9 major bullet choices

[melissa5]

I think I am ready to start loading 9 major and want to know if I can use Montana Gold FMJ or must I use hollow points? I heard that some people are using Xtreme plated without any problems. But, I thought that plated bullets would lead the compensator. Puzzled! I plan to use Auto Comp. This is for a Glock 17 race gun with a Lone Wolf barrel. Also, what OAL should I be using with a Glock. I've seen anywhere from 1.150 to 1.165. Thanks for any help that you can provide.

[Hi-Power Jack]

If you use JHP's, you'll get much less fouling in the comp than with FMJ or plated bullets

(CMJ is just as good as JHP).

Your OAL should be determined by how long you can load and still have the rounds

function in your magazine and not bump into the rifling of your pistol.

You should be able to get away with 1.15" but you should load up a few and try them

before you load up hundreds of them.

Start with 6.6 gr WAC and work up with a chrono until you get to closer to 7.0 grains.

If this is your first try at loading 9mm major, I'd suggest you stop at PF 155 and stay

there for a few hundred rounds, then work up a few hundred at 160, and slowly work

up to 168 - 172.

[kneelingatlas]

Plated bullets will not lead the comp, but FMJs may lead a little, but if that's what you have use them. Your Glock may have issues with loading JHPs long. If you haven't bought the bullets yet I vote for plated or CMJ round nose bullets. As far as the OAL you need to test your particular barrel with your particular bullets. The bullet weight/ brand will effect how long you can load too.

Also be sure to check the mags, if I load as long as my barrel will allow, my mags will cause feed problems.

[melissa5]

Thanks Jack but I have no WAC. I've got a lot of Autocomp and HS-6 in the pantry and would like to use one of those.

Good advice about going slow with small increments.

Edited October 19, 2013 by melissa5

[melissa5]

Right now I have some 115gr Montana Gold FMJ, 124gr Montana Gold JHP, and 124gr Xtreme plated. Is there an advantage to using 124gr or 115gr?

Plated bullets will not lead the comp, but FMJs may lead a little, but if that's what you have use them. Your Glock may have issues with loading JHPs long. If you haven't bought the bullets yet I vote for plated or CMJ round nose bullets. As far as the OAL you need to test your particular barrel with your particular bullets. The bullet weight/ brand will effect how long you can load too.

Also be sure to check the mags, if I load as long as my barrel will allow, my mags will cause feed problems.

Edited October 19, 2013 by melissa5

[kneelingatlas]

Is there an advantage to using 124gr or 115gr?

I haven't figured that out yet... I've finally loaded some of each at what I think is the same PF with the same powder and I plan to do some testing next weekend.

I shot some 100 grain bullets which were awesome buy had loading issues, someone also brought to my attention that 112gr is the minimum weight for major.

[Sarge]

WAC is Winchester AutoComp

[melissa5]

WAC is Winchester AutoComp

Thanks Sarge!

Edited October 19, 2013 by melissa5

[Sarge]

WAC is Winchester AutoComp

Thanks Sarge!

You are welcome.

Bullet lingo can be confusing. FMJ's have an exposed lead base. CMJ's are completely encased in a jacket. JHP's are like a hershey's kiss. They are wrapped from the bottom and the loose ends tucked into the hollow point. With your open gun you want no exposed lead so try to pick something other than an FMJ. Plated bullets? Seems like for every shooter who says they work great in their open gun there are 10 who say they don't. You can always try them. You would get plating buildup not lead if they are not up to the task of screaming through your comp at 1400fps.

I use MG(Montana Gold)121 IFP's which are 115JHP's with a drop of lead in the nose. I also use and really like WAC since it takes up a lot less case than most of the other choices for 9MAJOR. In your Glock you are going to be limited in oal mostly by your mags so getting enough powder in there to push a 115 will be a challenge. I would recommend a 121-124 in order for everything to fit with ease.

[melissa5]

Thanks again! What about primers? SPP or rifle primers?

[kneelingatlas]

I use rifle primers just because that's what everyone does but I'm not sure how necessary it is. I loaded some with spp and they both look the same to me after firing.

[Sarge]

Rifle here

[kneelingatlas]

I have shot Xtreme plated 100gr bullets at 1650fps with no problems out of my CZ, but I've heard people with tight comps have trouble.

[melissa5]

Well, I loaded up a few Xtreme 124's a few weeks ago with 7.2gr of WAC, SPP, and an OAL of 1.150 and it seemed like such a non-event when I fired them that I thought I had done something wrong. I expected them to be louder and with a little more snap. I didn't have a chrono at the time so I don't know what the velocity was.

Edited October 19, 2013 by melissa5

[yoshidaex]

Is there an advantage to using 124gr or 115gr?

It takes a bit more powder to push the lighter bullet. A bit more powder equals more gas to work the comp. The felt recoil will be different also. Edited October 19, 2013 by yoshidaex

[Hi-Power Jack]

I loaded up Xtreme 124's with 7.2gr of WAC, I didn't have a chrono so I don't know what the velocity was.

