Hi-Power Jack

You could save a few dollars by buying a Square Deal:) Do all your pistol ammo just fine - won't touch the rifle ammo but you're looking for precision rifle anyway. I have two Square Deals and love 'em. They cost about $350 new, complete with dies - ready to go:)) Jack

Square Deal no case feeder:( 40 years experience 250 rounds/hour 9mm

+1. And, start very slowly, with light loads. Verify Everything, and then Verify it again. Big problem is use of Powder Measure and OAL - if you make a mistake with either, you can be in trouble Fast. Powder - measure ten loads into pan, and weigh them all, divide by ten - don't try to measure one load. OAL - easy to confuse 1.169" and 1.69", and they are Very Different. Make sure you have powder in each and Every case !!! I use a powder measure as a starting point, and then shoot a few over a chrono - if I made a mistake with the powder measure, it will show up at the chrono . Check fired primers for over pressure signs. Don't mix up your powders !! Start slow and low - take it easy on the velocities until you're experienced, and checked the velocity with a chrono. Have fun. Jack

My recollection is that, back in the 70's, when Jeff Cooper, et al, were starting IPSC, they set the standard (230 grain at 830 fps = PF 190) to be "Major". BUT, then they lowered the standard MAJOR to the same bullet out of a short barrel .45. That way, if someone showed up with a carry .45 and factory ammo, they'd make "Major". Using the "same" logic, it would make sense to me that anyone, with any carry 9mm, using any of the major brands of 9mm ammo should show up, they should be "Minor" and allowed to shoot the match as Minor. We might have to rethink the major brands with smaller barrels and see how they chrono - no real disadvantage to lowering the PF for Minor - to 120, or so - it should be easy for anyone to compete using factory ammo??? Isn't the "sterling test" for poppers, that a "factory 9mm round" will knock the popper over? Which brand of "factory 9mm?" and what sized barrel? Just a thought - seems to me there's no disadvantage to lowering the PF for minor any more than lowering the Major PF from 190 to 165. Just my humble opinion. Jack

I believe any gunsmith can put fiber optics on a BHP. My local gunsmith did it (four times - the fiber kept blowing off, and then the entire front sight blew off in a match 300 miles from home:( Good luck, Jack

I would start with one factor at a time - pick one OAL (1.125") and load three or four different amounts of powder (4.0, 4.2, 4.4, etc) - that way you could determine the velocity of each load - then, after you select the velocity (power factor) you want, then you could try changing the OAL - see if it makes any difference at all. Run 20 of each, checking for primers flattened - if 4.0 gets you where you want to go - I wouldn't fire the 20 4.4 gr - they'll probably be too hot. My BHP shot more accurately at 1.12" but didn't feed properly. Lost a little accuracy and have it set at 1.13" - feeds better.

+1. 9mm hit it on the head. Which of the three ammo did the best for You, in Your gun? How large were the groups? How was the recoil level? Jack

+1. Juan is right. Take your time, keep shooting what you've got, and decide later - too soon to buy a new gun just yet - hold your cards, and make a better decision later, after You know what You want. Meanwhile, have fun. Jack

+1.

I don't think you need any more accuracy than you're getting for any type of reloading I've ever done - even for high precision rifle, long range shooting, I think that having a 1.5/10,000 grain error shouldn't have much effect on anything. I would imagine my scale (Dillon beam balance) probably has 100 times the "discrepancy" that your scale is showing - If anything, if you paid a lot for that scale, I'd try to sell it and get a $50 scale that is 100 times less accurate, and pocket the change. It will do anything you'd like it to do, IMHO. Jack

Don't believe I could get anything that measures 1.34" into any of my 9mm's. 1.16" is already getting close to the limit, I think. If cartridges are too long, wonder if that might cause a stove pipe? Jack

I agree it sounds like a sizing problem BUT not only with certain types of brass??? I load all types of brass with a Square Deal and it all works like a charm - no bullets move forward... Jack

I've reloaded at least 25,000 9mm (minor and major) and almost always use mixed range brass - I've never had the problem described here - I use FC brass and Win & RP, mixed together, and have NEVER had a problem like that. Didn't even realize FC cases are shorter???? Always sounds like a good idea (the only disadvantage is time consuming) to sort by headstamp - but I don't, and I never have a problem of bullets not staying put - I don't use a fancy.expensive sizer either - I use a Square Deal with Dillon dies. I'm confused?? Jack

Sorry, Coleman, I've never experienced anything like that = Guess you'll have to wait for brighter minds to solve your problem for you. Hopefully they'll be right along ... Good luck, Jack

I presume (Never ass ume any more) that you are getting good result with other headstamps? Win and RP are loading normally? Are your FC also have an NT after The FC? I have no experience with any bullets being pushed back into the case only in certain headstamps. Jack

Until you find out the problem, don't discard the brass - there is nothing wrong with it. Are you sizing the brass? Jack

My Browning 9mm shoots 147 grain bullets a lot more accurately than 115 or 124 grain bullets. Good luck - you should be able to get that down to 4" groups at 25 yards. But, Yes, rest your wrists on the bags - not your gun. Jac

Excellent post. Thanks - extremely thought provoking. I'm still breathing hard ... Glad it turned out okay. Gives me a lot to think about. Jack

I haven't used Bullseye for 40 years but I've been using WW231 and it seems very clean to me. I don't remember the Bullseye? Sorry, Jack

Even better idea to try this in a practice session. Try the dot torture targets, and try different speeds:)) But, I agree - try shooting faster and see what happens. Jack

If you can use 1.16" - I'd use it - but I'd try a few with lighter loads first to see if there's any problem with it. If you're stuck with 1.145" OAL, I'd try 124 grain bullets and 7.0 gr of either HS6 or Winchester Auto Comp. Start at 7 grains and work your way up from there. You'll have more room in your case if you use the 124 grain bullets. Good luck, Jack

Zero, what's your OAL? Jack 1.165 I think I've read here that Glocks can't load that long - more like 1.145"??? I wouldn't load 8.6 gr HS6 at 1.145" - not sure there's enough space on the powder without working that up very slowly. I'd start down around 7.0 gr and work up Very Slowly at 1.145". Good luck. Jack

My Browning shoots 147 gr bullets more accurately than 115 or 124's, but you might find the opposite. Depends, of course, on your definition of "accuracy" - for some 3" at 25 yards is fine, others look for 1 1/2" at 25 yds. You will have to try different loads (powders, amounts of powder and bullets at different OAL's to determine what works best in YOUR gun. If pf is not important, start with the lowest recommended amounts of powder and see if it functions in your gun and is accurate. No generic shortcuts - it's all work:)) My kind of work:))) Good luck. Jack

+1. Noylj has hit in on the head - excellent explanation. Start at the bottom, find your OAL and work up Very Slowly. Good luck. Jack

No reason not to, except it's time consuming. I've "separated by headstamp" a few times, but there's not a real big advantage to it if you're not looking for ultra precision accuracy. You might also try some lubrication on the SqDeal = might make it run a little smoother. How many grains of N320 are you using? Jack