Anybody else reload 9x23?

[taco]

Anybody else here reload 9x23?

My friend and I have been loading this caliber for about a year now and have gotten some good results but our loads are a little limited. We have only used Starline brass, Winchester and CCI small rifle primers, 125 and 147 gr XTP bullets and VV powders. We would like to branch out to some other bullets, primers and powders and any information would be greatly appreciated.

So far we have gotten as high as 1,450 fps with 125gr XTP and 1,275 fps with 147gr XTP but we believe there is a little more room for improvement. Currently our 'standard" load is 125 gr XTP at 1,350 fps (plinking load) or 147gr XTP at 1,250 fps (long range load).

Any first-hand/personal experience reloading this cartridge would be greatly appreciated.

[WESHOOT2]

Matters.

A lot.

[Casey]

Hello taco.

I load for the 9x23 Win. I don't know about the Starline brass, I have only used the Winchester. I think it makes a pretty big difference in this round.

I usually load the Winchester brass with about 7 grains of Power Pistol and some Hornady 125 gr JFP. (***NOTE*** This is my load, if you load this I will take no credit/blame for the consequences!!!) This is really a pretty mild load, only about 1150 fps (actual measurements).

You can get some pretty impressive speeds from a 9x23 Win. I have shot as high as 1700 fps, and there are some who have gone higher (with the Winchester brass).

As you notice, I have been mentioning the Winchester brass again and again. This is really tough stuff.

There is a web site that Dane Burns runs. He is one of the really big proponents of the 9x23 Win. The web sight is "http://www.pistolsmith.com/". You should find some good information about the 9x23 Win (and pistols in general).

Casey

[taco]

WESHOOT2:

The pistol we are using is my friend's and not mine... I don't have one in this caliber yet. This pistol is a series 80 Colt that came as 9X23. There was some work done to it with the biggest change being the new 5 3/4" fully supported Barsto barrel. Yes, there is almost 1" of barrel sticking out front of the slide and that extra 3/4" should be giving us extra 60-90 fps with our loads.

Casey:

We have been collecting brass after shooting factory Winchester ammo but I only have about 400 as of now. Once we have enough (more than 500) we'll start experimenting with them. We got started reloading Starline brass because it was easy and cheap to get in the beginning. As far as I know and from heard from others that Starline brass is just as strong as Winchester brass. May I ask what weight bullet was used to achieve 1,700 fps (don't tell me about power or charge)?

Next year I'm going to build my own 9x23 on a SS Kimber Target model with 5" Barsto barrel.

[Chuck McDonald]

I have been loading 9x23 for a couple of years. I started off with a Springfield in 9x23. I liked it a lot, and added a custom hi cap based on the Para Ord 38 Super frame with a Bar-Sto barrel.

As noted by others, I can exceed 1,700 fps with no problem and no signs of excessive pressure.

I normally use the Speer 124 gr. .355 bullet designed for the .357 SIG for max velocity loads.

For plinking, I load down to about 1,400 fps and use 135 gr. .355 round nose bullets. Even loaded down, this is a powerful bullet with a lot of penetration.

As to brass, I use both Star Line and Winchester. In terms of performance I have not found any difference in the two. With the same load/bullet both produce the same velocity and the difference in weight between the two cases is quite small. For all but the heaviest loads I use the two interchangeably, and probably would not have a problem using Star-Line for the heaviest loads as well.

I carry the Para Ord 9x23 fairly often. With one spare magazine, I have 43 rounds... which seems adaquet fire power for any situation.

FWIW

Chuck

[WESHOOT2]

Jacketed, not plated bullets, from 115g to 135g.

Stick with Small Rifle primers.

Investigate powders in the 'slower' end of the burn-rate spectrum, like Alliant Power Pistol, HS7, Vihtavuori 3N37, N350, and maybe N105, Blue Dot (don't laugh), and AA7 and 9.

Try a different sizing die.
Try different crimp dies.
Vary OAL, but longer is almost always safer.

Pay attention to every detail.

[Gewehr98]

It's the perfect size for loading 9mm Steyr, if you got one of those vintage Steyr-Hahn pistols around. Just don't load it any hotter than standard 9mm Luger performance. The 9x23 brass will last forever at the lighter loading!