9mm using Clays

[Smokin Gator]

In the past it hasn't been easy to find a lot of 9mm load data using Hogdon Clays powder. Plus there hasn't been much data for 135gr lead rn in general. I've wanted to load using Clays because I have a lot of it. Trying to save Sport Pistol, Bullseye, WST for other calibers. Clays isn't the best for maximum loads but works for 9mm minor pf. Hogdon does now have data for the 135gr lead and other weights using Clays. I'd already been loading it and the data I came up with matches the Hogdon data

 

[Walkalong]

Hodgdon online data shows 2.9 to 3.4 with an ACME coated 135 Gr bullet at 1.150 OAL.

What's your question? Or are you just saying it works?

 

[Smokin Gator]

I was just saying that if I remember correctly they haven't listed much 9mm data with clays. Also in general there hasn't been data with other manufacturers for 135gr lead bullets, coated or not. Lots of data for 124-125 or 147gr lead but not until recently for the 135gr lead. It does work.

 

[JEBruns]

They've listed 9mm loads for a long time for Clays. I have a 1993 Hodgdon reloading book that shows Clays loads for 115 and 124 grain bullets. Wife and I like it for our range shooting, probably our favorite powder. Low flash, low recoil. So we shoot it a lot in our various 9's, and I have quite a bit of it.

 

[Highland Lofts]

Here locally you can't find any Clay's and the Cowboy Shooting Action guys love it.
A friend just traded 550 pounds of processed lead a eight pound jug of clays on Saturday.

 

[Bill M.]

I think the Clays will work fine in 9mm. My 9 mm is a revolver so all loads work pretty well in it. Clays is a very scarce and expensive powder now and you could sell it for a premium price if you have a good supply and are so inclined. Tigegroup sure works in a variety of calibers.

 

[MarshallDodge]

Alliant Clay Dot is a good substitute. That is what I run behind a 135 Blue Bullet.

 

[9mmepiphany]

Clays is a very scarce and expensive powder now and you could sell it for a premium price if you have a good supply and are so inclined.

That never occurred to me to check the current pricing as I've always had a couple of extra 8lb jugs on hand, Don't expect I'll need more soon as I'm using it mostly to load .38Spl since I switched my 9mm loads to N310 and e3. I might have to reevaluate that since i recently started loading .45ACP with it.

 

[slickracer]

I'm a big fan of Clays and started using it for 12 gauge target loads when it was introduced. I'm afraid it's a distant memory once my current keg is used up. I haven't seen it sold for years.

 

[JEBruns]

I'm a big fan of Clays and started using it for 12 gauge target loads when it was introduced. I'm afraid it's a distant memory once my current keg is used up. I haven't seen it sold for years.

Yeah, that's where I first started using it too. It was a nice surprise when I started loading big quantities of 9mm that it crossed over and worked so well.

 

[Bill M.]

There is no Clays available now to buy since they have not made it for 3 years. So "current pricing" is what the market will bear. I used Clays for many years in my shotgun target loads and for cast bullets in revolvers. But...have found substitutes for both that work fine.

 

[WeekendReloader]

I use Clays with a 125gn powder coated cast bullet. It's one of my favorite and accurate loads. One bottle of Clays will load a whole lot of 9mm.

 

[dcarr]

3 years, i certainly missed that info, works very well with .45acp 230gr rn in my blackhawk. Got maybe a quarter of one lb jug left. Will miss it. But lots of fast pistol powders can do the job.

There is no Clays available now to buy since they have not made it for 3 years. So "current pricing" is what the market will bear. I used Clays for many years in my shotgun target loads and for cast bullets in revolvers. But...have found substitutes for both that work fine.

 

[JEBruns]

There is no Clays available now to buy since they have not made it for 3 years.

I had not heard that either. I wonder why? They still show it on their website, so it seems they have not discontinued it.

So "current pricing" is what the market will bear. I used Clays for many years in my shotgun target loads and for cast bullets in revolvers. But...have found substitutes for both that work fine.

True, there are other good powders to take its place.

 

[entropy]

Hmm....might use the pound I have for 9mm when I get to loading that. I have 1 pound of Clays I got from an auction a while back, and I have plenty of Red and Green Dot for Trap loads.

 

[lordpaxman]

Clays in light pistol caliber loads has always been one of my favorite but there’s no data for the 9mm and heavier (147) bullets. I saw that as Hodgdon either didn’t test it or they did and decided Clays didn’t play well in that particular region of its characteristics.

