Pin Shooting

DDGator · November 11, 2002, 10:34 AM

Went to my first pin shoot yesterday. I think I did pretty well. My best string (clear 5 pins) was 14.27 second with 9 rounds from my CZ-75.

Altough I was getting decent hits, I still had to clear 3 or so pins that fell but did not clear the table on the first shot. Of course, its hard to tell exactly where you are hitting.

My question to any pin shooters out there: what the best 9mm ammo to use at a reasonable cost? I was using Win White Box 115grain FMJ. Would I be better off with a heavier bullet?

Any advice would be appreciated.

It was damn impressive to see some guys with 1911s clear 5 pins in 5 shots and 4 seconds! Those pins were farther from the back of the table and flew off the back!

cobraman · November 11, 2002, 11:09 AM

Your going to have to find a heavier or faster round than WIn white box. Look for something in 124gr.
I use a CZ75 ST IPSC to shoot pins. Its CZ's gun built for Limited IPSC, which is what I bought it for, pins is good pratice for shooting steel. My gun is a .40 and clears the table nicely but once in a while I get lay down and so do the guys shooting 1911's.
My best time is 2.85. I usually shoot in the mid 3's. Keeping shooting pins and dry fire at home and your time will come down.

ACP230 · November 11, 2002, 07:50 PM

I have seen people do quite well with 9mms loaded with 147 grain rounds.
I used to shoot at a major pin match and preferred a .45 with 230 grain bullets, or a .41 Magnum with 215 grainers. The .45s would run about 900 fps, and the .41s moved out at around 1,000 fps.
I cleared the table pretty well with the .45, but the .41 Magnum made them fly off the table and made a lot of splinters in the process.
My best times were around six seconds with five or six shots.
If I had to shoot a 9mm at pins I'd get the heaviest bullets my gun would shoot, and drive them as fast as I could.

NBergeron · November 12, 2002, 07:44 PM

I shoot a USP9F in my range's montly pin shoot. When I shoot the Remington +P (or +P+, I don't really know) 124 gr. Golden Sabres, I don't give up anything to the folks who shoot .40's and .45's (about everybody else). About the only bad thing is the price of these rounds.

Several times I have had folks come up to me and ask if I had switched calibers from 9mm or wonder about the kind of ammo that I am using.

On a side note, the +P Hydrashocks don't do as good as the Golden Sabres, and I have yet to find a satisfactory ball load.

Joe Mamma · November 14, 2002, 02:47 PM

I do a lot of pin shooting with a 9mm. I have also done some "private testing" and here are my suggestions:

A good inexpensive 9mm pin round is American Eagle (i.e., Federal) 147 gr FMJ rounds that are flat nosed. The factory item number is FAAE9FP. They are currently $7.91/box of 50 from Natchez (www.natchezss.com).

You want to avoid the typical jacketed round nose bullets b/c they penetrate too well and therefore, don't knock the pins off very well.

Hollowpoints don't penetrate the pins as much as jacketed round nose bullets. Also, if you hit the pin towards the side of it, the hollowpoint bullet grabs the pin and spins it. This is good because it rolls off the table easier. For inexpensive hollowpoints, you may want to try CCI Blazer 115gr ($7.99/box of 50) or Sellier & Bellot 115 gr (not listed on their website but, it is in their print catalog; I think it's about $8/box of 50) from Natchez. I think it is more effective to use a hollowpoint rather than a flat nose bullet.

All else being equal, you want high *momentum* (bullet mass X velocity), not necessarily high energy (bullet mass X velocity squared). I have chrono'd the Winchester White Box 115 FMJ and the AE/Fed 147 flat nose bullets I mentioned above and they have almost exactly the same momentum. But as far as effectiveness in getting pins off the table, the AE/Fed 147 flat nose is significantly better from my testing.

If you are curious, I used to use the AE/Fed 147 flat nose rounds, but am now using 124 gr +P+ Hydrashok's. Both are good but, they are still just 9mm's . . .

When you get really accurate, don't aim for the center of the pin. Aim a LITTLE above the fattest/widest section and a LITTLE to one side. This knocks the pin over and rolls it off the table better. Hitting it dead center (in the fattest part) does not knock the pin off as well.

Don't forget to have fun!

