9mm Reloading

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  • molonlabe

    Ultimate Member
    May 7, 2005
    2,760
    Mountaineer Country, WV
    I've pushed 147gr JHP around 1350 fps. In an M68 J&R carbine with no issues. It's built like a tank with a massive bolt. Guns and Ammo evaluated it in 1968 and for giggles that packed a 115gr bullet full with Bullseye and it clocked at 2000fps right there with an M1 carbine. I won't try that but I have no pressure signs or bulged cases. You can't buy these loads and of course I keep them separate. My 308 bolt loads neck sized each load is carefully weighed and using Sierra 168gr Jhp with federal match primers. I get sub moa from the loads I worked up. To buy match ammo is outrageously expensive. Couple this with 45. And 44 magnum it's a win win. I load 38 special and 9mm because I call it men's crochet.

    Oh and when everyone started carrying .380's the Ammo was as scares as 22's i picked up a ton of brass at the range and packed them with 95 gr lead round nose. I have about 300 round and haven't bought a box in years. Unless the government figures a way to make powder with a shelf life or cut of primers or switch to classless Ammo it's the best game in town.

    Oh and the powder thing was studied under Clinton but the powder manufacturers refused to comply for obvious liability reasons.
     

    Doobie

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 23, 2013
    1,777
    Earth
    I have loaded at least 1000 rounds of 9mm with Hornady 115gr FMJ and 115gr HAP bullets and didn't crimp any of them. I've yet to have any bullet set back or issues. I've performed the "bench test" and haven't been able to push the bullets in. Maybe it's because I only bell the case just enough to start the bullet. Not promoting what I do, just sharing my experience
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,564
    Harford County, Maryland
    I think I've saved a lot of money reloading. Especially on ammo like 45LC and 44 Mag which is ridiculously expensive.

    So you reload expensive ammo to make good and better less expensive ammo. I have done so for years. NOW THE QUESTION...are you shooting more ammunition with the savings on each box of brass you reload? Are you actually socking away the savings...or shooting more?

    Hence my statement. If you reload to still shoot a box a month of one or two calibers, that's cool. Most enthusiasts shoot what their budget allows, so factory or reloads, I still shoot $XXX per month.

    I feel I am proficient with a pistol. I would have never gotten to this point without reloading and being able to increase my shooting volume. But as before, I am always "play money" broke because this is what I spend my recreation money on. I just shoot more by reloading.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,818
    So you reload expensive ammo to make good and better less expensive ammo. I have done so for years. NOW THE QUESTION...are you shooting more ammunition with the savings on each box of brass you reload? Are you actually socking away the savings...or shooting more?

    Hence my statement. If you reload to still shoot a box a month of one or two calibers, that's cool. Most enthusiasts shoot what their budget allows, so factory or reloads, I still shoot $XXX per month.

    I feel I am proficient with a pistol. I would have never gotten to this point without reloading and being able to increase my shooting volume. But as before, I am always "play money" broke because this is what I spend my recreation money on. I just shoot more by reloading.

    I order my brass in bulk. I reload in bulk. 9mm brass is dirt cheap.
     

    Striper69

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 31, 2014
    1,400
    Iowa
    So you reload expensive ammo to make good and better less expensive ammo. I have done so for years. NOW THE QUESTION...are you shooting more ammunition with the savings on each box of brass you reload? Are you actually socking away the savings...or shooting more?

    Hence my statement. If you reload to still shoot a box a month of one or two calibers, that's cool. Most enthusiasts shoot what their budget allows, so factory or reloads, I still shoot $XXX per month.

    I feel I am proficient with a pistol. I would have never gotten to this point without reloading and being able to increase my shooting volume. But as before, I am always "play money" broke because this is what I spend my recreation money on. I just shoot more by reloading.

    Both?
     

    Magnumite

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 17, 2007
    6,564
    Harford County, Maryland
    Possible...depends what your shooting appetite is. I know in all my years shooting and reloading I have saved a ton per quantity shot..but I still spend the same expendible amount of money on ammunition. I haven't saved any money reloading...but I have shot much more.
     

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,480
    Fairfax, VA
    I do 3.4gr Titegroup and a 147gr Xtreme. I use the Lee dies and the seater can be set to do enough of a taper crimp to remove the flare. It came with a Factory Crimp Die, but I've never used it. I'm going to try some loads with Longshot to try to get some more recoil impulse since the Titegroup has none. Brass is free for me, since my range is basically paved with it.

    I'm also doing about $0.12 a shot. I stock up for the year on my Xtreme Bullets at Great American Outdoor Show when they're 20% off, or during their Black Friday sale when it's 15% off.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,818
    I do 3.4gr Titegroup and a 147gr Xtreme. I use the Lee dies and the seater can be set to do enough of a taper crimp to remove the flare. It came with a Factory Crimp Die, but I've never used it. I'm going to try some loads with Longshot to try to get some more recoil impulse since the Titegroup has none. Brass is free for me, since my range is basically paved with it.

    I'm also doing about $0.12 a shot. I stock up for the year on my Xtreme Bullets at Great American Outdoor Show when they're 20% off, or during their Black Friday sale when it's 15% off.

