PDA

View Full Version : New to reloading: 9mm Luger



ASH556
08-21-2014, 03:01 PM
Hey guys, I've officially reloaded 3 rounds in my entire life. A good buddy who does reload gave me some dies and primers as a birthday gift back in May and is currently letting me borrow his Lee hand press until I can get my own press. I'm looking to load some 9mm ammo to shoot in my Glocks for cheaper practice/enhanced accuracy. The problem is I don't know what I don't now. I do have some brass, bullets and primers. I have no idea about loads and/or what powder to even buy.

Can anyone give me some recommended loads and steer me towards 3 or 4 good all-around powder options (solely for 9mm) that I can start trying to find?

Thanks!

5pins
08-21-2014, 03:36 PM
There are several good powders for the 9MM but finding them right now is very hard. What weight of the bullets you have?

Here are four off the top of my head.
Win 231
Tight group
HP-38
Power Pistol

ASH556
08-21-2014, 03:41 PM
There are several good powders for the 9MM but finding them right now is very hard. What weight of the bullets you have?

Here are four off the top of my head.
Win 231
Tight group
HP-38
Power Pistol

I believe they're 115, but they might be 124, copper jacketed. I didn't buy them, so I don't remember the weight exactly, but I know they're not 147's.

SecondsCount
08-21-2014, 04:49 PM
If you don't have a scale and a set of dial calipers, those should be your next purchase. You can measure the weight of the bullets on a scale and you will need it to measure your powder weight.

There is a good thread here (http://pistol-forum.com/showthread.php?2465-9mm-Reload-Data) with lots of 9mm loads.

I use a factory round as a reference for overall length and the amount of taper crimp.

Use a powder burn chart (https://www.hodgdon.com/burn-rate.html) to find a powder that will do what your load requires. For 9mm I like to use a medium to fast burn rate powder such as Winchester WSF and 231, VihtaVuori N320, and Hodgdon Universal Clays.

Pup town
08-21-2014, 04:58 PM
I like Winchester WST as a 9mm powder for one simple reason. It's a voluminous (I guess that's the right word) powder, so a double charge (probably your biggest worry) will overflow and should be very noticeable.

Many other 9mm powders will let you throw a double charge without overflowing and seat a bullet.

LSP552
08-21-2014, 06:15 PM
Win 231 is my favorite 9mm powder, followed by HP38.

Buying a couple of reloading manuals will help you learn the correct way and keep you safe. Here is an on-line reference that includes the two powders I listed.

http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol

Ken

okie john
08-21-2014, 06:43 PM
More than anything, ASK QUESTIONS. You can blow yourself up if you're not careful.

Definitely get a scale, a set of calipers, and several manuals. You'll also need a bullet puller like this one: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/630146/rcbs-powr-pull-impact-bullet-puller to undo your mistakes.

I'd get a single-stage press to start out. In years of running commercial ranges and shooting in competition, EVERY time I've seen someone wreck a gun or tie one up in a match, they did it using ammo they tried to load on a progressive that they didn't fully understand. Learn the ropes on a RCBS Rockchucker and get a progressive machine later. You can always use the Rockchucker for loading rifle ammo.

Finally, until you really get your feet on the ground, only use data that a powder maker or bullet maker has published online or in print. These companies have spent millions of dollars making sure that their data is safe, and that it is presented with the context you need. Entirely too many people online will post loads with typos or loads that lack the context you need to use them safely. (For example, 9 Major loads are meant to be used in pistols that have been built to withstand them. In a normal service pistol, they can destroy the gun and gravely injure the shooter and bystanders, but you don't always see that note with the data.) If you want to try a load you see online, check a printed manual or a powder/bullet maker's website first. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. And if someone with a huge ballistics laboratory hasn't published that load, there's probably a reason.


Okie John

eaglefrq
08-21-2014, 07:58 PM
More than anything, ASK QUESTIONS. You can blow yourself up if you're not careful.

Definitely get a scale, a set of calipers, and several manuals. You'll also need a bullet puller like this one: http://www.midwayusa.com/product/630146/rcbs-powr-pull-impact-bullet-puller to undo your mistakes.

I'd get a single-stage press to start out. In years of running commercial ranges and shooting in competition, EVERY time I've seen someone wreck a gun or tie one up in a match, they did it using ammo they tried to load on a progressive that they didn't fully understand. Learn the ropes on a RCBS Rockchucker and get a progressive machine later. You can always use the Rockchucker for loading rifle ammo.