Joe Mamma

November 11, 2002, 10:34 AM	#1
DDGator Senior Member Join Date: June 11, 2002 Location: Clearwater, FL Posts: 148	Pin Shooting Went to my first pin shoot yesterday. I think I did pretty well. My best string (clear 5 pins) was 14.27 second with 9 rounds from my CZ-75. Altough I was getting decent hits, I still had to clear 3 or so pins that fell but did not clear the table on the first shot. Of course, its hard to tell exactly where you are hitting. My question to any pin shooters out there: what the best 9mm ammo to use at a reasonable cost? I was using Win White Box 115grain FMJ. Would I be better off with a heavier bullet? Any advice would be appreciated. It was damn impressive to see some guys with 1911s clear 5 pins in 5 shots and 4 seconds! Those pins were farther from the back of the table and flew off the back!

November 11, 2002, 11:09 AM	#2
cobraman Senior Member Join Date: November 24, 1999 Location: orlando fl Posts: 751	Your going to have to find a heavier or faster round than WIn white box. Look for something in 124gr. I use a CZ75 ST IPSC to shoot pins. Its CZ's gun built for Limited IPSC, which is what I bought it for, pins is good pratice for shooting steel. My gun is a .40 and clears the table nicely but once in a while I get lay down and so do the guys shooting 1911's. My best time is 2.85. I usually shoot in the mid 3's. Keeping shooting pins and dry fire at home and your time will come down. __________________ Shop Smart Shop S Mart

November 11, 2002, 07:50 PM	#3
ACP230 Senior Member Join Date: October 18, 2000 Posts: 708	I have seen people do quite well with 9mms loaded with 147 grain rounds. I used to shoot at a major pin match and preferred a .45 with 230 grain bullets, or a .41 Magnum with 215 grainers. The .45s would run about 900 fps, and the .41s moved out at around 1,000 fps. I cleared the table pretty well with the .45, but the .41 Magnum made them fly off the table and made a lot of splinters in the process. My best times were around six seconds with five or six shots. If I had to shoot a 9mm at pins I'd get the heaviest bullets my gun would shoot, and drive them as fast as I could. __________________ "To disarm the people (is) the best & most effectual way to enslave them." George Mason.

November 12, 2002, 07:44 PM	#4
NBergeron Member Join Date: April 8, 2002 Location: Lafayette, LA Posts: 34	I shoot a USP9F in my range's montly pin shoot. When I shoot the Remington +P (or +P+, I don't really know) 124 gr. Golden Sabres, I don't give up anything to the folks who shoot .40's and .45's (about everybody else). About the only bad thing is the price of these rounds. Several times I have had folks come up to me and ask if I had switched calibers from 9mm or wonder about the kind of ammo that I am using. On a side note, the +P Hydrashocks don't do as good as the Golden Sabres, and I have yet to find a satisfactory ball load.

November 14, 2002, 02:47 PM	#5
Joe Mamma Member Join Date: October 1, 2001 Posts: 33	I do a lot of pin shooting with a 9mm. I have also done some "private testing" and here are my suggestions: A good inexpensive 9mm pin round is American Eagle (i.e., Federal) 147 gr FMJ rounds that are flat nosed. The factory item number is FAAE9FP. They are currently $7.91/box of 50 from Natchez (www.natchezss.com). You want to avoid the typical jacketed round nose bullets b/c they penetrate too well and therefore, don't knock the pins off very well. Hollowpoints don't penetrate the pins as much as jacketed round nose bullets. Also, if you hit the pin towards the side of it, the hollowpoint bullet grabs the pin and spins it. This is good because it rolls off the table easier. For inexpensive hollowpoints, you may want to try CCI Blazer 115gr ($7.99/box of 50) or Sellier & Bellot 115 gr (not listed on their website but, it is in their print catalog; I think it's about $8/box of 50) from Natchez. I think it is more effective to use a hollowpoint rather than a flat nose bullet. All else being equal, you want high momentum (bullet mass X velocity), not necessarily high energy (bullet mass X velocity squared). I have chrono'd the Winchester White Box 115 FMJ and the AE/Fed 147 flat nose bullets I mentioned above and they have almost exactly the same momentum. But as far as effectiveness in getting pins off the table, the AE/Fed 147 flat nose is significantly better from my testing. If you are curious, I used to use the AE/Fed 147 flat nose rounds, but am now using 124 gr +P+ Hydrashok's. Both are good but, they are still just 9mm's . . . When you get really accurate, don't aim for the center of the pin. Aim a LITTLE above the fattest/widest section and a LITTLE to one side. This knocks the pin over and rolls it off the table better. Hitting it dead center (in the fattest part) does not knock the pin off as well. Don't forget to have fun! Joe Mamma