That and my Hornady LNL measure didn’t like Clays flakes all that well and I had poor consistency in dispensing small amounts. It seemed like the flakes would hang up between the rotor and the housing every once in a while. Most flake or flattened spherical powders did this. I developed loads for 9mm 124gr but decided there were other powders that would work. My icore friends always had good luck with Dillon measures and clays at those settings, now that I have one I might go back and try it.

 

[9mmepiphany]

That and my Hornady LNL measure didn’t like Clays flakes all that well and I had poor consistency in dispensing small amounts

How small are the "small amounts" you are talking about?

I've used the Hornady LNL powder measure for several thousand rounds of .38Spl throwing 3.2grs of Clays for a 170gr coated bullet for my competition load. I've used the same charge in .45ACP under a 230gr plated bullet for a revolver as a plinking load. A fairly standard charge for Action Pistol competition with a 1911 is 3.6grs under a 230gr slug.

Are you referring to charges which are a lot smaller?

 

[MarshallDodge]

How small are the "small amounts" you are talking about?

I've used the Hornady LNL powder measure for several thousand rounds of .38Spl throwing 3.2grs of Clays for a 170gr coated bullet for my competition load. I've used the same charge in .45ACP under a 230gr plated bullet for a revolver as a plinking load. A fairly standard charge for Action Pistol competition with a 1911 is 3.6grs under a 230gr slug.

Are you referring to charges which are a lot smaller?

He isn't the only one. A good friend has an LNL and complains about how it throws small charges of pistol powder. I wonder if they just need a little polishing and tuning.

 

[9mmepiphany]

He isn't the only one. A good friend has an LNL and complains about how it throws small charges of pistol powder. I wonder if they just need a little polishing and tuning.

Well, it certainly isn't a easy to get it throwing a consistent charge as using a Ball Powder...like WST/WSF. You can't make a charge change, throw a couple of settling charges and expect it to be "on".

When using Clays and changing powder charge weights, I usually throw 10 -12 charges before weighing the charge weight again. Depending on the humidity level, I might even throw 15 before weighing the charge

 

[Smokin Gator]

Before Covid hit and the high prices and scarcity of reloading supplies occurred I tried to be stocked up. When I saw a good deal I'd make an order. Plus with hazmat and shipping I'd order powder that I didn't necessarily need right away to maximize paying the hazmat. Later when prices skyrocketed I realized I had unopened boxes from powder valley.

Finally I opened them and had 8 pound jugs of Clays and some primers. So I'm trying to load using the Clays as much as possible to save other more preferred powders for major matches, etc. Or for calibers like 40s&w where Clays isn't a good powder for major power factor loads. In 9mm with the smaller amount of powder used I do have to keep an eye on it for cases where the powder bridges and doesn't drop a full load.

 

[9mmepiphany]

In 9mm with the smaller amount of powder used I do have to keep an eye on it for cases where the powder bridges and doesn't drop a full load.

Which powder measure are you using where you're concerned about bridging?

I haven't encounter this, using Clays, with my Hornady LNL, RCBS Uniflow, or Lee Autodrum

 

[Howa 9700]

If OP is only shooting it to shoot it cause he has it, rather than making loads he really doesn't want or like, he may want to shop around to see if someone (like clay bird shooters) would be willing to trade him straight up for something more to OP's liking? Like Randy's mother talking to him about starving kids on the sub continent, there are lots of guys who would love to have that.

Lacking that, almost every load data source I have lists low velocity Clays loads in 9mm, but for 115 and 124 jacketed bullets. At 10 to 11 cents each, RMR and Precision Delta sell some really good bullets in those weights that go where they are aimed.

 

[Smokin Gator]

I use an rcbs uniflow. No problems with higher drop weights (45acp, 44 special, 45 Colt) but I occasionally (rarely) see it bridge with the lighter 9mm charge weight. I like Clays and Hogdon does list data for 135gr lead coated bullets now. But as I mentioned a lot of others don't list data for that weight lead bullet in 9mm. It's working fine for me and I have plenty of it. I've shot it in quite a few matches now.

 

[WeekendReloader]

I have trouble metering Clays out of my LEE PPM. I ended up using a hand dipper and scale to weigh every charge. It is slow, but I have time.

 

[dcarr]

Clays meters just fine out of my chargemaster lite