First reloading components purchase

[DKThree]

Hi all,

Just ordered my first reloading setup and need suggestions on components. I'm doing 9mm and .223 and have the following porducts from what I came up with dearching around on here. This is only what I think I want, so please let me know if you have any other suggestions or if I can substitute something out for an equal product that may be cheaper.

9mm - Glock 34 - Currently shooting Win 147 gr. Super X fully encapsulated and want to make something that feels similar to that but a bit softer. Thinking of same grain bullet, CCI #500 primers, Solo 1000 powder.

.223 - 16" 1:9 twist - I currently shoot 55 gr. out to about 450 yards. I'm thinking stay 55's to start, CCI #400 primers, and A2230 powder.

I'm also tempeted to buy in bulk to save cash, will I notice a big differnce in primers or powder with keeping everything else the same?

Thanks, Matt

[shooter57]

Why did you choose Solo powder for the 9mm ?

[DKThree]

Just read it was a good powder for that grain on a few posts.

[FLSlim]

As to your last question, definitely buy in bulk if you want to keep your reloading cost down. Considering the rest, you picked components I don't use for the 9 and I don't load for the 223, so no help there.

[The_Vigilante]

A lot of shooters use Solo 1000 with the 147g bullets. Montana Gold sells both a FMJ and CMJ bullet that would be suitable for your use. You can also try the moly bullets mfg by Precision, BBI, and Bayou.

[Graham Smith]

Some people swear by Solo 1000 and some swear at it. I think that Titegroup is the most popular 9mm powder.

If you are shooting paper, the Montana Gold CMJ 147's are easy to load and work well. Barry's plated bullets are also fairly popular.

I shoot MG 55gr bullets over AA2230 and get good results - it's a good general purpose load. But if you are going to be doing much distance work you might want to invest the extra money in some SMK 69's as well. You can shoot them with the AA2230 as well and with a bit of experimenting get a load that will zero the same as 55's at 50 yds and be close at 200 yds and better beyond that.

You can save a lot of money on shipping powder and primers if you purchase a large quantity but you can only do that if you are sure you know what you want. If you can find 1lb cans of powder and some primers in your area to work with until you know what you want, you will save in the long run. Then check Powder Valley and order up a year or two worth of product - it's not like it's going to go bad on you. Also see if any friends want to go in on an order.

Edited May 2, 2011 by Graham Smith

[technetium-99m]

25gr of 2230 is great behind a 55gr bullet and CCI primers are just fine in AR's.

Solo works well but can be a PITA, make sure you stay on top of your chrono, run a lot of rounds over it under different conditions to make sure you're making PF. TG is another great 9mm pick. Consider not using CCI primers in your Glock if you have trigger work done, try and find some Winchesters or Federals.

[blaster113]

if you're looking to use jacketed bullets Montana Gold makes great bullets at reasonable prices; Zero bullets are also good bullets, even less expensive but a little harder to find as demand is real high. If you have an aftermarket barrel for the G34 moly bullets from BBI or Precision work well too with Solo 1000. Titegroup is cheap and works ok with jacketed bullets, N320 is better but a lot more expensive. I use moly/lead bullets for practice/local matches and jhps for big matches. My preferred primers are Federal or Winchester primers. CCI's are OK too.

[DKThree]

Copy, thanks for the replys,

I shoot MG 55gr bullets over AA2230 and get good results - it's a good general purpose load. But if you are going to be doing much distance work you might want to invest the extra money in some SMK 69's as well. You can shoot them with the AA2230 as well and with a bit of experimenting get a load that will zero the same as 55's at 50 yds and be close at 200 yds and better beyond that.

What about splitting the difference and shooting 62gr? Are the 69gr still far better to 400 yards?

25gr of 2230 is great behind a 55gr bullet and CCI primers are just fine in AR's.

Solo works well but can be a PITA, make sure you stay on top of your chrono, run a lot of rounds over it under different conditions to make sure you're making PF. TG is another great 9mm pick. Consider not using CCI primers in your Glock if you have trigger work done, try and find some Winchesters or Federals.

if you're looking to use jacketed bullets Montana Gold makes great bullets at reasonable prices; Zero bullets are also good bullets, even less expensive but a little harder to find as demand is real high. If you have an aftermarket barrel for the G34 moly bullets from BBI or Precision work well too with Solo 1000. Titegroup is cheap and works ok with jacketed bullets, N320 is better but a lot more expensive. I use moly/lead bullets for practice/local matches and jhps for big matches. My preferred primers are Federal or Winchester primers. CCI's are OK too.

I only have a connector and spring kit in the 34 but I will look into the Fed/WIn primers instead. I also still only have the stock barrel so I will be using jacketed. Why JHP for the big matches?

[rfwobbly]

Mr Three -

Welcome to reloading.

You may well like Solo1000, but IMHO it is not a good powder to start with. S1000 is a fast powder in 9mm and typically fast powders have a very narrow load range. This would be like taking up the game of darts and only being allowed to shoot bulls or double bulls your first night at the pub. It's simply very hard to do, especially with a new set of darts!