    I've been loading the same thing in all my coated bullets and so far I have no complaints. I tried the seater die crimping and it works ok, but it does seem to mung the case mouths a little. I've got some 147gn Xtremes on the way.
     

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,480
    Fairfax, VA
    I've been loading the same thing in all my coated bullets and so far I have no complaints. I tried the seater die crimping and it works ok, but it does seem to mung the case mouths a little. I've got some 147gn Xtremes on the way.

    Yeah, Lee seater dies don't seem to be so great for taper crimping. My .45 dies can't even taper crimp down to spec, so I have to use the FCD. With 9mm, I don't mind it grinding on the case mouth since it removes the flare. I haven't even bothered to measure the crimp diameter on my 9mm since it passes the push test and hasn't shown any setback in my Glock 19 after a few chamberings. Now my Lee .38 Special dies do a perfect roll crimp. I got RCBS 10mm dies and they don't mangle the brass no matter how hard I crimp it.
     

    GolfR

    Ultimate Member
    Oct 20, 2016
    1,324
    Columbia MD
    Maybe it's because I only bell the case just enough to start the bullet.

    This is the key. If you bell the case to the point that you can hand press the bullet in, you will have to crimp. Even then it won't be as secure as it should be. The bell that I use is barely visible and requires that the bullet be guided all the way into the seating die with your fingers to make sure it doesn't fall off. The bullet is very well seated without a crimp but I hit them very lightly with the crimp die to take the sharp edge off of the case mouth. I have found that my CZ and my EMP will occasionally jam if I don't take the edge off.
     

    Striper69

    Ultimate Member
    Jan 31, 2014
    1,400
    Iowa
    I have loaded at least 1000 rounds of 9mm with Hornady 115gr FMJ and 115gr HAP bullets and didn't crimp any of them. I've yet to have any bullet set back or issues. I've performed the "bench test" and haven't been able to push the bullets in. Maybe it's because I only bell the case just enough to start the bullet. Not promoting what I do, just sharing my experience

    Before I started reloading I talked with a guy I worked with at APG. He said he'd never reload and would only buy factory ammo. I asked him why and he said a guy he worked with tried to have someone show him how to reload and when he shot the bullets his Glock 9MM blew up on him.

    Obviously they didn't know why it happened but maybe it was because they didn't crimp the bullet.

    I don't want to find out that that was the reason so I crimp.

    Just the other day I checked to see if the 35 Rem ammo I made up would feed correctly in my Marlin and one round was pushed in way too far when I ejected it even though I had crimped it. I reloaded the bullet and checked again.
     

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,480
    Fairfax, VA
    "I do 3.4gr Titegroup and a 147gr Xtreme."

    Have done accuracy comparisons to 115 grain bullets with this load?

    Nope, but the load with 147s is stupidly accurate. I've done 4" groups at 50yd with my Glock 19 using it when I'm doing my part. Since it's a slow heavy bullet, it prints decently high too. It's a perfect 6 oclock hold on a 50yd competition target and dead on at 100yd with my OEM Glock night sights. It shoots okay with 3.6gr, but not as accurate as 3.4gr. Also, it's subsonic and it has stabilized in the suppressors I've tried with no issue. It's cool shooting at a tree over 100yd away and hearing the bullet smack the tree clearly.

    Practical pistol shooters tell me that 3.6gr with a 124gr is their go to load.
     

    frogman68

    товарищ плачевная
    Apr 7, 2013
    8,774
    Nope, but the load with 147s is stupidly accurate. I've done 4" groups at 50yd with my Glock 19 using it when I'm doing my part. Since it's a slow heavy bullet, it prints decently high too. It's a perfect 6 oclock hold on a 50yd competition target and dead on at 100yd with my OEM Glock night sights. It shoots okay with 3.6gr, but not as accurate as 3.4gr. Also, it's subsonic and it has stabilized in the suppressors I've tried with no issue. It's cool shooting at a tree over 100yd away and hearing the bullet smack the tree clearly.

    Practical pistol shooters tell me that 3.6gr with a 124gr is their go to load.

    for 124 gr i found 4.1 grains of titegroup to be perfect. If I can dial down to 3.6 i will try that
     

    ken792

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 2, 2011
    4,480
    Fairfax, VA
    Those seem to be the min-max recommendations. I would work down from 4.1 and see what happens?

    I have loaded some 124gr Xtreme slugs with 4.1gr on a friend's press before I got my own 9mm dies. The accuracy was decent and the recoil was still light as expected with Titegeoup. I didn't do any comparisons with my current 147gr load.
     

    outrider58

    Eats Bacon Raw
    MDS Supporter
    Jul 29, 2014
    49,818
    I have loaded some 124gr Xtreme slugs with 4.1gr on a friend's press before I got my own 9mm dies. The accuracy was decent and the recoil was still light as expected with Titegeoup. I didn't do any comparisons with my current 147gr load.

    I was talking to a professional loader the other day and he told me Titegroup is his #1 powder for 9mm.
     

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