Berrys 124

[KYregular]

I have had really good luck loading Berrys 124 rn over 5.2 grains CFE Pistol, with an average OAL of 1.140. Anyone else have a load similar with different powders, etc. That has done well for you?

 

[Hokie_PhD]

I’ve used Berry’s and RMR bullets. I’m not an expert but haven’t seen much difference.
Having used both 115 and 124 I like the 124 best with BE86. I don’t recall the load, but if you search I know Jakes posted it. (It’s in my log also)

 

[KYregular]

I’ve used Berry’s and RMR bullets. I’m not an expert but haven’t seen much difference.
Having used both 115 and 124 I like the 124 best with BE86. I don’t recall the load, but if you search I know Jakes posted it. (It’s in my log also)

124 is a better all round load for 9mm IMHO. Never tried BE86 but probably will. I usually shoot my home range steel targets with Berrys or xtreme plated bullets. By far plated is the way to go with steel, cleaner than lead and takes a bettet charge, and no jacket flack form the targets.

 

[kcofohio]

I have had really good luck loading Berrys 124 rn over 5.2 grains CFE Pistol, with an average OAL of 1.140. Anyone else have a load similar with different powders, etc. That has done well for you?

I haven't shot many if any of their RN 124 gr. Have shot a lot of their FN 124 gr. with Silhouette. Some with CFE-P. IIRC, the COAL has been 1.060". Both powders like near max of a charge.
Though the 124 gr. probably is where to maximize the PF with a lot of powders, some may get better results with 115 or 147 gr. in their guns. I have generally stuck with 124 gr., but I'm going to test some 147 gr. and see where they take me. I don't think reloading will ever get boring!

 

[1KPerDay]

I've loaded and shot about 20K berry's 124 plated (and/or xtreme 124) over 4.6 Unique, and about 20K over 4.2 WST at 1.14-1.15" OAL. I went through 12 lbs of WST but I've run out. Loading W231 now, 4.2 grains. All work great.

 

[KYregular]

I haven't shot many if any of their RN 124 gr. Have shot a lot of their FN 124 gr. with Silhouette. Some with CFE-P. IIRC, the COAL has been 1.060". Both powders like near max of a charge.
Though the 124 gr. probably is where to maximize the PF with a lot of powders, some may get better results with 115 or 147 gr. in their guns. I have generally stuck with 124 gr., but I'm going to test some 147 gr. and see where they take me. I don't think reloading will ever get boring!

Thought about 147 myself

 

[Hondo 60]

Funny, we're this far into a thread & NO ONE has mentioned a caliber!
I take it we're talking about 9mm Luger.

4.0 gr of Titegroup with Berry's, Xtreme, RMR 124 gr plated.
They've all seemed to work well for me.

 

[KYregular]

Funny, we're this far into a thread & NO ONE has mentioned a caliber!
I take it we're talking about 9mm Luger.

4.0 gr of Titegroup with Berry's, Xtreme, RMR 124 gr plated.
They've all seemed to work well for me.

LOL, true.

 

[KYregular]

Funny, we're this far into a thread & NO ONE has mentioned a caliber!
I take it we're talking about 9mm Luger.

4.0 gr of Titegroup with Berry's, Xtreme, RMR 124 gr plated.
They've all seemed to work well for me.

Berrys 124 shoot better than xtreme in my CZ 9mm, but xtreme 230 grain shoot better in my 45 than Berrys. At least with the combos and powder I have used.

 

[CJ8281]

The only bullet that Berry's makes in 124 grain is their 9mm. The 38s are 125 grain.

 

[ray15]

I use the Berry's 115gr. RN with 5.6gr. of CFE-P @1.13", and the RMR 124gr. MPR HP over 5.2gr. of CFE-P @1.03". Both loads produce ~1150fps and shoot great for me. The MPR load is probably a bit over the standard 9mm Luger pressure limit, but less than the +P limit. I've got a BE86 ladder with the MPR bullet I'm going to chrono today and see if it can make a bit more velocity. It's hard to fault the CFE-P load otherwise.

 

[berettaprofessor]

I've used Berry's 124, both the PRN and the THP, with the OP's exact 5.2 grains of CFE pistol, but at OAL 1.150. Velocity 1071 fps with an 11 SD. I've also loaded them over 3.8 grans Win231 at 1.150, which makes an extremely soft-shooting load of 900fps.

 

[KYregular]

I've used Berry's 124, both the PRN and the THP, with the OP's exact 5.2 grains of CFE pistol, but at OAL 1.150. Velocity 1071 fps with an 11 SD. I've also loaded them over 3.8 grans Win231 at 1.150, which makes an extremely soft-shooting load of 900fps.

OAL varies when I load, mostly due to mixed headstamp brass probably. Target OAL is 1.140, but can vary form 1.36 to 1.45. Still shoot pretty close and good enough for steel shooting.

 

[ray15]

OAL varies when I load, mostly due to mixed headstamp brass probably. Target OAL is 1.140, but can vary form 1.36 to 1.45. Still shoot pretty close and good enough for steel shooting.

It's variation in the bullets, not the brass.

 

[The Mailman]

I'm shooting Berry's 115gr with 5.6gr BE-86, 1.135 COAL. Not too snappy and good accuracy out of a 4" and 3" barrel.

The 124gr is next on my list.

 

[Whiterook808]

I like 231 myself, it's my favorite pistol powder. I believe I am using 4.2 grains, but I do not have access to my log book here at work.

 

[Toprudder]

I've shot a LOT of Xtreme 115 RN in 9mm. Several different powders, but BE86 and Power Pistol are two of my favorites. AA#5 and #7, Shooters World Auto Pistol, HP38, N-320, Silhoutte, Universal, and Titegroup have also worked well. Lots of powders work well in 9mm.