In reloading safety is the watch word. A fast powder with a narrow load window is harder to land inside for a new reloader who is not accustomed to his equipment just yet. And if your equipment is "beginner grade" and only has an accuracy of 0.2gr then it will be very hard indeed to stay inside a window of 0.4gr. Follow?

I would highly suggest starting with a much slower powder like Unique, WSF or No7. Something with a wide load range closer to 1.0 grains or greater. THEN when you get the hang of your equipment and know how it's going to perform, THEN go back to the S1000.

[DKThree]

Mr Three -

Welcome to reloading.

You may well like Solo1000, but IMHO it is not a good powder to start with. S1000 is a fast powder in 9mm and typically fast powders have a very narrow load range. This would be like taking up the game of darts and only being allowed to shoot bulls or double bulls your first night at the pub. It's simply very hard to do, especially with a new set of darts!

In reloading safety is the watch word. A fast powder with a narrow load window is harder to land inside for a new reloader who is not accustomed to his equipment just yet. And if your equipment is "beginner grade" and only has an accuracy of 0.2gr then it will be very hard indeed to stay inside a window of 0.4gr. Follow?

I would highly suggest starting with a much slower powder like Unique, WSF or No7. Something with a wide load range closer to 1.0 grains or greater. THEN when you get the hang of your equipment and know how it's going to perform, THEN go back to the S1000.

Love your avatar!

Okay, I looked up the load data to make sure I follow you.

147 gr.

Solo 1000 S-2.9 M-3.4 D=0.5

No.7 S-5.4 M-6.2 D=0.8

WSF S-3.9 M-4.3 D=0.4

Unique S-3.9 M-4.3 D=0.4

If I understand you, you're saying something like the No.7 would work best because it has the largest difference between the starting load of 5.4 and the max load of 6.2, right? I also read about metering, would the larger amount of powder make it easier to have consistent loads?

[Ray_Z]

solo 1000 is very clean and consistent. #7 and Unique are dirty. Very dirty. I only used a couple of pounds of 2230. It was clean and very consistent.

[rfwobbly]

Okay, I looked up the load data to make sure I follow you.

147 gr.

Solo 1000 S-2.9 M-3.4 D=0.5

No.7 S-5.4 M-6.2 D=0.8

WSF S-3.9 M-4.3 D=0.4

Unique S-3.9 M-4.3 D=0.4

If I understand you, you're saying something like the No.7 would work best because it has the largest difference between the starting load of 5.4 and the max load of 6.2, right? I also read about metering, would the larger amount of powder make it easier to have consistent loads?

I'm looking at a Lyman #49, and No7 for instance with 147gr jacketed starts at 6.0 and max load at 7.2gr. That's a load range of 1.2gr. Follow? So lets say you work your way up with 10 trial cartridges at 6.0gr, 10 at 6.2gr, 10 at 6.4gr, etc and you like the feel and accuracy of (for illustration only) 6.6gr. So if your equipment is only accurate to 0.2gr, then the 50 loads you produce at "6.6gr" could actually be anything from 6.5gr to 6.7gr. But you're still very safe because, even with novice jitters, not-so-accurate scales, etc, etc you've not come anywhere near 7.2gr. Does that make sense?

Will they be sooty? Dang tootin' they will! Will they be the world's best reloads ever? Heck no!! But no one is expecting that. You're a self-admitted newbie. The proper goal then should be to come away 1) with a better understanding of the reloading process and your equipment, and 2) all 10 fingers and 2 eyes. Don't let anyone try to convince you that you have to reload as good as Brian Enos the first time out. That's crazy talk.

Crawl before you walk. Walk before you run. You've got plenty of time. The Solo 1000 has a shelf life of about 50 years.

[JayJayJay]

25gr of 2230 is great behind a 55gr bullet and CCI primers are just fine in AR's.

Consider not using CCI primers in your Glock if you have trigger work done, try and find some Winchesters or Federals.

Why not use the CCI primers if I had trigger work done on a Glock?

[njl]

25gr of 2230 is great behind a 55gr bullet and CCI primers are just fine in AR's.

Consider not using CCI primers in your Glock if you have trigger work done, try and find some Winchesters or Federals.

Why not use the CCI primers if I had trigger work done on a Glock?

People say they're harder...and Federal is reputed for being the most sensitive (easiest to ignite)...and if you've got a lightened trigger in a Glock, it's fairly common to have a reduced power striker spring.

My advice, if you're new to reloading...do a bunch of 9mm before attempting .223. Rifle reloading is more complicated.

147gr may not be the best way to get started either. The safe margin for error is smaller with heavier bullets. I got started with 124gr, and recently moved to 147gr. Universal Clays works well for either, and is a good choice because a double charge of it is really obvious. With 124gr appropriate charges, a double will likely overflow and make a mess. With 147gr suitable charges, it won't overflow but will be obvious.

[rfwobbly]

If you'll call Berry Mfg, they are happy to sell you a 9mm sampler kit. That way you can experiment with several types of 9mm bullets before buying a huge lot.

[DKThree]

I bought 250 of both 124gr and 147 gr from Berry's just to see which one I like.

[rfwobbly]

Berry has something like 5 or 6 different bullets in 124gr alone. Do you know which ones you're getting?

Don't forget the 130 and 135gr.