Finally, until you really get your feet on the ground, only use data that a powder maker or bullet maker has published online or in print. These companies have spent millions of dollars making sure that their data is safe, and that it is presented with the context you need. Entirely too many people online will post loads with typos or loads that lack the context you need to use them safely. (For example, 9 Major loads are meant to be used in pistols that have been built to withstand them. In a normal service pistol, they can destroy the gun and gravely injure the shooter and bystanders, but you don't always see that note with the data.) If you want to try a load you see online, check a printed manual or a powder/bullet maker's website first. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. And if someone with a huge ballistics laboratory hasn't published that load, there's probably a reason.


Okie John

I agree with everything except the single stage part. I started on a Dillon 550 and haven't had any problems. There is a lot of great information out there including videos that show everything from the setup to finished product.

mizer67
08-21-2014, 08:16 PM
Hey guys, I've officially reloaded 3 rounds in my entire life. A good buddy who does reload gave me some dies and primers as a birthday gift back in May and is currently letting me borrow his Lee hand press until I can get my own press. I'm looking to load some 9mm ammo to shoot in my Glocks for cheaper practice/enhanced accuracy. The problem is I don't know what I don't now. I do have some brass, bullets and primers. I have no idea about loads and/or what powder to even buy.

Can anyone give me some recommended loads and steer me towards 3 or 4 good all-around powder options (solely for 9mm) that I can start trying to find?

Thanks!

Good luck finding powder. Any pistol powder is in very short supply.

That being said, if you're looking for pure accuracy and don't mind the added cost:

VV N330 or N340 are the two best powders made for 9mm, in my opinion, although I hear N350 does well too but with stout recoil

If you're looking for something American more likely to be on a local shelf and at a lower cost:

WSF
Titegroup
W231/HP38
Power Pistol (very loud and lots of flash though)

45dotACP
08-21-2014, 08:23 PM
I rather like the hand press I use. My preferred bullets are SNS coated bullets. They're pretty sweet because they're only slightly more expensive than lead, but they can be run in the glock barrels. They don't smoke as much as lead either. Titegroup is one of my favorites for 9mm in the 147 grain range. For 9mm in the 124 grain range, I prefer Power Pistol.

You ought to give 147 grain ammo a shot. Very pleasant to shoot.

JAD
08-23-2014, 12:16 PM
I've been very pleased with 4ish grains of titegroup behind a Montana Gold 124 CMJ. Dial calipers are a must as is a powder scale (the little pocket ones work great). A chrono is not that expensive.

I'm surprised how cheap MG gets when you order a full case.

mizer67
08-23-2014, 12:56 PM
I've been very pleased with 4ish grains of titegroup behind a Montana Gold 124 CMJ. Dial calipers are a must as is a powder scale (the little pocket ones work great). A chrono is not that expensive.

I'm surprised how cheap MG gets when you order a full case.

I've run about 15K rounds of 4.1 of TG and a 124 MG JHP. It's a softer shooting load but hot and dirty and accuracy is only fair.

If you like MGs, try the PD 124 JHP. They're much more accurate through all of my guns and you can get the cost down to $0.95/per bullet shipped if you buy in qty., which is cheaper than MGs. Not two years ago they were $0.78 per. Wish I would've really stocked up then.

JBP55
08-23-2014, 01:54 PM
I recently had a chance to purchase 8# of Bullseye, 5# of Blue Dot, 4# of Win. 231 and 4# of Power Pistol. Since I do not reload I picked up the 8# of Bullseye and the 5# of Blue Dot for a total of $225 for a friend that uses it.

Paul D
08-23-2014, 02:23 PM
I use 4.5 grains of Titegroup behind Hornady 115 gr. FMJ. It replicates WWB across different brass manufacturers pretty closely.

CCT125US
08-23-2014, 02:29 PM
MG 124gr JHP
CCI small pistol primer
Unique 4.9gr (this is a bulky powder and a double charge would more than overflow)
1.075 C.O.A.L.
136 PF
Loaded on a Dillon 650
I second the advice of starting with a single stage or turret press. It allows one to easily work up batches of loads for testing while changing one variable at a time, allows you to buy in for relatively little money and test the waters, you can use it to load many calibers without the extra cost of shell plates, tool heads, tool head stands, and extra powder measures.......
This nearly duplicates Win. Nato and Speer GDHP 124gr +P POA / POI in my gun. YMMV

H&KFanNC
08-23-2014, 08:49 PM
First, you need to buy at least one reloading manual. Second, you need to read it and not just look at the loading receipes. I prefer the Lee manual. It explains everything pretty well.

