- Location
- The Conservative part of Ontario
Disclaimer:
First of all, Let me say that the following was taken from another internet forum, and is posted as a general discussion topic.
I do not load 9mm at present, so I or CGN, can't vouch for it's validity.
http://czechpistols82792.yuku.com/topic/11027/t/HANDLOADING-TIPS-for-9mm.html
HANDLOADING TIPS for 9mm
The following is a compilation of handloading tips for 9x19mm that have been contributed by CZF Members. I have given credit to individual members when they are directly quoted, but the majority of the text represents the general consensus of several dozen reloaders who also own CZs. I want to thank everyone who has contributed to the CZF Reloading Forum over the years. There is a wealth of knowledge here that has helped me, and I hope this "compilation" will be useful to new reloaders in particular.
Much of this information is generally applicable to all cartridges, but the 9x19mm (a.k.a. 9mm Luger, 9mm Parabellum, et al.) will be the only cartridge covered in this presentation.
The following is in no way intended to substitute for a reliable general reloading manual. I cannot begin to fully present all of the necessary information in this format. Without having read a general manual such as the Hornady, Lyman, or Speer offerings, much of this article will not even make sense, I'm afraid.
Contents
I. General Introduction
II. Cases
A. Brands
B. Sorting by Headstamp
C. Trimming Cases
D. Cleaning 9mm Cases
E. Lube with Carbide
F. Summary
III. Bullets
A. Bullet Materials
B. Bullet Shapes
C. Bullet Weights
D. Summary
IV. Powder
A. Introduction
B. Powder Density and Volume
C. Powder Burn Rates
D. Other Considerations
E. Some Thoughts on Powder Selection
F. Summary
V. Primers
A. Primer Types and Characteristics
B. Primer Brands
C. Primer Seating
D. Safety Concerns
E. Summary
VI. Tips and Techniques
A. Powder Safety and Selection
B. Die Selection
C. Press Selection
D. Bullet Selection and Seating
E. Overall Length
F. Crimping
VII. Parting Shots
I. General Introduction
9mm may be my favorite cartridge to reload. I mention this because 9mm has a bad reputation with some older reloaders. Thirty years ago, few people reloaded 9mm, and suitable components were difficult to obtain. Older Hornady manuals give load data using 158gr .357" diameter bullets! Most of the inexpensive brass was military surplus, which posed its own difficulties. Few people loaded for semi-autos in general in those days, so reloaders would frequently encounter problems with crimp, etc. 9mm came to be known as a "tricky" cartridge to reload.
By and large, this is no longer valid. The availability of quality components is at an all time high. A lot has changed in the last thirty years, and 9mm is now the most frequently reloaded handgun cartridge in the U.S. Dies, techniques, and powder selection have also improved during this same period.
9mm is a direct descendant of the first smokeless handgun cartridges, and it was never intended to be used with black or semi-smokeless powders. It is somewhat peculiar in that it is actually a 7.65x21mm (.30 Luger) cartridge cut down to accept a 9mm (.355") bullet. (The slight body taper of 9mm is a result of this conversion.) For these reasons, case volume is relatively small for a cartridge that peaks at 35,000 psi (SAAMI standard). 9mm is not forgiving of carelessness. A new reloader should not be concerned about loading 9mm as their first cartridge, but he or she should understand that it does have a smaller margin for error than some other common cartridges.
II. Cases
A. Brands of Cases
Once-fired 9mm cases are as common and as cheap as dirt. This can be a mixed blessing. Pitch any case that is in any way suspect. This is good advice in general; take it to an extreme with 9mm. It's too common to fool with a damaged case mouth, strange brand, etc.
The vast majority of brands of 9mm cases are suitable for reloading and very high in quality. They have to be, because many foreign manufacturers simply slap a commercial headstamp on their military cases. That said, don't even bother with a headstamp that you don't recognize as a major player. This is not for safety or quality reasons so much as consistency. You may never find another 50 "Dominion" 9mm cases ever again. When you are first starting out, small lots of cases like this are useful, but they aren't worth fooling with when loading in quantity.
CZF members prefer the following brands of cases, in no particular order:
1. Sellier & Bellot (headstamp "S&B");
2. Federal (headstamp "FEDERAL");
3. Winchester (headstamps "WINCHESTER," "W-W," "WCC," etc.);
4. Norma (headstamp "NORMA");
5. Israel Military Industries (headstamps "IMI," "TZ," and "UZI");
6. Starline (headstamp is two stars separated by a line);
7. Speer/CCI (headstamps "SPEER," "CCI");
8. Dynamit Nobel/GECO (headstamp "GECO");
9. Magtech (headstamps "CBC," "MAGTECH");
10. Hornady (headstamps "HORNADY," "FRONTIER");
11. PMP (headstamps "PMP," "DENEL").
The above brands of cases are not exactly equal in all respects, however. Speer/CCI cases are easier to load with CCI primers. Speer and Federal cases are not available as new component cases. Hornady is usually not worth the extra expense for new component cases. Starline is only available as new brass; IMI and Hornady might as well be, even though they do load factory ammunition. S&B has relatively tight primer pockets, particularly if you do not remove all of the lacquer. Norma cases are the most highly regarded, but they are now extremely rare in the U.S., as neither 9mm component cases nor factory ammo have been available for some time. On the bright side, most of the GECO 9mm uses cases manufactured by Norma. PMP commercial cases (blue boxes) are fine, but military PMP/Denel 9mm cases have Berdan primers.
CZF members generally consider the following brands to be less desirable for reloading purposes:
1. Remington (headstamps "R-P," "UMC," etc.);
2. Fiocchi (headstamp "FIOCCHI");
3. PMC (headstamp "PMC");
Remington brass is softer than the other major U.S. brands. Fiocchi has several idiosyncrasies, such as shorter than normal case length. Once-fired PMC brass can require chamfering. These are all good cases for reloading purposes, but not quite as desirable as the previous eleven.
Do not attempt to reload cases with the "A-Merc" "American," or "AAA" headstamps. They are substandard in every regard. No one at CZF has any direct experience with "Ultramax," but their cases are probably similar to A-Merc. Many people advise against reloading 9mm NATO brass. There is usually a primer crimp to remove, even if it is not Berdan primed. If it is brass from a high pressure submachine gun load, it may not be suitable for reloading.
The general consensus is that your own once-fired brass is the best source for 9mm cases. The best values from a reloader's standpoint are probably value packs of Winchester USA 115gr FMJ or case quantities (1,000 rounds) of S&B 115gr FMJ and GECO 124gr FMJ. S&B and GECO are less common. Depending on where you shoot, it may be difficult to avoid mixing up your cases when shooting Winchester headstamps. In my own opinion, GECO cases are the highest in quality, but they do not appear to significantly improve accuracy.
CZF members who buy significant amounts of new component cases appear to prefer Starline, Winchester, and IMI, in that order. There is some evidence that IMI makes many of the Winchester 9mm cases, but we cannot directly confirm this. IMI/TZ headstamp brass is less expensive than Starline or Winchester. I generally buy IMI cases because no one else at my range uses them.
B. Sorting by Headstamp
DO sort cases by headstamp. Whenever you switch headstamps, back your load off by as much as either 10% or at least 0.3gr of powder if you are anywhere near a max load. Work up the load all over again with the new case type. There are two reasons for this. First, the manuals aren't kidding when they say that different brands of cases vary in volume. It can be dramatic at times. Be especially careful when switching to Remington and Fiocchi cases; they are lower in volume than other brands by a noticeable amount. (Fiocchi cases are fine on their own, but they are so different from other brands that they will cause serious problems if the seating die is not set for them.) Second, accuracy will be significantly degraded when shooting mixed headstamps in the same magazine, even in a service pistol like the CZ 75.
NOTE: This is probably the one subject on which CZF members have a significant difference of opinion. Many 9mm shooters do not sort by headstamp, or at least not for light practice loads. Personally, I definitely recommend this, particularly for new reloaders. It seems like more CZF members sort by headstamp than do not, but I have not counted.
C. Trimming Cases
Virtually no one trims 9mm brass. The general consensus is that you lose the cases too often for them to flow to maximum length. Also, it's too easy to mix trimmed brass up with other range pickups. Accuracy does suffer from ignoring case length. I have never found it necessary to trim 9mm cases when segregating lots of my own once-fired brass. Theoretically, they should all be the same length if each case in that lot was loaded the same each time, the same number of times. In practice, they aren't of course, but this is preferable to ignoring case length all together.
ScottB offered this advice: "I trim all my cases. This is scoffed at by some, but not all brass is equal length, even new brass from the same bag. You should do it once before your first loading, and never bother again. No better way exists than Lee's cheap little setup and a variable speed drill. The Ball stud cutter makes it even better."
