Steel Challenge 9mm Open Load

[AustinMike]

Did a bunch of searching, but I'm just not seeing much. Could be not enough caffeine and I'm not asking the search engine correctly. Anyway, I recently started shooting a shorty 9mm open gun. I'm using HS-6 and Zero 125JHP for major. I'm looking for a good minor load now for steel challenge type matches. Most of what I'm finding is production loads and I'm curious about what folks use in open to work the comp as much as possible. I thought about using the lighter 115gr. bullet for starters and backing down the major load a couple tweaks. Any other suggestions for lightening up so as not to bludgeon club steel so much?

I'm looking for loads tested in open guns only, please! I already found lots of production data in my searches this morning!

BTW, 115gr. WWB runs fine in the gun as long as I put a 7lb. spring in. That's my current steel ammo. The brass tumbles down near my feet, but doesn't jam up. The problem is that it burns filthy and leaves a ton of residue on my C-more glass. I have to wipe it off after every stage with WWB, whereas my major load goes the whole match and stays clean as a whistle. I've got two blow holes in the barrel and a blast shield.

Thanks in advance!

[XRe]

The problem is that it burns filthy and leaves a ton of residue on my C-more glass

Not to mention it groups about 36" at 50 yards...

[DJPoLo]

Hi Mike,

I'm currently shooting a 115 PF load in my 9x19 STInger which is 115 MG JHP over 5.0 gr of VV N330. I like it a lot and it seems to work the comp as well as anything else I've tried.

My other pet steel load is 6.6 gr IMR 4756 under the same 115 MG JHP.

Good luck,

-Chet

[.40AET]

BTW, 115gr. WWB runs fine in the gun as long as I put a 7lb. spring in. That's my current steel ammo.

That's what I use for practice. Last year I shot a steel match and ran 5.7g of V_V N340 under a 115g FMJ with 134pf. I'm planning on using the same load this year. Super clean and works the comp pretty well. HS-6 doesn't burn completey in minor loads and left goopy oatmeal like sh!t all over the insides of the gun. I picked up 4lbs of N340 just for steel loads this year.

[Flexmoney]

I don't know, but I kinda get the feeling that comped open guns at minor use the comp more as a barrel weight and a baffle to break up the gases...not so much as a true working comp.

When I read about SC shooter running with TiteGroup (fast powder) I have to wonder how much work the comp is doing.

If you go look at the Glock GSSF shooters, who don't have an IPSC Open gun background, they usually go comp-less and run with barrel ports.

With my open Glock in Major 9, I thought I'd try keeping the same powder charge (Vectan SP2) and just drop the bullet weight down from 125's to 108's. I didn't have enough powder to do so and get the gun to run.

Sorry...I'm no help. I have more questions than answers.

[warpspeed]

Light bullet like a 115 and a fast powder, like N320/ N330. Try for around 1000 fps or what

ever will make the gun run 100%. You said you are running a 7 lb spring. You want to make sure that after 500 rounds or so the gun will still run 100%. I can get my gun to run at < 100 pf loads but once it gets dirty, it chokes. It is 100% at about 110 pf so that is what I run.

HTH

[eric nielsen]

A 115 jhp with 7.8gr of HS6 shoots beautifully. Actually works the comp, comes in somewhere between 140pf and 155pf depending on your gun.

A 115 jhp with N330 should be really nice too, haven't tried it myself though.

[Harmon]

4.5 grains titegroup, remington 124 Jhp. shoots good in my gun but its not as light as some of the 125ish power factor loads.. I can still use the same spring as my major load..both 8 pounds.

The gun tracks straight up and straight down, but its not as flat as my major loads.

Harmon

[shred]

You can probably also grab most any old Super steel load as well. Most of them will fit into a 9mm case.

My theory goes like this: If you're only running 5 grains of powder the comp isn't going to do a lot, but it won't need to do a lot either. For a steel load, a quick followup shot isn't usually desired.

Slow powders will goop up the gun fast. Actually anything that doesn't have enough pressure to seal the chamber will goop the gun fast.

[DougCarden]

For a Foo-Foo steel load get some 88-95gr bullets, and start around 4.9gr of W231 or similar speed powder and go up until the gun runs with your 7lb spring.....

[open17]

The load my wife is shooting in her G17 open gun is 5.7 3N37 under a 124 gr., OAL

1.140. Gun has a 4 port Ti comp on it, and it works nicely.

[AustinMike]

Thanks, ya'll. I have a few things to experiment with now.

[AustinMike]

One more silly question. I got some Zero 115 JHPs in. They are about .040" shorter than the Zero 125 JHPs that I shoot for major. I load my major rounds out to 1.155". Should I leave the bullet seater where it is or seat a little deeper with the 115s?

Thanks!

[gm iprod]

Leave bullet seater exactly as is. This will give you the exact same load length that already feeds.

If the gun fails to feed on the 115gr then it isn't load length. You have to keep at least one thing constant when testing new loads.

Try 4.5gr Titegroup for 140pf with the Zero 115gr.

[XRe]

If the gun fails to feed on the 115gr then it isn't load length.

Not necessarily true Differences in bullet shape can still cause an issue... Is the Zero a hollow base bullet?? If so, you should be good to try the same length. If not, you might have to seat slightly deeper to get enough bullet pull tension, cause there may not be much bullet inside the case...

[AustinMike]

Is the Zero a hollow base bullet?? If so, you should be good to try the same length. If not, you might have to seat slightly deeper to get enough bullet pull tension, cause there may not be much bullet inside the case...

No, they are flat bottomed. That's what I was wondering about, is if the shorter bullet might not have enough tension. It's easy enough to adjust with the Redding Comp. seater, but I was curious about what others who switch between 125 and 115 do.

[shred]

I have a little table of settings by bullet for the Redding seater, but don't worry about .010" or so shorter for steel loads. .040" I'd adjust.

[gm iprod]

The Zero 115gr and the 125gr JHP's are identical at the front, so the shape is not an issue. So the only differences are the actual weight and therefore the actual length of the projectile.

I use the same cartridge OAL for both projectiles. 115gr for the Open NRA AP gun and 125gr for the Metallic Sight NRA AP gun. The only other difference is the powder weight for each load. Both loads cycle both guns fine but each shoots best for the appropriate gun.

I was getting to the fact that if the 115gr is loaded to the same OAL as the 125gr and then fails to function or feed, you can 'usually' discount load length. It is more likely to be something else.

If you use a different shaped projectile and a different weight on a new load then you may have changed one too many things and if the new load fails you may not know which change caused the failure.

Keeping cock ups to a minimum is best.

[Trey]

My practice partner (who placed 20 something overall) at last year's SC likes a titegroup load. His times showed a decent improvement over the slower powder he was using.

3.2 on a 115 bullet makes about 100-110 power factor in his open steel gun.

The comp probably adds very little, but every little bit helps

[Harmon]

well shooting steel last weekend i shot 4.8 grains Universa Clays ands berrys double struck 124 grain round nose...hands down the load shoots softer than titegroup and works the comp better.

another benefit of the U clays powder is the gun seems to run cooler than it did with titegroup..which seemed to heat the gun up more than my major loads. I bet 5.0 and a 115 would be a real kitten on the steel. though i feel like 124s work good for IPSC and steel and see no need to have 2 diff bullets on hand..