Reading the manual should give you enough knowledge to ask good questions.

Good Luck, Be Safe!


Sent from my iPhone 5S using Tapatalk

Molon
08-23-2014, 09:50 PM
VV N330 or N340 are the two best powders made for 9mm,



VihtaVuori 3N37 works very well with 147 grain loads in 9mm Luger. It can duplicate the muzzle velocities of factory loads while maintaining low standard deviations and it produces excellent accuracy. The 10-shot group pictured below was fired from 25 yards using a hand-load charged with 3N37 and topped with the Hornady 147 grain XTP. The group has an extreme spread of 0.88".


https://app.box.com/shared/static/7vmetwia0j4843kgkos3.jpg



....

Mitch
08-23-2014, 10:01 PM
My glocks all seem to like Hornady's 124 gr round nose FMJ bullet. My best loads have been 4.2 gr of bullseye or 4.1 gr of Titegroup. Win 231 has done well behind a 115 fmj, but I don't play with those too often.

Truthfully you'll probably have to take what you can get powderwise. I'd look for Titegroup or bullseye if you can. Unique has only been so-so for me in 9mm, it works great with 45s though. I've only used 231 a couple times so far.

I'd pick up a couple hundred Hornady 124 gr fmjs. Whenever I check the bullet weight on my scale it's never more than .1 gr away from 124. No surprise, those bullets group much better for me at 25 yards than the 115 bulk bullets I got. I only use 115s for drills that are 10 yards and in now. Anything with some distance in it, I save for the 124s.

farscott
08-24-2014, 05:14 PM
Get more than one reloading manual and insure they are recent. Read them and remember that if you change any variable (including the brand of brass for near-max loads), the printed load data is no longer valid. My favorite is the Hornady set as I use many of their bullets. Use the online resources that bullet manufacturers and powder manufacturers offer. Check the printed recipes against other resources, and do not hesitate to call for help if the data looks suspect. Editing and printing errors have been known to occur in reloading manuals.

Invest in a good scale and a good set of calipers. Use good dies. I prefer Redding, but RCBS and Dillon are good.

Take your time and avoid distractions while loading. Look for both double charges and no charges of powder with a flashlight in every case before seating the bullet. Be safe.

Have fun.

mizer67
08-24-2014, 06:46 PM
VihtaVuori 3N37 works very well with 147 grain loads in 9mm Luger. It can duplicate the muzzle velocities of factory loads while maintaining low standard deviations and it produces excellent accuracy. The 10-shot group pictured below was fired from 25 yards using a hand-load charged with 3N37 and topped with the Hornady 147 grain XTP. The group has an extreme spread of 0.88".


https://app.box.com/shared/static/7vmetwia0j4843kgkos3.jpg



....


Very nice. 9mm AR pattern rifle I assume?

Let me qualify my earlier statement, in 115 gr and 124 gr projectiles N330 and N340 perform extremely well. I've shot a limited number of 147 gr projectiles in comparison and they're usually pushed by N320. While extremely soft shooting, this load isn't extremely accurate.

Hambo
01-29-2016, 07:40 PM
Hey guys, I've officially reloaded 3 rounds in my entire life. A good buddy who does reload gave me some dies and primers as a birthday gift back in May and is currently letting me borrow his Lee hand press until I can get my own press. I'm looking to load some 9mm ammo to shoot in my Glocks for cheaper practice/enhanced accuracy. The problem is I don't know what I don't now. I do have some brass, bullets and primers. I have no idea about loads and/or what powder to even buy.

Can anyone give me some recommended loads and steer me towards 3 or 4 good all-around powder options (solely for 9mm) that I can start trying to find?

Thanks!

Reloading is safe if you do it right, and unforgiving if you do it wrong.

I don't think anyone has mentioned this yet. If your 9mm dies don't have a taper crimp die, I'd recommend buying one.

LSP972
01-30-2016, 08:37 AM
I like Winchester WST as a 9mm powder for one simple reason. It's a voluminous (I guess that's the right word) powder, so a double charge (probably your biggest worry) will overflow and should be very noticeable.

