reloading 9mm

eyesandfrootloops

eyesandfrootloops

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hey there I'm reloading 9mm with 125 gr. hard cast wolf bullets i want to use the powder i have Alliant Bullseye but can't seem to find any info on that specific powder for that grain bullet but they do supply info for the 124gr bullet should i just use that or should i just take the smallest load for the 125gr in my manual?
 
124gr data is fine, work up from the bottom as usual. If you weigh your bullets you may find they weigh + or - a little anyways.
 
Hi. The 124 grain data will be fine. So will 121 grain cast data(been loading 121 grain cast bullets with 3.5 grains of Bullseye for eons. Isn't particularly accurate out of my Inglis BHP, but it goes bang every time. My Inglis isn't particularly accurate anyway and have never bothered to work up the load properly.). A few grains of bullet weight won't matter.
Do not use jacketed bullet data though. Too much velocity for a cast bullet. The 124 gr Speer GDHP's Alliant's site lists are jacketed.
 
Im just about to start reloading 9mm, I have DRG 125 gr lead bullets, unique powder and clays powder, can anyone suggest a load? (also whats the OAL to use? seems like 1.090 has the best seating depth, but my books tell me 1.150.... really lost on the OAL and which one to use
 
OAL would be determined by your gun's barrel, mostly, what it likes for reliable feeding. In some cases, lower OAL is preferred, in others - greater. Lead bullets usually want to be loaded shorter.
Unique would be quite similar to Universal in burn rate but you CANNOT use load data for another powder!! Clays is a much faster powder meaning pressure will build up faster and to greater extend with heavier bullets.
It'd help to know what gun you load for.

Lookup loads on here: http://gunloads.com/modules.php?name=Gunloads&cmd=category&tid=2
if lucky, there will be one for you.

Ideally, thou, you need a chrono and run your loads thru it, and watch for pressure signs with each load/spent case.
 
OK, here is my setup:

Gun is a norinco NP-22, sig 226 clone, 4.25” barrel

Bullets are DRG 125 gr, 0.356” diam, ~0.609 length (not consistent):

Powders: Unique, clays


I bought 147 gr Winchester super-x factory rounds, OAL ~ 1.110-1.120 (not consistent)

I made up 2 cartridges (no powder) with my bullets:

One with 1.150 OAL which has the bullet “step down” a bit above the rim of the brass:
P1000705s.jpg


One with 1.115 OAL which has the bullet “step down” in line with the rim of the brass:
P1000702s.jpg


All 3 cartridges chamber in the barrel, and all 3 load in the magazine no problem.

So….. any further advice on which seating/ charge would be best.

Here is some reference data I found online/in books:

Alliant online reloading guide:
124 gr speer GDHP, unique, 1.120”, 5.8gr (max, 1180 fps)

Lee loading data that came with dies:
125 gr lead bullet, unique, 1.150", 5.3gr (start), 5.5gr (max, 1139 fps)

Hornady 7th ed reloading book:
124 gr LRN (.355"), unique, 1.090", 4.0gr (start, 900 fps), 5.0gr (max, 1100 fps)

124 gr FMJ-RN ENC (.355"), unique, 1.150", 4.0gr (start, 900 fps), 5.0gr (max, 1100 fps)

Lyman 49th ed book:
120 gr LRN (alloy #2), unique, 1.065", 4.0gr (start, 1013 fps, 27,300 CUP),
5.0gr (max, 1194 fps, 31,600 CUP)

Gunloads.com online load:
125 gr lead bullet, unique, 4.7gr (1145 fps)

Hodgdon online reloading guide:
125 gr LCN (.356"), Clays, 1.125", 2.9gr (start, 899 fps, 22,700 CUP),
3.3gr (max, 993 fps, 30,900 CUP)

125 gr sierra FMJ (.355"), Clays, 1.090", 3.5gr (start, 1010 fps, 28,000 CUP)
3.7gr (max, 1056 fps, 32,500 CUP)


Based on that, im thinking that ill go with 1.115 OAL and start with 4.0gr unique, and work up to 5.0gr, and then try 2.9gr clays and work up to 3.3gr…. Thoughts???

Either way I don’t want to charge too low for the bullet to get stuck in the barrel, or too hot that I destroy the gun/injure myself
 
luke s said:
OK, here is my setup:

Gun is a norinco NP-22, sig 226 clone, 4.25” barrel

Bullets are DRG 125 gr, 0.356” diam, ~0.609 length (not consistent):

Powders: Unique, clays


I bought 147 gr Winchester super-x factory rounds, OAL ~ 1.110-1.120 (not consistent)

I made up 2 cartridges (no powder) with my bullets:

One with 1.150 OAL which has the bullet “step down” a bit above the rim of the brass:
P1000705s.jpg


One with 1.115 OAL which has the bullet “step down” in line with the rim of the brass:
P1000702s.jpg


All 3 cartridges chamber in the barrel, and all 3 load in the magazine no problem.

