9mm Powder Options, Please Help Quick!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Centurian22

Centurian22

Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2011
Messages
1,242
Location
Tennessee
I will be picking up a Taurus 24/7 G2 9mm (full size) with 4.2" barrel soon. I have brass and primers, I'm about to order 1,000 plated 115gr RN bullets from Rocky Mountain Reloading, but I need help with powder!

I placed an order with recobs last night, I'm going to try to edit my order if they'll let me (says they're on a 2 week delay so hopefully I can).

Here's what Hodgdons Data lists that's is also in stock at Recob's:
Hodgdon Titegroup
Hodgdon Longshot
IMR 700-x
IMR 800-X
IMR SR 7625
IMR PB

I have no experience with 9mm yet , just looking at economy (weight of charge) and velocity, and what I have heard talked about Titegroup seems top choice.

I'm not too concerned with metering but if it meters well that's a bonus. I don't shoot high volume (yet). I'll be charging either with a scoop or LEE PPM.

As stated above I will probably start with 115gr, but may move up to 124's or 147's if there is a reason so a powder that will carry over will be nice.

Thanks for any help!
 
Titegroup is fine for 9mm and is also as economical as it gets.

Problem to watch for....
Titegroup has VERY small case fill...VERY easy to get over/double charge with this powder.

Go slowly and carefully and inspect EVERY round for case fill. That said, TG is great powder.
 
PS... With plated bullets ('specially Berrys) I have found that I have to keep the load in the lower 25% of the range or I get keyholing. Plating just isn't as tough as a true jacket.
 
Good to know thanks! Yea I figured any that are economical will possibly have an increased chance to over / double charge. Staying in that lower 25% still cycles semi autos no problem though?
 
I don't load plated, but with jacketed Longshot is great stuff and is impossible to accidentally double charge without spilling out of the case. It's also an easy powder to manage pressures with, nice and slow burning. But it isn't a good plinking powder, nor is it economical due to the heavy charges it uses.

GS
 
When I started handloading ~~ 12 years ago, I tried every combination of bullet and powder in 9mm and worked up beyond published limits to some real failure.

CAUTION: The following post includes loading data beyond currently published maximums for this cartridge. USE AT YOUR OWN RISK. Neither the writer, The High Road, nor the staff of THR assume any liability for any damage or injury resulting from use of this information.

Blue Dot 124 gr.. my notes say it is a max book load of 8.2 gr and I found the max that would fit is 10.2 gr. It says I only tested to 9.7 gr.
There are no notes why I stopped at 9.7 gr.
Maybe the powder changed the OAL and I could see it was all a waste of time as there was not hope for anything but wimpy loads with this combination.
 
Upon further review the Longshot does seem to list better velocities in most if not all cases of the bullets I would be using and I like the idea of filling the case more / not being able to double charge. I was going to say the economy can't be THAT big of a deal but upon doing the math it works out to a difference of 300-500 extra rounds per 1lb of powder (and on recobs right now a $3.30 difference with Longshot being more expensive) depending on the bullet weight. Hrmmmmm something for me to think about while I wait for more replies on here and an email back from recobs.

Clark: Thanks for the info. Unfortunately there is no blue dot available from recobs at this time. With all your work ups of 9mm powders and bullets do you have any input on any of the powders that I listed above that ARE in stock?
 
Last edited:
There is no need to keep plated bullets in the lower 25% of jacketed data in 9MM. I routinely shoot them in the upper 25% range with excellent results. (As many do.) For a beginner to the caliber I recommend stopping at 75% of jacketed data.

Medium speed powders are best, but fast powders will work if you are work up slowly. Although I am not a fan, Titegroup will work for a lighter load and Longshot will make it hum if you wish. (Of the choices you list)
 
Powder

I have Loaded & shot lots of 115 Gr 9 MM in my Glock 19 & the best Powder after trying several was Ramshot Silhoutte which was Clean Burning & great accuracy.
 
I was able to get the order changed and added a 1lb bottle of Titegroup to try out. We'll see how that goes for now and Longshot can be next. Thanks for all the help! Still open to any others input as well for future loadings.
 
I use Titegroup for my 9's. Works for me.



Warning, the load listed below may exceed published data.

3.5 to 4 grains behind a 125 grain cast Round Nose. I prefer the 4 grain load myself. I shoot it in my Taurus PT709 and my Ruger BlackHawk.
 
Yep! Titegroup is one of what I use.

I started with IMR700x, it is a bulkier powder, and you cannot get a double load in the brass. I also have AUTOCOMP but kinda wanna keep that for my .45acp and .40's

Titegroup is good, kinda smelly, but if that is all you gotta worry about, well.:scrutiny:

btw, I just finished loading a bunch of 9mm with Titegroup, and at first I wanted to load with the Winchester Super Target, but could find really no published load data on it.

Now I could find some info from those who compared it to 231, or other powders on other websites, but for me if the Manufacturers data isnt there, I'm not gonna be the test subject for someone else's "recipe".:neener:

be safe.
 
