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Thinking about switching from 38S to 9mm


Steelix

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I'm thinking real hard about switching from 38S to 9mm. I I'm getting a new open gun and it's going to be CK Arms, thunder with steel grip and RTS2.  What would be load data, as I use HS-6 and PD 124 JHP. I talked to Bobby and he said I will not feel anything different from shooting 38S to 9mm. Also what about brass he said just buy range and don't worry about sorting it just load it and stood. I thought there was head stamp you don't want to use. 

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Hello: You can also use Auto Comp, Silhouette and HS-6. The headstamp you don't want to use is the ones that are the two piece cases like FM, IMI and some others. You are going to love 9mm major. I would also try some 115's to see if you like them over the 124/125's. Thanks, Eric

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I load range brass but I sort out the 2 piece stuff. I think I'm going to load new brass for bigger matches. It's a nice feeling to not scrounge for my 38sc brass after every stage. (I switched to 9mm as well). I don't recall much of a difference between the two guns. It was a nice switch. Good luck

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CFE Pistol powder is very similar to Auto Comp in recipes and my go to powder for 115s and 124s.

 

There are a ton of variables when loading for Open.

 

I believe the longest OAL will help keep pressure down as much as possible.  I'm at 1.165 and have never had a case separations  (had more than a few in 40 cal)

 

I believe it's less about the powder you use and more about finding the right powder and load for your comp.  On one of my guns, it felt to me that 172 really worked the 3 port comp the best.  Then I switched to a Brazos Supercomp and found 168 PF to feel the best to me in that particular gun.

 

It will take some experimentation and a few people who run the CK guns to provide you with a better starting point.

 

I try to only run once fired brass for bigger matches, but have never worried too much about the headstamps.

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I just got a Thunder Open from Bobby a little over a week ago and it is very nice.

 

Regarding loads; throat is short on my gun and barrel is black PVD inside & out. Only thing that is hard enough to throat ream it is a carbide throater
 ($225 at PT&G). At this point, my gun is shooting outstanding with the short loads and I am not going to pursue throating it for longer OAL.

Most important is to determine what YOUR guns barrel throat is good with using your bullets. Do the 'plunk test'.

MG 124's touch the leade on mine at 1.140, so I load them to 1.120 for a little margin.

 

These shorter loads at major PF are performing very nicely with no signs of excessive pressure.

WAC is where I am at now, but haven't decided between 115 & 124 bullets yet.

 

Very nice gun. Enjoy!

 

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I'll ask Bobby if he can make sure I can load to 1.160, before he sends gun out. Loading to 1.12 sounds like I would be a compressed round. I would like to avoid that if I can. 

 

Yes i I know each gun is a little different on loads and each person has there own feel to. I was just asking for a starting spot. So if I load 38s at 1.235 with PD 124gr JHP and 8.8gr of HS-6, maybe a safe starting would be 1.160 with 124gr JHP and 7.6gr of HS-6 and work up to 8.0gr. I have over 8lbs of HS-6 to use up before I try another powder. 

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JHPs are longer bullets.  

 

9 mm case is so much shorter than 38, that on some bullet profiles, if you load long, the bullet may not stay in the brass.

 

I've had decent luck with 125g Blue Bullets as well.  I know that in my Gun, the MG JHP are more accurate than the Blue Bullets.

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On 3/18/2017 at 9:20 PM, Steelix said:

Is it true you can only load to 1.14 on CK arms gun. I was reading that there short chamber. 

 

I bought a CK Arms Thunder about a year ago and load to 1.160 OAL with PD JHP no problems. When new, I could only plunk at 1.145. After a few thousand rounds, I tried 1.160 and it fits the barrel. 

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On 3/21/2017 at 2:41 AM, JAF1680 said:

I am loading 1.164 OAL with 124 X-Treme RN Plated and getting 1376fps with AutoComp out of my CK in 9mm.  Are plated bad?  Why does everyone use JHP?

Maybe not all plated are bad but Xtremes are horrible as far as accuracy goes

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30 minutes ago, Underwood said:

This works well in my STI 9 mm major.

FMJ 115

 

 

Those FMJ's have an exposed lead base - at 1,470 fps,

you're going to develop quite a coating of lead on your

comp, unless you're cleaning it regularly.

 

Me?  I just use JHP's with the covered bases, and I

can watch The Game instead of cleaning my comp.   :) 

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38 minutes ago, Underwood said:

This works well in my STI 9 mm major. Built by Benny Hill

10 grains of accurate #7

FMJ 115

1.170 OAL

1470 FPS

 

Wow!  That's a lot of powder for a 9mm case...

 

I've never loaded Accurate #7, but most of the powders I load in a 9mm case get pretty full around 8.5 grains...  Is #7 extremely fine or super dense or something?

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Yes 10gr of A7 does sound a lot. I know my old gun Para 38s will not feed JHP that good as the round hits the middle of the ramp and stops, but feeds FMJ just fine. Yes I do get lead build up in the comp.  My new gun all I'm planning on shooting is Precision Deltas JHP. I'm still on the fence about 9mm as all I ever shot was 38s and it's so easy to load and they shoot soft. I heard 9mm is more of a snap to it. Going to ask one of the guys this week at match if I can try his 9mm just to get a feel for it. 

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