So….. any further advice on which seating/ charge would be best.

Here is some reference data I found online/in books:

Alliant online reloading guide:
124 gr speer GDHP, unique, 1.120”, 5.8gr (max, 1180 fps)

Lee loading data that came with dies:
125 gr lead bullet, unique, 1.150", 5.3gr (start), 5.5gr (max, 1139 fps)

Hornady 7th ed reloading book:
124 gr LRN (.355"), unique, 1.090", 4.0gr (start, 900 fps), 5.0gr (max, 1100 fps)

124 gr FMJ-RN ENC (.355"), unique, 1.150", 4.0gr (start, 900 fps), 5.0gr (max, 1100 fps)

Lyman 49th ed book:
120 gr LRN (alloy #2), unique, 1.065", 4.0gr (start, 1013 fps, 27,300 CUP),
5.0gr (max, 1194 fps, 31,600 CUP)

Gunloads.com online load:
125 gr lead bullet, unique, 4.7gr (1145 fps)

Hodgdon online reloading guide:
125 gr LCN (.356"), Clays, 1.125", 2.9gr (start, 899 fps, 22,700 CUP),
3.3gr (max, 993 fps, 30,900 CUP)

125 gr sierra FMJ (.355"), Clays, 1.090", 3.5gr (start, 1010 fps, 28,000 CUP)
3.7gr (max, 1056 fps, 32,500 CUP)


Based on that, im thinking that ill go with 1.115 OAL and start with 4.0gr unique, and work up to 5.0gr, and then try 2.9gr clays and work up to 3.3gr…. Thoughts???

Either way I don’t want to charge too low for the bullet to get stuck in the barrel, or too hot that I destroy the gun/injure myself
Click to expand...

The primer itself will put the lead half way down the barrel so I wouldnt worry about the low end to much.
 
First, does your powder thrower work well with Unique? This is an excellent powder, but the flake does not throw well in some throwers. I find it does not work in a RCBS Uniflo or redding BR, but works well in a Lyman 55 and a Dillon.

Seating depth. This is one of two variables to sort out. The other is the powder charge.

The longest OAL you can use is determined by either your magazine or the chamber throat. If a laoded rounds is ejected with riffling marks, seat the bullet deeper, until the chamber throat does not touch. Note your book as the the MAX OAL for this gun/bullet.

After you have a powder charge that works relaibly and accurately (I would load 4.0, 4.3, 4.6 and 4.9 as a test - say 20 of each) then load this powder charge with your Max OAL and then 20 thou deeper, and see if one is more accurate or functions better.

I find some Norincos have short throated chambers, so the bullets have to be seated deeper than in other makes of 9mmm pistols.

For load development, Unique is the more forgiving of the two powders you lsited. It works very well over a broad range of pressures.
 
Ganderite said:
First, does your powder thrower work well with Unique? This is an excellent powder, but the flake does not throw well in some throwers. I find it does not work in a RCBS Uniflo or redding BR, but works well in a Lyman 55 and a Dillon.

Seating depth. This is one of two variables to sort out. The other is the powder charge.

The longest OAL you can use is determined by either your magazine or the chamber throat. If a laoded rounds is ejected with riffling marks, seat the bullet deeper, until the chamber throat does not touch. Note your book as the the MAX OAL for this gun/bullet.

After you have a powder charge that works relaibly and accurately (I would load 4.0, 4.3, 4.6 and 4.9 as a test - say 20 of each) then load this powder charge with your Max OAL and then 20 thou deeper, and see if one is more accurate or functions better.

I find some Norincos have short throated chambers, so the bullets have to be seated deeper than in other makes of 9mmm pistols.

For load development, Unique is the more forgiving of the two powders you lsited. It works very well over a broad range of pressures.
Click to expand...

I have a hornady powder thrower, and just got the pistol insert with micrometer (but have not tested it yet). The larger insert was not consisten so I would weight each load and trickle in some more if it was off, by far the slowest part of my loading.

Largest OAL for 9mm seems to be 1.169" from my books. I tried to set my OAL, for 1.115 but the round nose bullets were not perfect, and I could not get any consistent seating depth, since my die would make contact with the different bullets at various points cp: (might need to modify die seating surface....). This depth loads in my magazine and chamber without issue.

The rounds are in the tumbler right now, but I will look for rifling marks when they are done, dont think there will be any tho.

Loaded 4 different charges with Unique, 4.0, 4.2, 4.4, 4.6 gr (25 of each) and hit the range. The 4.4 gr were really nice and accurate and so were the 4.6 gr, but you could see a visible flame coming from the barell with 4.6 gr.

Will try to load more with 4.5 gr and seat them at max OAL, then 20 lower as suggested and see how that goes. Thanks for advice.
 
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