Popples, 147's and 9x25

[nhyrum]

First off... I know I know.."wait... What...?... Why?..." I think I recently found a good way to describe it. It's like trying to make a v10 formula 1 car, legal to race today. Things have changed, a lot, and it's simply a powerplant developed and made to do something totally different around a different set of rules that are now totally obselete. That being said... Boy does she make me smile, so...

 

I've got this 9x25 Dillon open gun that, at least for the person behind the trigger, is an absolute hoot to shoot. It's a lot tamer/quieter at current major than it is pushing 90 grain bullets almost 2k fps. I'd call that concussion quite violent. Fun, but violent. 18 grains h110 with 115's is probably my favorite, but those are about 200 PF.

 

Anyway, my current load is 11 grains 3.38 with a 124 grain. With so much more case capacity, I'm really contemplating 4 popple holes in a v pattern. It's currently got a massive egw 8 port, 6 chamber comp(4 ports on top, two on either side) or at least I feel like it's massive. If my current comp is too large, what would be a better size?

 

The last part of this is probably a bit silly, I know. I've got a 147 grain .357 round nose bullet mold that I really like in 9mm, and had a 9 major load using it. The bullet is designed to be either powder coated or coated by other means. I feel like it would be still too heavy in the 9x25. It doesn't need as much speed as lighter bullets, so I'm thinking gas for the comp, and possibly popples, is going to be an issue, even with all the space I have. I understand the coated bullet will be smokier and lead the comp more.

 

So, smaller comp and popples? Coated 147's? Or am I just dead crazy.

 

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[gnappi]

Back in the day, I've shot 9mm 147 hard cast wax lubed bullets with an early (80's) "race" gun. The smoke from the wax was horrific which hung like a fog all over the wind less range  It was like driving an old jalopy belching smoke down the road, everyone liked seeing my smoke trail though at times they couldn't see me or the RO!

 

Coated bullets shouldn't smoke, it's more the wax and powder selection on cast bullets that make more smoke. I only shot graphite coated bullets in my old S&W 52 .38 WC and they ran so slow I didn't notice much smoke, but I don't know if graphite will be an option at 9x25 speeds.

 

Anyway, I don't think coated 147's will be too heavy unless you get a ton more muzzle rise, you have nothing to lose but a bunch of brass, I say give it a go.

 

What are you going to coat them with? I have a furnace and ton of hard lead alloy and if this bullet shortage continues I may start casting again and powder coat them for my .40's 

 

 

[nhyrum]

I'm powder coating them. I know it won't be a total smoke show, but I'm sure it will be just a tiny bit more smoky than jhp's.i guess I am doing some rather bizarre things with this gun... Why not sit pc'd cast 147's too.

I just don't really know what powder to use. I'm sure they'll love a full load of h110, but I think I'll be way over pf, and you can't down load h110. Maybe something like blc2[emoji1787][emoji1787] joking. I'd love to fit 20 ish grains of wherever in there, make about 170 pf, and burn it all cleanly. But I don't think that's possible

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[caspian guy]

I suspect with a bullet that long and a case neck that short you'll lose some case capacity...

 

I used to use n110 and 124gr bullets in mine back in the day at 180 or so powerfactor..

 

With the pf for major now at 165 I suspect either h110 n110 or even something like shooters world heavy pistol would do what you want with more or  less smoke.

 

I suppose if you poppel it you can lose some pf and keep your charge weight up somewhat... Mine was bad with just a comp the concussion was so bad the ROs would argue over who had to run me. With poppels it would be much worse.

Edited August 8, 2020 by caspian guy

[nhyrum]

 

 

 

I suspect with a bullet that long and a case neck that short you'll lose some case capacity...

 

Right. I'm thinking I can afford to lose capacity. Currently I'm running 11 grains 3n38, mostly because I got a good deal on 4 pounds, and was planning on shooting 9 major. Making pf with the rather large case is pretty easy. So I'm thinking I've got plenty of room to try heavier bullets and popples. I'm THINKING I'll probably just go with 124's and popples.

 

The two matches I shot it at, I advised the ro's to double up on ear protection. The guy I talked to said he didn't feel like he needed both plugs and muffs. That's in a completely outdoor match though. If there's even like a roof overhang though, golly gee is she loud. Can't speak on actually being NOT directly behind it.

 

I'll give n110 a try, I think I have a pound of it

 

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[caspian guy]

1 hour ago, nhyrum said:

 

 

 

 

 

Right. I'm thinking I can afford to lose capacity. Currently I'm running 11 grains 3n38, mostly because I got a good deal on 4 pounds, and was planning on shooting 9 major. Making pf with the rather large case is pretty easy. So I'm thinking I've got plenty of room to try heavier bullets and popples. I'm THINKING I'll probably just go with 124's and popples.

 

The two matches I shot it at, I advised the ro's to double up on ear protection. The guy I talked to said he didn't feel like he needed both plugs and muffs. That's in a completely outdoor match though. If there's even like a roof overhang though, golly gee is she loud. Can't speak on actually being NOT directly behind it.

 

I'll give n110 a try, I think I have a pound of it

 

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So I gotta ask why the popples? Is it not flat enough at the new PF? Mine with 124s and 180 pf (and something like 16.5 or 17 gr of N110) was essentially perfectly flat to the point of the dot actually dipping slightly (but more just vibrating a little)

[nhyrum]

Now that's a good question... Cause all the cool kids have them? They probably will one make things louder anyway. If I can't keep the muzzle down, I've got other issues. I've been doing most this myself, as I was in Wyoming during most the build (the barrel I didn't do. Smith work was done by a smith. But I really had nobody to talk to about it. Now that I'm in a different area, I think it would be beneficial to find someone. Have them shoot it with different loads to have them feel it then show me.

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[Hooked]

Can’t help you with the load info but I totally get you on the old, outdated equipment.

 

I was just gifted an early custom SV open gun in 357 Sig and it is a definite hoot to shoot. The original load for the gun was 15.6 gr of H110 over a125 gr HP and it was a boomer. I’ve settled on 7.8 gr of WAC and 124 gr HP, and it’s way flatter than any of my 9 major guns. 

 

For a gun that’s close to 18 years old, it sure makes me smile.

 

 

[nhyrum]

Upon further reading random threads on this forum, I've come to the conclusion my firing pin stop needs to go next. I've still got the one in it from when it was a 10mm, I got a flat bottom firing pin stop and took a file stroke or two to the corner and basically just rounded the corner until I could just barely rack the slide, in an attempt to keep my brass out of orbit [emoji1787][emoji1787] so I've ordered a CK arms profiled one. I've gotten a bit confused on how changing profiles like that will change how recoil feels. I know it will make it easier to rack, but will it give a softer recoil feel?

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[echotango]

Here is an explanation from Charlie.  I have a drawer of different angled FPS's from aggressive to flat cut to square(my terminology on these).  I switch back and forth between the CK arms and Caspian.  I prefer the Caspian but every gun/shooter will prefer something different.  

 

 

Edited August 10, 2020 by echotango

[nhyrum]

Here is an explanation from Charlie.  I have a drawer of different angled FPS's from aggressive to flat cut to square(my terminology on these).  I switch back and forth between the CK arms and Caspian.  I prefer the Caspian but every gun/shooter will prefer something different.  
 
 

Awesome! Love the panda! That whole series of videos really helped me understand it. Something I probably would have been able to get a hold of myself had I thought to use the cardboard and enough time to think and visualize. Really helped me understand what's going to change when I change the stop and what spring/s I will need to observe, and also later when I lighten the slide possibly. Really helped me grasp the whole tuning of springs together

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