9 minor: Fast vs Slow powder. what to expect

[Sandbagger123]

i have loaded over 100k rounds of 9mm with fast powders.  i am almost out of my regular 9mm power. i have 8# of autocomp left from loading 9mm major.  according to many sources it can be used for 9mm minor in the 135pf range i am looking for.  

 

so when using a slow powder vs a fast powder, will the recoil be different?   will i have to load it high than usual to get good performance out of it in 9mm?

[outerlimits]

fast is good.

[motosapiens]

you will probably find that to get the same power factor will require more recoil and flash and bang. But you won’t die.

[AzShooter]

For my minor 9 mm loads I use N320.  It's a fast powder. I use 160 grain coated bullets set to 1.16 OAL.  They are a little snappier than slow burning powders but the dot goes back in the center faster.

[Farmer]

I sort of relate it to a Flick for fast powders and a shove with slower powders. With 9mm it’s kinda odd as I don’t really feel much difference between a 125 coated @ 130 PF with e3 VS a 124 JHP @ 155 PF with Silhouette. Granted there is a difference but not like a 10mm or 45 acp. 

[Guy Neill]

Since the powder charge is a component of the recoil, whichever powder requires more to obtain the bullet velocity will have more recoil - whether or not you can notice it.

 

Also, whichever uses more powder will give fewer loads per pound of powder.

 

There's nothing wrong with either powder, as it depends on which best meets your needs.

 

[Ben53]

My 9mm Minor load is the Blue 147 gr. bullet over a small amount of Sport Pistol.  Recoil is very mild, recovery is fast.  

[MikeBurgess]

My experience has been standing at the bench "testing" you will be able to feel the difference, BUT shooting a stage likely you won't, while shooting a stage if you have a mix of ammo you may notice they sound different but it is less likely you will see anything in the sights that will make any difference at all.

 

For me the aha moment was a local match i was totally un prepared for, I had to grab the last few rounds form several batches of 9mm ammo I had laying around. some 160 grain coated some 147 some 124 some 115 factory, just dumped it all in a box and went to the match, I made no effort to sort them and just loaded whatever I grabbed in to he mags mixed. pop POP bang BANG BANG pop, I start running the first stage and the noise was all over the place but then I noticed the sights just went up and down like normal. 

 

[vegaspete61]

On 9/15/2022 at 8:41 PM, Sandbagger123 said:

i have loaded over 100k rounds of 9mm with fast powders.  i am almost out of my regular 9mm power. i have 8# of autocomp left from loading 9mm major.  according to many sources it can be used for 9mm minor in the 135pf range i am looking for.  

 

so when using a slow powder vs a fast powder, will the recoil be different?   will i have to load it high than usual to get good performance out of it in 9mm?

Autpcomp makes a real soft 9 minor load. Here is my data....I loaded 3.6 grains.

 

	Autocomp  9mm Minor
	147 grain coated OAL 1.150
	3.8 grains	3.9 grains	3.8 grains	3.8 grains	3.9 grains	3.8 Grains	3.8 grains	3.8 grains
	926	937	900	869	895	862	825	846
	917	938	882	891	909	875	831	846
	924	922	903	878	899	854	819	851
	906	928	885	897	910	857	844	852
	928	913	901	893	910	849	839	848
avg	920.2	927.6	894.2	885.6	904.6	859.4	831.6	848.6
PF	135.3	136.4	131.4	130	133	126.3	122.2	124.7
Gun	G34	G34	Stock 2	P320	Stock 2	P320C	P320SC	G26