I will say this about trimming cases. Many people who obtain better results with the Lee Factory Crimp Die in this cartridge are probably just "canceling out" the case length variations. No one ever complains about the extra step of the FCD, yet few people will take the trouble to trim cases.
In my honest opinion, you can't get away with both ignoring headstamps and ignoring trimming. Safety will become an issue at some point by ignoring both, and your accuracy will become inferior to commercial ammunition. I understand that 9mm accuracy is a relative thing. Obviously, no one is hand-weighing primers for 9mm, but at some point you would be better off throwing rocks if you keep cutting corners! In summary, sorting by headstamp should be done for both safety and accuracy reasons. Trimming 9mm is necessary for best accuracy and ease of loading (see Tips and Techniques below), but it generally will not be necessary for safety reasons if case lots are segregated.
D. Cleaning 9mm Cases
I am not aware of any volume 9mm reloader who does not clean his/her cases. Notice, I did not say "tumble their cases," but I would guess that over 80.0% of these people are using a tumbler or vibratory cleaner of some sort.
Obviously, a tumbler costs about as much as an entire Lee Anniversary Kit, so some people will need to consider other options until they care to spend the money. Fortunately, you have several, but they are all fairly labor intensive. These can be summed up as "dry cleaning" and "wet cleaning."
The simplest dry cleaning technique is to wrap about @300 9mm cases in a bath towel. (Too many or too few do not work nearly as well.) Make a rattail and roll the towel around on the floor with medium hand pressure for about five minutes and inspect. If they look pretty clean, you can stop; if not, keep going. If you are patient, you can actually clean cases pretty effectively this way. Remember to shake the crud out of the towel each time you check the cases.
Richard Lee advocates using steel wool or Scotchbrite to clean cases by hand. I have no doubt that this works well, but I can't imagine a more labor-intensive method.
Wet cleaning techniques are more common. There are a number of products designed specifically for this purpose. In the long run, using the Lyman cleaning solution will cost nearly as much as a tumbler and its associated costs (media and additive). Fortunately, you don't need to use the Hornady and Lyman cleaning solutions. You can even use soap and water. You will find a number of suggestions for household products for wet cleaning on the internet. Never use products that contain any ammonia whatsoever. These will damage the cases.
Obviously, the cases get wet when using a wet cleaning method; this is a major drawback that cannot be fully appreciated until you try to deal with 2,000 wet 9mm cases. You have to have some space and patience with this method. Air drying works best. You should never try to speed dry cases with anything except a lamp or hairdryer. An oven cannot hold a low enough temperature. Cases get very hot upon firing, but they aren't designed to heat up to 175-200 degrees and stay there for a while.
Here is a tip that I picked up from "http://www.reloadbench.com." You can obtain excellent results by cleaning cases with diluted or straight cider vinegar. I find that just enough straight cider vinegar to cover the cases works best. Here's how: 1) Deprime cases in a decapping only die (see below). 2) Place cases in a bucket or similar plastic container (has to be plastic or glass). 3) Cover the cases in cider vinegar. It can be slightly diluted, but don't get carried away. The acidity of the vinegar does all the work. 4) Soak for 20 minutes, no longer. Some agitation of the cases helps. 5) Immediately drain away the vinegar. You can reuse the vinegar once or twice, but I don't think it is worth the trouble. Corrosion will begin to occur if you leave the cases in vinegar indefinitely. 6) Rinse the cases thoroughly with water. 7) Drain; a collander helps. 8 ) Air dry. This works as well or better than any of the products marketed to reloaders or any of the "mystery formulas" I have seen on the internet (most of which use vinegar anyway). You can buy everything you need for $6-7 at the Dollar General store.
After the cider vinegar method, concoctions of soap, water, white vinegar, and lemon juice appear to work best. Essentially, this just adds acidity to white vinegar, giving it the same characteristics as straight cider vinegar. I don't see much point, as the soap just seems to make the cases harder to rinse off.
In my opinion, you almost have to deprime cases before using a wet cleaning system. There are some potential safety issues (see below in Primers). Perhaps even more importantly, wet cleaning does not work nearly as well with spent primers in place. Forget ever reusing a batch of cleaning solution; spent primers make a gruesome mess.
E. Lube with Carbide
In theory, you don't need to lube 9mm case when using carbide dies. In practice, several members do lightly lube 1 of 5 or 1 of 10 cases for ease of loading. The 9mm has a taper, and this causes new and/or clean cases to gall the carbide on the upstroke. You can see brass deposits on the carbide. This won't hurt anything at first, but over time it will effect the sizing or scratch the carbide insert. You can either clean the sizing die more often, or use a very slight amount of lube. This is usually only a problem with brand new brass or brass that has been polished by a tumbler.
Depending on which brand of media additive is used, this may not be necessary, because some of them leave a slight film on the cases. Cases cleaned with wet methods generally do not have this problem, either. Dirty cases won't need lube with carbide dies, as the nitro fouling acts as a dry lube. Dirty cases do eventually ruin a die on their own, however.
This is a hint I picked up from Richard Lee's Modern Reloading (1st ed.), page 56. Dilute 1 part Lee sizing lube with 10 parts rubbing alcohol (or water, alcohol evaporates more quickly). Put the mixture in a plant sprayer. Spray some cases with a light mist, let dry, and space them amongst the other cases to be sized. More than one in five is serious overkill.
CZF Member Mr. Phil does essentially the same thing, but he uses Hornady One-Shot case lube, an aerosol. He loads on a Dillon progressive and finds that this is easier on the loading arm. I also find that once the cases dry, some lube does actually speed up the loading process.
Both of these products share an important trait. They are applied wet, but are used after drying. This seems to be the secret to their success. Wet or greasy lubes cause their own set of problems.
F. Summary
Once-fired 9mm cases are an excellent source for cases, but some brands are better than others. Sort cases by headstamp for safety and accuracy reasons. Trimming cases is probably not absolutely necessary, but there are many benefits of doing so. Although the initial expense of a tumbler can be postponed, you need to clean the cases with some other method. Depriming cases prior to cleaning is probably not absolutely necessary, but it is also a desirable practice. Ultra clean cases sometimes benefit from a very small amount of dry lube.
III. Bullets
A. Bullet Materials
There are three basic types of bullet materials for 9mm Luger: jacketed, plated, and lead. The material that the bullet is made from has a greater bearing on performance than its shape.
Jacketed bullets are pure lead swaged into a cup of gilding metal, and most have exposed lead at base. The main advantages of jacketed are as follows: 1) No fouling from lead or lube; 2) The exposed lead will often cause the jacket to obdurate the bore; 3) Jacketed bullets are best for maximum velocities. The disadvantages are as follows: 1) Some copper fouling; 2) Gilding metal wears barrels faster than lead or copper plating. (This is more of a theoretical disadvantage than a practical one.); 3) FMJ bullets are the most expensive to manufacture. Jacketed bullets have a variety of subcategories, such as full metal jacket (exposed lead), full metal jacket (enclosed base), jacketed hollowpoints, and specialized types (i.e. semi-jacketed hollowpoints).
Plated bullets are pure lead bullets that have been electroplated with either copper or a cupro-nickel alloy. The main advantages of plated are as follows: 1) No fouling from lead or lube; 2) No exposed lead at the base, so no airborne lead for shooting indoors; 3) Plated bullets cost significantly less than FMJ bullets, but more than lead. The disadvantages are as follows: 1) Major copper fouling when loaded at jacketed velocities; 2) Minimal obduration (some manufacturers compensate with 0.3555-0.3560" bullets); 3) When reloading, plated bullets do better with data specifically developed for this bullet type, but such data can be hard to find. Many of the Speer premium bullets are electroplated (i.e. Gold Dot and TMJ designs), but the plating used is much harder and higher in copper content than other plated reloading bullets (i.e. Montana Gold, Berry's, and Rainier).
Lead bullets are pure solid lead or lead alloy bullets that have been lubed. These fall into two categories: swaged (pure lead or soft alloy) and cast (harder alloys). Swaged bullets are formed from pure lead or a very soft alloy in a succession of dies; reloaders can also buy swaging dies. Hard cast bullets are made from harder lead alloys that are melted and cast in bullet molds. The primary advantages of lead bullets are as follows: 1) Swaged lead bullets are by far the most economical bullets to manufacture, followed closely by hard cast lead bullets; 2) When the alloy is properly matched to the application, lead bullets are usually the most accurate, as they will fully obdurate the bore. Lead bullets have the following disadvantages: 1) Significant fouling from lead and lube; 2) Potential health hazards, both at the range and at the bench; 3) For all practical intents and purposes, swaged lead bullets cannot be used at velocities higher than 1,000 fps; 4) If the alloy is not properly matched to the pressure/velocity, hard cast bullets will also lead up a barrel at higher velocities. 5) When reloading, lead bullets are less convenient than other types and can make a mess of the seating die; 6) Some brands of lead bullets will lead the barrel no matter what, due to poor designs.
