Favourite 9MM Loads

[versifier]

Maybe the STI just has a really rough bore. Do you have access to a bore scope? If so, bring another gun for comparison as even a custom match barrel looks pretty bad at very high magnification without something to compare it to! Could it be a candidate for a bore lapping/polishing experiment?

[robertbank]

Ummm. Now you have me thinking. I will load up 50 and let them off in my Norinco 1911 9MM. Let me try this over the next day or two and see what happens. The Norinco barrel is chrome lined and smoother than a baby's bottom.

Stay Safe

[fecmech]

Bob--Do you have any Herco?? As I mentioned in my E mail to you 5.2 under a 121 lee tc does 1200fps out of my Hipower and little to no leading either air cooled or water dropped. Accuracy is excellent in the neighborhood of 2"@25yds. I pushed it up to 6 grs.(allaiant max) got 1300+ but accuracy suffered and leading began. It will meter thru your Dillon about the same as Unique as it is a little "fluffyier" than Unique. If you look at Allaiant's data you will see the pressure/velocity ratio for Herco is lower than Unique and this may help, I don't know.
I just got into this "9" thing about a year or so ago. Since I started that I've shot at least 10k rds trying all kinds of combo's, 99% of them cast. Powders tried have been Bullseye,231,540,571,wap,wsf,Blue dot,Herco, and Longshot. Bullets have been Lee 121tc, rcbs 124(same as Lee), Lee 153rn, Lyman 147 and a commercial cast by Kead 147 grainer.
The most accurate powder has been Hogdon Longshot at 5.7 with the Lee 121 or rcbs 124. Or 4.6 grs and either the Kead 147 or Lee 153 rn. All of these combo's will shoot under 2"@25 yds out of my Hipower. The 121 is running about 1170 approx and the 153/147 about 1000fps.
The 147Kead and 153 Lee also do pretty good with Blue Dot,540,571and WSF. The Wsf load at 4.0 is a very soft load (about 950fps) and would be great as a competition loads as far as recoil control. I have had no luck at all with the Lyman 147 gr. bullet, out of my gun with either the factory bbl. or aftermarket bbl. accuracy sucks.
The 121/124's do well with 3.8 Bullseye(1050) 6.5 Blue Dot(1154) and 5.2 Herc(120. I did'nt have much luck with 231.
I've pretty much settled on 5.7 Longshot for the 121's and 4.6 Longshot for the 153/147's. Velocities ar respectable for their weights and I can't see where a service pistol like my Hipower is going to get any more accurate. That's my story and I'm stickin to it. Nick

[robertbank]

Hi Nick

No Herco yet. My problem up here is I am limited in my powder choice. Next time I had south I intend to cross the line and pick up some Herco and HS6 to try out. Did yo get my spreadsheet?

I think 124/125 gr boolits do best in the 9MM. Read somewhere the rate of twist in the 9's stabilizes that weight of boolit best. Will try your loads when I get some of the powders.

My only limitation to shooting 25 groups is my inept shooting ability. Thought the gun has something to do with it because my K 38 shoots some scary groups from a resat and not even to bad two handed. I have some longshot on hand that I use for my .45-08 loads so may try your Longshot load.

There is a company back east that sells powder at a discount so may try ordering from them once I find out what the shipping costs will be. Prices are closer to US prices. They also sell some surpkus powders, one of which is a close sustitute for Herco if memory serves me correct.

PM me your phone # and I'll give you a call. My phone plan is free in NA 24-7

Stay Safe

[Alvin in AZ]

115 grain HP Remington bullets with 7.0 grains of Win540/HS-6 :)

I've got a Little Dandy rotor I Dremeled-out and polished up shiny as anything inside, that dumps 7.0 of HS-6 very consistantly (also dumps 5.1 grains of Win231 which is another stout load for 115 grain bullets in the 9mm)

Anyway the slow Win540/HS-6 stuff works the action real nice on my old Beretta 92 (frame safety).

Was 6.3 grains of Unique but it just doesn't meter very good and gunks up the gun something awful. I'll save the Unique for 12 gauge. :)

Alvin in AZ
ps- I'm about to run out of favorite loads! ;)

[Canuck44]

Well this summer has seen several changes to my casting of 9MM bullets.

I have swtiched to Felix lube for all my lubing, and I now size my 9MM bullets to .357.

Effect has been to improve accuracy, eliminate leading and tumbling in all my guns. The STI is scary accurate with 4 gr Unique under 125 gr truncated bullet. LOad makes power factor for IPSC minor and IDPA which is what I use it for.

Ah som much to learn and so little time left....well I hope longer than thtat implies!

Take Care Wh

Bob