9mm bullet weight

[PK1911]

In USPSA, is there a preferred and / or most used bullet weight? I had heard 147 grn is used alot for the steel targets that may be in a course of fire?

thanks.

[RangerTrace]

Depends on your gun and what feel you like.  I used 147s and N320 for years.  It's soft and plenty accurate.  Read about N330 on here and went to it under 124s this year.  Dropped my group sizes in half, but isn't quite as soft.  

[Sarge]

Many people jump to heavier bullets initially but a significant number eventually settle on 124/125.

  147’s are very soft with the right load but it just seemed sluggish to me.

[Out of Ammo]

I agree. I have used 147 and 135 and both seemed a little sluggish to me.  I've shot 125 for years.

[fbzero]

I find that I can get good recoil characteristics and accuracy with 124's and 135's.  The 135's probably have a bit less felt recoil/muzzle rise and the 124's are probably slightly more accurate, though the extra accuracy isn't really needed in this sport.  I've also tried 147's on several occasions, but never seem to stick with them.  I know I can't outrun the slide, but somehow I perceive recoil to be sluggish with them.

[zzt]

I prefer lighter bullets, because the sights return sooner.  I don't mind the slightly sharper recoil.  That being said, I shoot 147s @ 144 PF in my PCC for one falling steel match a year.  All steel falls forward, and that load makes them fall faster.  

[HesedTech]

On 11/20/2023 at 6:46 AM, PK1911 said:

In USPSA, is there a preferred and / or most used bullet weight?

Over the past few years at the Nationals 147 had a slightly higher use than 124s. 

It's all about preference, one weight over the other won't make a shooter great.

 

If you reload, shoot both and find out what you personally like in your gun. Do it in matches (under pressure) and practice. 

[stick]

In pistols, I've shot 147gr for years because of the perceived push on the recoil, as opposed to a flip with the lighter bullets.

In the last couple of years, I've switched to 124gr.  personally, I like the 124gn better.  I feel as if the gun tracks better with the lighter bullets and it's faster back on target.  The 147gn were sluggish for me.

[Runswithwood1]

That's exactly what I've been noticing this last little while, the factory 115s are a little flippy, 147s while seemingly more accurate almost seemed delayed so magtech 124s had been my go to for factory stuff

[MHicks]

I've mostly shot 45s for years. For 9mm i just started with the 135gr coated and stayed with them. Now that I'm shooting 9mm much more I'm thinking of giving some 124s a try.

[Joe4d]

I shoot whatever is on sale... at equal PF you wont notice much difference,, and if you do it will amount to didly squat on the scoreboard.

[lroy]

i think it's all pretty subjective.

 

lighter bullets are snappier at the same PF. the sights returning faster.. I guess?

 

the difference is in milliseconds. No one is out running a slide regardless.

 

147 were the most popular followed by 124s at nationals.

 

[CarRacer]

My preference is 135gr bullets as you get the slower recoil impulse but better feeding than 147gr, which tend to be truncated cones. That said I haven't shot reloads in a while and box 115 and 124s shoot fine and any difference I see would be negated by an extra 10 mins of dryfire a week.

 

Shoot what's cheapest imo.

[motosapiens]

19 hours ago, lroy said:

i think it's all pretty subjective.

 

lighter bullets are snappier at the same PF. the sights returning faster.. I guess?

 

the difference is in milliseconds. No one is out running a slide regardless.

 

it's not about outrunning the slide, as you alluded to in your second line, it's about outrunning the return of the sights. it's worth doing some testing to see which you prefer and which allows you to shoot accurately more quickly, but for many people it might not matter much.

[lroy]

14 hours ago, motosapiens said:

it's not about outrunning the slide, as you alluded to in your second line, it's about outrunning the return of the sights. it's worth doing some testing to see which you prefer and which allows you to shoot accurately more quickly, but for many people it might not matter much.

 

What do you mean? the sights return with the slide

[motosapiens]

5 hours ago, lroy said:

 

What do you mean? the sights return with the slide

right, but they often take longer to settle enough to shoot accurately than they do to just finish the slide cycle. That's where some people find that lighter bullets are better for them. the sights return to a sufficiently readable position to shoot a little quicker (depending on grip and other things).

[shred]

Yeah, the slide is closed and loaded with the next round in 0.06 sec or so.  That's not the problem, it's getting the barrel pointed back at the target suitably...

 

[Rich406]

I shot 147 for the last 5 years. However since I’ve switched to a heavy metal gun, the slide and sights feel sluggish, especially when shooting at farther distances.

