Ruger LC9 Performance

[saleen322]

After reading several threads and different articles about compact pistols, I wondered about how to maximize performance from a short barreled pistol. I did look at BBTI and it did provide some food for thought but I still would have more faith in real numbers from real guns on my chronograph. I have a Springfield XD-9 Tactical full size with a 5” barrel and I used it to get a baseline comparison to the velocity readings from the Ruger LC9. Going in to this experiment I was guessing that using the heaviest bullet (because it would be the smallest power charge) with the fastest listed powder for that bullet should have the lowest velocity loss. I had some TiteGroup and HS-6 powder laying around that I don’t use for anything and they do a decent job of representing the fast and slow ends of powder burn rates for 9mm. I shot the pistols off a sandbag at a 25 yard target so the bullets would be going through the chronograph at the same height and angle. I had some extra factory loads, Federal 115 FMJ and Winchester 115 Silvertip HP, that I shot with both guns to see how close actual speed was to published factory ballistics.



The average velocity loss for the factory ammo was about 14-15% out of the short barrel. Now the TiteGroup loads lost less with the 120 load only down 11.5% while the heavier 147 lost 12.2%. The HS-6 loads showed losses very similar to the factory loads in the 15% area. The other thing of interest was accuracy from the fast powder in the short barrel. Now I was shooting off a sandbag and aiming at a target just for consistency sake, not really trying to shoot groups. Still that 120 load grouped the first 5 shots into a 3.25” group at 25 yards from the LC9. I was surprised a pistol that small doing that well. The HS-6 from the LC9 strung everything vertically grouping around 8” or more. This short barrel clearly liked the faster powder. I am going to continue to play with it and will follow up. YMMV