By and large, most experienced reloaders advocate the use of jacketed bullets for new reloaders. I have been reloading 9mm for just over four years, and I still find jacketed bullets to be the easiest to load. Jacketed bullets are easier to seat. Jacketed bullets are considered "normal" in 9mm Luger, so the data is the most developed.
Plated bullets are neither fair nor foul; they do better with data developed for them. Berry's MFG 9mm bullets are typically .356" to compensate for the obduration differences, which means that you must use lead data with these bullets. Rainier bullets are also slightly oversize at 0.3555," but they can pushed a little faster than Berry's. Using jacketed data with Berry's bullets will cause high pressures and major copper fouling.
Lead bullets are typically .356," and they require data specifically developed for them. Many CZ owners do not reload lead bullets. Although many people have obtained excellent results, others have found particular brands of lead bullets that simply will not group. The Hornady swaged bullets should not be loaded. They have a latticework to hold the lube instead of grooves, and the lattice breaks up in the CZ rifling. In addition to the mess, they will occasionally keyhole. Before buying a large quantity of commercial lead bullets, I recommend posting a new thread asking for feedback on that particular bullet. There are too many different issues to cover here.
Any pistol will shoot lead well if the alloy and lube are correctly matched to the load. Realistically, this almost requires casting your own bullets or spending some real time and effort working with a particular make/model bullet. I have had some limited success with resizing and relubing commercial cast bullets with Lee Alox.
B. Bullet Shapes
The bullet shape is sometimes confused with construction, as certain shapes are associated with certain materials. For example, the vast majority of full metal jacket bullets are round nosed. Until recently, most lead 9mm bullets were also round nosed or truncated cone. Plated bullets are a recent development, and they are available in virtually every shape.
Member CZ57 contributed the following chart, which gives the abbreviations for most of the available handgun bullet shapes and types. As this came from a discussion thread, I made a few additions for clarity:
FMJ- Full Metal Jacket
SWC- Semi-Wadcutter, also available jacketed.
FMJSWC-The two combined.
TMJ- Total Metal Jacket, actually an enclosed base plated bullet. (Speer)
RNSWC- Typically lead SWC with a round nose where the bearing surface is true caliber and the ogive is started from a smaller diameter.
DEWC- Double Ended wadcutter.
BNWC- Button Nose wadcutter.
BBWC- Bevel Base wadcutter.
HBWC- Hollow Base wadcutter.
FP- Flat Point, lead or jacketed.
RNFP- Roundnose Flat Point. (Don't ask me who thought that one up.)
TC- Truncated Cone, lead and jacketed.
JHP- Jacketed Hollow Point.
HP-XTP- eXTreme Performance JHP. (Hornady)
FP-XTP- Same with a soft or flatnose.
XTPBT- Same bullet in 9mm 147 gr. with a boattail
FMJBT- FMJ with a boattail. (Hornady)
FMJ-FP- FMJ with a flat nose. (Hornady)
GS- Remington Golden Saber. (another personal favorite)
GD- Speer Gold Dot, JHP; sometimes abbreviated as GDHP.
HS- Federal Hydra Shok, center post JHP
SXT- Winchester Supreme eXpansion Talon; a slightly modified Black Talon.
ST- Winchester Silver Tip ("WST" stands for "Winchester Super Target" powder.)
JHC- Jacketed Hollow Cavity. (Sierra)
X-Bullet - a HP made almost completely of copper, very deadly. (Barnes)
In general, powder selection has a greater bearing on accuracy than bullet shape, at least in 9mm. The main concern with bullet shape is the feeding issues in a semi-automatic pistol. Fortunately, the CZ will fire any reasonable bullet shape and cartridge overall length. (Obviously, it will not feed cartridges loaded with full wadcutters, provided you could find them in 9mm.) In accuracy terms, the CZs do not have a dramatic preference for a particular bullet shape, but fortunately, they do shoot all of them fairly well. Bullet shape does have a major impact on bullet seating (see Techniques below).
C. Bullet Weights
Bullet weight affects accuracy for a number of interrelated reasons. Bullet weight should also affect your loading technique, to some extent.
Rifled barrels have rates of twist, or how fast the grooves make one full 360 degree rotation. In the U.S., this is expressed in a ratio in inches. Thus, 1:16" means that the grooves will make one full rotation in a 16" barrel. 1:9" means that the rifling grooves make a full rotation within 9", which is known as a "faster" twist. At any rate, matching bullet weight to rate of twist is critical in rifles, and it does affect handgun accuracy, even though bullets rarely make one full rotation in a pistol.
All things being equal, heavier bullets have longer bearing surfaces, i.e. more bullet length engaging the rifling. A heavier bullet has to spin faster to stabilize, due to its greater weight and overall length. Heavy bullets fired with too slow of a rate of twist lose momentum and accuracy quickly. Early 9mm pistols had rates of twist that were quite slow, in the 1:12" to 1:16" range, since only 115gr FMJ bullets were available for some decades. CZ 9mms have a faster rate of twist of 1:9.75," which is intended for the 124gr weight, but is fast enough to stabilize 147gr bullets. The "ideal" rate of twist for 124gr is roughly 1:10."
Compared to rifles, handguns are extremely low in velocity, and matching the bullet weight to the rate of twist is not as important. In particular, the short effective ranges of most handguns prevent unbalanced bullets from creating significant deviations caused by too great or too little rotational force. Most importantly, handguns have some inherent features that degrade accuracy and precision: short sight radius, short barrels, light weight, etc. However, it does help to understand that just because 9mm has a wide range of available bullet weights doesn't mean that all will shoot equally well.
CZ 9mm pistols have a faster rate of twist than many other 9mm designs at 1:9.75" (as opposed to 1:10"-1:12," which is more common). This makes them better suited to 124gr and heavier bullets than most other 9mm pistols. This has been an important factor in their success, since most nations began switching over to 124gr bullets about twenty years ago. Commercial loads heavier than 124gr began to appear on the market at about the same time that CZ pistols became readily available in the West. Although 147gr loads are not as accurate in a 9mm CZ as bullets in the 115-135gr range, the CZs handle them much better than some of their competitors.
Most CZF members who reload have obtained better results with the 124gr bullet weight, but it has not been a dramatic difference between 115gr and 124 gr. 124gr bullets typically have longer bearing surfaces than 115gr, which also helps achieve better accuracy. Your first reloading efforts should probably be 115gr or 124gr FMJ-RN for ease of loading and an immediate improvement in accuracy over factory ammunition.
Like the Beretta 9mm pistols, the CZ pistols are known for accuracy with the 147gr bullet weight. However, there are some practical reasons for avoiding bullets heavier than 124gr for your first efforts.
As the bullet weight in 9mm exceeds 124gr, you begin to see a dramatic diminishing return in velocity. Since the bullet diameter cannot exceed .355," the extra weight comes from greater bullet length and a less aerodynamic bullet profile (different ogive). Since the loaded cartridge length cannot exceed the maximum of 1.169," the heavier bullets, which are longer, must displace available case volume. 9mm Luger has no case volume to spare; the available volume is only @0.7 cubic centimeters. All factors being equal, a heavier bullet will travel more slowly with the same powder charge. The problem is that all factors are no longer equal. The case has lost quite a bit of volume, which creates two further complications. 1) It can't hold as much powder anymore. 2) There is less room for the combusting gasses, which quickly raises internal pressures. These factors combine to significantly reduce potential velocity.
The 9mm Parabellum cartridge was originally designed as a 115gr load at @1,200 fps. The 147gr loads are such a radical departure from the original design and bullet profile that they often cause feeding and functioning problems when reloaded. In some 9mm pistols, the 147gr loads have a tendency to cause premature hold open, since the larger bullets often nudge the slide stop. CZs have relatively short chambers, so the reloader cannot "cheat" by loading at or around 1.16" OAL.
Rarely, 147gr loads can cause functioning problems due to their reduced slide velocity. A self-loader requires ammunition within certain ranges of velocity and pressure in order to cycle the action. Velocity is the most important aspect of this equation. As a cartridge fires, its head produces a roughly equal and directly opposite reaction against the breech face, which provides the recoil impulse to cycle the slide. If the velocity drops too low, the pistol can no longer operate correctly. This rarely happens with factory ammunition, but the 147gr loads at modest pressures and low velocities are flirting with the low end of reliability.
D. Summary
To sum up, 115gr and 124gr jacketed bullets are usually the best for learning the cartridge. Plated and lead bullets are good values for the volume shooter, but they are slightly more difficult to load for the novice. Lighter or heavier bullets do not have the same accuracy potential as the middle weights (115 and 124gr). Most self defense loads are in these two bullet weights for good reason. There is no specific bullet weight and/or shape that will compensate for poor powder selection or loading technique.