You can get hurt working up a 9mm major load without a chrono, and especially

not working up to a major load with a chrono.

[melissa5]

I loaded up Xtreme 124's with 7.2gr of WAC, I didn't have a chrono so I don't know what the velocity was.

You can get hurt working up a 9mm major load without a chrono, and especially

not working up to a major load with a chrono.

Thanks! I've got one now.

[02doooce]

Montana gold and xtremes both handle major PF velocities without any problems.

[Sarge]

Montana gold and xtremes both handle major PF velocities without any problems.

Montana gold is a true jacketed bullet so I certainly hope so. As for plated, For what they cost compared to a true jacketed bullet, I won't shoot them in my Open gun.

[Buildit2]

So I'm still learning about what it takes to make a good round for my 9mm comp (major). I'm finding factory rounds won't even cycle with (FTE) but 115 gr rounds over 1300 fps work fine in 9mm and 1250fps with 124 grain rounds. Any thoughts? I'm not competitive just looking for a good load for the gun set up with the comp. 9mm compensator (muzzle break)

[kneelingatlas]

Luke,

A compensator changes the way the pistol cycles because it delays the un locking of the barrel lugs and adds weight to the barrel, so yes there is less energy left to cycle the slide with any given load. There are two components to recoil: the rotational (muzzle flip) and the straight back (kick for lack of a better term); the gas diverted upwards out of the comp mitigates muzzle flip and the flat baffles impacted by the blast effectively pull the pistol forward, mitigating the push straight back.

So without the comp, the moment the bullet exits the barrel it unlocks and releases the slide; the energy of expanding gasses push the slide back and cycle the gun, but with the comp gas pressure is bleeding out the front of the barrel and pushing off the baffles delaying the unlocking of the barrel so by the time the slide is un locked, there is relatively little energy left to cycle the slide.

Back to a "good load" for the comp: the comp uses gas pressure to mitigate muzzle flip and recoil, so the more gas the better, but not all powders produce the same amount of gas. The principles at work are essentially opposite when choosing a powder for a compensated pistol and a plain muzzle pistol and since the vast majority of pistols which shoot commercially loaded ammo do not have compensators on them the powder used in that 'off-the-shelf' ammo is pretty much the worst possible to achieve your goals.

You want slow burning, low density powder, but factory ammo uses fast burning, high density powder because that's what creates the most velocity with the least recoil. Do you reload?

[Buildit2]

Luke,

A compensator changes the way the pistol cycles because it delays the un locking of the barrel lugs and adds weight to the barrel, so yes there is less energy left to cycle the slide with any given load. There are two components to recoil: the rotational (muzzle flip) and the straight back (kick for lack of a better term); the gas diverted upwards out of the comp mitigates muzzle flip and the flat baffles impacted by the blast effectively pull the pistol forward, mitigating the push straight back.

So without the comp, the moment the bullet exits the barrel it unlocks and releases the slide; the energy of expanding gasses push the slide back and cycle the gun, but with the comp gas pressure is bleeding out the front of the barrel and pushing off the baffles delaying the unlocking of the barrel so by the time the slide is un locked, there is relatively little energy left to cycle the slide.

Back to a "good load" for the comp: the comp uses gas pressure to mitigate muzzle flip and recoil, so the more gas the better, but not all powders produce the same amount of gas. The principles at work are essentially opposite when choosing a powder for a compensated pistol and a plain muzzle pistol and since the vast majority of pistols which shoot commercially loaded ammo do not have compensators on them the powder used in that 'off-the-shelf' ammo is pretty much the worst possible to achieve your goals.

You want slow burning, low density powder, but factory ammo uses fast burning, high density powder because that's what creates the most velocity with the least recoil. Do you reload?

Yes, Currently I am using Titegroup at 5.0 grains and developing 1300 fps with Berrys 115 gr JRN bullets and 1250fps with 124 gr Berrys JRN.

[orangeman711]

For 9Major I've used nothing but 124Gr. MGJHP's and been very happy. I load 6.9 Grs. of WAC in an STI TruBor and chrono 169-170 PF consistantly with WSR primers. Good luck.

[kneelingatlas]

Yes, Currently I am using Titegroup at 5.0 grains and developing 1300 fps with Berrys 115 gr JRN bullets and 1250fps with 124 gr Berrys JRN.

That's part of your problem. TG is a fast powder; if you were making those same velocities using HS6 or Autocomp you'd feel the effect of the comp much more. By the looks of your video you can barely tell the comp is there right?

[Buildit2]

Yes, Currently I am using Titegroup at 5.0 grains and developing 1300 fps with Berrys 115 gr JRN bullets and 1250fps with 124 gr Berrys JRN.

That's part of your problem. TG is a fast powder; if you were making those same velocities using HS6 or Autocomp you'd feel the effect of the comp much more. By the looks of your video you can barely tell the comp is there right?

Yes, the difference is barely noticeable. My powders on hand include PB, Longshot and Unique. I think Unique is the slowest burner but I doubt I can get enough in to make a decent velocity. So Longshot would be my next best immediately available option for a slower burning powder I think.