9mm factory loads Vs handloads

[Harmon]

i am aware that 9mm can be bought for under 4 dollars a box, i just bought 3 bxs of the aluminum cased stuff, 12.56 out the door, that included tax.

i catch hell at the gun range cuz i reload the 9mm, people poking at me saying i waste my time ect.

my side of the story.

I shoot lots of 9mm, probably more than the guys who give me a hard time about reloading, lots more actually. there were weeks when a 1000 rounds a week wasnt uncommon. i get rainier 115s for about 33 dollars a thousand. primers run about 12.50 a thousand, powder for 12 dollars a pound at the gun shows...assuming i use a whole pound of powder reloading 1000 9mms(7 grains of most powder is alot) im looking at 47.50 a thousand with free brass that all the other shooters dismiss as trash....now granted, time is also something to consider, but if im not shooting, or loading, i doubt i would be doing anything constructive, so it makes no difference for me to do some handloading in my spare time...

i shot the blazers out of my gun today, i cant really remember any of my handloads throwing trash back at me, hot burning trash, it really can be distracting.

about every 10th or so blazers would chunk trash back at me.

the amout of ammo i consume, plus the desire to taylor my load to the specific application is why i load my own..

there have been times when 9mm blazers wouldnt knock down steel pepper poppers at a local match. other times the poppers would fall, but they would be really sleepy...

also i find my gun doesnt shoot nearly as well with factory economy ammo as it does with good handloads(sorted same headstamp brass, HS6 powder montana gold bullet) the rainiers are so close making the same accurate load to the MG bullet, i have switched to using them for 100 percent of my shooting..

it may be cheaper to shoot factory ammo for those who only shoot 200 rounds a month, but i load mine because i save enough money to pay for my match fees, plus my gun works better with handloads. blazers dont seem to be as reliable as the more powerful ammo in my G34.

that gun actually shoots better with full power ammo...

[MikeyG23]

I shoot both factory and my reloads. My load using 124 Zero's and Titegroup in once fired brass ends up costing about the same as Blazer per case since I don't pick-up 9mm brass. While my load is softer shooting and a bit more accurate than Blazer it's hard to argue with $3.99 / box at Academy Sports when I'm being lazy. The Blazer functions flawlessly in my G17 and G34 but then so do my reloads. It all boils down to what you want to do I suppose. If maximum accuracy were my goal then reloading is the only option IMHO, on the other hand I'm mainly an IDPA shooter so squeezing the last bit of accuracy out of my gun and load isn't as important as it would be if I were shooting PPC or Bianchi Cup. Decide what's important for you and and your discipline and load or don't load based on that decision.

[RePete]

My 9mm IPSC load is

124 Frontier CMJ (same as Rainier)

6.7gr/Win540 (HS6)

Fed SP primer

Any case available - no need to sort by make. I found that it didn't make any difference.

All you need for accuracy is 1/2 minute of A-zone.

RePete.

[kevin c]

Between economy and tuning your load, it's hard to argue with reloading for the volume and the intent of your shooting, 9mm or not. Your time is your own to spend, after all.

That being said, while I don't mind letting fellow IPSC shooters try my handloads, I use factory ammo in my defense guns and factory or commercially reloaded ammo when I let my non-IPSC acquaintences shoot my guns, for liability reasons.

[MoNsTeR]

I don't even remember the last time I shot a round of factory 9mm. Once I discovered powder-puff 147 loads, I was weaned off Walmart packs forever

[Jake Di Vita]

I am in the process of attempting to run 5 business right now so right now it is really not worth my time to reload. I have been shooting factory ammo, it's nice, but I still do like shooting the load I like to shoot.

What I am in the process of doing now is buying all the components and paying a good shooting friend a couple cents a round to reload them for me. Comes out to about the same cost as factory ammo, but you get the load you want.

This may be something worth considering.

DISCLAIMER: Do NOT under any circumstances do this with someone you do not implicately trust, as one badly mis-loaded round can ruin your weekend...and possibly some extremeties.

[Harmon]

what is this powder puff 147 you speak of Monster?

I loaded some rainier 147s with 3.5 grains of Accurate Arms number 2, the best i recally they shot pretty good, bad news was that i only bought 500 of them and i have since shot may more than that, being kinda new at the time i didnt really from much of an opinion of them...seems like i remember them shooting softer, but i didnt think much about stuff like that at the time...if anyone likes the winchester stuff at walmart, heres what i figure they loadin, as i get the same velocity, recoil ect. with 5.7 grains winchester super field, 115 fmj(i dont think it matters much who makes it) loaded to 1.15 win small pistol primer.

this load shoots good, primers dont look bad at all,(they barely flow into the g-lock firing pin hole)it may be even a smite cleaner than factory loads.

speaking of cleanliness, i ran out of accurate arms number 2, recently and had a couple of 30 year old pounds of bullseye, the stuff thats supposed to be dirty.

