Preferred Bullet Weight for Steel Challenge Loads

[ZackJones]

Greetings,

I recently picked up an M&P C.O.R.E. along with a 40 to 9 conversion barrel that I'm planning to use for shooting open in steel challenge and pro-am steel matches. I typically go for the heavy/slow bullet combo (180g for .40 and 230g for .45ACP). This morning I was checking Bayou for their 9mm offerings and man they have a bunch! Of the bullet weights listed below which would you recommend or have experience with? I think the 124g and 147g could probably be considered the most popular weights but I thought I'd ask before buying stuff to experiment with. Bullets available are:

105g flat point

115g round nose

124g round nose

135g round nose

147g flat point

150g semi-wadcutter

160g round nose

Thanks in advance for your advice.

[scottlep]

I prefer 115 in front of an extremely light load. There is no power factor for SCSA, so most go with the lightest load that will still run their gun, even going to a lighter recoil spring if necessary. I don't have an M&P but the load a run for SC out of my Springfield 5" 9mm 1911 is a 115 with 3.8 grains of 231. Barely makes 900fps, but the gun runs fine with a 9lb recoil spring (stock is 11 lbs). The light load makes for virtually no recoil which in turn means quicker transitions to the next piece of steel and faster following shots.

[Rokihsa]

Zach I have some 9mm 147 light loads you could try. I think I could get my hands on some 124s also just to test load.

[kneelingatlas]

I say try the 105s to see if they'll chamber reliably and if not go to the 115s. The reason to shoot heavy bullets is that when the PF is constant a 147gr bullet traveling 850 fps is WAY softer than a 105gr bullet traveling 1,190 fps, but when you don't have to make PF, a 105gr going 850 fps* feels like a bb gun compared to a 147gr bullet going 850 fps.

*I'm assuming you're shooting static steel, this load will not knock down poppers reliably

[dave33]

The 135gr Bayou over either 3.4gr titegroup or 3.4gr e3 feels like shooting a .22 out of my XDM 5.25. Both make about a 134PF too, not that that is needed of course.

[ZackJones]

Thanks for the feedback guys! I was a bit overwhelmed when I saw just how many options there are. I can order 100 sample packs so I will call Donnie and get some one the way. Will let you know how the experimentation goes. I will need just a little bit of power behind the load for the knock down steel matches but for steel challenge as long as it makes a mark on the plate I'm golden.

[njl]

Loaded to the same PF with same or similar powders, heavier bullets will have less felt recoil. The only complaint I've heard with heavy ones is some say they notice the slide cycling slower. Unless your splits are fast enough that slide cycle time might cramp your style, I'd go 147gr.

[kneelingatlas]

Loaded to the same PF with same or similar powders, heavier bullets will have less felt recoil.

The whole point of this thread is that he doesn't have to load to the same PF.

[ZackJones]

Loaded to the same PF with same or similar powders, heavier bullets will have less felt recoil. The only complaint I've heard with heavy ones is some say they notice the slide cycling slower. Unless your splits are fast enough that slide cycle time might cramp your style, I'd go 147gr.

Your point about slide cycle speed is a valid one but given that this gun will be used for steel challenge and pro-am falling steel matches I'm not too concerned about slide speed. In both of these matches one hit on steel is all that's needed so there will be shot-transition-shot sequence. I'm sure at my current skill level the gun will be waiting one me and I won't be waiting on the gun . The only gotcha in the works is that for pro-am steel has to fall so I need enough velocity out of the pistol to knock down the steel.

[njl]

The only gotcha in the works is that for pro-am steel has to fall so I need enough velocity out of the pistol to knock down the steel.

I think you'll find heavier bullets have the edge in that as well.

[Logisticsnightmare]

The past two steel challenge matches I've been using 147 lead with very good success. I have some 160's from Bayou that I need to test but just haven't had the time.

[ZackJones]

The past two steel challenge matches I've been using 147 lead with very good success. I have some 160's from Bayou that I need to test but just haven't had the time.

Let us know how the 160's go.

[v1911]

I tried the bayou 150s, but went back to the 147s. Had to load down to about an OAL of 1.115 to feed reliably. Had to use a Lee FCD to mash that case back into shape. Accuracy wasn't any better or worse than the 147 but they made pretty holes.

