My STI Tactical 5.0 does NOT like AA#7

[scap99]

I made some MG 124gr jhp loads up at 1.145 with 8.8 grains of AA#7, they drop into cleanly into the chamber. I load 4 into the mag, first one fires great, but the next round doesn't go into full battery. A light push with my left thumb (right hand shooter) gets the slide fully closed. Fire, and same thing...slightly out of battery.

Swap over to my N350 loads loaded the same length, all is good.

Fast forward to today. I made some shorter loads with AA#7 that would fit into my XDM, they function flawlessly in the XDM. The STI still doesn't like these loads. Same thing as the other loads, it won't go fully into battery. These loads were 124gr MG jhp's at 1.125 with 8.0 gr of AA#7.

I don't over bell the brass and add just enough taper to straighten the brass back out.

The STI is bone stock, has about 1500 rounds through it. I believe the pistol was fitted with the Green Recoil Master spring.

I did pull the pistol apart and noticed that the AA#7 was leaving a lot of crud behind in the chamber. Looked like cornmeal for lack of a better descriptive. I tried dropping some rounds in the chamber, after a couple of tries I got the debris cleared and the rounds dropped freely in and out.

I'm at a loss on this one. What do you more seasoned reloaders think is happening?

[Merlin Orr]

Limited gun? If so both powders are too slow..IMO

[scap99]

Limited gun? If so both powders are too slow..IMO

Yes, it is a limited gun. No ports, comps, or vents in the bbl.

What's a faster powder that you could recommend?

[Merlin Orr]

VV320, Titegroup, Solo 1000, AA2 are powders I have used in the past. I like them all. Using Solo 1000 right now but I am going to load some AA2 and see how it compares straight up with Solo 1000.

Titegroup is hot and gets your gun very hot very quickly. VV powders cost more and are sometimes hard to get. Solo is a good powder but sometimes some say it is on the edge of overpressure at major PF.. AA2 is a really nice powder, IMO, with a nice predictable recoil and straight up and down sight track when I have used it.

I'll bet that Titegroup is used by the majority of .40 S&W re loaders.....

There are others......

[scap99]

Thanks.

I've been thinking of trying out the N320.

I don't want to cook my hands or pistol, so I'll hold off on the TG for now.

I'm thinking I'll feed my remaining AA#7 to the garden, and get a powder that will work better.

So far, I've had good luck with the N350 and Bullseye loads that I've made. Although, the Bullseye is crazy dirty.

Right now, I'm in an experimental phase and want to try a few different powders to see what I like.

[Merlin Orr]

I would suggest you stay with mainstream powders for a while. Look in the .40 reloading section here and you will see pretty quickly what others have decided the best powders for the .40 are.

No need to reinvent the wheel.

[scap99]

The pistols I am currently reloading for are both 9mm.

Perhaps I lead you astray when I said my Tactical was "limited". I don't compete, yet, so I'm not fully clear on the categories that certain pistols fall into...my apologies for not being more clear at the start.

[SLM]

The powder residue from the #7 is building up in the chamber and not letting the gun go into battery. My one Open 9mm does the same thing. It happens with tight chambers. I went back to Ramshot Silhouette and all is good again. You could have the cahmber opened up a bit if you're set on #7 or change powders which you've found to work.

[mike4045]

++++ what Merlin said.

[Merlin Orr]

My bad. You said 124s and that pretty much "says" 9mm.

Titegroup and Solo 1000 are great powders for the 9mm.

[scap99]

The powder residue from the #7 is building up in the chamber and not letting the gun go into battery. My one Open 9mm does the same thing. It happens with tight chambers. I went back to Ramshot Silhouette and all is good again. You could have the cahmber opened up a bit if you're set on #7 or change powders which you've found to work.

I'm definitely not set on #7. Just wanted to see how it shot. I think the chamber on the STI is pretty close to the XDM (haven't miked them) but the XDM has so much more forward spring pressure than the STI does. Racking the slide on my STI, with the hammer back, is such a dream versus having to have a gorilla grip on the XDM to rack the slide. The extra pressure exerted by the XDM's way heavy recoil spring puts these dirty rounds in battery every time.

I may try some Silhouette. Is it pretty clean in your opinion? I'm going to run a search in a few minutes to see what everyone else is saying.

[scap99]

My bad. You said 124s and that pretty much "says" 9mm.

Titegroup and Solo 1000 are great powders for the 9mm.

It's all good. I appreciate your input.

I've got TG, Silhouette, and N320 on my lists of powders to sample.

I haven't seen Solo 1000 at the shop I've been buying from, but will keep an eye out.

[scap99]

++++ what Merlin said.

Which part?

[SLM]

I think Silhouette is much cleaner than #7. Again, it's at the slow burning end of the spectrum. Both 7 and Sil will produce great rounds but it really depends on what you plan on doing with the gun. If you're going to shoot Limited Minor I'd suggest Solo 1000 under 124's or 147's or N320. Faster powders with heavier bullets will most likely be the way you want to go.

[Hannu]

AA #7 is definitely not good for 9mm Minor. In 9mm Major, it starts to shine when you put 10+ grains behind 124gr bullet. Every powder has its own range where it shines, AA #7 just is not for 9mm Minor.

Silhouette is ok, but creates much higher pressure with 9mm Major loads.

Like others said, with 9mm Minor go with the mainstream : Titegroup, Solo 1000 or AA #2. N320 is only expensive and hard to get. I have got best results with TG.

