LikesToShoot

They should allow more control with the weak hand to reduce muzzle flip. IMHO. We'll see after playing with it a bit.

I shot the gun with my home made rest the other day, it felt pretty cool. A big plus is that it didn't fall off. After looking at a few holsters I decided to go with the Ghost. The owner of Shooters Connection, Chuck Bradley, promptly replied to all questions and thinks I may have to modify the holster block. http://www.shootersconnectionstore.com/Super-Ghost-Holster-font-colorredRIGHT-HANDfont-P374.aspx I'll post an update after it arrives and I get some range time with it.

Thanks. For a first try I'm pretty pleased with the outcome. Please post your review of the speedledge. It looks like I can get a CR Speed WSM II and a Ghost for about the same price. I like the two point contact of the CR Speed but have no experience with either. Your recommendation helps. Thanks!

Well I went ahead and silver soldered a piece of ambi thumb safety to a spare take down lever. Now I need an open holster to carry this in. Anyone have pics and recommendations? Thanks. Here's a few pictures.

What holster are you drawing from with that scope mount? Thanks, Steve

If you go to MG website you'll see that lighter bullets cost less, they require less material. (look at case pricing) With a great number of shooters using steel frame guns they don't even feel the 124 gr as having too much recoil so why would they bother paying more to shoot a heavier bullets? You bring up a good point about splitting between the two but I'll let someone else do the research on the 135 gr bullet. Maybe next year there will be a new favorite load that I'll try but my supplies are set for the coming season. I've been chasing the Holly Grail of powder / bullet combo's for a little while, (trying to make up for my poor shooting skills), and pretty much end where many other have. 124 gr JHP work very well! YMMV

Just a guess, round nose has better penetration, flat nose should transfer move energy. Plus the flat nose punchs really cute holes in the paper.

This is so true. A friend of mine has a favorite load for his Glock but it chokes in his 2011 because it's too short and the 2011 load won't fit in his Glock mags. (Thank goodness, with the shorter chamber of the Glock.) Here's a good read with great details. http://www.38super.net/Pages/Overall%20Length.html

Nosler has an interesting way to determine cartridge OAL. http://www.nosler.com/what-is-overall-cartridge-length.aspx After loading for several guns, using different brand barrels and trying many bullet types I've modified bullet cases to allow be to determine my needed COL. Since the ogive can vary greatly this helps me to avoid burying a bullet into the rifling on a barrel with a short chamber. Much like the Stoney Point split case design where you insert the bullet of choice into the split case, leave it long and chamber the cartridge then remove and measure the OAL I've split my own pistol cases. First: I size and deprime case. Second: I drill out the flash hole to 1/8". Third: I seat a bullet into case as normal, then using a dremel, rotary file or hack saw I cut two slits (opposite each other) half way down the case and into the bullet. After pushing out the bullet (via the larger flash hole) I remove any burr's from the case and Inow have my own test case to add to my reloading bench tool set. The next time I want to know the MAX OAL for a bullet / barrel combo, I lightly insert said bullet into test case and push the combo into barrel until it's flush with the hood. Then I remove and measure COL. This is my MAX! I don't want the bullet setting on the rifling so I back off .010" you can pick whatever amount you wish. Most major bullet makers use bullet profiles that meet SAAMI specs but as I've found out over the years when using aftermarket barrels some chambers can runs short and may cause problems. This is how I do it and I don't recommend anyone follow instructions they read on internet forums.

I'm probably wrong but I bell the case to aid in bullet seating and crimp only to remove the bell. (When loading 357 mag I crimp the cannelure firmly.) The groves you are seeing are for the bullet lube that's normally used with cast bullets. Your light crimp should be fine. If you're using a factory barrel the OAL may be OK.

With the short chamber on the Storm Lake 9 mm conversion barrel in my M&P 40 Pro the Bear Creek Moly 125 gr RN (wt. 128 gr.) have to be loaded at 1.090" to keep them off the rifling. At 20 yards, shooting off hand through a chrono everything grouped well in the -0 zone of an IDPA target with very little smoke 3.5 gr WST, 1.090 COL 1048- 1076+ 1063 * average 136 PF 27.89 c 10.19 Thanks "fltbed". Steve

After reading this thread I have an idea that'll I persue. Silver solder a piece of steel onto a spare take down lever, then grind and file to desired shape.Cold blue when finished. What do you think?

Target. In the baby section, the ladies need it for nursing wear and tear.

A slight difference shouldn't cause a KABOOM, esp. with that light charge. As mentioned above, squibs could have been the cause. The crimp is just to get rid of the bell mouth and over crimping lead bullets will just make them tumble. (Yes, plated are pretty much the same as loading lead.) The bulkier powder and more attention should prevent future problems. Best wishes!

