One Load for Different Pistols

I finished loading the case of 124-grain FMJs for my 9x19 pistols- Glock G45, Beretta PX4s, and Walther P99Cs. OAL was 1.13” and they all dropped out of the Walther’s chamber which is the tightest among them. I’ve got enough primers left to load about 1k of the 124-grain coated lead RNs I have. These are the new style without a lube groove. I had to shorten the OAL to 1.06” to get them to work in the Walther’s chamber, and they’re still slightly sticky. I reduced the powder charge from 5.5 grains of BE-86 to 5.0 grains and got 1086 fps compared to 1118 fps from the FMJ load. My target velocity was 1050-1100 fps so I’ll leave it there.

Case mouth dimension for 9x19 is .380” and my taper crimp die is set at .377”, so it’s definitely the bullet that’s requiring the shorter length.

Just an FYI if you switch bullets and load for different guns.

I am loading an older pattern bullet with lube groove and pronounced step from bearing surface to ogive, almost a SWC.
That lets me set a longer OAL - 1.142" - for all 9mms.

Bayou once sent me some NLG that I did have to shorten.

I ran into something similar. I normally shoot 135 gr RN hitek coated bullets loaded to 1.125”. That OAL works in all my 9mm guns, with special attention to the CZ Shadow 2’s that have a notoriously short chamber. The 135’s were out of stock so I switched to 125 gr RN. The fatter ogive on the 125s meant I had to shorten up to 1.090” to chamber in my CZs.

Fortunately I’m back to shooting the 135s now.

@revchuck38

A sticky plunk test can be due to too long rounds. But also can happen from lead shaving at the case mouth or a lead ring at the end of the chamber.

@Clusterfrack- My Walthers have yet to be shot with lead bullets, I use them for the plunk test due to their tighter chamber dimensions. And I’m using 5.0 grains of BE-86. You need another cuppa joe. ;) (Me too!)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by revchuck38

@Clusterfrack- My Walthers have yet to be shot with lead bullets, I use them for the plunk test due to their tighter chamber dimensions. And I’m using 5.0 grains of BE-86. You need another cuppa joe. ;) (Me too!)

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Right? I was up at 5am getting ready to travel. I’m wrecked.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by revchuck38

@Clusterfrack- My Walthers have yet to be shot with lead bullets, I use them for the plunk test due to their tighter chamber dimensions. And I’m using 5.0 grains of BE-86. You need another cuppa joe. ;) (Me too!)

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For purpose of argument, a short leade can cause plunk failure. Leade is the distance between end of chamber and beginning of rifling. So a chamber could have oversize dimensions and a short leade. If so, plunk failure might make us consider the chamber tight but it is actually oversize. What's the problem? A longer bullet is engaging rifling.

CZ pistols have short leades. Longer cast bullets will not chamber. In the heyday of bullseye target shooting, some 1911 45 Auto shooters purposely seated bullets to engage rifling and used this method to establish "perfect" headspace.

9mm chambers are tapered with the front end saving smaller diameter. Larger diameter cast bullets can interfere with removing flare from case mouths. Chambering then becomes difficult.

My CZs have the shortest leade’s of all the 9mm handguns I load for, so that’s what I base my OAL length on. For the most part 1.125” COAL works in all my guns with bullet weights ranging from 115 to 147 gr, including my goto 135 gr RN that I use for match load. That said, my regular supplier was backordered on the 135’s so I resorted to a case of their 125’s. I found out real quick that the 125’s had an ogive with a fatter profile and needed to be shortened to 1.090” to pass the plunk test in my CZs. My Sig, 1911’s, and Beretta didn’t care but the CZs no likey the 125’s unless they were loaded short.