I've also shot some Xtreme 124 RN and FP, as well as RMR 115 and 124 HM, and Bayou 124. I prefer the RN bullets as they seem to have less feeding issues in some of my guns. My 16" 9mm AR really likes the RMR 115 FMJ RN, but won't hardly feed any of the FP bullets I've tried.

 

[LiveLife]

OAL varies when I load, mostly due to mixed headstamp brass probably.

OAL variance of finished rounds comes from:

• Bullet tilting during seating (indicated by one-sided bulging of case neck)
• Bullet nose profile inconsistency from manufacture as most RN bullet seating stem pushes on the side of bullet/ogive rather than tip
• If reloading on progressive press, from shell plate tilt/deflection

Different headstamp cases contribute to OAL variance if they apply different resizing force on the shellplate of progressive press. If you are reloading on single stage press, using different headstamp cases should not attribute to OAL variance as limits of OAL is determined by maximum ram travel and bullet seating stem.

You can decrease OAL variance on progressive press by using already resized cases so you are only flaring case mouth and seating/crimping bullet which affect less force on shellplate.

Target OAL is 1.140, but can vary form 1.36 to 1.45.

I have found jacketed bullets produce less OAL variance than plated bullets due to more consistent nose profile and greater resistance to nose deforming against bullet seating stem. With many FMJ bullets, I get OAL swing of more than .005" loaded on progressive press. With RMR and other more consistent FMJ, less than .005". When using resized brass, I can get most of finished rounds to less than .003" OAL variance.

 

[KYregular]

OAL variance of finished rounds comes from:

• Bullet tilting during seating (indicated by one-sided bulging of case neck)
• Bullet nose profile inconsistency from manufacture as most RN bullet seating stem pushes on the side of bullet/ogive rather than tip
• If reloading on progressive press, from shell plate tilt/deflection

Different headstamp cases contribute to OAL variance if they apply different resizing force on the shellplate of progressive press. If you are reloading on single stage press, using different headstamp cases should not attribute to OAL variance as limits of OAL is determined by maximum ram travel and bullet seating stem.

You can decrease OAL variance on progressive press by using already resized cases so you are only flaring case mouth and seating/crimping bullet which affect less force on shellplate.


I have found jacketed bullets produce less OAL variance than plated bullets due to more consistent nose profile and greater resistance to nose deforming against bullet seating stem. With many FMJ bullets, I get OAL swing of more than .005" loaded on progressive press. With RMR and other more consistent FMJ, less than .005". When using resized brass, I can get most of finished rounds to less than .003" OAL variance.

Reloading on a Lee turret press, however I load single stage. I prefer to weigh every charge and see the powder in the case. Ogive is the reason for difference, measured on a comparator.

 

[Jonesy814]

I have shot a lot of Xtreme and RMR 124gr plated bullets using 5.3gr of CFE Pistol and the same OAL as the OP at 1.140. Its a nice shooting combo and I have used it in 3 or 4 9mm handguns

 

[LiveLife]

Ogive is the reason for difference, measured on a comparator.

Tilted seated bullets may look straight but will affect OAL and be measurable with a comparator.

Bullet comparator usually measure to start of rifling further down the bullet's ogive where as bullet seating stem contacts closer to the bullet tip. It's inconsistency of this portion of bullet and seating stem digging into the softer plated bullet core that will attribute to OAL variance.

If you send in the bullet you are using, Lee will make a custom shaped bullet seating plug to address this issue for $8 - https://leeprecision.com/custom-bullet-seating-plug.html

Many have used J-B Weld/epoxy to custom shape their bullet seating stems but your method must be precise or the bullet you are using to shape the epoxy may end up with tilted seating stem.

 

[LiveLife]

I have had really good luck loading Berrys 124 rn over 5.2 grains CFE Pistol, with an average OAL of 1.140. Anyone else have a load similar with different powders, etc. That has done well for you?

With Berry's 124 gr solid base RN, 4.0 gr of Titegroup has worked well to produce these shot groups at 25 yards - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...e-pistol-reloaders.746062/page-2#post-9382933

But 4.0 gr of WST and 5.2 gr of BE-86 have produced these shot groups for me at 25 yards (Hodgdon does not publish 9mm load data for WST so use my load at your own risk) - https://www.thehighroad.org/index.p...ick-plated-bullets.761471/page-5#post-9655361

 

[KYregular]

Tilted seated bullets may look straight but will affect OAL and be measurable with a comparator.

Bullet comparator usually measure to start of rifling further down the bullet's ogive where as bullet seating stem contacts closer to the bullet tip. It's inconsistency of this portion of bullet and seating stem digging into the softer plated bullet core that will attribute to OAL variance.

If you send in the bullet you are using, Lee will make a custom shaped bullet seating plug to address this issue for $8 - https://leeprecision.com/custom-bullet-seating-plug.html

Many have used J-B Weld/epoxy to custom shape their bullet seating stems but your method must be precise or the bullet you are using to shape the epoxy may end up with tilted seating stem.

I used a comparator on the bullet alone and there were some differences. If I sort bullets that way and load them with match brass etc. everything is spot on.

 

[CKweigand]

BDS those last pictures with the WST and BE 86 findings are those shot from a G17 or G19??? I have a hard time believing it was from a G22...However, I don’t doubt your mad reloading skills. How did you get a .356 bullet to be that accurate in a 40?all seriousness though nice shooting!

Update****I just inserted my foot in my mouth. Had no idea Kkm made conversion barrels....that’s AWESOME!!!!

 

[LiveLife]

CK thanks. As indicated on picture, Glock 22 with KKM 40-9 conversion barrel. I sold off my G17/19/26 long ago and replaced them with G22/23/27.

I have KKM/Lone Wolf conversion barrels for all the Glocks.