lawboy Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 (edited) I know I have been wearing out my welcome in the CZ forum but I am trying to get this gun sorted for 2013 season and you guys here know way more than I do about these pistols. I need the help. I had heard these guns cannot run long loaded 9mm. I have been running Bear Creek 135s at 1.135-1.138. Accuracy has been okay, but not great and certainly not the superior accuracy I have heard about. Yesterday I missed several plates that I could not understand as the sights were DEAD on. Got home and started experimenting with dummy rounds creeping the OAL out and chambering them. Got to 1.155-1.158 and the gun is still swallowing the rounds without any sign of difficulty; the slide is slipping into battery just fine. What gives with this? I got the gun used. Maybe a prior owner had the chamber lengthened? What OAL are you all running and with what bullets? Thanks! Edited October 29, 2012 by lawboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eerw Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 I can run Montana Gold 147gr bullets out to 1.145 with no issues. Barrel is not reamed for long bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevenR Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 With MG 124 JHP's hitting at 1.084 so I try to get 1.074 oal. Have reloaded no other bullets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
All-Gator Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 (edited) Lawboy, The shape of the bullet has a lot to do with OAL. I far prefer to shoot JHP's...Zero's when I can get them. The curve on the Zero's is "fatter" (technical term) than the Montana Gold JHP's. And way "fatter" than the solid points of either brand...or the CMJ's. I don't use...never have...lead or plated bullets, so I have no info about them. Any way, the Zero's cause problems with the slide release mechanism and hits the lead much, much sooner. I wind up with much shorter OAL's than those reported above. I think you have to determine the OAL for YOUR choice of bullet, the brand of bullet, and YOUR pistol. Load a "way-long" (another technical term) bullet in a case with no crimp; chamber it; carefully extract it; measure it for length. This should tell you where YOUR lead begins for that bullet. Make sure they will function in YOUR mags and make sure they are clearing your slide lock button. Depending on your obtained OAL, choose a powder that complements the space in the brass. I've never had problems with a compressed load, but others don't seem to like it. These are things you may already know... A-G Edited October 29, 2012 by All-Gator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawboy Posted October 29, 2012 Author Share Posted October 29, 2012 Lawboy, The shape of the bullet has a lot to do with OAL. I far prefer to shoot JHP's...Zero's when I can get them. The curve on the Zero's is "fatter" (technical term) than the Montana Gold JHP's. And way "fatter" than the solid points of either brand...or the CMJ's. I don't use...never have...lead or plated bullets, so I have no info about them. Any way, the Zero's cause problems with the slide release mechanism and hits the lead much, much sooner. I wind up with much shorter OAL's than those reported above. I think you have to determine the OAL for YOUR choice of bullet, the brand of bullet, and YOUR pistol. Load a "way-long" (another technical term) bullet in a case with no crimp; chamber it; carefully extract it; measure it for length. This should tell you where YOUR lead begins for that bullet. Make sure they will function in YOUR mags and make sure they are clearing your slide lock button. Depending on your obtained OAL, choose a powder that complements the space in the brass. I've never had problems with a compressed load, but others don't seem to like it. These are things you may already know... A-G I understand how to determine the limit of OAL for the gun and I know it is profile specific, hence my question including a request for the bullet each person is using. I am hoping to get some idea of what people are finding successful in their CZs and maybe even find a few folks who are using the same bullet as I am (BC 135). You have to cast a wide net though, to find those nuggets! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickB Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 With Precision Delta 115gr FMJ and 124gr FMJ I am running 1.15" OAL with no issues... Mick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CDPMatt Posted October 29, 2012 Share Posted October 29, 2012 BBI 147gr @ 1.135" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawboy Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 Thanks everyone. I will try 1.155 with the BC 135s tonight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
surgdog Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Thanks everyone. I will try 1.155 with the BC 135s tonight. Precision Delta FMJ 147 at 1.160 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawboy Posted October 30, 2012 Author Share Posted October 30, 2012 I think I will standardize on 1.150. I tried 1.155-1.158 last night and they ran fine. backing off a little also ran fine with good accuracy and gives me a little cushion to make sure I do not have any rounds that do not go all the way into battery. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38SuperDub Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 Extreme Plated at 1.145 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gmg Posted October 30, 2012 Share Posted October 30, 2012 My .02cents. Load a dummy round out long say 1.18 or 1.2 just pick a long one. Take your barrel out and stick the dummy round in it and push it down firmly and try to twist the round. If it want turn take it out, seat it shorter and repeat til it will turn in barrel. you can fine tune it from there and you will have your oal for that specific bullet type. Powders will also effect accuracy. N320 is best for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walküre Posted October 31, 2012 Share Posted October 31, 2012 I run 124gr Montana Gold CMJ @ 1.150". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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