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Reloading for 9mm

45Kimber45Kimber Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
edited February 2010 in Perry Shooter Competition Shooting and Reloading Forum
Greetings, I am going to start loading for 9mm for my first time. I have a lot of experience loading for rifle, 45 and 44 mag so I am not a nuwbie. I sorted some once fired 9mm brass last night and it looks like the winchester brass takes a sm pistol primer, but the hole in the remington brass looks larger. Is it me or do they both take sm pistol primers? Next ? is that since I have a large variety of brass, so I need to work up loads for each seperately like I would for rifle, or is it not an issue with these short stubby little cases?

Thanks
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Comments

  • shoff14shoff14 Member Posts: 11,994 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    They all use small pistol primers. You shouldn't need to work up loads for each manufacturer of the brass. You might see a little variation but it won't hurt anything. I just make sure I sort out the crimped primer cases. You also shouldn't have any issue with case length, if your case is longer then all the rest you will notice after you bell the case mouth. Longer cases bell to much, and the bullet slips right in.
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  • hrbiehrbie Member Posts: 521 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The different brass shouldnt be an issue. Best advice i have, take your time and double and triple check everything.
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  • 45Kimber45Kimber Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks guys. So do you recommend working up a load or can I just start at the top w/o a problem. I am shooting Taurus 24/7 handguns. Also any tips or suggestions on a load would be great. I will be using Winchester 231 since that is what I load for my 45. I found some CCI pistol primers so that is what I will use. Do you try different overall lengths for accuracy and bullet placement on your target?

    Thanks
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  • hrbiehrbie Member Posts: 521 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    As with any load you should work you way up. I prefer Hodgdon Titegroup in my 9mm loads. You can toy with different OAL's to see what your gun likes best. Just make sure you stay within the MIN and MAX OAL when you do this.
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  • 45Kimber45Kimber Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Sounds logical. I will try titegroup if I do not like what I get with 231. Thanks
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  • TopkickTopkick Member Posts: 4,452 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just me, but I have to load at the max with TiteGroup to get my Ruger P95 DC to cycle. It's clean aand lubed properly too.

    I have excellent results with Unique and picked up a couple more pounds yesterday.
    That said, I would still work up loads, maybe a ladder test at 5 rnds/ per load.
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  • 5mmgunguy5mmgunguy Member Posts: 3,092 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I like 5 grains of unique behind a 124 gr FMJ. It chronographs at 1050 to 1080 fps.
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  • MobuckMobuck Member Posts: 14,088 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If using mixed cases, I would not start right at the top. You likely don't need 100% of factory velocity for "plinking" unless your pistol won't function with less. Except for some specialty loads, I don't sort cases often and keep the loads 100fps or so under max listed. The 9mm is susceptable to pressure increases due to OAL cartridge variations so don't load shorter than the manual specifies.
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  • PearywPearyw Member Posts: 3,699
    edited November -1
    I have been using 231 for my 9mm IDBA loads for several years. My favorite load is 5.3 gr of 231 with a 115 gr fmj bullet with CCI primer.
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  • 45Kimber45Kimber Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Thanks gentlemen. Hogdon reccommends 3.9 to 4.4 grains of Win 231 with the 124 grain bullet. So if I were to use say 4.2 grains of powder I can use an assortment of cases with out a concern?
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  • hrbiehrbie Member Posts: 521 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I would say that is a safe load to start with. And as topkick said a ladder test is always good to see what different powder weight variations are like out of your gun.
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  • 45Kimber45Kimber Member Posts: 39 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    My phylosify for developing a load is as follows. Pick a reliable powder for the cartridge, choose the velocity you want (amount of powder) and start with seating the bullet .001" from the rifling, put together 3 to 4 groups of 5 rounds another .002" shorter than the next longest. It rarely tankes me more than one trip to the shooting bench with this set of cartridges to find one that is to my liking. I do a lot of reloading for praire dogs. I also used this technique to develope the load for my 45 and one of the 4 groups of rounds put 5 rounds all almost touching at 20 yards with them covering the bullseye - work-up complete. I will see if it works for the two taurus 24/7 9mms I bought. These will be handed down to my two daughters when it is time - another Obama stimulus handgun purchase.
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  • lksmith03lksmith03 Member Posts: 1,742 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by 45Kimber
    Thanks gentlemen. Hogdon reccommends 3.9 to 4.4 grains of Win 231 with the 124 grain bullet. So if I were to use say 4.2 grains of powder I can use an assortment of cases with out a concern?


    I use 4.9-5.1 gr of 231/Hp-38 behind both 115gr and 127 gr bullets in my Ruger P95 and they work fine. I seem to have fewer reliability problems with it if i stay in the 4.5+ range. As long as I clean and lube it every 1k rds or so no problems. If I go below 4.5 I get cycling problems
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