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IDescribe- First, let me say thank you so very much for your patience and detailed reply. I just happened to find the "push test" just before your message and that combined with your detailed explanation has begun to clear so many things up for me. I have done the push test with both my 34 and 19. I placed 6 bullets into cases that have been fired, cleaned and tumbled but still have the used primer in them and tried it out. Although different for the two guns all 6 were very consistent in length for each gun. The 34 averaged 1.178 and the 19 averaged 1.128 I am now starting to understand COL/OAL- I still have a ways to go but it is making sense. I now know why everyone says start long- the difference between 1.115 (1.128 - .015 give or take) and 1.090 is very small. You drove the point home that I NEED a chronograph. It is the one piece of the puzzle that will really put this to bed for me. I have to say that I truly appreciate your help. It is making me more confident as I move forward. Thank you.

Oh my gosh!! What a fantastic link to an amazing post.

Thank you everyone for your help and input. Before I start to ramble, and y’all have no idea what I trying to say, here are the questions I am trying to get answered in my post below: 1) How do I see signs of too much pressure? (Remember, I am brand new to this and have a pretty thick skull) 2) Do I use the FMJ or HAP C.O.L for my JHP's? I know it's only a difference of .031 but does that matter? 3) Are you tired of my questions yet? Here we go.... I spoke with a live person at Hodgdon today and I am beginning to get a better understanding. He told me that I can use any load data for flat nose, jacketed or JHP for my 125 Gr. 9mm JHP. That part I understand now. 125 Gr. is 125 Gr. As long as it is the same type of bullet. What I don't understand is COL. He suggested I use the data on their site for the Sierra FMJ- Okay so far- Starting load at 3.0 to 3.6 max What I don't understand and didn't ask because I didn't think of it until after I got home and pulled up the load data is the COL. If I am using JHP isn't the bullet profile different for JHP than FMJ? Example using the Hodgdon website data- for 9mm 125 Gr. FMJ = 1.090 HAP = 1.069 If it is the same bullet, why the different COL? If 9mm is such a high pressure load, doesn't it matter if I shorten the COL? I know both my Glocks will cycle 1.140 COL no problem, but why would I start long and work my way down? (Some have suggested I start at 1.120 and work my way down) BUT- how do I know where to stop? I don't have a chronograph but I am trying to find one. I am guessing that would be the ideal way to figure all of this out. What are the sign of too much pressure? How do I know too far before it happens? -Yes, I know not to go shorter than the 1.069 and actually that's what I loaded my original 18 test rounds to. For such an exact science I m not feeling very, well, um, exact. Thank you again for listening, Brad

Hello everyone! I've been lurking for a while and have found so much good information. I need some help so here I am. I am in need of load data for 9MM 125 Gr. JHP made by Zero Bullets using IMR 700X powder. I am shooting a Glock 19 and 34.I shoot IDPA one to two times month and practice at the range once or twice a month. I am a new re-loader and have recently finished my first 1,000 rounds of Berry's 115 Gr. RN using Auto Comp and things went really well. I wanted to switch it up a bit and try 125 Gr. JHP. I found the load data in the Lyman's manual and moved forward and purchased 1,000 Zero 125 Gr. JHP's. Here is my problem: I found load data in the Lyman's 49th edition that lists 125 Gr. JHP using 700X Lyman lists starting load at 3.8 and max at 4.2. with a COL of 1.075 I loaded 3 of each starting at 3.7 all the way through 4.2. I went to the range and started with the 3 rounds of 4.0 and it seemed like it was way too much. After shooting the 18 test rounds, including the 3.7 which was below the starting load of 3.8, and even they cycled perfectly and all of them seemed way to strong..Although I am new to reloading, I have been shooting 9MM for a really long time and something didn't seem right. I went home and have been scowering the internet looking for data.I have called Hogdgon twice and left messages.I have found on the Hodgdon site some good info, but I am still not certain. They say jacketed bullets can be loaded just like JHP- still confused- but Hodgdon shows load data for 700X using the Hornady 125 Gr. HAP Hornady Action Pistol which is supposed to be identical to the Hornady 125 Gr. XTP JHP. Hodgdon load data says starting load for the 125 Gr. HAP is 2.9 to 3.4 with COL 1.069 Although I am new, that seems like a huge difference from the Lyman's manual. The data for the 125 Gr. HAP of 2.9 to 3.4 is much more likely than the info from Lyman's of 3.8 to 4.2. I am only basing this on my very limited re-loading experience and I am hoping that someone here can help me figuring out the right load data. Thank you in advance for any help.