i loaded a couple of "test rounds" to make sure the stuff was still good, it was.

at 9mm pressures, bullseye really cleans up..nice shooting load...

what i never will understand is the guys who download the 9mm below 125 pf to try and tame the recoil of the mighty 9. i laugh when they leave steel standing at every match...even the 6 inch plates...

i would appreciate any data on the 147s,, especially if you shoot in a G-lock

[MoNsTeR]

My current load is 3.3gr N310 + Berry's 147gr RN @ 1.165" OAL

3.4gr chronos 922fps (135PF) out of a Beretta 92, probably makes more out of my G34. Someone else here said they only needed 3.0gr in a G34, so you should definitely work this one up.

It's totally worth it though, it's like shooting a rimfire

[Harmon]

vihtavouri N310 is really hard to get in my area, or not really hard, just expensive...maybe not too bad but more than other powders.

will winchester super target work as well? seems like its what the poor boys use in their limited fortys when they cant get VV powder.

I loaded some rounds today with Clays, regular old clays, something i dont particularly like doing but i wanted to try it just to say i did.

3.8 grains of clays and a 115 grain MG JHP(COL @ 1.16) bullet gave 1099 fps out of my glock...about 126.4 PF the words to describe that load was popcorn-fart. it didnt even sound right. and if i remember right 3.8 clays is a max load..

for the record, i also shot some rounds loaded with 6.3 grains of SR4756 and a 115 rainier... compared to blazer factory rounds, recoil was soft, muzzle blast was less severe and velocity was better.

i will look into the VV310 and 147 grain bullet. is VV 310 a flake type powder or ball powder?

anyone tried WST in the 9 with 147s?

[dajarrel]

Here is what I can reload 9mm for:

115 MG jhp $168/4000 or .042/round

4 gr titegroup powder ($92/8# or .007/round

federal primers $75/5000 or .015/round

range brass ... free in the WalMart parking lot

bullet .042

powder .007

primer .015

total .064

x 50 rd $3.20 per box of 50

When compaired to the $4.28 box of blazers ($3.89 plus uncle sams 10%) I am seeing about a 25% savings.

Yeah, I know, I've got to spend my time and it is worth something. But reloading/shooting is my hobby and I do them both for the enjoyment.

But.....I still have 500 rounds of blazer squirreled away for the times I'm running late and don't have the time to reload.

FWIW

dj

[cruiten]

For me reloading is a therapeutic component of my shooting hobby.

I too reload 9mm for my USPSA shooting and practice, and I love the time that I spend at my reloading bench.

If reloading ever becomes a chore, then I will definitely have to re-evaluate though...

Cor

[Flexmoney]

i would appreciate any data on the 147s,, especially if you shoot in a G-lock

The load I use is posted around here somewhere. I'd have to look it up (with a search). I'll let you do that...you'll get lots of good soft 9 data.

[Carlos]

Flex is ON THE MONEY as usual! The info is here & a quick search should reveal it. I have posted info on my load w. N310 and 147s; however, I would suggest that you search instead on N320 and 147s since this should yeild a load that gives you a far bigger safety margin & works nearly as well if not the same.

The loads listed in the book w/ N330 and 147s are very good loads as well and the data comes right from V V. As for commonly available powder I have tried & like Titegroup; though with 147s the pressures must be a bit low as it did not burn very clean. But, it works, is consistent & comes right from the book. Regards, D.

[Harmon]

im gonna try BJ norris load of 5,4 accurate number 5 and a 147 precision, or master blaster or wherever i can get coated bullets.

although im looking for a can of VV N310 i have been wanting to try it in my 45s for some time now.

[Joe D]

I load 3.0 gr. of Titegroup with a 147 gr plated bullet. OAL is 1.130". A cheap practice load is a 125 gr lead bullet with 3.5 gr of TG, same OAL. Lead bullets cost me $19m. I shoot these in a Glock 34 with the stock barrel. The 125 gr load averages 1058 fps.

BTW I have shot thousands of lead bullets through stock Glock barrels. They actually lead less than a barrel with normal rifling.

[Harmon]

for me there isnt a difference between match loads and practice loads, i load one round, yeah it may cost more at practice time, but i can go to a match with any 9mm ammo i have loaded and shoot. some people dont chamber check practice ammo, thats a bad habbit and will eventually bite you in the ass. i have seen soooo many failures to chamber due to unchecked ammo(some factory ammo too) in just 6 months. i check all mine

my G-lock doesnt seem to like lead too much, not only does it not shoot worth a damn with lead, the barrel fills with lead FAST

i shoot rainier bullets, just about as cheap as lead, good as jacketed.

[Joe D]

There must be something wrong with your lead bullets. I use Valiant and Magnus lead bullets. I am amazed at how little lead is in the barrel after hundreds of rounds.