IV. Powders
A. Introduction
Smokeless powder has several characteristics that affect performance. The two most significant are density and burn rate.
Powder density has two separate meanings to the reloader. Volumetric density is an expression coined by Richard Lee, because "density" can be somewhat ambiguous. Load density refers to how much powder is in the case. Volumetric density is the volume displaced by one grain of a particular powder, or the density of that particular powder. Both are critical, which will be explained below.
Burn rate refers to how fast a particular powder combusts into propellant gases. In general, fast powders are better suited to low pressure loadings. Slower burning powders give higher velocities and more consistent results, especially in higher pressure loadings. Essentially, a slower burning powder also builds pressure more slowly, which keeps the peak pressure lower. This can be critical in order to realize the potential of heavy 9mm bullets. Slower powders tend to yield maximum load density. In 9mm Luger, powder burn rate seems to be the single most important characteristic for top accuracy, assuming correct loading techniques.
B. Powder Density and Volume
The most important property of either blackpowder or smokeless powder is that it also occupies volume in the cartridge case. In other words, one can think of powder in terms of charge weight and/or volume. Charge weight is a convenient way to measure powder, and it is usually the most accurate with current equipment. However, thinking solely in terms of powder weight will limit your results. Consider the fact that all powder measures and similar equipment dispense powder by volume, not weight.
The relationship between available case volume and the volume of the powder is known as load density. A high load density means that there is little or no airspace in the case. A low load density means that the powder occupies less of the case volume, resulting in some airspace. Slower burning powders tend to yield higher load density, because they require heavier charge weights and are "bulky" (lower volumetric density). In other words, the charge weight is heavier (more grains), and each grain also takes up more space as compared to most fast burning powders.
It is very important that the reloader understands the relationship between mass and volume. As the charge weight increases, the load density increases, so there is less airspace. Either factor alone would raise pressure significantly. Obviously, more powder generates more energy, raising pressure. Less obvious is that more powder occupies more space, which also raises pressure, as the expanding gases have less available volume. However, these factors cannot be isolated, and 9mm has a relatively small case. It is extremely important to work up loads properly and safely with 9mm. Certain fast burning powders can cause dangerous pressures with extremely small increases in charge weight.
9mm Luger was designed for use with smokeless powder. In practical terms, this means that most powders intended for handgun use will work in 9mm and yield decent load density. For purposes of comparison, let's look at .38 Special, which was designed for use with blackpowder. Blackpowder has a low volumetric density (a grain takes up more space) and a high charge weight, as compared to the more efficient smokeless powders. This means that .38 Special and similar cartridges (.44 Special, .45 Colt, etc.) have too large a case volume for many smokeless powders. .38 Special is also low in pressure, which means that a faster burning powder will be required. Faster powders use lower charge weights and yield a low load density. All this adds up to a problem. Typical .38 Special charges are less than 4 grains of powder, creating far too much airspace. Low load density of this type can cause major problems. If the powder is strung out through the large case, it may not all ignite at the same time or at all. If it does, it will burn unevenly, more like a fuse. Powder may not even contact the primer at all.
Again, this is never a major concern with 9mm, as the case volume is so small, less than 0.7 cc (cubic centimeters). Fortunately, this also means that it is fairly easy to find an optimal load. A higher load density, or even slight compression, tends to yield better accuracy with extruded powders. The powder position issues discussed above are not a factor. Since 9mm is a fairly high-pressure cartridge, or 35,000 psi max SAAMI standard, it is better suited to medium to slow burning powders. This means that maximum load density (little or no airspace, no compression) is obtainable with most powders commonly used in 9mm. The only downside is that 9mm is so flexible that handloads developed using faster powders will still shoot better than factory ammunition, and many reloaders do not experiment with the slower powders more suitable for the cartridge.
Nobel-Vectan ball powders must never be compressed. There must be some airspace in the cartridge case even if it is only the infinitesimally small spaces between grains of powder. Nobel-Vectan specifically warns against compressing their ball powders, as their smaller spheres will pack too densely. Instead of igniting consistently, the primer drives the charge like a piston, which can create dangerously high pressures. 9mm data using ball powder will sometimes seem artificially conservative; this is because some publishers also do not list compressed loads. In particular, I have noticed that Winchester no longer lists compressed loads with W-231. Extruded and flake powders can be compressed, and accuracy may even improve with slight compression. The shape of the powder prevents it from packing tightly into the case.
With extruded and flake powders only, maximum load density or slight compression can even provide an added safety margin. For example, Alliant Unique and IMR SR 4756, which are medium and medium-slow burning extruded powders, will yield near maximum load density at typical factory velocities. Max load density will yield velocities and pressures higher than factory ammunition, and slight compression yields a lower end +P cartridge. With these two powders, the 9mm case cannot hold enough powder to exceed +P maximum pressure in the midweight bullets, no matter how hard you try. This means that a dangerous overcharge is impossible; the case just can't hold enough powder. Max load density does not permit the bullet to set back when it hits the feed ramp; there is no space. Compression can sometimes cause "bullet creep," as the compressed powder returns to its original shape, forcing the bullet to creep forward from the case. A firm crimp can overcome this problem. A load at or just under max load density will not creep, no matter which type of crimp is used.
Remember, Nobel-Vectan ball powders must never be compressed.
C. Powder Burn Rates
Before proceeding, it may be helpful to consult the following link:
"http://www.reloadbench.com/burn.html"
This webpage provides some definitions and a burn rate chart to which I will refer.
The Norma Reloading Manual contains an article on smokeless powders written by Sven-Eric Johansson of Nexplo/Bofors. I mention this because it is by far the best treatment of the subject I have ever seen; it even includes photographs detailing every step of the manufacturing processes.
Mr. Johansson defines burn rate as follows:
"The linear burning rate of a propellant is the rate at which the chemical reaction progresses via both thermal conduction and radiation. The burning rate is equivalent to the distance (normal to the burning surface of a powder grain) burned through in a unit of time. This varies not only with composition, pressure, temperature, and physical structure of the powder (i.e. porosity,density), but also with the shape of the powder grain. Powder with a high calorific value burns faster than powder with a low calorific value" (102).
Due to their higher calorific value, fast burning powders also tend to produce more heat as a form of wasted energy. There is a direct geometrical progression between maximum chamber temperature and burn rate as the burn rate increases (becomes "faster"). Environmental factors such as ambient air temperature and relative humidity also affect burn rate. Ammunition generates higher peak pressures on hot, dry days by increasing the powder's burning rate. Leaving loaded cartridges in direct sunlight has a similar effect.
In ballistic terms, the slowest practicable powder will generate more uniform internal ballistics, lower chamber pressures, lower chamber temperatures, and higher velocities. Slower powders require heavier charge weights and often have a low volumetric density. To clarify, this means that the heavier charge is also relatively bulky, because one grain of the powder also takes up more space. Some powders are too slow burning for 9mm, because the case cannot hold enough of that particular powder.
The working pressure of the cartridge is the most important factor in selecting the correct burn rate. A higher peak pressure equates to a slower burn rate. 9mm has a relatively high peak pressure for a handgun cartridge: 35,000 psi SAAMI and 38,500 psi SAAMI +P. This means that the slower burning powder can combust more slowly and build pressure in a slow, uniform, geometric progression. This allows for more gradual and complete acceleration at a lower relative pressure and temperature. Conversely, a low pressure cartridge like .38 Special requires a faster burning powder with a higher calorific value. Slower powders will not ignite and combust evenly at such a low working pressure.
By consulting the burn rate chart at "http://www.reloadbench.com/burn.html" and comparing it to your reloading manuals, you will make some immediate observations. Although you will find published loads using Norma R-1 (#1, the fastest burning powder) to Alliant 2400 (#67, extremely slow for handgun applications), the vast majority of the published loads use the powders in the #6 to #63 range, or Alliant Bullseye to Accurate Arms No. 9. I personally recommend nothing faster than #20, Winchester Super Target. I have obtained my best results with powders in the #35 to #60 range, or Alliant Unique to Alliant Blue Dot. Due to their properties, powders in the #20-#60 range will all yield acceptable load density and velocities equal to or higher than factory ammunition.
These statements are all generally true, but some powders have peculiar characteristics. For example, Alliant Unique generates relatively high chamber temperatures for its burn rate. Universal Clays, which is theoretically identical to Unique, does not generate as much heat, but tends to generate a higher peak pressure. Unfortunately, this can be load or cartridge specific, and you will have to learn by experience which powders will work best in your particular pistol. However, this is half the fun as well.
In summary, best accuracy in 9mm Luger is usually obtained by using a medium to medium slow burning powder that allows for a high load density. With a Nobel-Vectan ball powder or any powder with exceptionally small grains or spheres, some airspace is desirable for safety reasons. With an extruded powder, maximum load density (little or no airspace) or even slight compression usually yields the best accuracy at a velocity higher than most factory loadings.
