xdm 5.25" load help ( new to 9mm )

[colbyjack]

Just ordered a 5.25" 9mm. Going to be for my wife and son if he is ready for handgun. I have 125 gr RNFP lead and 147 gr FP lead. I'll be using Clays (regular) or Tight group.

Im looking for some data for the 5.25". My friend told me to load the 147 to 1.130" +/- .005". This seems short compared to other threads I've been searching. What's your OAL for 147 FP in a xdm 5.25 9mm? Have you guys have a light load using stock recoil spring? Im having trouble finding powder. But I do have 4 pounds of clays and 1 pound of Title group. (So those are my options)

What would be a lighter soft recoiling load. The 147fp or the 125 gr RNFP? 38 cowboy bullet but sized .356". Got a thousand of each. I don't have the gun yet, its being shipped from grab a gun. So I was going to load some test lots.

What's about max OAL on the 147 FP for the gun/mags? About how low on the PF can one go on the stock spring? Or better yet what's most people shoot for 130ish PF for reliability and knock down for steel??

Sorry for a bunch of questions. Just getting started on the 9mm. Got the 650 switched over. Waiting on my case feed plate. Should be here today. Just never seen anyone use a 125 rnfp. I'm assuming similar data to the 124 fmj.but wasn't sure on oal cause of the flat point design. Any help is greatly appreciated. Wasn't sure how light is OK with the 5.25" slide. Hope to have the wife and kid going on this soon. Weird none of my reloading books has the 147 FP listed...

[ProGunGuy]

i have a bunch of 9's and i have standardize on 1.12 for 147gr FP. i have found this OAL will run in all my guns and is reliable feeding.

As to lighter recoiling question, it depends on if you are trying to make PF for gun games. A 147gr loaded the same PF as a 124 will recoil less in my exprerience. some prefer it to the snap of a 124, but many feel the snap and faster slide speed of the 124 helps in follow up shots.

you can load as light as you want as long as it will function in your gun. Changing to a lighter recoil spring will help a lot in the functioning with lighter loads.

Lot of glock and MP guys go for 13# springs.

[KSH]

My 5.25-9 needs a shorter OAL.

When you start a load for it, pull the barrel and try different oal's and see if you can tap the loaded round after you drop it in and still have it fall out when you turn it upside down.

Edited May 11, 2013 by KSH

[colbyjack]

Don't look like clays is a good choice for 9 mm. From searching these forums. For a good powder on the 125gr rnfp 147gr FP looks like I may be better with WSF or tightgroup. I heard tightgroup smokes like a freight train with lead though. Also I better try to make the 120pf incase I want to run it in our local uspsa match. No one carries the VV powders here and solo 1000 I can't get local either. I've seen wsf and wst, 231, and the older common powders. Is WSF a good or decent powder to meet PF and not too smokey in those bullets I listed?

[practical_man]

Colby

I don't know a out WSF. Never used it. You are right a out clays in 9mm.

I use 4.4 grains of 231 with 125 grain RN or RNFP lead. Makes 130 PF in my glocks. Haven't tried that load in XD yet.

Hope this helps

[colbyjack]

231 fairly clean? How's the smoke with the lead?

[practical_man]

231 fairly clean? How's the smoke with the lead?

Fairly clean, but that's all relative. Cleaner than unique for sure. I haven't noticed that it smokes too bad with lead. I have shot a bunch of lead indoors with that load. No problems so far. Outdoors is never a problem from behind the sights.

I experimented with Titegroup in 45 and gave up on it. Others have had better luck in 9 mm. I never bought any more to try in the 9 mm.

[rtp]

Take an already fired case that you can slip a projectile into (may take trying a few different ones). Leave the projectile intentionally long - not on the press, just by hand.

Remove the barrel from your gun, then slide the empty dummy bullet into the barrel until it seats properly, which will push the bullet down into the casing a bit. Remove carefully and measure - this is your specific gun's maximum OAL - you'll want to take a bit off of this to consider your MAX load OAL for that gun with that specific projectile. Repeat the process a few different times to ensure you didn't 'nudge' the projectile and get a false reading. You can then load up some dummy (no primer or powder, but seated/light crimp/de-belled) rounds and ensure they cycle through your magazines and gun.

WSF will work fine for the projectiles mentioned, and I have read many times that it's much cleaner than TG and others with lead.

I've got 9# or so of WSF, currently using it with MG 124gr JHPs.

The downside of WSF is the published load data is lacking...it's available, but with more generic projectiles than specific (e.g. 124gr JHP - no mention of whose), and OAL data is mainly listed simply as SAAMI max of 1.169"..

You could also try something like Ramshot Silhouette..

[colbyjack]

Oops forgot i posted it. Thanks for the info. So on your 5.25" 9mm what oal do you run??