Load Advice & Critique 9mm 124 GR RN AA7

[SPINGE]

Hey guys, I got my Dillon 650 setup and loaded some 9mm. I am using Everglades plated 124 gr RN V2 and 6.5 Grs of Accurate No.7. How does that sound? With standard primers I am getting some granules of unburnt powder so I loaded up some magnum primers since I have a few boxes and the issue lessened. The COAL is 1.13. Coming out of a bonestock G19 it feels a little on the warmer side but my frame of reference is not too good. Before my two year shooting hiatus I was a member of a Steel Challenge club so the majority of ammo I'm accustomed to are very light. I hope some of you guys have some valuable insights. Hoping to get back to shooting on a weekly basis and run some matches but safety always comes first! Thanks!

Edited May 15, 2023 by SPINGE

[caspian guy]

Aa #7 is generally a bit slow to use for normal velocity 9mm. It's a better powder if you are trying to make 9mm Nato substitute or 9major ammo.  It will work but you are going to use more powder than you need to and the unburnt powder is kinda going to be a fact of life. It's plenty safe just not the best choice.

Edited May 15, 2023 by caspian guy

[Joe4d]

AA7 is for guns with compensators at +p levels ,, look at a manual and go with a faster burn rate powder

[m700]

AA2 is a good powder for what your looking to do in the same family. It meters pretty well, its very fine.

 

[4n2t0]

I'll pile on, lol, get a fast(er) powder. If you are going to use AA7 I would load max, which Lee has at 6.9gr.

 

Try Titegroup or something similar (like AA2 as m700 mentioned). You'll get the speed you need at only 4ish grains. 

 

Edited May 15, 2023 by 4n2t0

[HesedTech]

15 hours ago, SPINGE said:

so I loaded up some magnum primers since I have a few boxes and the issue lessened.

Don't need magnum primers.

 

Wrong powder for bullet and PF. N320, TG, Sport Pistol, W244, Clean Shot,... anything near this burn rate. Additionally a ball powder, not stock, will drop more consistently. I've used all the above powders and they do meter/drop consistently from the Dillon powder measure.

[SPINGE]

Thanks for all the advice guys. It's odd, two years ago I don't remember the unburnt being a problem at all and was using the same formula. From all I've read AA7 is great for comped 9 MAJOR but that is not my goal here, chalk it up to a beginner reading a manual and thinking all listed powders were the same! Doh! I am looking into getting some new powders and saving my AA7 till when I need some MJAOR ammo. Before I throw down any $$ On new powder, I scored some free powder. I was given a lot of Unique, quite a bit of Green Dot, a tad of Red Dot, and some Bullseye. I have a few others but I know they will not work as they are WAAAAY too slow. I am doing some digging and I will be checking manuals and published data but wanted to know if you guys have positive experience with any of those powders in 9mm, specifically MINOR and SUB-MINOR.

 

Many Thanks

-Spinge

Edited May 16, 2023 by SPINGE

[4n2t0]

I've used all of those successfully. Bullseye and Red Dot are your fastest powders, Unique and Green Dot are a touch slower but still very usable at minor. I'll post official data, I load a 147gr bullet so my data isn't useful to you. Ignore the "jacketed bullet" part, the data is interchangeable with plated. Click on the images for a slightly larger/zoomed-in view.

 

 

Edited May 17, 2023 by 4n2t0

[SPINGE]

Awesome, thanks for the reply. From what I've gathered most of what I was given seems like it will work but I want to go the optimum route. What data manual are you posting from?

[4n2t0]

Old(er) manuals (Lee, Lyman etc.) but many of these can be found online these days. Even on this very forum, there's a ton of data for those powders. I like older manuals because some of it is pre-lawyered-to-sh!t loads. If you're looking to make minor you'll need to get them moving around 1050 fps just to be safe.

 

I would start with Bullseye, it's very similar to Titegroup in terms of performance and it meters really well. 4.0gr of Bullseye should get you really close to your desired load. The other 3 are flake powders, they don't meter as consistently but will still get the job done (you aren't shooting bullseye).

 

FYI...You only need to match calibre (duh!), bullet construction (FMJ/Plated), and bullet weight for the data to be valid. Always determine your own OAL, never copy the ones provided in manuals/data (*see below for more information).

 

 

OAL information:

 

Below you can see how different bullets affect the OAL, in this case specifically for a CZ 75:

 

 

 

Edited May 17, 2023 by 4n2t0

[ysrracer]

1 hour ago, SPINGE said:

but I want to go the optimum route.

 

No such thing. Many answers to the same question.

