Just a little worried about my 9mm rounds

[Deacon_Man]

Guys I'm a little worried about the .9mm rounds I loaded this morning. Non of the data I looked at agreed. I was using Unique powder for the first time, I know it is slow burning compared to Red Dot and Bullseye I have been using. My data sources showed from 5.8 grns to 6.3 grns so I chose to use 6.0 grns. The 9mm casings when charged almost filled up to .125 of the top of the case. Is that correct ?? My OAL data showed from 1.090 to 1.125 . I took a factory round and measured it and it was 1.155. Well I desided to go with 1.120 OAL. Why does there have to be such a variance in the load data? I loaded 100 rounds this morning. So my question is do I shoot them or not? Feel free to critisize or give me your blessing to shoot the ammo.

[Alpo]

Bullet?

[Deacon_Man]

Sorry Alpo, I used 115 grn round nose FMJ.

[Alpo]

Lyman #47 says 115 jacketed, 4.4 to 5.8.

Alliant giveaway booklet says 115 FMJ 5.5 max.

9mm Loadmap gives max loads, depending on whose 115 FMJ you used (and it lists 16 different 115 grain bullets, some FMJ and some HP) thirteen 5.4 max, two 5.2 max and one 5.3 max.

Now, my Speer #12 says 5.2 to 6.3, but all my other books say that's waaay too damn hot.

Also my Loadmap says that 5.4 is a compressed load.

Me, personally, I'd not load anything over 5.2.

That's the reason why so many people recommend multiple manuals. I go with majority rule. With five saying max is 5.4 and one saying minimum is 5.6, I'd go with the five.

[carver]

Deacon Man, looks like that bullet puller might see some use!

[steve4102]

115gr Bullet.

Nosler #6, 6.1gr Max
Sierra #5, 6.6gr Max
Speer #13, 6.3gr Max
Alliant Online data, 6.3gr Max

You are up there, but you are by no means going to blow up your pistol with a 115gr bullet with 6.0gr of Unique. I shoot 6.0gr with 115gr MG and it's about as high as I want to go.

Lecture time! :)
I loaded 100 rounds this morning.

Never load more than a couple rounds before testing. Pulling a few is no big deal, pulling a 100 is a pain.

Personally, I would shoot them and see how they perform, but that's just me I also run with scissors.

[TheGunClinger]

Lee manual says 5.1g start and 5.5 max.
Lyman #49 says for 115gr JHP start 4.4 max 5.8
Speer #14 says start 5.6 and max 6.3
At least one manual says you are ok but I'd probably elect to pull them as they would be waay hot. Why risk anything? JMHO.

[TheGunClinger]

115gr Bullet.

Nosler #6, 6.1gr Max
Sierra #5, 6.6gr Max
Speer #13, 6.3gr Max
Alliant Online data, 6.3gr Max

You are up there, but you are by no means going to blow up your pistol with a 115gr bullet with 6.0gr of Unique. I shoot 6.0gr with 115gr MG and it's about as high as I want to go.

Lecture time! :)


Never load more than a couple rounds before testing. Pulling a few is no big deal, pulling a 100 is a pain.

Personally, I would shoot them and see how they perform, but that's just me I also run with scissors.
I also concur with Steve.

[Deacon_Man]

I'm going to take them to the indoor range. I wont use my Wather p38, but I do have a Taurus .9mm I think can handle a +p load if that is what I have made. Thanks for all the wisdom sharing.

[steve4102]

Lee manual says 5.1g start and 5.5 max.

The problem with Lee data is that it is Not Lee data, it is copied from other sources as they do not test loads.

My issue with Lee data is simple, people look up data from a reliable tested source and then check the Lee Manuel. Yup it's identical, must be good to go. Problem is the Lee data was most likely copied from the original source, so the handloader is actually loading from a single source. Not recommended in my book.

