I'm just starting to load for practice and matches

[wdfwguy]

And I have a couple of questions

 

First off, I'm loading 9mm minor on a 550C.  99% of what I've loaded has been 124/125 coated bullets, and a handful of JHPs.

 

I've pretty much settled on Sport Pistol powder, and I use range brass and Win primers (I bought 4 cases when I found them on sale)

 

I realize bullseye accuracy any necessary in USPSA, but how much do you test and experiment for groups?

 

And is your practice load the same as your match load?

 

Or is just a matter of finding the cheapest bullets that run in your pistol and then making PF?

 

[Flatland Shooter]

Testing loads I shoot groups at both 10 yards and 25 yards.  I'm not so much looking for bulleye accuracy but rather I just want to know what to expect from a load.  Of course if it shoots too large a group, its off in search of a better combination.  I shoot these both off-hand and from sandbags on a bench.

 

I shot Open for many years and used 124/125 gr JHP for both practice and matches.

 

Now I shoot PCC.  I've only shot it for the past 14 months so as time permits, I do experiment.  I found that a batch of plated bullets sitting way back in the garage on a lower shelf that would not shoot well in any pistol I own worked great in my PCC.  For USPSA matches, that is all I now use.

 

My practice range has lots of steel but allows only lead and coated bullets.  I developed a nice load with Blue Bullets that works well for practice and falling steel matches.

 

See what your gun likes and buy bullets that will work with it.  If you can save a few dollars by running coated bullets, great.   But in the big picture (all costs of competing lumped together) the cost of the bullets are not a big deal.  Go with what works.

[RAP]

My match ammo is the same as my practice. Once I have settled on a load I see no sense in changing for practice. I also use Sport Pistol, Win SSP, range brass. I shoot a 147 grain FP coated bullet with with an average Power factor of 131.

As far as testing I tried several different bullet weights, profile and brands until I was satisfied with accuracy and reliability. To me this is more important than price. Also you may find you like the feel of one bullet weight over another while doing your testing.


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[wdfwguy]

1 hour ago, RAP said:

My match ammo is the same as my practice. Once I have settled on a load I see no sense in changing for practice. I also use Sport Pistol, Win SSP, range brass. I shoot a 147 grain FP coated bullet with with an average Power factor of 131.

As far as testing I tried several different bullet weights, profile and brands until I was satisfied with accuracy and reliability. To me this is more important than price. Also you may find you like the feel of one bullet weight over another while doing your testing.


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Mind if I ask which bullet and pistol you're shooting?

[Hi-Power Jack]

First, you should select the weight bullet you prefer - almost no body prefers 115's in

9mm Minor, but lots of lovers of 124's vs 147's (Plus some 135's and 160's).

 

If you like the 124's, load some up and test them for velocity (PF), functioning,

accuracy and "feel" (mostly recoil/muzzle rise).

 

In terms of "accepted accuracy", it's important to look at the pistol you're using -

a plastic gun might accept 4" groups at 25 yards, but a metal gun might be able

to shoot 2.5" groups.

 

You didn't mention if you're a C, B or A shooter (I would imagine, from the question,

that you are a beginner in the D or C range?) ?   The higher up the spectrum YOU go,

the more accuracy you might demand of your gun/ammo.

 

For testing the accuracy potential of the gun/ammo, I would bench it at 15 and 25 yards,

with a good solid rest, firing slow fire, at a small target (not a brown USPSA target), but

a 2-3" dot.    I fire a 15 shot group, and eliminate the 3-4 "flyers" and see how the rest

of the shots (11-12) group.

 

If it's NOT acceptable to YOU, then try a different OAL, powder, bullet and check the crimp.

 

If it's ACCEPTABLE to YOU, now, then use it for a while, and look around to improve it

over the next few months.

 

No reason to use different ammo for practice - better to use the same as for matches.     

[RAP]

I’m shooting a CZ P09 for Carry Optics. My bullet of choice is ACME 147 grain FP NLG bullet or my own cast. My cast bullets are essentially the same as ACME and I coat them with HI TEK coating.


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[SilverBolt]

For 9-minor I prefer a heavy bullet 147gr and a very fast powder Titegroup/Bullseye.  Practice and match ammo are the same.

[stick]

Like many have said before, practice and match ammo are the same.  I test in 10 round batches and load in .2gr increments.(3gr, 3.2gr, 3.4gr etc).  I start at the bottom of the load data and work up.  personally, I never load max loads.  I chrono and check for group and muzzle flip. once i determine the load, I'll test 25 rounds.  My OAL stays the same for 124 and 147gr loads because I know what works in my particular gun.  I usually run 147gr Round Nose bullets, but Everglades Ammo has been running a special on 124gr Recess Base Round Nose bullets so...I've been ordering them.  I prefer Titegroup powder and use range pick up brass that I sort by headstamp.

[wdfwguy]

Yes, I'm new to USPSA, and my first classification will probably be C

 

I'm shooting a Glock 17 in CO, but I'm expecting my Shadow slide to be back later this week with a DPP

 

I've loaded up ~10-20 rounds of 7 different bullets that should all be ~130pf.  I'll take them to the range in the morning and see if any shoot better than the others.

[hrhawk]

I’m also in the 10 round test group, 0.20 increments.  Start low and work your way up. I also don’t hit max load.   My practice and match ammo is the same.  124gr over TG pumps out 6in at 50yds prone. It’s as good as I can do with a  320.  

[wdfwguy]

I ended up taking the kids to the range, so I didn't get to shoot groups or chrono anything

 

I'm going to the range tomorrow and I'll take the chrono and shoot some groups

[uewpew]

On 7/1/2018 at 12:50 PM, wdfwguy said:

I realize bullseye accuracy any necessary in USPSA, but how much do you test and experiment for groups?

 

And is your practice load the same as your match load?

 

Or is just a matter of finding the cheapest bullets that run in your pistol and then making PF?

 

 

My personal load accuracy goal is 2" at 25 yds.  This is plenty accurate for the longest shots i've encountered in a USPSA course:  50yd poppers.

 

Practice load is the same as my match load.  I do put "marginal case gage failures" in a "practice bin".  Match ammo must pass case gage.

 

If you're just out to have fun, shoot the cheapest bullets that work.  If you're out to compete, shoot the bullets that work best in your gun.  I pay $0.076/bullet, which isn't the cheapest 9mm out there, but it is accurate and available so that's what I went with.  

 

As a side note about PF...don't be the guy that loads to 125PF and then goes sub minor at match...shoot for 130+ and you'll always get to shoot for score.  

[wdfwguy]

So, I took six loads out this morning;

 

Acme 122 FP

Eggleston 124gr .356

Eggleston 124gr .357

PD JHP 124gr @ 1.10

PD JHP 124gr @ 1.09

SNS 125gr RN

 

All were loaded with Win 1x fired brass, Win SPP and Sport Pistol powder.  They were all between 128-130pf.

 

This was my first time shooting groups with my Shadow with the DPP.  I was shooting at 15 yards resting across my backpack, and all of the coated bullets were staying around 1.5"

 

Both PD loads were noticeably more accurate.