[usmc1974]

I really like AA #7. I use 7.5 grs with 124 gr round nose plated bullet @ 1.125

[ysrracer]

10 minutes ago, usmc1974 said:

I really like AA #7. I use 7.5 grs with 124 gr round nose plated bullet @ 1.125

 

What velocity does that give you?

[usmc1974]

On 5/16/2023 at 10:53 PM, ysrracer said:

 

What velocity does that give you?

1087 to  about 1100 Thier reload data, shows a little more like 1130 but I am not getting it.

[usmc1974]

[HesedTech]

40 minutes ago, usmc1974 said:

1087 to  about 1100 Thier reload data, shows a little more like 1130 but I am not getting it.

That's because the provided load data is for a specific gun, barrel, bullet, day, altitude, temperature, OAL...

 

Your numbers are close enough to start a load and tune it to your needs. 

 

Loading your own ammo isn't about replicating factory ammo. It's about custom tuning ammo for your intended purposes. 

[usmc1974]

1 hour ago, HesedTech said:

That's because the provided load data is for a specific gun, barrel, bullet, day, altitude, temperature, OAL...

 

Your numbers are close enough to start a load and tune it to your needs. 

 

Loading your own ammo isn't about replicating factory ammo. It's about custom tuning ammo for your intended purposes. 

4"  barrel 1 in 10 Twist. Personally all I care about is it will cycle the gun smooth and reliable hold 4" at 25 yd. 9 mm is going to be scored minor anyway so why push it.

Edited May 18, 2023 by usmc1974

[m700]

Alternatively get this and your powder will be perfect.

https://www.parkermountainmachine.com/product/ultra-jttc-and-barrel-for-glock/

 

 

[HesedTech]

21 hours ago, usmc1974 said:

4"  barrel 1 in 10 Twist. Personally all I care about is it will cycle the gun smooth and reliable hold 4" at 25 yd. 9 mm is going to be scored minor anyway so why push it.

 

So why bother comparing personal loads with factory data? I load for minor and major depending on the division and really don't care about factory ammo at all. Just match ammo to gun and desired performance.

[usmc1974]

On 5/19/2023 at 11:04 AM, HesedTech said:

 

So why bother comparing personal loads with factory data? I load for minor and major depending on the division and really don't care about factory ammo at all. Just match ammo to gun and desired performance.

I really do not bother comparing personal loads to factory data.  the question was asked, 9mm 124 and AA#7, and this was my answer.

[HesedTech]

2 hours ago, usmc1974 said:

I really do not bother comparing personal loads to factory data.  the question was asked, 9mm 124 and AA#7, and this was my answer.

Okay, I misunderstood.

 

Thank you for the correction.

[SPINGE]

Well fellas, I went and shot an action steel match today after two years outta the game. There were over 70 people and I had a blast. Ran into old shooting buddies as well! This match is all about staying safe and having fun while gaining other skills to be used in more seriously sanctioned sports like USPSA and ICORE. I used factory ammo but after two years I missed more than I planned to! (Shocker). I used some of my 9 loads from way back when, then my formula was the same grains of AA7 using a standard small pistol primer. I believe that the OAL might be longer than the recent batch but they were flawless and I had no unburnt powder. Going to mic out the ol' reliable batch vs those that I recently loaded and see whats up! Thanks for all the advice and input!

[4n2t0]

Sounds like a decent idea if you're using the same bullet that you did "from way back when". If not, then my post about OAL hasn't fully sunk in yet, lol.

 

Cheers!

Edited May 22, 2023 by 4n2t0

[SPINGE]

1 hour ago, 4n2t0 said:

Sounds like a decent idea if you're using the same bullet that you did "from way back when". If not, then my post about OAL hasn't fully sunk in yet, lol.

 

Cheers!

The bullet is the same. Using your advice I ended up with 1.15 for the bullet I'm running. Today I shot the old batch 124 plated RN, 6.5 grs AA7, SPP, COAL 1.15, again flawless with no unburnt. I loaded some new rounds with 124 plated RN, 6.6 grs AA7, magnum primer (what I had due to shortages, batch of standard in the mail) at 1.15 and got some unbunrt. Puzzling but it was less. Luckily the 1.13 was a small experimental batch that I didn't go crazy with cranking out! Thanks for your help! Haven't tried any new powders yet.

[Farmer]

Most of the time when a loaded round sets for a while the bullet and brass sort of bond together. In your case it may be enough to raise psi and clean things up. Another thing may be your old batch of #7 may have been a bit faster burning too. If you’re still using the old powder then scrap that idea. I’ve pulled some of my old loads to check powder amounts and after they’ve set a couple of years I thought I’d break my inertia hammer getting them apart. You might give one a try just to see and compare with a new one.