First of all, Let me say that the following was taken from another internet forum, and is posted as a general discussion topic.
I do not load 9mm at present, so I or CGN, can't vouch for it's validity.
http://czechpistols82792.yuku.com/topic/11027/t/HANDLOADING-TIPS-for-9mm.html
HANDLOADING TIPS for 9mm
The following is a compilation of handloading tips for 9x19mm that have been contributed by CZF Members. I have given credit to individual members when they are directly quoted, but the majority of the text represents the general consensus of several dozen reloaders who also own CZs. I want to thank everyone who has contributed to the CZF Reloading Forum over the years. There is a wealth of knowledge here that has helped me, and I hope this "compilation" will be useful to new reloaders in particular.
Much of this information is generally applicable to all cartridges, but the 9x19mm (a.k.a. 9mm Luger, 9mm Parabellum, et al.) will be the only cartridge covered in this presentation.
The following is in no way intended to substitute for a reliable general reloading manual. I cannot begin to fully present all of the necessary information in this format. Without having read a general manual such as the Hornady, Lyman, or Speer offerings, much of this article will not even make sense, I'm afraid.
Contents
I. General Introduction
II. Cases
A. Brands
B. Sorting by Headstamp
C. Trimming Cases
D. Cleaning 9mm Cases
E. Lube with Carbide
F. Summary
III. Bullets
A. Bullet Materials
B. Bullet Shapes
C. Bullet Weights
D. Summary
IV. Powder
A. Introduction
B. Powder Density and Volume
C. Powder Burn Rates
D. Other Considerations
E. Some Thoughts on Powder Selection
F. Summary
V. Primers
A. Primer Types and Characteristics
B. Primer Brands
C. Primer Seating
D. Safety Concerns
E. Summary
VI. Tips and Techniques
A. Powder Safety and Selection
B. Die Selection
C. Press Selection
D. Bullet Selection and Seating
E. Overall Length
F. Crimping
VII. Parting Shots
I. General Introduction
9mm may be my favorite cartridge to reload. I mention this because 9mm has a bad reputation with some older reloaders. Thirty years ago, few people reloaded 9mm, and suitable components were difficult to obtain. Older Hornady manuals give load data using 158gr .357" diameter bullets! Most of the inexpensive brass was military surplus, which posed its own difficulties. Few people loaded for semi-autos in general in those days, so reloaders would frequently encounter problems with crimp, etc. 9mm came to be known as a "tricky" cartridge to reload.
By and large, this is no longer valid. The availability of quality components is at an all time high. A lot has changed in the last thirty years, and 9mm is now the most frequently reloaded handgun cartridge in the U.S. Dies, techniques, and powder selection have also improved during this same period.
9mm is a direct descendant of the first smokeless handgun cartridges, and it was never intended to be used with black or semi-smokeless powders. It is somewhat peculiar in that it is actually a 7.65x21mm (.30 Luger) cartridge cut down to accept a 9mm (.355") bullet. (The slight body taper of 9mm is a result of this conversion.) For these reasons, case volume is relatively small for a cartridge that peaks at 35,000 psi (SAAMI standard). 9mm is not forgiving of carelessness. A new reloader should not be concerned about loading 9mm as their first cartridge, but he or she should understand that it does have a smaller margin for error than some other common cartridges.
II. Cases
A. Brands of Cases
Once-fired 9mm cases are as common and as cheap as dirt. This can be a mixed blessing. Pitch any case that is in any way suspect. This is good advice in general; take it to an extreme with 9mm. It's too common to fool with a damaged case mouth, strange brand, etc.
The vast majority of brands of 9mm cases are suitable for reloading and very high in quality. They have to be, because many foreign manufacturers simply slap a commercial headstamp on their military cases. That said, don't even bother with a headstamp that you don't recognize as a major player. This is not for safety or quality reasons so much as consistency. You may never find another 50 "Dominion" 9mm cases ever again. When you are first starting out, small lots of cases like this are useful, but they aren't worth fooling with when loading in quantity.
CZF members prefer the following brands of cases, in no particular order:
1. Sellier & Bellot (headstamp "S&B");
2. Federal (headstamp "FEDERAL");
3. Winchester (headstamps "WINCHESTER," "W-W," "WCC," etc.);
4. Norma (headstamp "NORMA");
5. Israel Military Industries (headstamps "IMI," "TZ," and "UZI");
6. Starline (headstamp is two stars separated by a line);
7. Speer/CCI (headstamps "SPEER," "CCI");
8. Dynamit Nobel/GECO (headstamp "GECO");
9. Magtech (headstamps "CBC," "MAGTECH");
10. Hornady (headstamps "HORNADY," "FRONTIER");
11. PMP (headstamps "PMP," "DENEL").
The above brands of cases are not exactly equal in all respects, however. Speer/CCI cases are easier to load with CCI primers. Speer and Federal cases are not available as new component cases. Hornady is usually not worth the extra expense for new component cases. Starline is only available as new brass; IMI and Hornady might as well be, even though they do load factory ammunition. S&B has relatively tight primer pockets, particularly if you do not remove all of the lacquer. Norma cases are the most highly regarded, but they are now extremely rare in the U.S., as neither 9mm component cases nor factory ammo have been available for some time. On the bright side, most of the GECO 9mm uses cases manufactured by Norma. PMP commercial cases (blue boxes) are fine, but military PMP/Denel 9mm cases have Berdan primers.
CZF members generally consider the following brands to be less desirable for reloading purposes:
1. Remington (headstamps "R-P," "UMC," etc.);
2. Fiocchi (headstamp "FIOCCHI");
3. PMC (headstamp "PMC");
Remington brass is softer than the other major U.S. brands. Fiocchi has several idiosyncrasies, such as shorter than normal case length. Once-fired PMC brass can require chamfering. These are all good cases for reloading purposes, but not quite as desirable as the previous eleven.
Do not attempt to reload cases with the "A-Merc" "American," or "AAA" headstamps. They are substandard in every regard. No one at CZF has any direct experience with "Ultramax," but their cases are probably similar to A-Merc. Many people advise against reloading 9mm NATO brass. There is usually a primer crimp to remove, even if it is not Berdan primed. If it is brass from a high pressure submachine gun load, it may not be suitable for reloading.
The general consensus is that your own once-fired brass is the best source for 9mm cases. The best values from a reloader's standpoint are probably value packs of Winchester USA 115gr FMJ or case quantities (1,000 rounds) of S&B 115gr FMJ and GECO 124gr FMJ. S&B and GECO are less common. Depending on where you shoot, it may be difficult to avoid mixing up your cases when shooting Winchester headstamps. In my own opinion, GECO cases are the highest in quality, but they do not appear to significantly improve accuracy.
CZF members who buy significant amounts of new component cases appear to prefer Starline, Winchester, and IMI, in that order. There is some evidence that IMI makes many of the Winchester 9mm cases, but we cannot directly confirm this. IMI/TZ headstamp brass is less expensive than Starline or Winchester. I generally buy IMI cases because no one else at my range uses them.
B. Sorting by Headstamp
DO sort cases by headstamp. Whenever you switch headstamps, back your load off by as much as either 10% or at least 0.3gr of powder if you are anywhere near a max load. Work up the load all over again with the new case type. There are two reasons for this. First, the manuals aren't kidding when they say that different brands of cases vary in volume. It can be dramatic at times. Be especially careful when switching to Remington and Fiocchi cases; they are lower in volume than other brands by a noticeable amount. (Fiocchi cases are fine on their own, but they are so different from other brands that they will cause serious problems if the seating die is not set for them.) Second, accuracy will be significantly degraded when shooting mixed headstamps in the same magazine, even in a service pistol like the CZ 75.
NOTE: This is probably the one subject on which CZF members have a significant difference of opinion. Many 9mm shooters do not sort by headstamp, or at least not for light practice loads. Personally, I definitely recommend this, particularly for new reloaders. It seems like more CZF members sort by headstamp than do not, but I have not counted.
C. Trimming Cases
Virtually no one trims 9mm brass. The general consensus is that you lose the cases too often for them to flow to maximum length. Also, it's too easy to mix trimmed brass up with other range pickups. Accuracy does suffer from ignoring case length. I have never found it necessary to trim 9mm cases when segregating lots of my own once-fired brass. Theoretically, they should all be the same length if each case in that lot was loaded the same each time, the same number of times. In practice, they aren't of course, but this is preferable to ignoring case length all together.
ScottB offered this advice: "I trim all my cases. This is scoffed at by some, but not all brass is equal length, even new brass from the same bag. You should do it once before your first loading, and never bother again. No better way exists than Lee's cheap little setup and a variable speed drill. The Ball stud cutter makes it even better."
I will say this about trimming cases. Many people who obtain better results with the Lee Factory Crimp Die in this cartridge are probably just "canceling out" the case length variations. No one ever complains about the extra step of the FCD, yet few people will take the trouble to trim cases.