Many other 9mm powders will let you throw a double charge without overflowing and seat a bullet.

This is exactly right. The downside is, a moderate charge of WST nearly fills the case, which leads to spilled powder on progressive machines as the charged case is advanced to the seating station.

FWIW, I use WST almost exclusively, for 9mm, .40, and .45.

4.6 of WST under a 115gr/124gr bullet is close to factory dupe, yet doesn't spill from the case if I'm GENTLE when advancing the shell plate on my 550.

.

ranger
01-30-2016, 07:38 PM
I use WSF for 9mm - Many shotgun powders (not all!) are good in pistol too. When pistol specific powders become unavailable, you can often still find the shotgun powders.

Trooper224
01-30-2016, 08:31 PM
4.2 grains of Titegroup (not Tightgroup) or 4.2 grains of Bullseye work well for me with a, 124-125 grain cast lead bullet. Both have a muzzle velocity of around 1135 feet per second and are accurate. Ensuring the bullet is properly sized to the pistol's bore is the biggest key to getting accuracy and avoiding leading with cast bullets in the 9mm. I prefer Dardas Casting, as they offer several different sizes in each caliber and their lube is a bit softer than others. This ensures the lube won't fall out of the bullets during shipping in cold weather.

deputyG23
02-06-2016, 10:22 AM
4.2 grains of Titegroup (not Tightgroup) or 4.2 grains of Bullseye work well for me with a, 124-125 grain cast lead bullet. Both have a muzzle velocity of around 1135 feet per second and are accurate. Ensuring the bullet is properly sized to the pistol's bore is the biggest key to getting accuracy and avoiding leading with cast bullets in the 9mm. I prefer Dardas Casting, as they offer several different sizes in each caliber and their lube is a bit softer than others. This ensures the lube won't fall out of the bullets during shipping in cold weather.
+1 on Dardas bullets. I used the 124 grain FP bullet sized .357 for my P228, Beretta 92, and Glock 17 and 19 with no leading issues.

taadski
02-06-2016, 12:09 PM
I use WSF for 9mm - Many shotgun powders (not all!) are good in pistol too. When pistol specific powders become unavailable, you can often still find the shotgun powders.


I loaded a good 20K worth of 9mm using Hodgdon's Universal Clays a couple years ago. 4.4 grains underneath a 124 plated FP made a very accurate and soft shooting minor load. I've switched back to Titegroup, which has been my goto, after finding it available again in bulk quantities, but I still have some Universal sitting around and I've dabbled with the idea of trying it again. Only downsides I've found with it were it's a bit flakey and fills the 9mm case at 4.4 to the point where it can -----> some minor spillage on the progressive.

LSP972
02-08-2016, 11:10 AM
I use WSF for 9mm - Many shotgun powders (not all!) are good in pistol too. When pistol specific powders become unavailable, you can often still find the shotgun powders.


WST is a re-do of Winchester 452AA; a shotgun powder that was great in .45ACP back in the day. It has become very popular, as evidenced by the fact that it almost unobtainium in the places I get my powder. The only thing more scarce, in my experience, is 231.

.

CCT125US
02-08-2016, 12:25 PM
+1 on Dardas bullets. I used the 124 grain FP bullet sized .357 for my P228, Beretta 92, and Glock 17 and 19 with no leading issues.

What's your o.a.l. with that load? I just came across a case in the basement I had forgotten about.

ETA: Mine are 122 grain

Hauptmann
02-08-2016, 12:46 PM
I guess I'm the odd guy here in that I got into match components and still prefer to use them. During that last dry spell for powder, I bought a bunch of Vihtavuori pistol powder and now I love the stuff. Clean burning, virtually no flash, meters extremely well since it is tubular, and very consistent velocities. I also like their number designation system which allows you to better predict burn rates and powder bulk. I love Federal HSTs, but their velocities are all over the place, and they have pretty bad muzzle flash. I would love to be able to buy HSTs as a reloading component as I would load them up with Vihtavuori.

I would say my favorite Vihtavuori powders for 9mm are N340, and 3N37. N340 is the most versatile if you want a powder that works well with 124gr and 147gr, or you want to expand its use into .40 or .45. However, if you prefer to shoot 147gr for its superior accuracy, wind resistance, and duty load duplication 3N37 really shines as it is more compact.

