Switching from 9mm RN to FP.. What to do with my OAL?

[taymag]

I load at 1.100" with 147gr RN, I think this is a little short so I don't know where to go with my new FP I am switching to. 1.142 is the load data for RN on the powder companies website but they have 1.142 for HP too which I assume is more like a FP.

I thought FP was was going to load shorter?

BTW the new bullets are 147 9mm Acme FP

[9x45]

OAL is based on bullet shape. I've loaded 124 RN down to 1.060"  and 124 JHP's out to 1.175" Just get your new load to as long as it will go for the chamber check in your barrel (plunk test). Don't forget to flip the seating die upside down when you go from round to flat.

[RickT]

Depends completely on the ogive.  It's easy enough to pull your barrel out, seat and crimp a FP to 1.15", for example (a dummy round).  If it doesn't chamber simply cycle the same dummy back through seat/crimp at 1.14": rinse and repeat.  A micrometer seater (e.g., Redding) is very, very handy.

[NicVerAZ]

What I did when I shot some FPs for a while is calculate the distance between the back of the bullet to the bottom of the casings, then adding that to the OAL of the new FPs.

I then loaded a few dummy rounds and dry cycled to make sure they would all chamber correctly.

After that, the usual 5-batch test with -.2, -.1, 0, +.1, +.2 grains, chrono and paper testing.

Works fine.

[taymag]

9 minutes ago, 9x45 said:

OAL is based on bullet shape. I've loaded 124 RN down to 1.060"  and 124 JHP's out to 1.175" Just get your new load to as long as it will go for the chamber check in your barrel (plunk test). Don't forget to flip the seating die upside down when you go from round to flat.

I dont think I would have EVER thought of that hah

[Hi-Power Jack]

Every time you change bullets, you need to do The Plunk Test - make sure they fit into

your chamber/mags.     

[superdude]

The Plunk Test is described here: http://www.shootingtimes.com/reloading/reloading-tips-the-plunk-test/

[MaddHatter]

Out of curiosity, why are you choosing FP over RN?

[taymag]

17 hours ago, superdude said:

The Plunk Test is described here: http://www.shootingtimes.com/reloading/reloading-tips-the-plunk-test/

Ended up passing the test at 1.110 so I loaded them at 1.095. Ran a couple hundred through yesterday and they seem to be pretty nice.

This is pointless info but the Acme finish is smoother and the press runs a little smoother with them which is a plus I guess.

[taymag]

9 hours ago, MaddHatter said:

Out of curiosity, why are you choosing FP over RN?

No specific reason, both seem to shoot about the same at the distances I need.

I started USPSA about a month ago and with the time change we shoot at night. One thing I hate is not being able to see my hits along the way at some spots. I assume these FP's will help me see hits better and HOPEFULLY slow my ass down when I see I am getting sloppy since I try and rush it

[Hi-Power Jack]

4 minutes ago, taymag said:

I hate not being able to see my hits along the way. these FP's will help me see hits and slow me down

For USPSA, it's better NOT to look for your hits ...

Better to learn to "call your shots" - see where your front sight is when it "lifts"

in recoil - that will tell you if you're going to hit or not - it will "slow you down" a

bit, as you have to make a conscious effort to watch your front sight until it

lifts - but you don't have to slow down to "see the hits".     

Watching for hits is especially detrimental when shooting steel - if you wait

to see if you hit a piece of steel, you're waiting "A Long Time" in USPSA times.

[MaddHatter]

Thanks for the info. Will need to give them a try. 

[taymag]

36 minutes ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

For USPSA, it's better NOT to look for your hits ...

Better to learn to "call your shots" - see where your front sight is when it "lifts"

in recoil - that will tell you if you're going to hit or not - it will "slow you down" a

bit, as you have to make a conscious effort to watch your front sight until it

lifts - but you don't have to slow down to "see the hits".     

Watching for hits is especially detrimental when shooting steel - if you wait

to see if you hit a piece of steel, you're waiting "A Long Time" in USPSA times.

