Help a Reloading Newb! 124G 9mm Remington Golden Saber Bullets

[hotwls13]

OK I got all my reloading stuff for Christmas and now I am getting ready to start reloading. The only book I have right now is the Lee Modern Reloading 2nd edition. I have my Lee 4-hole Turret press setup. The components I have so far are:

- Remington Golden Saber 124g JHP bullets 500
- Winchester Standard Small Handgun Primers 1000
- Brass that I have been collecting from the indoor range approx 600(Mostly once shot by me winchester brass) already cleaned/tumbled

What I don't have is powder. Looking at the book that I have it doesn't differentiate between hollow point or not (this may be standard in all books). It also doesn't differentiate between primers (this may also be standard).

So, given the bullets and primers I have, is there a particular powder/weight you guys would recommend. My local Gunshop doesn't have the powders out where they can be looked at, so once I get suggestions here, I will just have to ask if they have it and how much.

I'm being very cautious as this will be my first time reloading.

Thanks,

Chris

[Zippy06]

Hi,
Good book.
It's cheaper to buy local. Powder and primers. UPS adds a $ 20 haz. mat. fee and extra S/H.
Just talk to your local gun shop. If they are not friendly. Then, they don't want your business. Some are pretty hornery. 90% of the people, that walk in are lookie loos. They are not customers. When they get to see you spend money. YOU are now the CUSTOMER. Seen it happen, the other guys, gotta wait. I am spending money.

Go to these web sites. www.hogdon.com. (also make IMR and Win. Powders),
www.alliant.com., www.accurate.com.
Do a search of this site. I think, I read about some issues with Gold sabre.
For cheap bullets Rainier and Barry's.
Used to use Unique.
Now I use Titegroup and when I can find it Power Pistol.
I read. One guy use the same measure in 9mm, .357, .40, & .45.
Be safe start 10% below max. And wear glasses.
Read the whole book, first.

[CrustyFN]

I have used Bullseye, HS-6 and Titegroup. I have had good luck with all of them but prefer Titegroup. I have been reading that a lot of people have been using Power Pistol with great results. Your Lee manual should have load data for all of these powders. Start at the low end and work up.
Rusty

[Dave R]

Powder selection is one of the great debates in reloading. I like Titegroup cuz its cheap. And I get good accuracy with it. OTOH, it is so space efficient that its real easy to throw a double charge with it.

[blancoman]

Handloads.com has a loaddata database on the left side of the screen. Choose caliber and bullet weight. A lot of loads to choose from. Hope you enjoy the reloading experience.

[Shoney]

for 124-125 jacketed bullets
Winchester 231 would be an excellent powder.
http://www.wwpowder.com/data/handgun/9mmlug.php

for IMR powders 800X
http://www.imrpowder.com/data/handgun/9mmluger.php

for Hodgdon Clays, Univeral and Tightgroup
http://www.hodgdon.com/data/pistol/9mmluger.php

for Alliant powders Bullseye
http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloade...14&bulletid=22

[hotwls13]

Than ks for all the info guys. Couple questions though.

1. There seems to be variations between 124g and 125g. What I mean is some sites list 124g and some list 125g, but it seems like one or the other. Are these weights to be considered the same?

2. I don't think I have seen anywhere list the bullet as 124g or 125g as a JHP (jacketed hollow point), they only list FMJ (full metal jacket). If the weight is the same does it matter if it's a FMJ or JHP since there both jacketed?

Sorry for the bonehead questions, I was just hoping to go to the reloading guides and have my specific bullets listed. I tried to find exact reloading info on the Remington website for my particular bullets, but I was unsuccessful.

[ledavatar]

124, 125gr, doesn't really matter. You can follow 124gr load data to load 125, and vice versa.

I use mostly LEE data, and they mostly just list xx gr. Lead or xx gr. Jacketed. It does not make a difference whether you are you are using FMJ or JHP for "Jacketed" data.

BTW, I've used the golden sabers and there's an inherent problem - the rounds you make will be too pretty to shoot! I bought and loaded that same 500 box 2 months ago and so far I've shot maybe 20 rounds in testing.

I used Hodgdon HS-6 (6.5gr) and VihtaVuori 3N37 (6.4gr) for the golden saber. I used these slow burning powders and loaded near the max (after safety testing and building up to these levels!) because in my mind JHP are meant to be defense rounds, and they should have some power. I normally use 4.5gr of Hodgdon Titegroup for the 115gr FMJ bullets.

[rg1]

I've loaded the 124GS in Win brass but with CCI primers. The powder I used was Alliant Unique. The factory 124 Rem GS overall length is 1.120 to 1.123" in the box of factory rounds I measured.
4.8 grains of Unique is a good starting load showing about 980fps. 5.0 grains will get you to around 1050fps depending on your barrel length. These are mild loads and functioned fine in a Glock 19.
Again, overall length was at 1.120" with a light taper crimp, just enough to turn the mouth of the brass in to just touch the bullet. At 1.120" the driving band on the Golden Saber will be just inside the mouth of the brass. Taper crimp will turn the mouth of the brass in to JUST touch the smaller diameter of the GS.
With Unique powder it will more than half fill the case. If you should accidently double charge a case powder would overflow the case. My personal safety rule loading pistol rounds is to use a powder that will more than half fill a case. Good rule for beginners too. Unique as well as other powders are bulky and take up a lot of case volume. I haven't used many of the other recommended powders and just stick to the few I've used for years.