In my honest opinion, you can't get away with both ignoring headstamps and ignoring trimming. Safety will become an issue at some point by ignoring both, and your accuracy will become inferior to commercial ammunition. I understand that 9mm accuracy is a relative thing. Obviously, no one is hand-weighing primers for 9mm, but at some point you would be better off throwing rocks if you keep cutting corners! In summary, sorting by headstamp should be done for both safety and accuracy reasons. Trimming 9mm is necessary for best accuracy and ease of loading (see Tips and Techniques below), but it generally will not be necessary for safety reasons if case lots are segregated.
D. Cleaning 9mm Cases
I am not aware of any volume 9mm reloader who does not clean his/her cases. Notice, I did not say "tumble their cases," but I would guess that over 80.0% of these people are using a tumbler or vibratory cleaner of some sort.
Obviously, a tumbler costs about as much as an entire Lee Anniversary Kit, so some people will need to consider other options until they care to spend the money. Fortunately, you have several, but they are all fairly labor intensive. These can be summed up as "dry cleaning" and "wet cleaning."
The simplest dry cleaning technique is to wrap about @300 9mm cases in a bath towel. (Too many or too few do not work nearly as well.) Make a rattail and roll the towel around on the floor with medium hand pressure for about five minutes and inspect. If they look pretty clean, you can stop; if not, keep going. If you are patient, you can actually clean cases pretty effectively this way. Remember to shake the crud out of the towel each time you check the cases.
Richard Lee advocates using steel wool or Scotchbrite to clean cases by hand. I have no doubt that this works well, but I can't imagine a more labor-intensive method.
Wet cleaning techniques are more common. There are a number of products designed specifically for this purpose. In the long run, using the Lyman cleaning solution will cost nearly as much as a tumbler and its associated costs (media and additive). Fortunately, you don't need to use the Hornady and Lyman cleaning solutions. You can even use soap and water. You will find a number of suggestions for household products for wet cleaning on the internet. Never use products that contain any ammonia whatsoever. These will damage the cases.
Obviously, the cases get wet when using a wet cleaning method; this is a major drawback that cannot be fully appreciated until you try to deal with 2,000 wet 9mm cases. You have to have some space and patience with this method. Air drying works best. You should never try to speed dry cases with anything except a lamp or hairdryer. An oven cannot hold a low enough temperature. Cases get very hot upon firing, but they aren't designed to heat up to 175-200 degrees and stay there for a while.
Here is a tip that I picked up from "http://www.reloadbench.com." You can obtain excellent results by cleaning cases with diluted or straight cider vinegar. I find that just enough straight cider vinegar to cover the cases works best. Here's how: 1) Deprime cases in a decapping only die (see below). 2) Place cases in a bucket or similar plastic container (has to be plastic or glass). 3) Cover the cases in cider vinegar. It can be slightly diluted, but don't get carried away. The acidity of the vinegar does all the work. 4) Soak for 20 minutes, no longer. Some agitation of the cases helps. 5) Immediately drain away the vinegar. You can reuse the vinegar once or twice, but I don't think it is worth the trouble. Corrosion will begin to occur if you leave the cases in vinegar indefinitely. 6) Rinse the cases thoroughly with water. 7) Drain; a collander helps. 8 ) Air dry. This works as well or better than any of the products marketed to reloaders or any of the "mystery formulas" I have seen on the internet (most of which use vinegar anyway). You can buy everything you need for $6-7 at the Dollar General store.
After the cider vinegar method, concoctions of soap, water, white vinegar, and lemon juice appear to work best. Essentially, this just adds acidity to white vinegar, giving it the same characteristics as straight cider vinegar. I don't see much point, as the soap just seems to make the cases harder to rinse off.
In my opinion, you almost have to deprime cases before using a wet cleaning system. There are some potential safety issues (see below in Primers). Perhaps even more importantly, wet cleaning does not work nearly as well with spent primers in place. Forget ever reusing a batch of cleaning solution; spent primers make a gruesome mess.
E. Lube with Carbide
In theory, you don't need to lube 9mm case when using carbide dies. In practice, several members do lightly lube 1 of 5 or 1 of 10 cases for ease of loading. The 9mm has a taper, and this causes new and/or clean cases to gall the carbide on the upstroke. You can see brass deposits on the carbide. This won't hurt anything at first, but over time it will effect the sizing or scratch the carbide insert. You can either clean the sizing die more often, or use a very slight amount of lube. This is usually only a problem with brand new brass or brass that has been polished by a tumbler.
Depending on which brand of media additive is used, this may not be necessary, because some of them leave a slight film on the cases. Cases cleaned with wet methods generally do not have this problem, either. Dirty cases won't need lube with carbide dies, as the nitro fouling acts as a dry lube. Dirty cases do eventually ruin a die on their own, however.
This is a hint I picked up from Richard Lee's Modern Reloading (1st ed.), page 56. Dilute 1 part Lee sizing lube with 10 parts rubbing alcohol (or water, alcohol evaporates more quickly). Put the mixture in a plant sprayer. Spray some cases with a light mist, let dry, and space them amongst the other cases to be sized. More than one in five is serious overkill.
CZF Member Mr. Phil does essentially the same thing, but he uses Hornady One-Shot case lube, an aerosol. He loads on a Dillon progressive and finds that this is easier on the loading arm. I also find that once the cases dry, some lube does actually speed up the loading process.
Both of these products share an important trait. They are applied wet, but are used after drying. This seems to be the secret to their success. Wet or greasy lubes cause their own set of problems.
F. Summary
Once-fired 9mm cases are an excellent source for cases, but some brands are better than others. Sort cases by headstamp for safety and accuracy reasons. Trimming cases is probably not absolutely necessary, but there are many benefits of doing so. Although the initial expense of a tumbler can be postponed, you need to clean the cases with some other method. Depriming cases prior to cleaning is probably not absolutely necessary, but it is also a desirable practice. Ultra clean cases sometimes benefit from a very small amount of dry lube.
III. Bullets
A. Bullet Materials
There are three basic types of bullet materials for 9mm Luger: jacketed, plated, and lead. The material that the bullet is made from has a greater bearing on performance than its shape.
Jacketed bullets are pure lead swaged into a cup of gilding metal, and most have exposed lead at base. The main advantages of jacketed are as follows: 1) No fouling from lead or lube; 2) The exposed lead will often cause the jacket to obdurate the bore; 3) Jacketed bullets are best for maximum velocities. The disadvantages are as follows: 1) Some copper fouling; 2) Gilding metal wears barrels faster than lead or copper plating. (This is more of a theoretical disadvantage than a practical one.); 3) FMJ bullets are the most expensive to manufacture. Jacketed bullets have a variety of subcategories, such as full metal jacket (exposed lead), full metal jacket (enclosed base), jacketed hollowpoints, and specialized types (i.e. semi-jacketed hollowpoints).
Plated bullets are pure lead bullets that have been electroplated with either copper or a cupro-nickel alloy. The main advantages of plated are as follows: 1) No fouling from lead or lube; 2) No exposed lead at the base, so no airborne lead for shooting indoors; 3) Plated bullets cost significantly less than FMJ bullets, but more than lead. The disadvantages are as follows: 1) Major copper fouling when loaded at jacketed velocities; 2) Minimal obduration (some manufacturers compensate with 0.3555-0.3560" bullets); 3) When reloading, plated bullets do better with data specifically developed for this bullet type, but such data can be hard to find. Many of the Speer premium bullets are electroplated (i.e. Gold Dot and TMJ designs), but the plating used is much harder and higher in copper content than other plated reloading bullets (i.e. Montana Gold, Berry's, and Rainier).
Lead bullets are pure solid lead or lead alloy bullets that have been lubed. These fall into two categories: swaged (pure lead or soft alloy) and cast (harder alloys). Swaged bullets are formed from pure lead or a very soft alloy in a succession of dies; reloaders can also buy swaging dies. Hard cast bullets are made from harder lead alloys that are melted and cast in bullet molds. The primary advantages of lead bullets are as follows: 1) Swaged lead bullets are by far the most economical bullets to manufacture, followed closely by hard cast lead bullets; 2) When the alloy is properly matched to the application, lead bullets are usually the most accurate, as they will fully obdurate the bore. Lead bullets have the following disadvantages: 1) Significant fouling from lead and lube; 2) Potential health hazards, both at the range and at the bench; 3) For all practical intents and purposes, swaged lead bullets cannot be used at velocities higher than 1,000 fps; 4) If the alloy is not properly matched to the pressure/velocity, hard cast bullets will also lead up a barrel at higher velocities. 5) When reloading, lead bullets are less convenient than other types and can make a mess of the seating die; 6) Some brands of lead bullets will lead the barrel no matter what, due to poor designs.
