OP
OP
Catpop
Member
Thank you so much for your valued opinion!
115 gr Boolit 9mm Powder Choice
- Thread starter Catpop
- Start date
- Status
Dudedog
Contributing Member
With 4.7 being the MAX with a 124 I would have guessed 5 to 5.3 with a 115 but if you see primer cratering I think it's wise to not go any higher. (of course I am chicken)
Maybe WSF just does not play well with lead 115s (in your pistol or at all)
Since you have Universal, maybe time to give it a try?
Universal worked well for me with lubed lead 124s in 9mm
But then again I did say WSF worked well for me too
(It does honestly, with 125gr jacketed.)
Last edited:
Must be a lot of guys loading 9mm for 1911s and such with all of the recommendations for the fast powders like 231 and bullseye with that light bullet. For practical applications for use in modern firearms, like the bunch of striker fired pistols out now, you need something that generates some pressure and doesn't peak early. Unless you are intentionally making puff loads and tuning the pistol with springs, my general rule of thumb to insure cycling of modern pistols is light bullets slower powder. For a 115gr bullet, I'd be loading with something that has the burn rate along the lines of Accurate No. 7. If you move to 147s, something along the lines of Accurate No. 5. If you are using a 115 gr. bullet and are seeing signs of over pressure and not achieving the velocity you want, you need to move to a slower powder.
Just food for thought because I'm going by memory here. I haven't loaded 9mm in years because with the cost of lead, the savings of reloading 9mm isn't worth my time considering what you can get 9mm in bulk for these days. With that said, Accurate No. 7, Power Pistol (if they still make it), HS-6, just to name a few. In any case, unless you are intentionally loading puff loads, stay away from the fast powders like 231, bullseye, etc for light 9mm bullets. They peak fast and and you'll run into over pressure problems trying to get them to run right in a modern auto.
Just food for thought because I'm going by memory here. I haven't loaded 9mm in years because with the cost of lead, the savings of reloading 9mm isn't worth my time considering what you can get 9mm in bulk for these days. With that said, Accurate No. 7, Power Pistol (if they still make it), HS-6, just to name a few. In any case, unless you are intentionally loading puff loads, stay away from the fast powders like 231, bullseye, etc for light 9mm bullets. They peak fast and and you'll run into over pressure problems trying to get them to run right in a modern auto.
LiveLife
Member
Blame the use of faster powders to USPSA match shooters shooting minor 125 power factor loads.
But 130-135 PF loads that many match shooters load to are comparable to Winchester white box to cycle factory recoil springs.
While I have loaded 9mm with as slow as HS-6/CFE Pistol/AutoComp powders, I have gotten plenty high enough velocities with WSF and recently changed to BE-86 for greater velocities and accuracy. BTW, BE-86 has burn rate between Unique and Power Pistol with less muzzle flash. And Promo, which is a very fast burning powder, almost no muzzle flash - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.php?threads/need-low-flash-9mm-powder.809859/page-2#post-10357740
For my general purpose cheap range blasting ammo, I now use Promo (Same burn rate as Red Dot) with cheapest plated/jacketed bullets I can find. With RMR mixed pulled 115/124 gr plated RN and Promo, I can reload 9mm for less than half the cost of factory around $5/50. Even with new RMR 115 gr FMJ, I can get price down to $71.25/1000 shipped (bought in 4000 quantity with 5% THR discount) to reload 50 rounds for less than $6.
I think another reason for popularity of faster powders used for 9mm is the advent of 3-gun matches using Pistol Caliber Carbines (PCC). Since most PCCs use blowback action, they benefit from faster burning powders that USPSA match shooters prefer like WSF/BE-86 and faster, especially at 130-135 PF range.
In fact, I am currently doing load development for my carbines using RMR 95 gr FMJ with Promo and got 1" group at 45 yards - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...endence-from-work.853305/page-4#post-11387109
And of course, for match shooters reloading thousands of rounds a month, cost is a factor and using faster powders that use around 4.0 gr charge compared to slower powders that use around 5.0 gr is a significant factor year after year. Even for recreational reloaders who don't compete yet shoot a lot, this factor applies as well.
Myself and many THR members will disagree as W231/HP-38/Sport Pistol burn rate powders are often commonly recommended powders for those new to reloading, especially for 9mm. One of my reference 9mm loads for decades has been 115 gr FMJ/RN with 4.8 gr of W231/HP-38 loaded to 1.130" OAL and no pressure issues and has run reliably in various "modern" semi-auto pistols.
And I will recommend WSF/BE-86 and slower powders for higher velocity loads and W231/HP-38/Sport Pistol and faster powders like Titegroup/N320/IMR Target and yes, even faster Red Dot/Promo/Bullseye, for lighter target loads to use with factory recoil springs, even Glock/M&P compacts/subcompacts with stiffer recoil springs - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...-and-discussions.778197/page-10#post-10966508
Last edited:
OP
OP
Catpop
Member
Not chicken, but wise reloading practiceWith 4.7 being the MAX with a 124 I would have guessed 5 to 5.3 with a 115 but if you see primer cratering I think it's wise to not go any higher. (of course I am chicken)
Maybe WSF just does not play well with lead 115s (in your pistol or at all)
Since you have Universal, maybe time to give it a try?