Appreciate the tips, and I assume I will use them in a few weeks but I'm on my 4th week and just working on not breaking any rules for now lol. I've gotten surprisingly better though, I thought I'd be stuck at the back of the pack for a while but I'm moving on up. You guys were right its addicting

Anyway, the FP punching better holes thing was just something I read, I had zero though into ordering FP other than just trying something new and seeing a good 50% of people shooting them. I was using a small time to fill orders of 1000 every few weeks since they were never in stock and I was sick of placing those orders and waiting for stock so switched to Acme and went with FP and they seem to shoot and load pretty much the same

[9x45]

10 hours ago, MaddHatter said:

Out of curiosity, why are you choosing FP over RN?

Flat points, or truncated cones, generally feed better, and can be loaded longer, that RN.

[taymag]

6 minutes ago, 9x45 said:

Flat points, or truncated cones, generally feed better, and can be loaded longer, that RN.

By loaded longer you just mean more room in the shell? OAL would be shorter though...

[9x45]

Longer OAL, so that the bullet almost touches the grooves. 

 

Left, 124 gr JHP at 1.175", right, 125 RN at 1.060"

[taymag]

Just now, 9x45 said:

Longer OAL, so that the bullet almost touches the grooves. 

 

Left, 124 gr JHP at 1.175", right, 125 RN at 1.060"

Looks like your RN is a little different profile, plus I shoot 147 so I guess my RN would be longer. IDK, I am fairly new to the FP deal but I didn't have any pressure signs and they were dead accurate. As far as my reloading manuals go they always have RN way longer than FP, I kind of met in the middle with it since my Glock chambers are forgiving

[9x45]

Usually RN's are shorter because the ogive hits the rifling sooner. Here is a more offset example, in 357SIG, 124 TC left, 151 RN right. The RN is OAL is about .040" less.

 

Edited December 28, 2016 by 9x45

[MemphisMechanic]

Long story short, round up all of the guns you will be shooting the ammo in, pop the barrels out, and bring them to the reloading bench.

Load a dummy up at your longest desired length. Let's say that's 1.130"

No primer no powder, but you need to size the brass, seat a bullet to depth and then crimp the case. 

Drop your new dummy round into the chamber of each gun. It should drop in all the way and spin freely: if it won't spin then the bullet is likely caught in the rifling, so this OAL is too long for that gun's chamber. The dummy should also fall out effortlessly when you flip the barrel over.

Shorten things up until your round spins in everything, and then set your press up and begin making ammo.

This works every time.

How long you can load is dependent on your guns (Glocks and 9mm 1911s have loooong chambers and CZs are super short) and the profile of the bullet you're using. As shown above a flat nose 147 can generally be loaded longer than a round one, for example.

Any time you change guns or change bullets, you will want to do a quick plunk test.

Edited December 28, 2016 by MemphisMechanic

[taymag]

Thanks for the detailed answers, took me years to make my way over to this forum cause I thought it was more of a competition forum but definitely helpful for reloading!!

[Hi-Power Jack]

2 hours ago, 57K said:

If you make a "dummy" I would not crimp it. So long as case-mouth diameter is below .380"

No need to ever "crimp" a 9mm - but must use the "crimping die" to remove the belling

necessary to seat the bullet.     

[MemphisMechanic]

19 hours ago, 57K said:

If you make a "dummy" I would not crimp it. So long as case-mouth diameter is below .380" it should fit in the chamber. If you crimp, as you shorten OACL, the case will just dig into the bullet. Otherwise I agree with MemphisMechanic.

You have to run the round through the crimp die in order to have the dummy round fit into the barrel, so I made mention of this.

I always crimp my ammo and my dummies the exact same, every time. Over-crimpinging (read: actually crimping) is the number ones cause of feeding and accuracy issues in 9mm.

Use the crimp die as "flare removal" only, and you'll have good consistent ammo. Regardless of whether the bullet is an FMJ, plated, coated, or bare lead.

[Livin_cincy]

I view the load data OAL / COAL is the minimum that is safe.  Less volume in the cartridge = more pressure. So you need to understand what a bullet is doing inside of the case.  

I start with a maximum length from measuring my barrel or SAAMI data.  I hold my powder to the minimum and work back towards the published Length.  Longer seems to shoot better.  Then I start to work the powder charge up until you find the sweet spot.  Usually this is towards the lower end.

Always plunk test before firing and cycle thru magazines.  Also do not double tap until you have shot that loading many times.

Keep in mind one gun's ammo will not be the best for all in that caliber.

[9x45]

Crimp is a misnomer. It's really just a de-bell.