Favorite 9mm recipe

[che]

I think my favorite general purpose reload for my High Power was the Speer 125 grain swaged LRN. 3.5 grains of Bullseye worked and that was basically the load I learn to reload on and that was the way I could afford to shoot that 9mm. Eventually I bought cast lead bullets which was even cheaper. 

That was in 1982 and law enforcement started to get interested in 9mm. I would go to the outdoor range after a department had a "Autoloader Course" and I was the only one picking up 9mm brass. So I had quite a stash of once fired 9mm brass.  

[gt40doc]

My two common loads for 9mm are:

(1) 115gr FMJ with 5.9-6.0 gr of Power Pistol  (very accurate in my guns)

(2) 115gr FMJ with 5.5-5.6 gr of Unique Powder  This load works well in all of my guns

[scattershot]

I like either 124 or 147 grain bullets, usually plated from Xtreme Bullets. Imuse 4.0 Red Dot with either bullet, for a mild shooting load.

[huntershooter]

Range load:
124 gr. Precision Delta or Zero JHP, CCI SPP, 4 gr. Titegroup, Win./Speer case.

"Serious" Ammo:
124 gr. XTP, 6.8 gr. HS-6, CCI SPP, Win. case.
+P load.

[rock185]

I haven't loaded much 9MM in recent years, but back in the day, loaded many thousands of rounds of 9MM. I used several of the medium speed and slower powders. Back then, my most used 9MM recipes with 115 and 124/125 grain jacketed bullets were 6 grains of Unique for 1200-1300 FPS and 7 grains of Herco for 1300-1400 FPS. These loads would probably be considered +P or +P+ nowadays;)

[bart]

Alliant BE-86 with 9mm 120-124 gr bullets;

Lead target loads:4.7gr
FMJ/JHP: 5.4gr

[CXM]

I have loaded a LOT of 9x19mm ammo over the years... I reached a couple of conclusions about reloading 9mm.

1. For plinking I used 115gr bullets... including a lot of cast and a lot of plated as well as some jacketed. None of them were very particular about the powder I used in them. I would load to a chronographed velocity of about 1,100 fps. I could use any of the fast powders... Bulls-eye, W231, AA2, AA5, Unique, Universal, Herco, HP38, 800X (I worked up a load for 800X but never loaded it because of it's wretched metering) and others. All gave acceptable accuracy for practice use. Basically I used whatever powder could be had the cheapest.

2. Cast bullets can be very accurate, but in recent years I can buy plated bullets for less than cast.

3. 115gr seemed to be more accurate than 124/5 grain.

4. S&B cases were a nuisance to use, but produced very consistent velocity.

5. Bullet brands matter... if you use cast bullets buy only bullets that are properly formed, correctly lubed, and of consistent weight.

6. I load 9mm on a Dillon press... the instruction folder that came with it said any primer was ok but to avoid CCI. I have done this and it has worked well.

FWIW

Chuck

[Jäger]

My old PPC load that would tear the X-ring out at 50 yards with all 24 rounds, using a Ransom Rest (no, not out of a HP).  I'm saying "old" because I haven't shot PPC for a while now, and Hornady no longer makes this bullet.  They advertise a slightly heavier one, which may or may not be just as accurate.

Federal brass
Federal primer
Hornady 121 gr. HAP
4.0 grs WW #231
C.O.A.L: 1.07"

Variants on that load were pretty common i.e. bullet & powder.  If you have a pistol capable of serious accuracy, ladder testing powder charges and crimp variations can make a big difference.

They land pretty close at 50 yards at where the Federal 147 gr HST does as well.  So a good practice load... but once my existing stock of bullets is gone, I guess I start all over again working up with another bullet.

Or not... maybe just "good enough for practice" will work.  Missouri Bullet has pretty good pricing on their cast bullets, quality is good, and they give a discount to veterans.  Can't beat that with a stick if you're not competing and needing the very best accuracy.  Maybe the favorite 9mm reload will be the least expensive reload...

Another popular bullet was the Zero 115 grainer JHP. A lot of PPC guys held the opinion you need a 1 in 32" twist to get the best accuracy out of the 115s; most are using custom barrels, however, and I think 1 in 16" is pretty standard for 9mms.

[CXM]

On the subject of 9mm bullets I forgot to add I now use X-treme copper plated bullets pretty much exclusively except for when I load HP bullets. X-treme makes some nice looking HP bullets and given the bullet is dead soft lead with a copper 'shell' around it I think the X-treme bullet might expand really well... but I'm not using the bullet until I can try it out...

Anyway, accurcy of plated bullest seems to be very good... I expect other brands such as Berry's would also perform well.

V/r

Chuck

[che]

X-treme Bullet fan here too.