I don't sort my brass but I do dig through my cleaned brass with a magnet to pull out any plated steel cases that got picked up at the range. I then put a nap of lanoline on the palm of one hand, rub my hands together to coat both palms, then dig through the brass rubbing it as it falls from the hands. This sure makes the brass easier to reload.

Just use lead data and don't over crimp or the bullets may tumble when fired. As mentioned, just crimp to remove the bell. On my Rockchucker I removed the large bushing and installed the Hornady Lock n Load kit, it awesome. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hornady-Lock-N-Load-Press-Conversion-Kit-Converts-RCBS-044099-/190786396440?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2c6bc16118 Set your dies once then just twist to remove / reinstall the next stage for reloading.

I received my lifter back from C-Rums today, exactly two weeks like Jeff had estimated. After installing it I feel a need to open up the port a little more on the forward corners like dukduk has. Now the practice can begin.

Yup, look at every case. A small pen light sits real good at an angle in the tool holder center hole and provides good light of the shell plate holder. I'm glad to read there wasn't any physical damage.

I'd only use the same brass is i REALLY wanted get get picky with a chrono. For instance, I'm working up a load with a Bear Creek bullet right now. (I bought a bunch real cheap and they'll be for practice and local match's) Tonight I loaded 10 rounds at each level of charge and have them in tagged zip lock bags. Next trip to the range I'll set up labeled paper plates at 15 yards and put a black paster in the center. The first plate will get my pet load, previously posted, the remaining plates will get their labeled loads. Which ever one groups the best I'll run it thru the chrono. (If it wasn't 20 degrees and I had the time I'd chrono at the same time.)

Years ago, Hornady published 9mm data for WST with their 115 and 124 gr. bullets. I used that to extrapolate a start load for the BC 125 & 130’s. The 147 gr. data I got from doing a search on here. BC 125 gr. TC 4.8 gr. WST (most accurate) Start: 4.2 Max: 5.0 OAL 1.145 Vel. 1080f.p.s. BC 130 gr. RN 4.2 gr. WST (most accurate) Start: 3.8 Max: 4.7 OAL 1.145 Vel. 1025 f.p.s. BC 147 gr. TC 3.6 gr. WST (most accurate) Start: 3.4 Max: 3.9 OAL 1.145 Vel. 910 f.p.s. Their’s not a lot of velocity variations between start loads and max. with the 125’s & 130’s it was less than 100 f.p.s. and with the 147’s it was less than 50 f.p.s. What I found, was when you find that middle ground sweet spot, the velocities get very consistent and consequently, accuracy improves. Hope this helps. Jeff Thank you, Steve

What works for me in a M&P Pro, 5" barrel is 124 gr MG JHP over 3.7 Clays at 1.120". Very clean, accurate and soft shooting that averages 133 PF. http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp Plug your data into this recoil calculator and see the results. http://www.brianenos.com/pages/dillon/cal.conv.chart.html At 6 yards I'd want one ragged hole. To get a real good comparison I think you'd need new or once fired, same brand brass to get a real accurate test. I could be wrong. All my brass is range pickup and I have no idea how many times it's been used.

I've heard of people using WST with 9 mm and moly but Hodgdon doesn't list it on their website. http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp What were you using w/ 125 and 130? Thanks,Steve

I just picked up a bunch of black moly bear creek 125 gr ( weight 128 gr) bullets. The first thing I noticed is that with an aftermarket Storm Lake barrel these bullet need to be loaded at 1.090" vs the 1.120" that I use with MG 124 gr JHP. With the factory barrel the Bear Creek can be loaded out to >1.120" without bottoming out. (I have heard the aftermarket barrels can have shorter and tighter chambers, no big deal.) I haven't actually tried Titegroup with this bullet, because I've had smoke issues with TG before using lead bullets, but I'm not having any smoke problem with Clays. I'm still dialing in a load for this bullet and haven't found a favorite yet.

I used my PCC at a couple local "outlaw" two gun match's and my first local three gun match. I didn't hit the 200 yard target, or if I did the bullets didn't give a report. It wasstill a lot of fun and much cheaper shooting 100+ rounds of 9 mm vs .223. I've developed a new load for my CX4 Storm that's dead on at 25 yrds arc's up at 50 and 75 then back on at 100 yrds. I hope to give it a try at 200 yrds sometime to see how well my Nikon P 223 BDC carbine scope measures up with the hash marks. http://www.nikonhunting.com/products/riflescopes/p-223/3x32_BDC_Carbine/8496 The Spot On program is pretty cool and let's you customize the scope to your cartridge. http://www.nikonhunting.com/page/spot_on Out of the longer carbine barrel my 115 gr JHP averages 1416 FPS that's 162 PF.

Maybe that's why I read somewhere, on this site, that Benny wasn't messing with Mossbergs anymore. If they don't sell parts to consumers we're screwed.