Using H110 for 9mm luger

driller212

driller212

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Hey guys,

This powder shortage is killing me, and I have been scrounging to find a powder I have that can be used to load 9mm. I have learned that in the speer 8 manual there is a load for 9mm using 10.9 grains of H110. Now I would be shooting this out of a pistol. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? It is a slow burning powder, so it is likely that not all of it would be used before the bullet exits the barrel. I should probably just buy some ammo and save myself the grief, but I was curious what folks on here thought about this data.
 
trade the h110 powder you have for something faster. h110 is plenty desirable among the magnum shooters.

i didn't even think 11grs would fit in a case, so i tried and it does fit. to the top comes out to 14.5gr give or take a bit.
 
First I've head about using H110 for 9mm. Hopefully pistol powders start hitting the shelves soon. That'll make a fine Christmas miracle.
 
Not a combination that I would have considered. I only use it in the 30 Carbine for my Ruger Blackhawk. That's a differnt sort of beast, though.

Can't even find any of the VV stuff? That's often on the shelf of dealers who sell it. I suspect that there's too many guys like me who would go without rather than pay $50/lb for powder.
 
I would try it if there is actual data published in a manual. I wouldn't normally entertain H110 in 9mm, but beggars can't be choosers with the current powder situation.
 
I'd want to see that recipe in print before I even bother trying it. H110 needs a high pressure to burn well. I'm not sure that the amount used in a 9mm casing would provide that sort of pressure. It also frequently requires a Magnum primer to get it to burn well.

The issue would be that the small amount of powder and the way it burns could easily lead to inconsistent burns and inconsistent muzzle velocity as a result. And if it's inconsistent enough that you'd end up with inconsistent cycling of the slide.

On the other hand the proof is in the doing. If Speer has printed a load for it I'm guessing that they've tested enough of them that they can say that it's not an issue. But once again I'd want to see the recipe actually in print.
 
I agree with you on that one. Problem is the moment it hits the shelves, everyone is gunna buy up all that they can personally afford/get, then the shelves will be bare again.

Trinimon said:
First I've head about using H110 for 9mm. Hopefully pistol powders start hitting the shelves soon. That'll make a fine Christmas miracle.
Click to expand...
 
I use my H110 to reload for my .44 mag guns, but like someone said on here, beggars cant be choosers. There is literally no powder anywhere. I have driven to all of the local gun shops and all of them have next to nothing.
 
Speer #8 manual lists H-110 with 125 grain jacketed round nose bullet with cannelure. No loaded length is given other than seat to cannelure. Starting load 9.0 g. 924 fps, max 10.9 g. 1140 fps. From 4" barrel. It would not be my first choice in the 9mm--if you use it I would make sure the bullet was a tight fit in the case and use a solid taper crimp--H 110 and W296 like lots of bullet pull.
 
Hi driller212,

A few comments are in order, and hope it helps you as well.

1) Try some of the slower powders (slower than 231 and Bullseye) which are not popular for 9mmP, but should work way better than H110. These include WSF, AutoComp and Blue Dot. These will also give better velocity than the faster powders, especially with the heavier 124/125gr bullets. Unique may also work, but I find it does not flow well through my powder dispensers when working with small volumes as in 9mmP (it bridges = does not fall into the case).

2) Avoid using data from old reloading manuals. My oldest Speer manual is the #10 from 1979, so I do not know when the #8 was published. Some powders have changed its formulation/burning rate over the years, and old data may not be relevant today, and may even be dangerous. An example of this is the Unique powder. It is now supposedly cleaner burning than when Elmer Keith used it decades ago, and the burning rate has changed. My oldest Layman Reloading manual (1970) shows powder charges differing by 0.5gr for a max compared to the same load in Lyman #49, and velocities differ by up to 100ft/s, so take note. Only use modern reloading manuals for present day powders.

I do not know if the formulation for H110 has changed, but today H110 and Win 296 are the same powder, so this may help you.

3) Regarding the charge of 10.9gr of H110, this is not a LIGHT load for 9mmP as someone posted above. This is a maximum load for 9mmP. Yes, it would be a dangerously light load for 44 Magnum, but not for 9mmP.

I hope that a friendly CGN'er close by will help you.

RSA1
 
I did a little reading on the net so take this with a grain of salt...

H110 in 9 with light charges often results in the bullet not leaving the barrel. In heavy charges, something like 30% of the powder burns before the bullet exits, and improper ignition can lead to a stuck bullet. Heavy charges are compressed charges with tight crimps.

All said and done, it seems like an expensive way to make crapp 9mm loads.
 
This powder shortage sure makes me happy about the 8lb can of w231 I got a few months ago at The Shootist in St. Albert for 65 bucks. A sealed can from an estate sale....
 
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