By and large, most experienced reloaders advocate the use of jacketed bullets for new reloaders. I have been reloading 9mm for just over four years, and I still find jacketed bullets to be the easiest to load. Jacketed bullets are easier to seat. Jacketed bullets are considered "normal" in 9mm Luger, so the data is the most developed.
Plated bullets are neither fair nor foul; they do better with data developed for them. Berry's MFG 9mm bullets are typically .356" to compensate for the obduration differences, which means that you must use lead data with these bullets. Rainier bullets are also slightly oversize at 0.3555," but they can pushed a little faster than Berry's. Using jacketed data with Berry's bullets will cause high pressures and major copper fouling.
Lead bullets are typically .356," and they require data specifically developed for them. Many CZ owners do not reload lead bullets. Although many people have obtained excellent results, others have found particular brands of lead bullets that simply will not group. The Hornady swaged bullets should not be loaded. They have a latticework to hold the lube instead of grooves, and the lattice breaks up in the CZ rifling. In addition to the mess, they will occasionally keyhole. Before buying a large quantity of commercial lead bullets, I recommend posting a new thread asking for feedback on that particular bullet. There are too many different issues to cover here.
Any pistol will shoot lead well if the alloy and lube are correctly matched to the load. Realistically, this almost requires casting your own bullets or spending some real time and effort working with a particular make/model bullet. I have had some limited success with resizing and relubing commercial cast bullets with Lee Alox.
B. Bullet Shapes
The bullet shape is sometimes confused with construction, as certain shapes are associated with certain materials. For example, the vast majority of full metal jacket bullets are round nosed. Until recently, most lead 9mm bullets were also round nosed or truncated cone. Plated bullets are a recent development, and they are available in virtually every shape.
Member CZ57 contributed the following chart, which gives the abbreviations for most of the available handgun bullet shapes and types. As this came from a discussion thread, I made a few additions for clarity:
FMJ- Full Metal Jacket
SWC- Semi-Wadcutter, also available jacketed.
FMJSWC-The two combined.
TMJ- Total Metal Jacket, actually an enclosed base plated bullet. (Speer)
RNSWC- Typically lead SWC with a round nose where the bearing surface is true caliber and the ogive is started from a smaller diameter.
DEWC- Double Ended wadcutter.
BNWC- Button Nose wadcutter.
BBWC- Bevel Base wadcutter.
HBWC- Hollow Base wadcutter.
FP- Flat Point, lead or jacketed.
RNFP- Roundnose Flat Point. (Don't ask me who thought that one up.)
TC- Truncated Cone, lead and jacketed.
JHP- Jacketed Hollow Point.
HP-XTP- eXTreme Performance JHP. (Hornady)
FP-XTP- Same with a soft or flatnose.
XTPBT- Same bullet in 9mm 147 gr. with a boattail
FMJBT- FMJ with a boattail. (Hornady)
FMJ-FP- FMJ with a flat nose. (Hornady)
GS- Remington Golden Saber. (another personal favorite)
GD- Speer Gold Dot, JHP; sometimes abbreviated as GDHP.
HS- Federal Hydra Shok, center post JHP
SXT- Winchester Supreme eXpansion Talon; a slightly modified Black Talon.
ST- Winchester Silver Tip ("WST" stands for "Winchester Super Target" powder.)
JHC- Jacketed Hollow Cavity. (Sierra)
X-Bullet - a HP made almost completely of copper, very deadly. (Barnes)
In general, powder selection has a greater bearing on accuracy than bullet shape, at least in 9mm. The main concern with bullet shape is the feeding issues in a semi-automatic pistol. Fortunately, the CZ will fire any reasonable bullet shape and cartridge overall length. (Obviously, it will not feed cartridges loaded with full wadcutters, provided you could find them in 9mm.) In accuracy terms, the CZs do not have a dramatic preference for a particular bullet shape, but fortunately, they do shoot all of them fairly well. Bullet shape does have a major impact on bullet seating (see Techniques below).
C. Bullet Weights
Bullet weight affects accuracy for a number of interrelated reasons. Bullet weight should also affect your loading technique, to some extent.
Rifled barrels have rates of twist, or how fast the grooves make one full 360 degree rotation. In the U.S., this is expressed in a ratio in inches. Thus, 1:16" means that the grooves will make one full rotation in a 16" barrel. 1:9" means that the rifling grooves make a full rotation within 9", which is known as a "faster" twist. At any rate, matching bullet weight to rate of twist is critical in rifles, and it does affect handgun accuracy, even though bullets rarely make one full rotation in a pistol.
All things being equal, heavier bullets have longer bearing surfaces, i.e. more bullet length engaging the rifling. A heavier bullet has to spin faster to stabilize, due to its greater weight and overall length. Heavy bullets fired with too slow of a rate of twist lose momentum and accuracy quickly. Early 9mm pistols had rates of twist that were quite slow, in the 1:12" to 1:16" range, since only 115gr FMJ bullets were available for some decades. CZ 9mms have a faster rate of twist of 1:9.75," which is intended for the 124gr weight, but is fast enough to stabilize 147gr bullets. The "ideal" rate of twist for 124gr is roughly 1:10."
Compared to rifles, handguns are extremely low in velocity, and matching the bullet weight to the rate of twist is not as important. In particular, the short effective ranges of most handguns prevent unbalanced bullets from creating significant deviations caused by too great or too little rotational force. Most importantly, handguns have some inherent features that degrade accuracy and precision: short sight radius, short barrels, light weight, etc. However, it does help to understand that just because 9mm has a wide range of available bullet weights doesn't mean that all will shoot equally well.
CZ 9mm pistols have a faster rate of twist than many other 9mm designs at 1:9.75" (as opposed to 1:10"-1:12," which is more common). This makes them better suited to 124gr and heavier bullets than most other 9mm pistols. This has been an important factor in their success, since most nations began switching over to 124gr bullets about twenty years ago. Commercial loads heavier than 124gr began to appear on the market at about the same time that CZ pistols became readily available in the West. Although 147gr loads are not as accurate in a 9mm CZ as bullets in the 115-135gr range, the CZs handle them much better than some of their competitors.
Most CZF members who reload have obtained better results with the 124gr bullet weight, but it has not been a dramatic difference between 115gr and 124 gr. 124gr bullets typically have longer bearing surfaces than 115gr, which also helps achieve better accuracy. Your first reloading efforts should probably be 115gr or 124gr FMJ-RN for ease of loading and an immediate improvement in accuracy over factory ammunition.
Like the Beretta 9mm pistols, the CZ pistols are known for accuracy with the 147gr bullet weight. However, there are some practical reasons for avoiding bullets heavier than 124gr for your first efforts.
As the bullet weight in 9mm exceeds 124gr, you begin to see a dramatic diminishing return in velocity. Since the bullet diameter cannot exceed .355," the extra weight comes from greater bullet length and a less aerodynamic bullet profile (different ogive). Since the loaded cartridge length cannot exceed the maximum of 1.169," the heavier bullets, which are longer, must displace available case volume. 9mm Luger has no case volume to spare; the available volume is only @0.7 cubic centimeters. All factors being equal, a heavier bullet will travel more slowly with the same powder charge. The problem is that all factors are no longer equal. The case has lost quite a bit of volume, which creates two further complications. 1) It can't hold as much powder anymore. 2) There is less room for the combusting gasses, which quickly raises internal pressures. These factors combine to significantly reduce potential velocity.
The 9mm Parabellum cartridge was originally designed as a 115gr load at @1,200 fps. The 147gr loads are such a radical departure from the original design and bullet profile that they often cause feeding and functioning problems when reloaded. In some 9mm pistols, the 147gr loads have a tendency to cause premature hold open, since the larger bullets often nudge the slide stop. CZs have relatively short chambers, so the reloader cannot "cheat" by loading at or around 1.16" OAL.
Rarely, 147gr loads can cause functioning problems due to their reduced slide velocity. A self-loader requires ammunition within certain ranges of velocity and pressure in order to cycle the action. Velocity is the most important aspect of this equation. As a cartridge fires, its head produces a roughly equal and directly opposite reaction against the breech face, which provides the recoil impulse to cycle the slide. If the velocity drops too low, the pistol can no longer operate correctly. This rarely happens with factory ammunition, but the 147gr loads at modest pressures and low velocities are flirting with the low end of reliability.
D. Summary
To sum up, 115gr and 124gr jacketed bullets are usually the best for learning the cartridge. Plated and lead bullets are good values for the volume shooter, but they are slightly more difficult to load for the novice. Lighter or heavier bullets do not have the same accuracy potential as the middle weights (115 and 124gr). Most self defense loads are in these two bullet weights for good reason. There is no specific bullet weight and/or shape that will compensate for poor powder selection or loading technique.
IV. Powders
A. Introduction
Smokeless powder has several characteristics that affect performance. The two most significant are density and burn rate.
