Steel Challenge Loads - 95 gr projectiles

[Shorty4087]

Anyone having any success loading 95 grain projectiles and if so, which manufacturer? I’m trying to convert a G17 with a Carver red dot mount over to a dedicated steel challenge gun for my son’s GF and looking for some guidance. Thanks in advance!

[dave33]

Ive shot lots of lightweight bullets from several different manufacturers, Xtreme, RMR, and TJ Conevera for jacketed/plated, and lots of different coated lead from many different places.  Works pretty good for light recoil but they still have to be loaded strong enough to keep the gun running.  

[IDescribe]

You can download light bullets stupid soft for Steel Challenge, you just have to find the right recoil spring that will cycle the action.

That said, it's 9mm.  If it's in any way for practice, pick up some normal weight bullets and let her practice, but if it's just for fun and doesn't matter, she can shoot a .22 and get what you're looking for. 

[Ssanders224]

Precision Delta has 95gn .355 bullets. 

[stick]

Berry's 100gr.  Close enough?

[GOF]

Bayou 105 9mm... scary accurate... can be loaded soft. Seems to feed more reliably that the shorter 95 RNs.

Edited July 14, 2018 by GOF
added throught

[iflyskyhigh]

I load 95gr MG JHP over 6.4grs of HS-6 in my G17 Open Gun for SC. Gives me 1245 FPS. Have to use a 10lb spring to make it work, but shoots wicked soft.


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[Shorty4087]

1 hour ago, iflyskyhigh said:

I load 95gr MG JHP over 6.4grs of HS-6 in my G17 Open Gun for SC. Gives me 1245 FPS. Have to use a 10lb spring to make it work, but shoots wicked soft.


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Where did you pick up 10# spring?

[Shorty4087]

12 hours ago, IDescribe said:

You can download light bullets stupid soft for Steel Challenge, you just have to find the right recoil spring that will cycle the action.

That said, it's 9mm.  If it's in any way for practice, pick up some normal weight bullets and let her practice, but if it's just for fun and doesn't matter, she can shoot a .22 and get what you're looking for. 

Thanks and she’s shooting a 22 now but looking to move up!

[Boot]

Anyone try the Atlanta arms 100 grain?

[iflyskyhigh]

Where did you pick up 10# spring?

 

Pretty sure I had to get it direct from Wolff.

 

www.gunsprings.com

 

 

 

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[xpierrat]

I use Eggleston 95 grn  380 heads in .356 mixed brass WSPP with 3.4 grains of Bullseye, 13 lb spring in a FS M&P for Steel challenge.... going to play with lighter springs to see if I can get it any lower.  

 

[stick]

6 hours ago, xpierrat said:

I use Eggleston 95 grn  380 heads in .356 mixed brass WSPP with 3.4 grains of Bullseye, 13 lb spring in a FS M&P for Steel challenge.... going to play with lighter springs to see if I can get it any lower.  

 

Now we are getting somewhere.  Anyone else have specific load data they want to share?

[RaylanGivens]

On 7/14/2018 at 3:43 AM, stick said:

Berry's 100gr.  Close enough?

 

Sweet looking bullet...  Plated, so no exposed lead...  Sounds like a Steel Challenge special.

 

Berry's has it listed as a 380 bullet, not 9mm...  They say it's .356, which is good...  Makes me wonder how long you can load it in 9mm...  Have you ever loaded or shot any of the Berry 100gr plated bullets?

[stick]

3 hours ago, RaylanGivens said:

 

Sweet looking bullet...  Plated, so no exposed lead...  Sounds like a Steel Challenge special.

 

Berry's has it listed as a 380 bullet, not 9mm...  They say it's .356, which is good...  Makes me wonder how long you can load it in 9mm...  Have you ever loaded or shot any of the Berry 100gr plated bullets?

Yes!  you can load 380 heads in 9mm cases.  I need to look up my load.

[RaylanGivens]

18 hours ago, stick said:

Yes!  you can load 380 heads in 9mm cases.  I need to look up my load.

 

Thanks...  I'm curious about how long you can load them...  I'm currently loading some BBI 115gr bullets at 1.135 and they work well, but I wouldn't want a much shorter bullet...

[igolfat8]

I’ve shot 10’s of 1000’s of 95’s in my comp'd 34 and 17. 

Lee cast, Hi-Tek coated.

1.035” COAL

5.2, n320

7.6 HS6

6.0 WSF

3.8 Clays

4.6 TG

4.6 Sport Pistol

 

Edited July 24, 2018 by igolfat8

[iflyskyhigh]

Did some more testing today with MG 95 gr JHP.

 

Loaded 6.4, 6.6, 6.8, and 7.0 of HS-6 for the Glock 17 Open gun. COAL of 0.996. 6.4 to 6.6 was super soft shooting and will run with a 10lb spring. North of 6.6 gun starts to jump and defeats the purpose. It put 80 rounds through a 1” hole at 45 feet so stabilization and accuracy aren’t an issue...but that hole was 2” right and high of my zero with my standard open load. Conclusion, not worth the trouble unless you have a dedicated gun. Not going to rezero my C-More every time I go back and forth.

