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Steel Challenge 9mm Loading


jeffroberdo

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I have 2 Simple questions for the 9mm shooters.

1. What is the lightest Bullet anyone has used in their 9mm handguns? (Non Compensated)

2. For those that shoot Steel Challenge, What would be your Favorite Loading for SCSA?

 

This topic may have been covered here before and if so please point me to the thread and i will read on.

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Wife runs 3.7gr N320 behind 115gr Acme in our 9mm 1911s.  Recoil is approaching 22lr pistol  territory.  What are you shooting BTW (always useful information).  I'm shooting 3.7gr N340 behind 147gr Bayou only to use up a great deal of N340; this is also soft shooting.

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48 minutes ago, RickT said:

Wife runs 3.7gr N320 behind 115gr Acme in our 9mm 1911s.  Recoil is approaching 22lr pistol  territory.  What are you shooting BTW (always useful information).  I'm shooting 3.7gr N340 behind 147gr Bayou only to use up a great deal of N340; this is also soft shooting.

I'm shocked that runs. What pound recoil spring do you use? 

 

115s seem to be the most popular for non comped steel loads

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25 minutes ago, Bullets said:

I'm shocked that runs. What pound recoil spring do you use? 

 

115s seem to be the most popular for non comped steel loads

By shocked I assume you're referring to both loads.  We run 8 lb. recoil springs and 19 lb. main springs in our SA 9mm 1911s.  they are very well broken in.  the loads will also cycle with a 9 lb. spring.

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59 minutes ago, RickT said:

By shocked I assume you're referring to both loads.  We run 8 lb. recoil springs and 19 lb. main springs in our SA 9mm 1911s.  they are very well broken in.  the loads will also cycle with a 9 lb. spring.

What oal?

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5 hours ago, RickT said:

Wife runs 3.7gr N320 behind 115gr Acme in our 9mm 1911s.  Recoil is approaching 22lr pistol  territory.  What are you shooting BTW (always useful information).  I'm shooting 3.7gr N340 behind 147gr Bayou only to use up a great deal of N340; this is also soft shooting.

 

Interesting, I guess I need to up the powder by .3 gr.  I was using 3.4 gr of N320 on a 115 gr Ibejihead bullet in my 2011 and it would not cycle reliably.  I didn't want to adjust the powder measure as it makes minor with a 145 gr bullet.  I can also try to drop the recoil spring down to 7 lbs from the 8 lbs that I use for USPSA to see if that runs.

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4 hours ago, Bullets said:

What oal?

The stubby 115 gr Acme bullets I can't go over 1.095", while the 147gr Bayou's are good at 1.14". When we get back from this weekend's matches I'll update with OAL for 115gr and 124gr Bayou RN.  

 

Thank goodness my HK P2000 and wife's Kimber Pro Carry II HD, both 9mm, will handle the same OAL and charge.

 

BTW, that soft 115gr load is dirty, especially after a 500 round practice.  

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My 2011s won't cycle anything lower than 4gr with a 115gr bullet reliably. I run 8lb Springs in 2 of them and 7lb spring in the other. 1.155 even at 4gr the brass is just dropping at my feet.4.2 seems to run ok

Edited by Bullets
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I have ran 95 gr and 105 gr bullets in both my open steel gun and my limited steel gun (Single stack 1911).  The guns just were not as reliable with the light bullets as it was with 124gr bullets. One thing I personally found with the really light bullets is they did not give a very good visual que of a hit on non falling plates.  The other problem I had with shooting the really light bullets in my open steel gun was the rounds were loud even though they were only making 117 PF and they were very fast.  My electronic hearing protection was still shut down when the bullets impacted the steel.  

 

So....we have 3 confirmations of a hit; sight lifting from the impact area at the start of recoil, followed by audible impact that we hear as we are transitioning to the next plate and the visual impact of the round hitting the steel, (which we rarely see but the RO's d)   

 

I played a whole season with the pocket rockets and I now shoot 124/125 gr bullets.  The guns run better,  I can hear the hit way better and can see a bigger splatter on the plates.

 

I took top 4, 2 years in a row at the Briley West Coast Steel Championships.  While chatting with the other top shooters, I learned they didn't really car about "light loads", it was about reliability.  Hope this helps

 

Keith Tyler

Tyler Firearms Instruction

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On 3/17/2017 at 4:44 PM, RickT said:

Wife runs 3.7gr N320 behind 115gr Acme in our 9mm 1911s.  Recoil is approaching 22lr pistol  territory.  What are you shooting BTW (always useful information).  I'm shooting 3.7gr N340 behind 147gr Bayou only to use up a great deal of N340; this is also soft shooting.

@RickT. Running a Glock 34 9mm with a Wilson Combat Match Barrel. Very tight chamber on the Wilson Barrel. Does Not Like .356 Bullets. Best Bullets for this barrel i have found are "The Blue Bullets" I have always shot 125gr 9mm bullets in USPSA but i am getting my inexperienced brother in law into shooting competitions with me and we are gonna be doing a lot of Steel Fun Matches and i hope some Sanctioned SCSA matches to get him a lot of "Under The Buzzer Match" Trigger Time. 

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On 3/20/2017 at 11:23 AM, ktyler said:

I have ran 95 gr and 105 gr bullets in both my open steel gun and my limited steel gun (Single stack 1911).  The guns just were not as reliable with the light bullets as it was with 124gr bullets. One thing I personally found with the really light bullets is they did not give a very good visual que of a hit on non falling plates.  The other problem I had with shooting the really light bullets in my open steel gun was the rounds were loud even though they were only making 117 PF and they were very fast.  My electronic hearing protection was still shut down when the bullets impacted the steel.  

 

So....we have 3 confirmations of a hit; sight lifting from the impact area at the start of recoil, followed by audible impact that we hear as we are transitioning to the next plate and the visual impact of the round hitting the steel, (which we rarely see but the RO's d)   

 

I played a whole season with the pocket rockets and I now shoot 124/125 gr bullets.  The guns run better,  I can hear the hit way better and can see a bigger splatter on the plates.

 

I took top 4, 2 years in a row at the Briley West Coast Steel Championships.  While chatting with the other top shooters, I learned they didn't really car about "light loads", it was about reliability.  Hope this helps

 

Keith Tyler

Tyler Firearms Instruction

What is your PF with your 124/125 and what is your choice of powder?  I am currently working a load up for my 1911 open and am trying to find a good starting point.

RLabs Open 1911 copy.jpg

Edited by FF112173
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The lightest bullets were made by Zee Bullets, cast in zinc.  9mm bullets were 77 and 88gr in a 147gr profile, 45ACP were 147gr (IIRC).   Bought a bunch from Don Gutowski .  Word of warning, low velocities = ricochets.  Consistent neck tension is very critical to accuracy, mid speed powders work better.  Screaming fast on top of a normal powder charge, muzzle blast will mask the bullet strike on steel.  Outer Limits and Speed Option far plates will give some feedback.

 

I like'em but not sure Don is making bullets anymore.

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