[medalguy]

You should be good. I load and shoot lots of 9mm 115 gr jacketed bullets in front of 5.9 gr of Unique and it shoots fine, and it's the most accurate load for two of my Beretta pistols. Remember the load tables have been adjusted downward in the past couple of years I guess because of the lawyers. Look in a manual 10 years old and you'll find higher loads which we all used for years. I think they have incrased the safety margin quite a bit lately. If you're shooting these in a gun in good condition, I think you'll be fine.

[TheGunClinger]

Thats why we use multiple manuals and sources.

[steve4102]

Thats why we use multiple manuals and sources.

Yup, and the Lee is not a source.

[gun-nut]

If some one has the Layman's 49th look and see if thats not for the rifle data. I boxed mine up for the roof repair. But i do know thers a small section for the 9mm carbine rifles.

[Twicepop]

You should be good. I load and shoot lots of 9mm 115 gr jacketed bullets in front of 5.9 gr of Unique and it shoots fine, and it's the most accurate load for two of my Beretta pistols. Remember the load tables have been adjusted downward in the past couple of years I guess because of the lawyers. Look in a manual 10 years old and you'll find higher loads which we all used for years. I think they have incrased the safety margin quite a bit lately. If you're shooting these in a gun in good condition, I think you'll be fine.

What he said, I've used 5.8 grains of Unique and a 115 grain bullet as my standard load for a number of years with no problems. Be careful of your over-all length of a loaded cartridge, because of the limited internal capacity of the 9MM pressures go up rapidly when the bullets are seated to short.

those who beat their guns into plowshares, will plow for those who didn't

[gdmoody]

If some one has the Layman's 49th look and see if thats not for the rifle data. I boxed mine up for the roof repair. But i do know thers a small section for the 9mm carbine rifles.

They don't give a load for Unique in the rifle section for 9mm, they do have 4 loads but not unique.

[JLA]

Make sure you alos reference the difference in OAL. most often a lower max charge is also accompanied by a shorter OAL.

But again, as stated my many oabove john, the only thing youve done wrong is loaded 100 without first testing a few.. You live and learn..

I also agree with steve, your 6 gr charges prolly aint gonna blow up your taurus..

[gun-nut]

They don't give a load for Unique in the rifle section for 9mm, they do have 4 loads but not unique.

Thanks!;) Could not remember off the top of my head if unique was listed or not.

[mikld]

Just curious. Why did you not try the starting load, with a new powder and load? Why did you decide to seat to an OAL not suggested in your manual? My manuals are bullet specific for OAL.

The loads you find in most manuals are bullet specific. If you load a Hornady 115 gr. bullet, the load data will differ from a Speer 115 gr. bullet, and prolly those will differ from a Nosler 115 gr. bullet. Manufacturers will use a slightly different jacket alloy and the bullets will behave differently and slightly different shape, ogive/bearing surface, will have an effect on friction. If you choose to "go generic" or just reload a bullet by weight , use the lowest starting load (there's a reason they're called starting loads). The loads listed in your manuals are for safe, successful reloads for the components listed (including OAL). I'd say use common sense, load what your book says, at least until you have a few thousand rounds under your belt, and leave "experimenting" alone for a while.

[Alpo]

mikld, which manual do you have that lists OAL for Speer, Nosler, Sierra and Hornady 115 grain RNFMJ 9mms?

[steve4102]

Just curious. Why did you not try the starting load, with a new powder and load? Why did you decide to seat to an OAL not suggested in your manual? My manuals are bullet specific for OAL.

The loads you find in most manuals are bullet specific. If you load a Hornady 115 gr. bullet, the load data will differ from a Speer 115 gr. bullet, and prolly those will differ from a Nosler 115 gr. bullet. Manufacturers will use a slightly different jacket alloy and the bullets will behave differently and slightly different shape, ogive/bearing surface, will have an effect on friction. If you choose to "go generic" or just reload a bullet by weight , use the lowest starting load (there's a reason they're called starting loads). The loads listed in your manuals are for safe, successful reloads for the components listed (including OAL). I'd say use common sense, load what your book says, at least until you have a few thousand rounds under your belt, and leave "experimenting" alone for a while.

