Major 9

[jostein jensen]

How many times do you use the 9mm cases before you throw them or do you just inspect and throw when cracked like the .40 and super cases?

I get once fired at the range but not in any large quantities.

Its mostly Speer from CCI Lawman and GFL from Nato ammunition.

If it matters I'm shooting an Infinity IMM with hybrid ports.

[lynn jones]

jj,

i believe the whole concept in major 9, is not to reload the same brass. shoot it and leave it on the ground. i'm sure some one reloads the stuff, maybe 3 or 4 times.

lynn

[GentlemanJim]

They can be reloaded several times.

The primer pocket gets loose before they crack.

I usually discard them after 3 or 4 loadings.

Jim

[HSMITH]

I have been over 10 with a large batch of cases and 15 loadings with a smaller batch. I had no problems at all, no cracks, no loose primer pockets, nothing at all, until I chrono'd the loads. With multiple loadings the velocity got more and more inconsistent. Eventually the SD was in the 150 range and once fired brass brought it right back down to about 20. For club matches I will run them until I lose them, for big matches it is once fired only.

[Kingman]

Where the land is normally where they stay.

[maineshootah]

Where the land is normally where they stay.

At a match or a busy practice day * see above. *

When I have the time to pick them up, I grab what I can. 3-4 reloads tops.

[JThompson]

I never pick them up outside, but do at inside events. I had loaded some as many as 15 times, but then I found out the pf was only 159-161, so I don't know if that would be considered major. It's close, but not there. Since I bumped it up to 172 I have loaded 3 times... I'm going to push it for awhile and see how far they will go. I will use once or twice for matches.

Load is 8.5 Sil under a 115gr CMJ for 9 major mixed heads. Running 100% for the last 1500 rounds.

Edited September 28, 2007 by JThompson

[Radical Precision Designs]

Geeeezzz !!!!!!

No wonder the price of 9 mm once fired brass is going up quickly. Everybody is buying it up and leaving it behind at the local ranges, depleting the once super abundant "cheap" supply.

The truth is that with prices going up, it might not be such a bad idea to pick-up some of it back whenever possible. Just remember that more and more shooters are joining the 9 mm ranks. Not just Major 9. There are quite a few Production shooters that are starting to re-load too, and there is nothing wrong or bad about using that brass a few times. Is there ???? Judicious scrutiny of ANY brass used whether purchased as once fired or picked from the floor IS what it is important.

To shoot 9 Major or any cartridge exclusively because of "cheap brass availability" is a poor excuse and an insult of our own intelligence, if we did. The actual desired performance results, coupled with the whole picture should dictate our guidelines, not denigrating one while exulting the other, just for the sake of being contrary.

[jostein jensen]

I don't pay for my once-fired . We're a small club (35 members) and all the 9mm guys shoot factory ammo. We always pick up everything on the ground after every training session and we share (or mostly I get).

I'll shoot'em until I loose em or the primers get loose and once fired for match after reading your replies.

Thanks guys!

[ChrisStock]

While all I can do when reading about Major 9 is shake my head and wonder why, I reuse all of the 9MM that I can find. It gets inspected 4 times before it hits the chamber again, and I am nearly 100% successful in locating squirrelly brass before loading is complete.

You're going to get scored minor anyhow, so why use more powder, punish your pistol's frame and your body?

[Fireant]

9mm in open can be scored major just like 38 super.

Edited September 28, 2007 by Fireant

[ChrisStock]

That thought occurred to me after I hit submit... I was thinking of Production

[Radical Precision Designs]

That thought occurred to me after I hit submit... I was thinking of Production

Yeah !!!!

The last few 650 Dillon re-loaders I sold were purchased for loading the "production" variety of 9mm. I guess "factory" 9mm ammo must be going up in price ... The other group buying reloaders (or a Quick change kit and dies) is the .223/5.56 shooters. (Something about that ammo going up in prices too.)

[the duck of death]

In my G34 9mm major open gun w/KKM barrel and comp. the brass lasts as long an any other gun/caliber.

[ipscbob]

To shoot 9 Major or any cartridge exclusively because of "cheap brass availability" is a poor excuse and an insult of our own intelligence, if we did. The actual desired performance results, coupled with the whole picture should dictate our guidelines, not denigrating one while exulting the other, just for the sake of being contrary.

Ok Venry, Ill bite. Please elaborate on the advantages of 9 Major for open over 38super variants specifically that do NOT have to do with brass availability and price.

[Flatland Shooter]

Ok Venry, Ill bite. Please elaborate on the advantages of 9 Major for open over 38super variants specifically that do NOT have to do with brass availability and price.

I'm not Venry, but the some feel the tapered case of the 9mm versus the straight wall case of the .38 super make some difference. (At least that was my thoughts when I built a 9x21 open gun.)

Bill

[JThompson]

Ok Venry, Ill bite. Please elaborate on the advantages of 9 Major for open over 38super variants specifically that do NOT have to do with brass availability and price.

I'm not Venry, but the some feel the tapered case of the 9mm versus the straight wall case of the .38 super make some difference. (At least that was my thoughts when I built a 9x21 open gun.)

Bill

The only factor in my choice was the price and availability of brass. I think 38 super is the better feeding load. Will 9 Major run? Yes it will, but mag tuning, feeding and ejection/extraction are a little more difficult. IMHO Also, the taller case give you a wider range of powders without spillage and compression.