GuanoLoco
02-08-2016, 04:09 PM
I guess I'm the odd guy here in that I got into match components and still prefer to use them. During that last dry spell for powder, I bought a bunch of Vihtavuori pistol powder and now I love the stuff. Clean burning, virtually no flash, meters extremely well since it is tubular, and very consistent velocities. I also like their number designation system which allows you to better predict burn rates and powder bulk. I love Federal HSTs, but their velocities are all over the place, and they have pretty bad muzzle flash. I would love to be able to buy HSTs as a reloading component as I would load them up with Vihtavuori.

I would say my favorite Vihtavuori powders for 9mm are N340, and 3N37. N340 is the most versatile if you want a powder that works well with 124gr and 147gr, or you want to expand its use into .40 or .45. However, if you prefer to shoot 147gr for its superior accuracy, wind resistance, and duty load duplication 3N37 really shines as it is more compact.

I became a big fan of ETR-7 as a replacement for VV N320. Hard to argue with the price or performance.

http://expansion-industries.com/etr7-smokeless-pistol-powder-4lb.html

deputyG23
02-17-2016, 09:03 PM
What's your o.a.l. with that load? I just came across a case in the basement I had forgotten about.

ETA: Mine are 122 grain

This is the same bullet I used. OAL is 1.075.
One issue I had with using the .357 sized bullets is that the G17 would experience a few failures to chamber. If I segregated my cases by head stamp and did more testing to determine which cases were more prone to this happening, I could develop a load with this bullet that would work with all my 9mm pistols. I got lazy and bought RMR 124 grain flat nose plated bullets sized .356. Cleaner and easier to load using my mixed cases.

deputyG23
02-17-2016, 09:25 PM
WST is the one powder I found in 2013 when I exhausted my last bit of 231. A backwoods LGS had two four pound jugs at $79 each and I bought one. That was the last reasonably priced pistol powder I saw for years. I have about a pound left.
Like LSP 972 said, it is unobtanium in my neck of the woods.
I bought a pound of Alliant BE-86 to try out. Haven't messed with it yet. There is data available for every handgun cartridge I have with it. $22/lb is what my LGS charges for it.

Rick_ICT
02-18-2016, 07:46 PM
Is anyone using Hodgdon's CFE-Pistol?

Early last year as I was purchasing supplies to gear back up for reloading, it was the first and only pistol powder I came across after much looking. The store I found it in had at least two full cases worth of one pound bottles on the shelf. I about danced a jig at the sight of it. I snatched up the single one pound container I was "allowed". I didn't know anything about it, but when I got home I did some research and saw several positive reviews on various reloading forums. It was apparently just introduced in 2014, although I've read speculation that it is simply a reformulation of another powder with their "copper fouling eliminator" added. I purchased a second pound when I had the opportunity, and just recently acquired more. It seems to be more consistently available, even when most other pistol powders were next to impossible to find around here.

I've been using 5.3 grains under a Berry's 124gr RNHB TP bullet w/ a CCI 500 spp @ 1.150" OAL. The Hodgdon reloading site (http://www.hodgdonreloading.com/data/pistol) lists this as a warm but not hot load with this bullet (5.5gr listed as max), and I've seen no pressure signs. The load seems pretty consistent and shoots to the same POI as the Speer Lawman I had been buying. The powder has virtually no flash that I've been able to see shooting on an indoor range and produces practically no lingering smoke. It also cleans up easily, it's a little sooty but it wipes off readily. And as the name would imply, I rarely see much if any copper residue in the barrel. It does have an odd smell to it when burnt, one that doesn't bother me but some might find unpleasant.

Unfortunately I do not yet a chronometer to measure the velocity, although that is next on my list as the weather warms up enough to make shooting outdoors enjoyable again. Going by the velocities on the Hodgdon site, I would guess around 1080fps, but I've seen several remarks on reloading forums by people with chronos who think Hodgdon's velocity numbers are a little fishy. Hopefully, I'll find out for myself soon enough.

If anyone is using CFE-Pistol I'd love to see pet loads, or thoughts/comments/derisions regarding the powder. And if anyone has any chrono data, that would be awesome as well.

Rick_ICT
02-20-2016, 05:52 PM
^^^ Replace "chronometer" with "chronograph". As soon as I typed it, I stared at it thinking to myself "That isn't the word you're after...", but I convinced myself I was wrong and hit send anyway. Today I was researching them and saw chronograph and said "Yep, that was the word you meant to use yesterday". :o