It may have just been my perception, but the 150s made my slide feel sluggish. It may have only been 3gr heavier, but the reduced charge I think is what made the most notable difference.

[ZackJones]

On Friday the mailman dropped of my bullets from Bayou. I decided to buy 500 each of 115, 124, and 147 grain bullets. I'm going to load up 50 of each today and try them out at the range tomorrow to see how they perform. I'll post an update tomorrow after I've had a chance to shoot them over the chrono and then do some grouping tests.

[tac_driver]

Glock 19

berrys 147gr prn

Clays 3.0gr

OAL 1.150

very soft shooting

knocks down steel all day long

[ZackJones]

Made it out to the range to do some chrono runs with the 115, 124, and 147 Bayou Bullets. I'm leaning towards 125's at this point. I like the way the feel. Obviously this load wouldn't make USPSA minor but it could be used for steel challenge. My M&P Core has a 13# recoil spring in it.

Bayou 115 with 3.5g of e3

1 - 1,019

2 - 1,025

3 - 1,036

4 - 1,030

5 - 1,010

6 - 1,016

7 - 1,020

8 - 1,032

9 - 1,020

10 - 1,038

Avg

1,024.6

Max

1,038

Min

1,010

Minor Velocity: 1,086

Major Velocity: 1,434

Bullet: Bayou

Bullet Weight: 115

Bullet Caliber: 9mm

Gun: CORE - 9mm KKM

Minor Power Factor: 125

Major Power Factor: 165

OAL: 1.135

Powder: e3

Generated by Chronograph Log - http://on-core.com/chronographlog

[ZackJones]

Bayou 124 with 3.3g of e3. I am going to cut this one back to 3.1 or 3.0 and try it again though the AVG velocity works out to a 133 PF so I may just leave it alone.

1 - 1,085

2 - 1,094

3 - 1,064

4 - 1,079

5 - 1,085

6 - 1,063

7 - 1,100

8 - 1,102

9 - 1,066

10 - 1,064

Avg

1,080.2

Max

1,102

Min

1,063

Minor Velocity: 1,008

Major Velocity: 1,330

Bullet: Bayou

Bullet Weight: 124

Bullet Caliber: 9mm

Gun: CORE - 9mm KKM

Minor Power Factor: 125

Major Power Factor: 165

OAL: 1.135

Powder: e3

Generated by Chronograph Log - http://on-core.com/chronographlog

[ZackJones]

Bayou 147 with 2.8g of e3. Last run from yesterday.

1 - 888

2 - 874

3 - 870

4 - 865

5 - 878

6 - 862

7 - 870

8 - 867

9 - 879

10 - 867

Avg

872

Max

888

Min

862

Minor Velocity: 850

Major Velocity: 1,122

Bullet: Bayou

Bullet Weight: 147

Bullet Caliber: 9mm

Gun: CORE - 9mm KKM

Minor Power Factor: 125

Major Power Factor: 165

OAL: 1.135

Powder: e3

Generated by Chronograph Log - http://on-core.com/chronographlog

[jdlincoln]

Bayou 147's knock down steel reliably out of my XDM 5.25 9mm loaded to 1.133 with 3.9 gr Power Pistol and either Win or CCI SPP's. I have a 14lb recoil spring (stock is 18) and they shoot very soft with no problem with slide speed (at least for me).

Makes 135PF.

That Australian alligator snot coating seems to move them a bit faster than copper and isn't all over you like the moly coatings.

JD

[ZackJones]

Bayou 147's knock down steel reliably out of my XDM 5.25 9mm loaded to 1.133 with 3.9 gr Power Pistol and either Win or CCI SPP's. I have a 14lb recoil spring (stock is 18) and they shoot very soft with no problem with slide speed (at least for me).

Makes 135PF.

That Australian alligator snot coating seems to move them a bit faster than copper and isn't all over you like the moly coatings.

JD

Thanks for the info about the 147's. What's interesting is I loaded 5 of the 115's, 5 of the 124's and then 5 of the 147's and shot them back to back to back and I couldn't really tell a difference between the three.

That gator snot sure is slippery that's for sure. I find it takes about .3g of additional powder to run copper bullets over the gator snot coated ones.