Reloading carry rounds

[Dmatzinger]

Repost ish, as last one was close by mod for use of "self defense", and the responses that created.

 

Thinking about loading carry rounds.  I find myself not practicing live fire with my carry gun, simply due to the cost per round is too high.  I reload my own target and competition loads, so I am think about buying 1000 124 gr hollow points, and reloading my own self defense rounds, so I can afford to practice with my carry gun using the same ammo I carry in it.

 

I am using Alliant sport pistol

Looking to buy 9mm 124gr Hybrid Hollow Point bullets

Once fired Nickel coated brass

Federal primer

 

Alliant "recipe" for 124 gn hollow points is as follows

4.4 grains @1.12 OAL 1071 FPS, (based on Alliant load data) http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/powderlist.aspx?type=1&powderid=42&cartridge=23

or

+p 4.7 Grains @1.12 OAL 1122 FPS, (Based on Alliant load data) http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/powderlist.aspx?type=1&powderid=42&cartridge=189

 

To this point I have been shooting +P factory loads in my carry gun, (federal 124+p hollow point), but have shot less then 100 rounds of this through it.  I have shoot, my hand load target / competition loads around 1000, 

 

My question really boils down to this, 

If I am loading my own, should I load it at the +p data, or just go with the standard pressure powder weight?

and what should be my success criteria? 

FPS?

feel?

accuracy?

Power factor?  (if so what power factor am I after for self defense rounds?)

 

For my target / competition hand loads, my success criteria is reach power factor, but not sure how that applies to carry ammo.

 

I have a chrono, and planned to build and test 20 rounds per weight as follows, 

 

and at +P

4.7 Grains

4.6 Grains, 

4.5 Grains

standard pressure,

4.4 grains

4.3 grains 

4.2 grains

4.1 grains

4.0 grains

I know I can get function data, going every other weight, but I enjoy this part of it, and shooting 100 rounds of each pressure to collect the data sounds like a great time!

My carry gun is a glock 26

 

Thank you in advance for you feedback!

Daniel

[ChuckS]

Note: Let's keep the subject on reloading or this thread will be closed also.

 

Thanks,

ChuckS

 

[TrackCage]

Here would be my suggestion based on what I did and was trying to accomplish - mimic my carry ammo as closely as possible.

 

I did not and will not carry my own reloads for defense, but I too wanted to practice with ammo "like" my carry ammo. I found that fast burning powders like sport pistol and titegroup did not mimic the recoil of my carry ammo (124 gr +p Gold Dots). So I went to a slightly slower powder - Power Pistol.

 

I used 124gr Precision Delta JHPs and use them as a mimic load, like I mentioned. I could dig out the exact data I used, if you're curious. I actually have not chronoed the data, went more on feel, as this is a newer experiment for me as well.

[RickT]

Just work up a load that "feels like" your carry load (without exceeding the max in the load data tables).

[Hi-Power Jack]

10 hours ago, Dmatzinger said:

 

should I load it at the +p data, or standard pressure ?

and what should be my success criteria? 

 

 

I prefer  +P+  loads in my 9mm,

 

and HP's that actually expand (many do not - e.g. MG's)

 

And, I'd be looking for a low flash powder, since most social emergencies take

place in low light situations.

[iflyskyhigh]

+P

Large charges of “slower” burning powder. Silhouette, HS-6, AA#7, etc.

Use good bullets like Speer Gold Dots or Hornady XTP’s at a minimum . I like the Lehigh XTREME Defense bullets in .380 and 9MM as well.

I prep my SD brass just like precision rifle rounds.

New brass, flash hole deburred, fully resized.

I load them on my 550, but basically load one at a time. Measuring each powder charge. Almost single stage style.

Try different bullet weights as well.

I’ve found 147’s and AA#7 to be a great combo. Top velocities and accurate.

Same with Silhouette and 115 / 124’s. High end velocity and very accurate.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Eric802]

Most quality HP ammo is designed to expand in a given range of velocities.  Find out what that is for your ammo of choice and reload to that velocity. I found that 147gr Gold Dots would expand reliably at 1000fps; I worked up a load for them at that velocity, and I'm confident they'll work as intended.  

[jcc7x7]

Just keep it simple reloading technique.

measure pf of factory load you want to duplicate.

and load 124gr hp jacketed bullet to same pf and oal .

practice away

[Jim Watson]

Matching factory ammo is an interesting activity.

I am like jcc7x7, same bullet weight and velocity and I am satisfied.  I cannot buy the same bullet as in my favorite JHP factory load, but I can get pretty close on nose profile.

But I have heard of folks like TrackCage, too.  They find that mere power factor does not necessarily give the same feel.  The last such search I read of ended with a good stout load of HS6. 

Edited December 16, 2019 by Jim Watson

[BJB]

My comments copied & pasted form your other thread in green:

 

If you're looking to mimic your carry loads then use a slower powder than Sport Pistol.  It's not designed for the higher velocities like a slower powder is and the recoil impulse might be a little different than your carry loads.  

