Autocomp 9mm 115 fmj

rugermk1

rugermk1

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So all I can find on Vancouver Island for 9mm is Autocomp powder and FMJ projectiles. There is no published data that I can find for these, and only a few inconclusive reports in various forum posts around the web. So I decided to do it myself.

I loaded up 5 of each from 3.6gr to 5.3gr in .2gr increments up to 5.0, then .1 after that. Using Winchester 115gr FMJ, COAL in the 1.150 range - my press has a margin of about .01 - results were as follows:

3.6, 3.8 - all FTE, no squibs
4.0, 4.2 - FTE, but case removing from chamber and jamming action
4.4 - stovepipes, 2/5 good shots
4.6 - 1 SP, 4/5 good
4.8 - 5.3 - all good

I was checking in with Winchester 115 factory ammo every now and then just to guage feel of my heavier loads. 5.3gr still feels less punchy than factory load, but it was starting to get close.

Gonna load up some 124gr FMJ flat bottoms next.

Fired from Norc 213.
 
Autocomp should work better with 147gr bullets as its a pretty slow pistol powder. But good info to know if you've only got lighter bullets.
 
Yeah, similar to that. What I got from that when I read it was that
a) more testing is needed
b) wait for Winchester to publish load data
c) squibs are scary, (which they are)

I made sure to do a physical check of the barrel every time I didn't get really obvious feedback of a bullet exiting the gun. Lots of checks, and luckily no squibs. I think a stuck bullet might have stopped my test, as it did with the author of that page.

That was 2010, and Winchester hasn't published any data for fmj. Of course that made me curious. Obviously the powder can be used, but to what level of satisfaction?
 
It doesn't need load data, you are clearly educated enough to make your own loads, you just need to determine how close your are to max pressure.

Hodgdon has a 115gr speer gold dot at 5.6gr of autocomp max which is 32kpsi. So there is still a little wiggle room, combined with your current testing I would go to 5.6gr and see how it goes.

That level of satisfaction is up to you.
 
found some more 115fmj today at WSS in Nanaimo, so I can carry on! Loaded up some more at 5.3 tonight to try out with a target, as I was just aiming at the big gong last time.

Certainly not educated at this, more like Guess-ucated, with a strong desire to not injure myself.
 
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