Reloading 80 gn Barnes TAC-XP bullets for a 9mm Luger

[Roughwater]

Hi,

I am curious if anyone has loaded any 80 gn bullets for the 9 mm Luger?

Recently I purchased some 80 gn Barnes TAC-XP bullets for a 380 Bersa. In the meantime I was reloading some 9mm Luger for my 5" PPQ. I noticed on line that Barnes made some 95gn TAC-XP bullets for the 9 and figured that could make into a pretty hi-velocity load. Then I got to looking at the Barnes 80 gn bullets I just bought for the 380 and noticed they are also .355 in diameter, same as the 9 mm bullets. It quickly occurred to me that if the 95 gn, 9mm can be loaded to 1400+ FPS, how fast can the 80 gn Tac bullet be loaded to? I could find no load data for it. However, I did load one round up with 7 gns of Ramshot Silhouette which is slightly higher than the max load for a 90 gn bullet with no visible negative results and recoil feeling normal.
Though the 80 gn bullet is on the light side, with Barnes reputation for great penetration I figure this load would potentially have exceptional penetration considering the velocity. Anyway, again does anyone have any load data for a round like this? Thanks much in advance.

Terry

[rmelton]

Here you go:

Wt. Bullet Powder Manufacturer Powder Charge Velocity(FPS)

80 Barnes TAC-XP Hodgdon Longshot 5.7 1239
Remarks: start load; COL: 1.025"; 31,100 psi
80 Barnes TAC-XP Hodgdon Longshot 6.6 1327
Remarks: max load; COL: 1.025"; 33,500 psi

80 Barnes TAC-XP Hodgdon HS-6 5.4 1102
Remarks: start load; COL: 1.025"; 28,000 psi
80 Barnes TAC-XP Hodgdon HS-6 5.7 1167
Remarks: max load; COL: 1.025"; 32,100 psi

80 Barnes TAC-XP Hodgdon CFE Pistol 5.0 1221
Remarks: start load; COL: 1.025"; 26,100 psi
80 Barnes TAC-XP Hodgdon CFE Pistol 5.9 1420
Remarks: max load; COL: 1.025"; 33,500 psi

80 Barnes TAC-XP Hodgdon Universal 3.7 1156
Remarks: start load; COL: 1.025"; 31,400 psi
80 Barnes TAC-XP Hodgdon Universal 3.9 1166
Remarks: max load; COL: 1.025"; 31,500 psi

80 Barnes TAC-XP Hodgdon HP-38 3.3 1021
Remarks: start load; COL: 1.025"; 26,300 psi
80 Barnes TAC-XP Hodgdon HP-38 3.8 1125
Remarks: max load; COL: 1.025"; 32,000 psi

80 Barnes TAC-XP Hodgdon Titegroup 3.0 1015
Remarks: start load; COL: 1.025"; 25,700 psi
80 Barnes TAC-XP Hodgdon Titegroup 3.6 1174
Remarks: max load; COL: 1.025"; 32,900 psi

[Roughwater]

Thanks much rmelton for the quick reply. Only problem is I only have Silhouette and Bullseye. I would like to find some Hodgdon CFE pistol and try it. If anyone knows where I can get some online or in the general central NC area let me know.

Thanks again!

[9MMand223only]

Hello, I have experience with it.

I load 80 grain solid copper in 9 MM.

In my XD9 Tactical I loaded up the following, which you can use at your own risk, work up to your comfort level, etc. Your choice, your risk.
5.71" Stainless Barrel
1.160 OAL
Ramshot Silhouette

7.7 grains = 1690 FPS
7.8 grains = 1700 FPS

in 4" service XD9 I loaded the following:
OAL 1.120
8 grains = 1600 FPS
8.1 grains = 1620 FPS

Ramshot Silhouette is similar, very similar to VV 3N37

As you can see:
VV 3N37
same pistol, XD9 4"
OAL 1.160
8 grains = 1585 FPS

5.71" Stainless Barrel XD Tactical Stainless Barrel
8.7 grains = 1800 FPS


even at these obscene, super powerful 500+ lbs of energy, solid copper shots.

All were unable to penetrate level iiia point Blank body armor fired from 3 feet away, repeatedly.

In fact, no load, ever, has made it past 20 layers, and the thing is like 32 layers I think.

But it hits hard, and this 80 grain out of a 9 MM feels like a +P 45 ACP, it is very powerful and snappy.

VV N340 is good too, got near 1700 FPS with 80 grain solid copper with that, and only slight primer flattening.

[skizzums]

i have a lot of fun loading 80 and 90gr 9mm's. my favorite is hs-6. but I pretty much use the whole gamut. I just loaded up several thousand sierra 90gr with 4.9(standard pressure) to 5.3(+p....warning, above published max) grains of titgroup. they are fast and poppy. your OAL will be short, but I have yet to come across a .380 projectile that wouldn't feed in a 9mm auto just because it's short. your going to be looking at massive expansion and low penetration, I don't care who makes the bullet, barnes etc., it's just physics. but that doesn't mean it's not going to be a devastating round.

heres a snapshot of the powders to look for. the powder you have will work though. notice that none of the pressures are clocking in at the max 35kpsi, and for plus p you can go to 38.5kpsi. so will probably take some playing around if you want a max load, although capacity may be an issue with such a light bullet. have fun.


BTW, here is a 90gr clocking at 1340FPS, great pumpkin busters, and I wouldn't feel undergunned as a defense load either, although maybe not ideal. your barnes would probably hold together a bit better than these too, not to mention could prob get another 100fps out of it if you wanted to push the envelope



p.s., after comparing the data for 80 vs 90, they show the gold dot with higher velocities, not sure if it is because that is what the bullet is constructed for or what. maybe an email to barnes could tell you the optimal FPS for your particular bullet to avoid total fragmentation. I dunno

[TRDFurgesson]

I had a few boxes of .380ACP 80gr Barnes TAC XP that would not run in my Glock 42. I wound up pulling them, reloaded the primed cases with a 100gr hardcast flat points, and loaded those 80gr TAC XP bullets in 9mm with Longshot. 1350fps and surprisingly little recoil. Barnes are pricey but I love them in my 6.8SPC AR. One very effective hunting bullet!!