Now I could find some info from those who compared it to 231, or other powders on other websites, but for me if the Manufacturers data isnt there, I'm not gonna be the test subject for someone else's "recipe".
Click to expand...
Look up Hodgdon load data and go from there. I have had much sucess with both powders and use them both when I can find them. titegroup is fairly easy to find right now.
My loads are within the published data and are on the starting side. When I shoot 125gr cast lead I use 3.5gr of titegroup or 3.7gr of 231/hp38. Soft and accurate. You can push plated a little more by about 2/10ths of a grain. Putting the bullet where you want it is the name of the game.
 
sexybeast said:
Look up Hodgdon load data and go from there. I have had much sucess with both powders and use them both when I can find them. titegroup is fairly easy to find right now.
My loads are within the published data and are on the starting side. When I shoot 125gr cast lead I use 3.5gr of titegroup or 3.7gr of 231/hp38. Soft and accurate. You can push plated a little more by about 2/10ths of a grain. Putting the bullet where you want it is the name of the game.
Click to expand...
Titegroup is great! I was talking about some Winchester Super Target that I have. AKA WST.

be safe
 
sexybeast said:
Titegroup! 3.7- 4.0gr for plated You will love it!
Click to expand...
I load my LCN/Plated 125gr to 3.7-3.9 titegroup, love it! Meters beautifully!
Can't go wrong with TG, and double charging is not a big concern with short pistol cartridges like 9mm-45acp. I do quadruple check with longer cases though, like 38spl/357mag where you can easily triple charge and not notice...
 
Titegroup! 3.7- 4.0gr for plated You will love it!
Click to expand...

+1 on that.... all my 9s love it.


besides, same load range works like a charm in my 40s - no need to adjust that powder measure ;)
 
Walkalong said:
There is no need to keep plated bullets in the lower 25% of jacketed data in 9MM. I routinely shoot them in the upper 25% range with excellent results. (As many do.) For a beginner to the caliber I recommend stopping at 75% of jacketed data.
Click to expand...
^^^
There is certainly nothing wrong with this.

If Recob's still has some Unique, I get good results out of my 9mm loads with it. No idea how fast they are moving though.
 
I really like Universal Clays for 9mm but none seems to be available right now. I bought some IMR7625 and IMR4756 with seem to be available. Shot some 9mm loaded with the 7625 today. 3.7 grns behind a MBC 125gr cone. Seems to shoot ok, does not seem "dirty". 7625 is a fine grained powder and seems to meter well. My Lee disk seems to leak a little bit but not much. (did not have this problem with Universal) As a note my disk was throwing charges .2 heavier than listed with my jar of this powder. .37 disk should be about 3.53 grns, getting 3.7 and occasional 3.8.

I have not loaded any of the 4756 yet.
Both of these seem to be available different places.

I have loaded Longshot for a friend of mine and it seems to meter well.

These are some VMDs (space occupied by 1 grain of powder in cc) that I have. Larger #= more space taken up by the same weigtht of powder.
VWD*grains required=dipper size in cc
Hodgdon
Longshot 0.08244
Titegroup 0.0847
Univer Clay 0.1099

IMR
700X 0.1343
PB 0.1205
SR4756 0.11
800X 0.1071
SR7625 0.1046

Alliant
UNIQUE 0.1092
Blue Dot 0.086
Red Dot 0.1408

Winchester
231 0.0931
Autocomp 0.07871

PS
Don't confuse Tightgroup with Titewad, different beasts.
As of a minute ago Recobs had Longshot, 7625 and 4756, PB, Red dot, 700x, 800x (which everyone seems to say meters poorly but I have not used any)
 
Last edited:
Here is a spreadsheet I find handy. There are no macros or VB code in the spreadsheet. Use the info at your own risk.

I would create worksheets in the workbook with info from manuals or powder manafactures sites in it as well as long as the data was not copyrighted and it is legally ok to do so.

To THR, ooppsss sorry missed the fact that .XLS is not ok to upload. Sorry if I caused any problems when uploading the .xls. Zipped up file.
 

Attachments

  • loads2.zip
    17.6 KB · Views: 29
Last edited:
I'm a dan of titegroup myself and have never had problems with it at all. Yeah, it's easier to double/overcharge a casing, but not if ooh pay attention. Titegroup is economical (notice I didn't say cheap exactly), clean, light, and lasts a nice while. It's the only thing I use in 9mm, and my preference in .40 and .45.
 
I used to use W231/HP-38 for 9MM, but a few years ago I also switched to Titegroup.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

kcofohio
  • Locked
Compiled (Not Exhaustive) List of Handgun Powders
2
Replies
30
Views
3K
Potatohead
Potatohead
Potatohead
  • Locked
Name That Powder
2
Replies
43
Views
1K
bluetopper
bluetopper
D
  • Locked
New to reloading and confused about powder measures
Replies
24
Views
1K
ranger335v
R
alrod013
  • Locked
Chance to get powder
Replies
13
Views
885
kcofohio
kcofohio
1TwistedGimp
  • Locked
Need a load check, pretty please...
Replies
10
Views
675
gamestalker
G
Back
Top