how about adding more barrel length on a Ruger PC9 carbine - trying to minimize drop

[omen]

Hi all,

(not sure if this is a 'green/black' rifle or a 'sporting/hunting one', I figured I'd start here )

I'm starting to have fun shooting my PC9 in rifle competition; being 9mm, I totally see the limitations or it, vs something .223, but it's fun! My question is this: if I wanted to minimize bullet drop (I"m thinking max of 100-150m, beyond that, forget it), what would be best: light bullet going fast, heavy bullet doing slower, etc... Without air resistance, drop would be just a function of time, in which case a faster bullet would drop less, but with air resistance, I guess the question is would a heavier bullet maintain speed much better than a lighter one, thus getting to the target faster despite the lower muzzle velocity?

Comments?

Thanks!

 

[G37]

Definitely light bullet going fast... I mean... look at the .223

The .45ACP carbines have the most drop, so that should answer your question. With that said, you're always going to be compensating for the 100m shots regardless of the bullet weight you choose.

 

[acrashb]

Assuming your gun is zero'd at 25 yards:

Weight, Type,                   Muzz Vel, Drop at 100
147,    Hornady HPBT XTP 35580, 873,      13.1"
115,    Remington MC,           1066,     8.1"
90,     Hornady HP/XTP 35500,   1282,     5.7"

Lighter is better. I have used conservative loads for this data and assumed a small red-dot sight relatively near the bore axis.

Your muzzle velocity will be better with hot loads and a long barrel. For example, the 90gr will be doing about 1860fps out of your 16 inch PC9 barrel with a stiff load of AA#5 and drop only about .8".

 

[Canuck223]

If you are buying ammo, than yes, the 115's will be your best bet.

If you are loading your ammo, you may want to use slower powders. The longer barrel with the lighter bullet can result in some pretty wicked bulged brass if you use faster powder.

 

[omen]

ok, cool, thanks! This also means that, if I want to use this rifle for that type of competition, putting a longer barrel on it is a definite plus (I was thinking about it, to make it non-restricted, but balked because of the cost). Hmm... any estimate what effect adding adding 4" of the barrel might have, on the muzzle velocity/etc?

Thanks again!

 

[Canuck223]

ok, cool, thanks! This also means that, if I want to use this rifle for that type of competition, putting a longer barrel on it is a definite plus (I was thinking about it, to make it non-restricted, but balked because of the cost). Hmm... any estimate what effect adding adding 4" of the barrel might have, on the muzzle velocity/etc?

Thanks again!

It's not worth the effort. The potential increase in velocity from a 20 inch barrel compared to a 16 inch isn't much with pistol calibers.

I would be willing to bet that if one was to start with a 20 inch tube, and hack off one inch at a time, the optimum barrel length would fall around 12 inches. Just a hunch.

 

[acrashb]

With a 115gr bullet and AA#5, adding 4" gets you an additional 39fps. Not worth doing. Different powders would give different results, none of them a lot better.

Taking the gun from restricted to non-restricted might be worth doing.

If you want to play 'what if' with loads, barrels etc, get a copy of QuickLoad from Neco. Then you aren't making costly decisions on a guess. For most powder/bullet/caliber combinations it's very close.

 

[Lazerus2000]

Pistol ammunition is usually loaded with fast powders, to get all the energy burned inside the short pistol barrels. Even so called carbine loads, which use slower powders, are probably all used up LONG before the end of your 16barrel. Increasing barrel length to increase velocity in Pistol ammunition is not going to get you much as the bu8llet is already coasting those last few inches.

You might consider ultralight bullets @ ultrafast velocities ....eg:
Aguila 9mm Luger IQ ammunition, 65gr @ 1550fps

9mm Luger (9x19mm) 65gr IQ HP Aguila Box 20 rds
$12.95
4102829

1550fps/347fpe! This new line of ammunition is loaded with the first intelligent bullet, made of an alloy (no lead) with a low specific weight. They're called intelligent bullets because they recognize the hardness of the target at the moment the projectile hits it, and in nanoseconds the projectile configures accordingly. Thus, if the target is very hard, the IQ bullet will have superior penetration while maintaining its weight and size. If the target is ballistic gelatin, it will not overpenetrate, transferring all the energy into the soft target, and breaking apart into three or four sharp fragments, each creating independent wound channels. Two additional features that make this high performance ammunition unique is that they can be fired in any firearm made for the corresponding caliber, without any modification to the firearm, and recoil is not greater than when shooting regular ammunition. The IQ line of ammunition was specially developed with personal defense and law enforcement applications in mind and it is also suitable for hunting

 

[omen]

hmmm.. ok, thanks... (is that Aguila ammo available in Canada?)