice. 2. As noted above about fast burning and pressure spikes I stay away from near max loads. PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT YOU ARE DOING! According to Alliant Data for Bullseye the max load is 4.7gr Bullseye - 115 gr Speer GDHP - COL:1.125 - Primer:CCI 500 Scource: http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...1&cartridge=23 A good starting place would be 10% less than max so 4.23 is your starting load for that bullet weight. If it were me I would make 10 rounds each with 4.1gr, 4.3gr and 4.4 gr in addition to the starting load you already have so you have something to gauge accuracy/reliability/recoil with. My pistols seem to prefer 1.14 - 1.15. Your crimp should be .376 to .378. Last edited by mumbo719; January 22, 2012 at 01:08 PM.