9mm competition loads

Traveler · May 26, 2015

I love WSF for 9mm and WST for my 45 ACP. Great powders.

jimbobborg · May 26, 2015

mgrs said:
OP- what powder are you using? I like shotgun powders for cast lead shooting. Titegroup is fine but burns hot and smokes a lot.

I've got, on hand, Unique, Power Pistol, Blue Dot, Herco, Trail Boss, Accurate Arms #7, and Goex Black Powder. I've been using 5.1gr of Unique behind a 180gr lead TC bullet in 40 S&W.

mgrs said:
What I use to make minor in a G34 with KKM Barrel:

SNS 125gr coated LRN (no groove) at 1.150
Red Dot: 3.4
WST: 3.8

SNS 124gr LRN (lube groove) 1.150
Red Dot: 3.4

SNS 147gr LFP (lube groove) at 1.143
WST: 3.0

I am about to give E3 a try. WST likes to speed up a lot when cold.

All loads work best with a lighter recoil spring.

I used xtreme plated for a while, but gained nothing (and lost accuracy) but less smoke for the extra cost. They were accurate enough for action games though.

I've not had the best luck, accuracy wise, with plated bullets. Plus cast bullets are relatively inexpensive and when I can get 1000 147gr LFN for $86 shipped, I'll take that all day long. My mail carrier hates me, though

Broncolou · May 26, 2015

I'm a newer competition shooter but I really like Bayou 147 FN over 2.9 grains solo 1000 for my G34.I started with Precision Truncated 147's on the advice of a good friend. I am getting ready to try 1000 Ranier 124's(3.1 grains solo for same 130 PF) but I'm pretty sure I'll be back to the Bayou 147's. I'm out of Solo and cant find any more so I'll be switching to Tite Group or Power Pistol (both on hand), haven't looked anything up yet to decide where to start. They are super quiet through my Suppressed Carbine as well. Good Luck!

Bikebreath · May 27, 2015

Bikebreath said:
In my CZ85 Combat I'm running Precision Delta's 147FMJ over3.8gr of 321 at 1.150 OAL. It came from a mdshooter who did IDPA, but who longer posts.

ETA: Correction 231, as in Winchester 231. The member I mentioned was Fustercluck

Edit made.

noylj · May 27, 2015

>A good number of upper tier bullseye shooters using 9mm use 147 grainers.

A good number are using 115gn bullets. You may be right, but I haven't heard of any top tier using 147gn, but I'm no longer competing.

OP: for your activities, you may be better off with 147gn bullets over 115-124gn. Accuracy is NOT the primary goal of a load for your activities.
Unlike many claims, I find felt recoil to be subjective and most of the recoil I feel is the slide slamming back. If the slide moves slower, I notice less recoil. I also find that, for me any way, a little snap to the recoil seems to get the gun to cycle faster and I am faster back on target. Some have such control that they shoot slow/heavy rounds and say the sights never even leave the target. You should keep an open mind and find what works for you.

Pinecone · May 27, 2015

It depends on the needs of the load.

If you want to knock down steel, meeting the minimum power factor is not going to knock them down with a marginal hit. In USPSA, if they actually calibrate the poppers (we used to do so), it take a hit on the upper tongue section to knock it down with a 125 PF. A hit on the center circle section should NOT knock over the popper with a 125 PF, but should for a major load.

In general, for a given power factor, the heavier bullet will give you less recoil. So a 125 PF 147 gr load will have less recoil than a 147 gr load.

Jmorrismetal · May 27, 2015

Best load I have found is 3.1 of VV N310 with a Berrys 147 @ 1.160"

OrbitalEllipses · May 27, 2015

Braddbdl said:
Iv'e done extensive accuracy and speed testing with 124's, and shot thousands of them in competition for years, mostly out of M&P's and CZ-75's. After trying out some 147's, and immediately recognizing that felt recoil was far less, I went ahead and did some accuracy and speed testing. Albeit, not as thoroughly as previous with the 124's. What I found was that the accuracy was relatively the same as my best 124gr loads, and overall speed was similar, but I was on sights slightly faster with the 147's resulting in greater accuracy at speed. 147's also have the benefit of taking down steel more consistently than 124's.

