New to reloading: 9mm Luger

[ASH556]

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]

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]

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]

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 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 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]

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]

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]

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/630...-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]

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/630...-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]

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]

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.