Try BE-86, Auto Comp, AA #5, CFE, N340, N350 or powders that are slower like that. 

With BE-86 under a jacketed 124 gr ~1.12" you're looking around 5.5 to 5.6 gr to equal a standard pressure 124 gr Gold Dot load (~1150 fps via a 4"). 

 

Also to keep in mind, if you're trying to fully mimic your carry ammo so you can train more effectively, you need to mimic the powder burn somewhat and not just chrono a 124 gr carry load and then push it with Sport Pistol until you reach the equivalent velocity.  Sport Pistol & the like will work just fine as far as shooting goes and I'm not suggesting that it won't.  My primary powder is Sport Pistol and I burned about 12 pounds of it this year for USPSA.  But, it will have a slightly different recoil impulse than one of the slower burning powders that carry loads utilize.  To load to your carry load velocities with a faster powder like Sport Pistol you're at the upper edge of it's load range and pressures can really spike if you get too far up there.  With the medium/slower powders you are safely right in the middle of the load range window pressure-wise because they are designed for the higher velocities and the recoil will be more similar too.  If you're trying to somewhat copy your carry load then load it with whatever and you're good to go. If you're trying to fully copy a carry load as much as possible then grab some BE-86 and see my suggested load above.  

 

(Hint: Pull-down a standard pressure 124 gr Gold Dot and measure the powder charge and try to ID the powder and then load some of what I've stated above and see what you have.  It'll chrono to the same velocity & recoil impulse as the factory round.  Pull-down your preferred carry load and try to see if you can ID what is in there and how much of it.  This stuff is actually kinda fun & interesting)

 

You're stated goal is to mimic your carry ammo so you can train more, and more economically, via reloading,  You're not carrying this stuff, just training.  So, the projectiles performance is irrelevant.  Get a cheaper 124 gr jacket projectile of a profile similar to your carry stuff and you should be fine.  It can be a JHP or a jacketed flat-point of similar dimensions.  But it has to be jacketed as the load workup would be different for just plated or coated.

[Hi-Power Jack]

I may be wrong, but it looks like five of the responses are talking about loading

ammo to duplicate current carry loads.   I'm reading it that he wants to "load

carry rounds", not duplicate them.

 

And, Eric802, I've heard that some of the bullets we use in USPSA are NOT

designed to expand at normal velocities.    

[Dmatzinger]

Thank you all for the various feedback, it is GREATLY appreciated, I will build a few experiments, and so what I get.  I enjoy the experiment side of it!

[SteelCityShooter]

12 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

I prefer  +P+  loads in my 9mm,

Unlike standard pressure and +P 9 mm ammo there is no SAAMI specifications for 9 mm  +P+ so how do you know what you are buying or reloading?  No firearm manufacture sanctions the use of +P+ ammo since they have no idea what it is.  

[Hi-Power Jack]

Not sure that firearm mnfctr's legal departments sanction the use of any ammo -   

 

 

[jcc7x7]

41 minutes ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

Not sure that firearm mnfctr's legal departments sanction the use of any ammo -   

 

 

Every instruction manual says no reloads. So lol with the +p+ statement.

Nevermind major loads in an open gun

[DeeCee]

On 12/15/2019 at 10:30 PM, TrackCage said:

Here would be my suggestion based on what I did and was trying to accomplish - mimic my carry ammo as closely as possible.

 

I did not and will not carry my own reloads for defense, but I too wanted to practice with ammo "like" my carry ammo. I found that fast burning powders like sport pistol and titegroup did not mimic the recoil of my carry ammo (124 gr +p Gold Dots). So I went to a slightly slower powder - Power Pistol.

 

I used 124gr Precision Delta JHPs and use them as a mimic load, like I mentioned. I could dig out the exact data I used, if you're curious. I actually have not chronoed the data, went more on feel, as this is a newer experiment for me as well.

 

Pretty much what I am doing with my practice loads and IDPA match ammunition, except I used Win 540 (same as HS-6) that I already had on hand and am now using up my last Win 571.  

[Joe4d]

First make sure your hollow points are designed for terminal performance. Most bulk reload hollowpoints are designed to be target bullets.  at one time remington golden sabers were readily available in bulk. Oh and Winchester brass hollow points are the same as their silvertips other than the color. Hornady XTP's and Speer Gold dots are good bullets as well. Honestly though, good bullets are kinda pricey and would defeat your savings plan. 
Probably better off buying cheap coated truncated cones and loading for feel,,
But lots of published data for jacketed bullets in 9mm, If I was loading carry ammo in 9mm I'd look for something a bit slower something like BE-86,  Unique, area.
In fact right now thats what I use, BE-86 in both 357 mag and 45 Super.

Edited January 16, 2020 by Joe4d

[Shmella]

Rmr jhp have good expansion and are designed to be a multi purpose Bullet one purpose being self defense. Awesomely priced, super accurate, quality is top notch and good expansion. 

[Joe4d]

JUst noticed the ops gun, a pretty short barrel,,, So IMO stick to faster powders or all you will do is create more noise and recoil