Powder density has two separate meanings to the reloader. Volumetric density is an expression coined by Richard Lee, because "density" can be somewhat ambiguous. Load density refers to how much powder is in the case. Volumetric density is the volume displaced by one grain of a particular powder, or the density of that particular powder. Both are critical, which will be explained below.
Burn rate refers to how fast a particular powder combusts into propellant gases. In general, fast powders are better suited to low pressure loadings. Slower burning powders give higher velocities and more consistent results, especially in higher pressure loadings. Essentially, a slower burning powder also builds pressure more slowly, which keeps the peak pressure lower. This can be critical in order to realize the potential of heavy 9mm bullets. Slower powders tend to yield maximum load density. In 9mm Luger, powder burn rate seems to be the single most important characteristic for top accuracy, assuming correct loading techniques.
B. Powder Density and Volume
The most important property of either blackpowder or smokeless powder is that it also occupies volume in the cartridge case. In other words, one can think of powder in terms of charge weight and/or volume. Charge weight is a convenient way to measure powder, and it is usually the most accurate with current equipment. However, thinking solely in terms of powder weight will limit your results. Consider the fact that all powder measures and similar equipment dispense powder by volume, not weight.
The relationship between available case volume and the volume of the powder is known as load density. A high load density means that there is little or no airspace in the case. A low load density means that the powder occupies less of the case volume, resulting in some airspace. Slower burning powders tend to yield higher load density, because they require heavier charge weights and are "bulky" (lower volumetric density). In other words, the charge weight is heavier (more grains), and each grain also takes up more space as compared to most fast burning powders.
It is very important that the reloader understands the relationship between mass and volume. As the charge weight increases, the load density increases, so there is less airspace. Either factor alone would raise pressure significantly. Obviously, more powder generates more energy, raising pressure. Less obvious is that more powder occupies more space, which also raises pressure, as the expanding gases have less available volume. However, these factors cannot be isolated, and 9mm has a relatively small case. It is extremely important to work up loads properly and safely with 9mm. Certain fast burning powders can cause dangerous pressures with extremely small increases in charge weight.
9mm Luger was designed for use with smokeless powder. In practical terms, this means that most powders intended for handgun use will work in 9mm and yield decent load density. For purposes of comparison, let's look at .38 Special, which was designed for use with blackpowder. Blackpowder has a low volumetric density (a grain takes up more space) and a high charge weight, as compared to the more efficient smokeless powders. This means that .38 Special and similar cartridges (.44 Special, .45 Colt, etc.) have too large a case volume for many smokeless powders. .38 Special is also low in pressure, which means that a faster burning powder will be required. Faster powders use lower charge weights and yield a low load density. All this adds up to a problem. Typical .38 Special charges are less than 4 grains of powder, creating far too much airspace. Low load density of this type can cause major problems. If the powder is strung out through the large case, it may not all ignite at the same time or at all. If it does, it will burn unevenly, more like a fuse. Powder may not even contact the primer at all.
Again, this is never a major concern with 9mm, as the case volume is so small, less than 0.7 cc (cubic centimeters). Fortunately, this also means that it is fairly easy to find an optimal load. A higher load density, or even slight compression, tends to yield better accuracy with extruded powders. The powder position issues discussed above are not a factor. Since 9mm is a fairly high-pressure cartridge, or 35,000 psi max SAAMI standard, it is better suited to medium to slow burning powders. This means that maximum load density (little or no airspace, no compression) is obtainable with most powders commonly used in 9mm. The only downside is that 9mm is so flexible that handloads developed using faster powders will still shoot better than factory ammunition, and many reloaders do not experiment with the slower powders more suitable for the cartridge.
Nobel-Vectan ball powders must never be compressed. There must be some airspace in the cartridge case even if it is only the infinitesimally small spaces between grains of powder. Nobel-Vectan specifically warns against compressing their ball powders, as their smaller spheres will pack too densely. Instead of igniting consistently, the primer drives the charge like a piston, which can create dangerously high pressures. 9mm data using ball powder will sometimes seem artificially conservative; this is because some publishers also do not list compressed loads. In particular, I have noticed that Winchester no longer lists compressed loads with W-231. Extruded and flake powders can be compressed, and accuracy may even improve with slight compression. The shape of the powder prevents it from packing tightly into the case.
With extruded and flake powders only, maximum load density or slight compression can even provide an added safety margin. For example, Alliant Unique and IMR SR 4756, which are medium and medium-slow burning extruded powders, will yield near maximum load density at typical factory velocities. Max load density will yield velocities and pressures higher than factory ammunition, and slight compression yields a lower end +P cartridge. With these two powders, the 9mm case cannot hold enough powder to exceed +P maximum pressure in the midweight bullets, no matter how hard you try. This means that a dangerous overcharge is impossible; the case just can't hold enough powder. Max load density does not permit the bullet to set back when it hits the feed ramp; there is no space. Compression can sometimes cause "bullet creep," as the compressed powder returns to its original shape, forcing the bullet to creep forward from the case. A firm crimp can overcome this problem. A load at or just under max load density will not creep, no matter which type of crimp is used.
Remember, Nobel-Vectan ball powders must never be compressed.
C. Powder Burn Rates
Before proceeding, it may be helpful to consult the following link:
"http://www.reloadbench.com/burn.html"
This webpage provides some definitions and a burn rate chart to which I will refer.
The Norma Reloading Manual contains an article on smokeless powders written by Sven-Eric Johansson of Nexplo/Bofors. I mention this because it is by far the best treatment of the subject I have ever seen; it even includes photographs detailing every step of the manufacturing processes.
Mr. Johansson defines burn rate as follows:
"The linear burning rate of a propellant is the rate at which the chemical reaction progresses via both thermal conduction and radiation. The burning rate is equivalent to the distance (normal to the burning surface of a powder grain) burned through in a unit of time. This varies not only with composition, pressure, temperature, and physical structure of the powder (i.e. porosity,density), but also with the shape of the powder grain. Powder with a high calorific value burns faster than powder with a low calorific value" (102).
Due to their higher calorific value, fast burning powders also tend to produce more heat as a form of wasted energy. There is a direct geometrical progression between maximum chamber temperature and burn rate as the burn rate increases (becomes "faster"). Environmental factors such as ambient air temperature and relative humidity also affect burn rate. Ammunition generates higher peak pressures on hot, dry days by increasing the powder's burning rate. Leaving loaded cartridges in direct sunlight has a similar effect.
In ballistic terms, the slowest practicable powder will generate more uniform internal ballistics, lower chamber pressures, lower chamber temperatures, and higher velocities. Slower powders require heavier charge weights and often have a low volumetric density. To clarify, this means that the heavier charge is also relatively bulky, because one grain of the powder also takes up more space. Some powders are too slow burning for 9mm, because the case cannot hold enough of that particular powder.
The working pressure of the cartridge is the most important factor in selecting the correct burn rate. A higher peak pressure equates to a slower burn rate. 9mm has a relatively high peak pressure for a handgun cartridge: 35,000 psi SAAMI and 38,500 psi SAAMI +P. This means that the slower burning powder can combust more slowly and build pressure in a slow, uniform, geometric progression. This allows for more gradual and complete acceleration at a lower relative pressure and temperature. Conversely, a low pressure cartridge like .38 Special requires a faster burning powder with a higher calorific value. Slower powders will not ignite and combust evenly at such a low working pressure.
By consulting the burn rate chart at "http://www.reloadbench.com/burn.html" and comparing it to your reloading manuals, you will make some immediate observations. Although you will find published loads using Norma R-1 (#1, the fastest burning powder) to Alliant 2400 (#67, extremely slow for handgun applications), the vast majority of the published loads use the powders in the #6 to #63 range, or Alliant Bullseye to Accurate Arms No. 9. I personally recommend nothing faster than #20, Winchester Super Target. I have obtained my best results with powders in the #35 to #60 range, or Alliant Unique to Alliant Blue Dot. Due to their properties, powders in the #20-#60 range will all yield acceptable load density and velocities equal to or higher than factory ammunition.
These statements are all generally true, but some powders have peculiar characteristics. For example, Alliant Unique generates relatively high chamber temperatures for its burn rate. Universal Clays, which is theoretically identical to Unique, does not generate as much heat, but tends to generate a higher peak pressure. Unfortunately, this can be load or cartridge specific, and you will have to learn by experience which powders will work best in your particular pistol. However, this is half the fun as well.
In summary, best accuracy in 9mm Luger is usually obtained by using a medium to medium slow burning powder that allows for a high load density. With a Nobel-Vectan ball powder or any powder with exceptionally small grains or spheres, some airspace is desirable for safety reasons. With an extruded powder, maximum load density (little or no airspace) or even slight compression usually yields the best accuracy at a velocity higher than most factory loadings.
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