 

I’ve recently tried a variety of 124 gr and the gun feels like it recovers much faster. The gun just feels faster, it’s hard to explain.  I’m 99% committed to switching for next year.  

[sharko]

I don't get it, I've tried 147's several times and they always seemed to have a lot more recoil. These were always JHP's, are you guys talking coated or plated or something.

I've always chose 115gr because they performed the best accuracy wise, well except for 9 major I use 125's because less powder and great accuracy when you push them that fast. Kind of fits with my luck with 125's, could never get decent accuracy but in 357Sig they work great.

[fbzero]

13 hours ago, sharko said:

I don't get it, I've tried 147's several times and they always seemed to have a lot more recoil. These were always JHP's, are you guys talking coated or plated or something.

I've always chose 115gr because they performed the best accuracy wise, well except for 9 major I use 125's because less powder and great accuracy when you push them that fast. Kind of fits with my luck with 125's, could never get decent accuracy but in 357Sig they work great.

You aren't crazy, that's about how it has always seemed to me as well.  I'd say heavier bullets seem like the hit the palm of my hand harder, while lighter ones seem to have more muzzle flip instead.  I find that I like something middle of the road, hence 124/135's.

[HesedTech]

14 hours ago, sharko said:

I don't get it, I've tried 147's several times and they always seemed to have a lot more recoil. These were always JHP's, are you guys talking coated or plated or something.

I assume you are using factory 147s because the key to soft shooting isn't only the weight it's the powder load. With 147s one can make minor PF with less bang because of the greater mass of the bullet. Yes greater mass should have more recoil, but the lower powder loads are what compensates for the extra mass. 

 

Accuracy is a function of many things, one of which is velocity and stabilization of the bullet. A 115 at a higher velocity maybe more accurate than a slower heavier bullet in your gun. This is also why rifle shooters, depending on the bullet weight, have different preferred rifling twist rates.

[usmc1974]

On 11/20/2023 at 7:46 AM, PK1911 said:

In USPSA, is there a preferred and / or most used bullet weight? I had heard 147 grn is used alot for the steel targets that may be in a course of fire?

thanks.

Should be .355 dia....

[sharko]

44 minutes ago, HesedTech said:

I assume you are using factory 147s because the key to soft shooting isn't only the weight it's the powder load. With 147s one can make minor PF with less bang because of the greater mass of the bullet. Yes greater mass should have more recoil, but the lower powder loads are what compensates for the extra mass. 

 

Accuracy is a function of many things, one of which is velocity and stabilization of the bullet. A 115 at a higher velocity maybe more accurate than a slower heavier bullet in your gun. This is also why rifle shooters, depending on the bullet weight, have different preferred rifling twist rates.

Actually I've never shot a factory 147. I load down to the same PF's as my other ammo, minor in this case. I understand the physics that say same power same recoil but can only guess it's the longer time in the bore that causes more recoil or muzzle rise.

 

An example in some way is when I shoot my Colt SAA's, they shoot 255gr 6" high at 25yds. Where 235gr is 3" high and 200gr is right on. While these old gun don't offer the same grip as modern guns I think it says something.

 

[HesedTech]

45 minutes ago, sharko said:

Actually I've never shot a factory 147. I load down to the same PF's as my other ammo, minor in this case. I understand the physics that say same power same recoil but can only guess it's the longer time in the bore that causes more recoil or muzzle rise.

 

An example in some way is when I shoot my Colt SAA's, they shoot 255gr 6" high at 25yds. Where 235gr is 3" high and 200gr is right on. While these old gun don't offer the same grip as modern guns I think it says something.

 

Interesting theory.
 

My experience is a 115 at same minor PF as my 147 has substantially more recoil, rise and dip than the 147s. As far as accuracy goes, no real difference in Shadow 2, but my stock Glock 19 barrel likes at least 1000 fps to achieve good accuracy. 
 

And this is the joy of reloading. 

[zzt]

FWIW, for exactly the same PF, 147 have slightly less actual recoil.  In order of least to most actual recoil:  147, 135, 125, 115, 100, 95.

 

How the recoil feels is different.  For the same PF, 147s are slower going down the bore, so the muzzle has a tad more time to rise.  115s are quicker, so the muzzle rises less, and sights return more quickly.  You pay for that with a sharper feel to the recoil.

 

If nor for a spectacular deal on 6000 plated 124s, I'd be using 115s.