115g, 124g, 147, Flat point, Round Nose? What gives?

[Planter]

Reloading for three months but lurking for six and I have always found the answers to questions are easily found on this forum. I have burned through 1000's and 1000's of finished rounds and they have all been produced using 124 grain round nose bullets from either FMP, Better Bullets or Bayou Bullets with a variety of powders from AutoComp to Bullseye, W231 or Clay. It's been pretty easy (and fun) working up decent rounds.

My question is simply why mess with recipes that work? What does a flat point or a 147g bullet have to offer that I'm not getting with 124g RN? It wouldn't be as much fun but I think I could load 124g Bayou's in front of 4.8 grains of AutoComp for the rest of my days with no worries and never change a thing on the 550's 9mm toolhead. What are you guys trying to achieve that motivates you? TY

[rstandley]

I just like the nice holes the flat point TC rounds make.

[ajg308]

Sometimes it is as simple as what's available. Sometimes it's about reliability. Open guns usually like fast and light to work the comp, other guns like slow and heavy for the recoil impulse.

Basically it's a Ginger or Mary Ann argument, we have a preference, but could make due with the other.

[v1911]

I like the feel of the 147gr and uses less powder. I never worry about knocking down steel either. And yeah, the FN does cut the paper a bit better than RN. If Bayou Bullets made a 147gr HP, I'd be in heaven. The 150gr SWC is nice, but you have too load it too deep and requires a LFCD to pass a case gauge.

[Hi-Power Jack]

Different recoil impulse ...

Accuracy ...

Feeding ...

Smoke ...

Muzzle flash ...

[glockdude1]

Round nose vs. flat nose is a toss up....if you want the best accuracy, the hollow points are better because they are balanced better and don't wiggle as they come out of your barrel...the other bullets will wiggle a little and are not as accurate..

As far as bullet weight, it makes a big difference in recoil...the rule of thumb is the lighter the bullet (115gr), the more powder you use and the most recoil...the heavier the bullet (147gr) the less powder you use and the softer the felt-recoil....if you get into shooting matches where you are timed, you have to fire off shots pretty fast...the 115gr bullet will flip the muzzle up and you have to be pretty quick to settle the gun down before the next shot is fired or your next shot is high.....the 147gr bullet recoil feels like more of a "push" back and some shooters find it hard to settle on the target for the next shot because the front sight seems to come into focus with a slight flip rather than a push....some competitive shooters do use a 147gr bullet, but most use the 124gr...

That is why a lot of use competitive shooters prefer the 124gr bullet....it is a happy medium between light and heavy recoil and is very accurate...

Load up 20 rounds of each and you will feel the difference...you can buy sample packs of 100 each at Precision Delta...once you find the bullet that feels the best and is more accurate at speeds (not just aiming at a bullseye target), then buy them in quantities and you will be happy...

Don't get into experimentation with a lot of different powders, bullets (RN vs FP vs HP), and OAL's......just pick a powder, bullet and OAL and just keep sending them down range....your mind needs to adjust to a certain "timing" of the recoil of your gun and the more you can program your mind as to that feel, the better shooter you will become...