OAL on 9mm Ranier bullets - The Firearms Forum

DixieLandMan · 08-18-2012, 10:52 AM

I know that Ranier bullets are plated and they recommend load data for lead. I understand that part but what would be the OAL? Lee manual says that OAL should be 1.14" for plated but using lead data says that OAL should be 1.07". Before I load anymore up, I'd like to find out. They will be shot in a Taurus 92 and I am using 115 Ranier HP and 6.3 grains of A#7 powder. Any help would be appreciated.

steve4102 · 08-18-2012, 01:19 PM

OAL is not manual specific, it is firearm and bullet specific. Forget any OAL you see in any manual and find the Longest OAL that fits-feeds-fires in YOUR pistol. Once you find that , start low and work up. It is the ONLY safe way.

312shooter · 08-18-2012, 05:01 PM

According to Lyman 49th, SAAMI maximum OAL is 1.169"
Do not exceed this and you will be safe, gun may not cycle but your safe.
To answer your question directly; try 1.125"- 1.130" and you will be a-ok

trapnbow · 08-18-2012, 06:19 PM

DixieLandMan,
312Shooter gave you my answer. I have reloaded thousands of Rainier bullets, 115 and 124 grain RN, in 9mm for years and shot them is a wide variety of firearms. 1.125" to 1.130" works just great. Set it and forget it! LOL

mikld · 08-18-2012, 06:23 PM

Seat the bullet long. Don't crimp. Remove barrel from your gun. Drop finished cartridge in chamber. It should fall free until it hits the end of the chamber (the case headspaces). If the round stops short, or you feel the ogive of the bullet hitting before the case seats. seat a little deeper. Continue until the cartridge goes "thunk" all the way into the chamber and falls out easily when the barrel is inverted. Mebbe try a sized case to see where the case stops (on my FMK the case head is even with the hood, your barrel may differ). What you are shooting for is the finished round entering the chamber and stopping when the case hits the end of the chamber first, without bullet interference. That's the OAL for your bullet in your barrel.

trapnbow · 08-18-2012, 06:32 PM

mikld,
That will work. Some tolerance should be allowed for differences in case lenght.

JLA · 08-18-2012, 06:47 PM

Load em as long as the magazine will take em. and if the mag takes a longer cartridge than the chamber can then load tothe longest the chamber can take..

I too would shoot for 1.130 ballpark..

08-18-2012, 10:52 AM	#1
DixieLandMan Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Alabama Posts: 618	OAL on 9mm Ranier bullets I know that Ranier bullets are plated and they recommend load data for lead. I understand that part but what would be the OAL? Lee manual says that OAL should be 1.14" for plated but using lead data says that OAL should be 1.07". Before I load anymore up, I'd like to find out. They will be shot in a Taurus 92 and I am using 115 Ranier HP and 6.3 grains of A#7 powder. Any help would be appreciated. -->

08-18-2012, 01:19 PM	#2
steve4102 Former Guest Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Minnesota Contributor Posts: 2,760	Re: OAL on 9mm Ranier bullets OAL is not manual specific, it is firearm and bullet specific. Forget any OAL you see in any manual and find the Longest OAL that fits-feeds-fires in YOUR pistol. Once you find that , start low and work up. It is the ONLY safe way.

08-18-2012, 05:01 PM	#3
312shooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Las Vegas NV Posts: 1,160	Re: OAL on 9mm Ranier bullets According to Lyman 49th, SAAMI maximum OAL is 1.169" Do not exceed this and you will be safe, gun may not cycle but your safe. To answer your question directly; try 1.125"- 1.130" and you will be a-ok __________________ "Democracy is based on citizenship- perhaps the greatest gift the United States has given to the world- Power is vested in the people themselves, and government flows from the people" James M Henslin Last edited by 312shooter; 08-18-2012 at 05:07 PM..

08-18-2012, 06:19 PM	#4
trapnbow V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Northeast Massachusetts Posts: 90	Re: OAL on 9mm Ranier bullets DixieLandMan, 312Shooter gave you my answer. I have reloaded thousands of Rainier bullets, 115 and 124 grain RN, in 9mm for years and shot them is a wide variety of firearms. 1.125" to 1.130" works just great. Set it and forget it! LOL __________________ Trapnbow NRA Life Member NRA Firearms Instructor Hunter Education Instructor

08-18-2012, 06:23 PM	#5
mikld Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Oregon Posts: 577	Re: OAL on 9mm Ranier bullets Seat the bullet long. Don't crimp. Remove barrel from your gun. Drop finished cartridge in chamber. It should fall free until it hits the end of the chamber (the case headspaces). If the round stops short, or you feel the ogive of the bullet hitting before the case seats. seat a little deeper. Continue until the cartridge goes "thunk" all the way into the chamber and falls out easily when the barrel is inverted. Mebbe try a sized case to see where the case stops (on my FMK the case head is even with the hood, your barrel may differ). What you are shooting for is the finished round entering the chamber and stopping when the case hits the end of the chamber first, without bullet interference. That's the OAL for your bullet in your barrel. __________________ My Anchor is holding fast.

08-18-2012, 06:32 PM	#6
trapnbow V.I.P. Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Northeast Massachusetts Posts: 90	Re: OAL on 9mm Ranier bullets mikld, That will work. Some tolerance should be allowed for differences in case lenght. __________________ Trapnbow NRA Life Member NRA Firearms Instructor Hunter Education Instructor

08-18-2012, 06:47 PM	#7
JLA TFF Moderator/Host Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Heart Of Texas Contributor Posts: 17,412	Re: OAL on 9mm Ranier bullets Load em as long as the magazine will take em. and if the mag takes a longer cartridge than the chamber can then load tothe longest the chamber can take.. I too would shoot for 1.130 ballpark.. __________________ It takes 43 muscles to frown, 17 to smile, and 3 for proper trigger squeeze. The latest caliber or gear is no substitute for experience and skill. Rifles and cartridges don't make hits -- shooters do. Fact of life: After Monday and Tuesday, even the calendar says WTF!