 

Chrono data with HS-6 if your interested with the two loads I have chrono’d

 

6.4 grs 1245 FPS 13.8 SD / 41 ES

8.0 grs 1559 FPS 15 SD / 53 ES

Shoots 2” high and right at all velocities

 

(6.4-7.0 grs 1245-1413 FPS) Estimate based on chrono’d load.

 

Moved on to the G34 which has a LW threaded barrel and adjustable Glock sights.

 

Tried:

 

Zip G34

(3.6-4.2 grs 993-1158 FPS Western)

No good, cycled all loads with 10lb spring, but accuracy was abysmal.

 

 

PB G34

(3.6-4.2 grs 1013-1157 FPS Hogden)

No good, cycled all loads with 10lb spring except 3.6, but accuracy was abysmal.

 

 

Unique G34

(4.2-4.8 grs 895-1091 FPS Lyman)

No good, cycled all loads with 10lb spring, but accuracy was abysmal.

 

 

Bullseye seemed to be the ticket.

(3.4-4.0 grs 867-1023 FPS Lyman)

Tried 3.4-4.0 in .2 incriminates

Accuracy was great at ALL charge weights

Point of aim was point of impact at 45 feet. No adjustment necessary. 3.4 was a joke it was so light. Loaded up a 100 or so of 3.5-3.7 to do further testing and eventually chrono.

 

 

 

 

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[chevrofreak]

You didn't say whether the gun has a comp or not?   I shot my G17 open gun without the comp using minor PF ammo and it shot fine.  Double taps as fast as I could pull the trigger were within inches.

 

I would only go 95gr and slow powder with a comp, and I would lean toward a 135gr and fast powder without a comp. 

[iflyskyhigh]

You didn't say whether the gun has a comp or not?   I shot my G17 open gun without the comp using minor PF ammo and it shot fine.  Double taps as fast as I could pull the trigger were within inches.
 
I would only go 95gr and slow powder with a comp, and I would lean toward a 135gr and fast powder without a comp. 

My comp is semi permanent. It’s a purpose built Open Gun. Not gonna remove it and put it back on.

Slow powder (HS-6) worked great on open gun with comp. just not gonna sight in back and forth.

Fast powder (Bullseye) and light bullet worked amazing. Just have to find the right powder bullet combo. Gun barely moved and accuracy was very good. It’s about as light on the recoil side as any load I’ve ever shot in any pistol. Ever.

To each his own. Not trying to convince anyone of this way or that. Just relaying my observations. There’s more than one way to skin a cat. That’s part of the fun of it all.



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[chevrofreak]

My first comp on my G17 open gun was a Lone Wolf and it worked incredibly well with a 115gr bullet and Titegroup.  Very little recoil, and right back onto target. 

[RaylanGivens]

Just received some 95gr Montana Gold JHP bullets...  They are way shorter than I was expecting/hoping...  First experiments look like they could load out to 1.050...  maybe 1.100 or so...  Any longer gets dodgy... 

 

I have an EGW U-Die...  Even so...  1.135 is out of the question.

[iflyskyhigh]

Just received some 95gr Montana Gold JHP bullets...  They are way shorter than I was expecting/hoping...  First experiments look like they could load out to 1.050...  maybe 1.100 or so...  Any longer gets dodgy... 
 
I have an EGW U-Die...  Even so...  1.135 is out of the question.

Yes. They are short.

I loaded them for my G34 at 1.015”. That’s as long as I wanted to go on the bases on having .175-177” of the bullet seated down in the case. Case length+bullet length-seating depth=COAL.

My open gun has a very shallow throat so I had to seat all the way down to .996” COAL to get them to feed.


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[xpierrat]

On ‎7‎/‎24‎/‎2018 at 5:45 PM, iflyskyhigh said:

 

My comp is semi permanent. It’s a purpose built Open Gun. Not gonna remove it and put it back on.

Slow powder (HS-6) worked great on open gun with comp. just not gonna sight in back and forth.

Fast powder (Bullseye) and light bullet worked amazing. Just have to find the right powder bullet combo. Gun barely moved and accuracy was very good. It’s about as light on the recoil side as any load I’ve ever shot in any pistol. Ever.

To each his own. Not trying to convince anyone of this way or that. Just relaying my observations. There’s more than one way to skin a cat. That’s part of the fun of it all.

Remember this was a Steel challenge question  and that 3.4 of BE with a 95/100 grn head... .995 coal.... giving super light recoil is right where you want to be...  22 like recoil with cheep costing heads, powder and acceptable accuracy  save the crono and hot open loads for USPSA where you have a power factor.  SCSA =  as light as you can go and consistently make the gun work with no changes to the gun other than maybe a recoil spring  JMHO  

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