Yes, I agree with all of the above. Adding on to your last sentence, I have found that casual shooters and even some competition shooters just don't notice a difference in loads from 124 to 147 when I let them try them. Where I notice "major" differences, they just don't have the experience yet to notice.

Excellent breakdown, thank you! I figured most prefer 147gr for steel, but it seems that's just a bonus.

I'm going to honest, I'm in the camp that doesn't feel "major" differences between 124gr and 147gr loads.

That said, I can definitely tell I'm shooting NATO 124gr ammo or a true duty load.

jimbobborg · Jun 2, 2015

So how many rounds can I get out of an 8 lb jug of Titegroup? A local guy is selling them for $175. I may have to pick up a jug and some more Unique if I can get the money up for them. He's a local guy, as in Prince William County local. Another guy has S&B primers, $25 per thousand.

mgrs · Jun 2, 2015

jimbobborg said:
So how many rounds can I get out of an 8 lb jug of Titegroup? A local guy is selling them for $175. I may have to pick up a jug and some more Unique if I can get the money up for them. He's a local guy, as in Prince William County local. Another guy has S&B primers, $25 per thousand.

How many grains per load that you use? One pound is 7k grains, or 8# is 56K grains. Let's say 4.0 grains per round. That's 14k rounds.

RE: 124gr vs 147gr. Agreed with the above poster that 147gr feels softer. I thought so too. When it came to be classifier time, I shoot just as well when it comes down to hit factor with the 124s although the 147s were subjectively softer.

I like a sharper recoil impulse and shoot better at speed with 200gr vs 230gr in .45 single stack. YMMV.

jimbobborg · Jun 8, 2015

When I bought the Dillon I got a pound of Winchester 231, so I'm going with that, first. I'm going to load up 20 rounds with 231, 20 with Unique, and 20 with Titegroup. Should be interesting.

Traveler · Jun 8, 2015

Just be careful with the Titegroup. Easy to double charge that since you use so little.

pauln · Jun 8, 2015

Pinecone said:
It depends on the needs of the load.

If you want to knock down steel, meeting the minimum power factor is not going to knock them down with a marginal hit. In USPSA, if they actually calibrate the poppers (we used to do so), it take a hit on the upper tongue section to knock it down with a 125 PF. A hit on the center circle section should NOT knock over the popper with a 125 PF, but should for a major load.

USPSA calibration ammo must be between 115 and 125 power factor and a properly calibrated popper will fall with a hit in the calibration zone which is the center circle.

ViperRy · Jun 8, 2015

If you can make minor power factor.. clays w/ 115s or 124s (have to be careful with the 124s). Try it and you will be a believer.

Biggfoot44 · Jun 9, 2015

In the just arrived Blue Press , Duane Thomas comments about "recoil" of different 9mm competion loads. His explanation is that while there isn't much difference in total recoil is the absolute rules of physics sense , there can be major differences in slide velocity , and thereby also cycling time. 147gr with very fast powder has slowest slide/ cycling ( aka spread over longest time ) , and 115gr with slow powders the fastest slide/ cycling . He observes the choice is personal preference , depending upon one's stance and shooting rythem.

Pinecone · Jun 9, 2015

pauln said:
USPSA calibration ammo must be between 115 and 125 power factor and a properly calibrated popper will fall with a hit in the calibration zone which is the center circle.

They must have changed the rules.

When I was shooting it, you used a 125 power factor round, and the popper was set to drop with a hit on the upper part, but not the circle.

lx1x · Jun 9, 2015

Traveler said:
Just be careful with the Titegroup. Easy to double charge that since you use so little.

True.. But also easy to see if ya double charge. (I visually check them). The powder will be close to the top of case if 2x charged.

BRONZ · Jun 9, 2015

Never really though of a pistol round as a competition round.

You need good (consistent) ammo and practice.

My favorite is Berrys 124gr. HBFP covering AA#5.

lx1x · Jun 9, 2015

BRONZ said:
Never really though of a pistol round as a competition round.

You need good (consistent) ammo and practice.

My favorite is Berrys 124gr. HBFP covering AA#5.

Its all about weight and speed. Comp typically lower vel than standard store bought ammo.

jimbobborg · Jun 9, 2015

There's a thread here about 165gr bullets X-Treme is selling. Might have to pick some of them up for this experiment, too.

9mm competition loads

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