Universal worked well for me with lubed lead 124s in 9mm
But then again I did say WSF worked well for me too
(It does honestly, with 125gr jacketed.)
Charlie98
Member
Been watching this thread with interest. I'm sort of in the same boat as the OP... I'm looking for a full power 9mm powder fired out of shorter (3" and 3.5") barrels, and that will also work well with 200grn 45ACP loads out of 4" barrels. It's proving a bit more difficult than I would imagine.... the short barrel being the kicker.
Unique is good, but at full power levels can get testy with cartridge OAL in the 9mm (in my experience,) and the shorter barrels are not the most efficient, but works well in full-sized 9's
I've tested BE-86 with 124grn plated bullets, but, again, it has been my experience that it is not efficient in the short barrels.
I'm currently using TiteGroup... trying to use up 2# I got during the Dark Ages. It works well, but I would not want to run it with plain cast bullets because of heat build up.
I currently have 3 test powders on the bench... SportPistol, W244, and WST. I know WST works well with the 200grn .45ACP, I don't know how well it will work in 9mm... WSF might be a better choice, at least for plated/jacketed bullets. One of the other members here (I forget who, off hand...) was testing SportPistol in the .45ACP and found it fairly position sensitive, but seemed to work well in 9mm. The Wild Card is W244... I'm hoping it turns out well, but only time (and trigger time!) will tell.
Unique is good, but at full power levels can get testy with cartridge OAL in the 9mm (in my experience,) and the shorter barrels are not the most efficient, but works well in full-sized 9's
I've tested BE-86 with 124grn plated bullets, but, again, it has been my experience that it is not efficient in the short barrels.
I'm currently using TiteGroup... trying to use up 2# I got during the Dark Ages. It works well, but I would not want to run it with plain cast bullets because of heat build up.
I currently have 3 test powders on the bench... SportPistol, W244, and WST. I know WST works well with the 200grn .45ACP, I don't know how well it will work in 9mm... WSF might be a better choice, at least for plated/jacketed bullets. One of the other members here (I forget who, off hand...) was testing SportPistol in the .45ACP and found it fairly position sensitive, but seemed to work well in 9mm. The Wild Card is W244... I'm hoping it turns out well, but only time (and trigger time!) will tell.
kmw1954
Member
Charlie98 two powders that I have found that work very well in both the 9mm and the 45acp are AA#2 and Ramshot Silhouette. I have been loading these with 115gr and 124gr plated bullets in the 9mm and with 185gr and 200gr plated in the 45acp.
OP
OP
Catpop
Member
I moved on from WSF to Ramshot Competition. WSF just didn’t work for me in my LC9.
I thought I was going on to Silhouette, but alas it was Competition I had in the powder locker.
I was pleased with performance but I was a hair over max 3.8 to get my best accuracy which was 5” at 20 yard rest.
I was pleased with both 231 and Competition.
Not sure where I’m going now, but I think I’m going to move up to 124 gr as I hear it is inherently a more accurate 9mm boolit.
Any comments?
I thought I was going on to Silhouette, but alas it was Competition I had in the powder locker.
I was pleased with performance but I was a hair over max 3.8 to get my best accuracy which was 5” at 20 yard rest.
I was pleased with both 231 and Competition.
Not sure where I’m going now, but I think I’m going to move up to 124 gr as I hear it is inherently a more accurate 9mm boolit.
Any comments?
MarshallDodge
Member
WST and Clay Dot are my two favorites.
MarshallDodge
Member
I like WSF behind a 124 jacketed bullet and use Clay Dot behind a 124 Poly coated bullet. Vihtavuori N320 is an excellent powder as well.
For me, 124 grain bullets are more reliable than 115, recoil pulse is softer, hits steel harder, and accuracy is better in some of my guns.
Charlie98
Member
I'm seeing AA load suggestions more and more, in fact, I've got an internet friend that uses AA almost exclusively.
Jackrabbit1957
Member
- Joined
- Apr 6, 2018
- Messages
- 2,865
5.4 grains Unique, 115 grain jacketed bullet.Works good in Beretta 92. 5.0 grains Unique 115 grain cast bullet, works great in Mauser Broom handle.
Dudedog
Contributing Member
Ok, WSF does work well for me with 124s, maybe give it a second chance with 124s (since you have it)
That way you can cuss me twice for suggesting it
That way you can cuss me twice for suggesting it
armoredman
Member
I have had excellent results with AA# 7 and Bullseye.
OP
OP
Catpop
Member
In the interim, I decided to give my old favorite Unique a go at it! 4.0 grains to start off with.
I’ve finished up the box of MBC and am now working on the last 1/3 box of OT. That will totally exhaust my 115 grain supply and I will then devote my efforts to 124 which seems to be a favorite among the thread.
BE is also one of my favorites so it might get a session if the boolits hold out!
I’ve finished up the box of MBC and am now working on the last 1/3 box of OT. That will totally exhaust my 115 grain supply and I will then devote my efforts to 124 which seems to be a favorite among the thread.
BE is also one of my favorites so it might get a session if the boolits hold out!
- Status