[CocoBolo]

#7 gets clean when you use enough of it, at 10gr its dirty at 10.5gr it gets cleaner (this is an open gun load do not try this at home). I call it chunky dirty. It is on the slow side of powder for open guns. N320 is one of the best 9 mm loads for un-compensated guns, also good are WST, TiteGroup, and a few others. WST is clean and cheap and just throw 4.7gr behind your 124gr jacketed bullet for 130pf. That STI should be able to take OAL's out to 1.180 but 1.160 is common in that gun, but if 1.125 is working in your other guns stick with it.

[scap99]

#7 gets clean when you use enough of it, at 10gr its dirty at 10.5gr it gets cleaner (this is an open gun load do not try this at home). I call it chunky dirty. It is on the slow side of powder for open guns. N320 is one of the best 9 mm loads for un-compensated guns, also good are WST, TiteGroup, and a few others. WST is clean and cheap and just throw 4.7gr behind your 124gr jacketed bullet for 130pf. That STI should be able to take OAL's out to 1.180 but 1.160 is common in that gun, but if 1.125 is working in your other guns stick with it.

I'd love to run the length out to 1.16+, but can't feed those in my XDM...

Actually, I'd really like to run the XDM's chambers out longer to match the STI.

Edited May 20, 2010 by scap99

[Singlestack]

I'd love to run the length out to 1.16+, but can't feed those in my XDM...

Actually, I'd really like to run the XDM's chambers out longer to match the STI.

That won't fix your mags. Your XDM's chamber is not the reason you can't load long.

[scap99]

There isn't anything wrong with my mags. I don't feel safe shoving the bullet so far into the lands that I can't rack the slide on the XDM. The chamber on the STI is much longer than on the XDM.

[scap99]

There isn't anything wrong with my mags. I don't feel safe shoving the bullet so far into the lands that I can't rack the slide on the XDM. The chamber on the STI is much longer than on the XDM.

Just to keep this thread on topic, regardless of the OAL, my STI does not like AA#7, so I want to try a new flavor of powder and see what I come up with.

[AlamoShooter]

Doctor ...Doctor! , It hurts when I do (this)......"So don't do it"

Pay the lady at the front desk

[Singlestack]

There isn't anything wrong with my mags. I don't feel safe shoving the bullet so far into the lands that I can't rack the slide on the XDM. The chamber on the STI is much longer than on the XDM.

I didn't mean there was something "wrong" with your mags. Your mags are going to be the limiting factor in your OAL, not your chamber. XDM mags are designed to run factory length ammo. The rounds will start dragging on the front of the mag before you run out of chamber/throat in most cases. The chamber on the STI is the same length as the chamber on a XDM. The STI might be throated to allow for a longer OAL than the XDM though.

[scap99]

There isn't anything wrong with my mags. I don't feel safe shoving the bullet so far into the lands that I can't rack the slide on the XDM. The chamber on the STI is much longer than on the XDM.

I didn't mean there was something "wrong" with your mags. Your mags are going to be the limiting factor in your OAL, not your chamber. XDM mags are designed to run factory length ammo. The rounds will start dragging on the front of the mag before you run out of chamber/throat in most cases. The chamber on the STI is the same length as the chamber on a XDM. The STI might be throated to allow for a longer OAL than the XDM though.

gotcha now. The throated portion of the bbl is much much longer in the STI than in the XDM. Funny thing is that in my particular XDM, there is very little throating, or the throated portion is incredibly tight. With the MG 124gr JHP's I have a maximum OAL of 1.135 in the XDM, and I back that off by 0.010 for wiggle room. Anything longer and you have to grip the side over the top with your left hand and slam the web of your right hand into the grip safety to get the round to eject.

[CocoBolo]

There isn't anything wrong with my mags. I don't feel safe shoving the bullet so far into the lands that I can't rack the slide on the XDM. The chamber on the STI is much longer than on the XDM.

I didn't mean there was something "wrong" with your mags. Your mags are going to be the limiting factor in your OAL, not your chamber. XDM mags are designed to run factory length ammo. The rounds will start dragging on the front of the mag before you run out of chamber/throat in most cases. The chamber on the STI is the same length as the chamber on a XDM. The STI might be throated to allow for a longer OAL than the XDM though.

gotcha now. The throated portion of the bbl is much much longer in the STI than in the XDM. Funny thing is that in my particular XDM, there is very little throating, or the throated portion is incredibly tight. With the MG 124gr JHP's I have a maximum OAL of 1.135 in the XDM, and I back that off by 0.010 for wiggle room. Anything longer and you have to grip the side over the top with your left hand and slam the web of your right hand into the grip safety to get the round to eject.

Short round try 4.2gr of TiteGroup with your 124gr mtg that will put you up at 130+pf and it is soft shooting just a little dirty and plenty too hot plus reverse temp sensative. But cheap and easy to find. I've got scars on my left hand from knocking the back of my SS slide and hitting the sights, to knock it into battery and just another .002 shorter made it all better. I won two XD's last year I like them they sold fast. Actually not a bad gun for the money.

[scap99]

I have a pair of XDM's, one for me one for the wife. Before I got my STI, I thought they were the best thing since sliced bread...STI ruined me.

I'm a total 1911 snob now.

Since both of the XDM's and the STI are all 9mm, I'm trying to find a happy medium for OAL, PF, and powder so I don't have to keep separate loads on hand.

I have my bullet picked out, and I have selected an OAL that works in both pistols, so now I just need to settle on a powder. I plan on trying just about every powder that's been mentioned in all of the 9mm forums, assuming I can find some.