I would have to disagree with this statement. OAL is not bullet specific or manual specific it is Firearm specific. One must find the OAL that will Fit-Feed-Fire in his or her firearm. Once you find the OAL that works in Your firearm then "Start Low and Work up". After all if it doesn't fit-feed and fire there is no need to worry about pressure is there.

[mikld]

mikld, which manual do you have that lists OAL for Speer, Nosler, Sierra and Hornady 115 grain RNFMJ 9mms?
I have a Speer and Hornady manuals and if I used Sierra bullets I would get Sierra load data and the same with Nosler. Plus 25+ years of reloading experience and know how to extrapolate (:p) info for slightly different bullets. I doubt if the OP has the knowledge to do so. My reply was meant to say "stick with book recipes until you get the experience to load outside reloading manual's specs./recipes." and I'll stand by that statement.

Look in any manual that lists different bullets for the same weight and you'll see different OAL listed for each bullet, therefore bullet specific dimentions. If you look at a Speer manual the OAL is prolly different to the same size/configuration as a Hornady bullet. The OAL of the cartridge is determined by the shape of the bullet (bearing surface/point shape) and how much intrudes on the powder capacity (pressures) of the case, AKA; seaing depth. If not, any 9mm should be loaded to 1.169". because SAAMI says so...

[steve4102]

OAL is ALWAYS bullet & gun specific, regardless of what the manual says. The bullet has to fit your gun. If you are loading shorter than published OAL, then you need to reduce your charge wt to compensate for the shorter length. If using starting data, shorter OAL doesn't matter much. If working to the top end, everything matters.

[mikld]

OAL is ALWAYS bullet & gun specific, regardless of what the manual says. The bullet has to fit your gun. If you are loading shorter than published OAL, then you need to reduce your charge wt to compensate for the shorter length. If using starting data, shorter OAL doesn't matter much. If working to the top end, everything matters.

Try this; look at Hornady's 9mm 124 XTP (OAL 1.060"), now look at Hornady's 9mm 124 FMJ (OAL 1.150"), and you can SEE that OAL is bullet specific, even in your gun the bullet makes the difference in how deep to seat them/OAL. BULLET SPECIFIC!.

I'm done, kinda like wrestling with a ...

[steve4102]

Try this; look at Hornady's 9mm 124 XTP (OAL 1.060"), now look at Hornady's 9mm 124 FMJ (OAL 1.150"), and you can SEE that OAL is bullet specific, even in your gun the bullet makes the difference in how deep to seat them/OAL. BULLET SPECIFIC!.

I'm done, kinda like wrestling with a ...


Yup, Hornady has different OAL for different bullets. But, if Hornady's OALs do not function and fire in MY PISTOL these OALs are pretty much useless. I may have to make them longer or I may have to make them shorter to fit-feed-fire in MY PISTOL.

Like I said in my previous post OAL is bullet & GUN specific, it is NOT manual specific.

[TotheTop83]

Hey Deacon, just a note:

I used to get confused/angry/enraged about all the different load data (one book's starting load is higher than another's max) until I realized that oftentimes the "hotter" starting loads will have a longer OAL which in essence reduces the pressure in the case. Without nerding out or lecturing: more powder = more pressure but more OAL = less pressure. So my advice to you would be to stick with a reputable source and load their data specifically. Don't mix and match at first because if you go with the lower powder load and then go with the longer OAL thinking you're being safe, you might squib one and blow your hand off...ya know?

The manuals out there are solid and reliable. They're not interested in getting you hurt. Now if you see a 9mm load calling for 13 grains of 231...well....maybe double check. But you get my point.

Hope it helps. Stick with the books and you'll be good to go.