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9mm heavy bullets


vipertech

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In the past I ran lead 158g .358 bullets in my 9mm, no problem in most of my pistols, Just started low on the powder charge and worked up. one pistol had a tighter chamber and didn't like the extra .002" but the others were fine. lately I have been running some 170g bear creek molly coated, I run the same bullet in my 38 special and 38 super(minor). I like how softly the heavy bullets shoot and I never worry about the poppers not falling.

Mike

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I have a bunch of the old Competition Specialties brand 9mm lead RN 160 gr bullets have been mulling over how best to use these. They are a very good bullet and I used a lot of them in both .38 special and the .38 super years agg, but I never used them in a 9mm. It dawned on me that I could use these in a 9mm case in a .38 super single stack set up for Steel Challenge stuff. So, while I haven't yet done the load development that is my plan...develop a 800-850 fps steel load using 9mm cases with 160 grainers. I've used 160 grainers for minor in .38 super before and it's like shooting a spud gun...soft and lofty and fun. I don't see why it would be any different using 9mm cases.

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gng4life, Went to the Bayou site and they didn't list a 160 in 9 only .38, which is what i've been finding everywhere. Do you think the extra .001-.002" is worth the extra step of swedging or just run them out of the box?

Edited by vipertech
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I have run FMJ .356 bullets in my 9mm before. People run unsized lead bullets in 9mm all the time and they will not harm the gun. There is a theory that letting the barrel size the bullet is better then doing it with a sizing die. The only issue with running a .358 bullet in 9mm is "will it chamber". As long as it chambers it will be fine. BUT, I would chrono the load to work it up just to see where you are at with the new bullet. For the record, I have run .358 and larger in my 9mm with KKM barrel. You have to seat them short (as expected) but they work just fine. I typically size my 9mm to .357".

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Well I have Power Pistol, and Solo on had that i was going to try. My luck is I'm sure there is some thing better out there but this is what I'm loading with currently. Think the last 124's I put together with 4.2 solo. They shoot nice enough. But I have alot of trouble losing the front sight with factory ammo.

Edited by vipertech
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The 160 is a great bullet for a steel load in 9mm.

Set your OAL so it feeds reliably, then work up your load. I Load SOLO 1000 with that bullet. Start around 2.5gr and go up until you get to 130ish PF and don't have pressure signs on the primer. Go slow and work up to what you need but don't push more than 132ish. It is unnecessary for what you need. That load will be pretty accurate as well.

Good luck,

DougC

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Never tried them for 9mm major because thats the opposite way you want to go for major. IN 9mm major, a lighter bullet(115-125 range) requires more powder to make major PF than the heavy bullets. More powder means more gas which means the gun shoots flatter. For minor, you get a good soft shooting load with the heavy bullets and a small amount of a faster powder. In open though, gas is your friend for the comp to maximize the benefits of the comp

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