Edited September 28, 2007 by JThompson

[Radical Precision Designs]

To shoot 9 Major or any cartridge exclusively because of "cheap brass availability" is a poor excuse and an insult of our own intelligence, if we did. The actual desired performance results, coupled with the whole picture should dictate our guidelines, not denigrating one while exulting the other, just for the sake of being contrary.

Ok Venry, Ill bite. Please elaborate on the advantages of 9 Major for open over 38super variants specifically that do NOT have to do with brass availability and price.

I do not wish to start a "flame wars" over any two cartridges. My point specifically addresses "the actual DESIRED performance results, coupled with the WHOLE picture" at hand. Having more choices of powders to use, is only an advantage IF you were to actually use that specific bulkier powder because you did not have a choice of other perhaps better suited to your performance. If you chosed to use let's say Hodgdon's H-110 in .38 Super you would be limited to heavier bullets, while in 9mm you would have to use even much heavier (some might say impractical here) to make major. But on other powders for practical bullet weights using the "average preferred 124 gr bullets" the powder loads are pretty much interchangeable between the two. When you go to the lighter bullets you loose a couple of powder in the lower capacity cases, but most likely you may find that those were not your optimum loads anyway. The trends of bullet weigths and powder loads mostly used TODAY seem to be "swapable" between the two. There are extremes, but as we well can agree, extremes do not make the rules. I would not put down (denigrate) any cartridge use because of the shooters own predilection. When building a custom gun for a new customer I will elaborate on all the possibilities (known to me that is) for the choices available and let the customer decide by his/hers set of circumstances what may be better for them at the time. Cheap brass alone, especially since very soon (at this rate) there will be no cheap brass anymore should not be your main guideline. When the .38 Super was first brought forth as a candidate, many people frowned, citing countles limitations. The .38 Super proved a worthy cartridge. The same case/situation was frought forth for the Major 9, and I'm glad to admit that a similar finding has been found. There are still some people that will never (still at this day) accept the .38 Super. I believe the same will hold true for the Major 9.

But on the firing line, the actual cartridges at use speak volumes ... For whatever set of guidelines at hand.

[ipscbob]

Likewise, No FLAME taken. Just curious.

[GentlemanJim]

A few things to think about

I can whip by wally world and pick up 9mm any time ...Cheap.

9mm is universally available...and my guns will shoot bunny fart..to 200pf.

When I buy white box...for non uspsa match....I get new once fired brass as a byproduct.

38 super..over the counter is MINOR as is 9mm...and it costs as much as twice the price..when you can find it.

38 super comp...basiclly dont exist over the counter.

Have you ever seen much once fired super or comp for sale

38 super has an inherent flaw with the semi rim design...as corrected in super comp.

comp is only available from a limited number of manufacturers..at a high price.

Do most of us use many different loadings for our sport?..no most use one or two favorites...so the varity offered by larger cases are not fully utilized.

I shoot 3 gun!....I need to shoot lots and lots to practice CQB...do I want to shoot thousands of rounds in my JP rifle, many hundreds at one time?

No...I use an AR15 in.....9MM..it shoots any 9mm I feed it ..including major loads, it recoils MORE than 223 and costs 25 percent the cost of 223.

My high dollar AR is saved from excessive wear.

In my position 9mm is the way to go ...I use ONE load for major 9 in both the AR and my race guns.

I find 9mm brass every place I go...124 125gr bullets are everywhere HS6 powder is common easy to get and not too expensive.

9mm major has a smaller window of operation..your gun has to be tuned correctly..a flaw in your 38 super may go undetected and show no ill effects.

9mm major has to be right!! but when it is ...it is!!

I like this caliber and it works good for me

We have about 5 or 6 thousand 9mm cases that I used for practice and local matches I know for sure they have at least 12 reloadings on them.

I have lately been reloading 3 or 4 times before retiring the brass to the practice or scrap bins.

If you shop around ...you can just about replace worn out brass with new once fired with the cash from your scrap brass.

In my humble opinion 9MM is an option to consider.

Jim

[jostein jensen]

Ok Venry, Ill bite. Please elaborate on the advantages of 9 Major for open over 38super variants specifically that do NOT have to do with brass availability and price.

(shortened a lot to get to the point..)

When you go to the lighter bullets you loose a couple of powder in the lower capacity cases, but most likely you may find that those were not your optimum loads anyway. The trends of bullet weigths and powder loads mostly used TODAY seem to be "swapable" between the two. There are extremes, but as we well can agree, extremes do not make the rules.

Here in Norway we don't have all these powder choices. We have Vita powders. and thats it.

3N38 is what I get recommended for the gun, but the previous owner used N350, but I find it not to work the comp at all at major.

Is 3N38 one of the "high volum" powders that might be hard to use for 9mm?

How much 3N38 can a 9mm case hold?

I just got a SV in 9mm. It eats everything and fires everything that don't have rock hard primers.

My Dillon QuickChange is in the mail, so I haven't started reloading for it yet...

Jostein.

[BrianATL]

Ok Venry, Ill bite. Please elaborate on the advantages of 9 Major for open over 38super variants specifically that do NOT have to do with brass availability and price.

(shortened a lot to get to the point..)

When you go to the lighter bullets you loose a couple of powder in the lower capacity cases, but most likely you may find that those were not your optimum loads anyway. The trends of bullet weigths and powder loads mostly used TODAY seem to be "swapable" between the two. There are extremes, but as we well can agree, extremes do not make the rules.

Here in Norway we don't have all these powder choices. We have Vita powders. and thats it.

3N38 is what I get recommended for the gun, but the previous owner used N350, but I find it not to work the comp at all at major.

Is 3N38 one of the "high volum" powders that might be hard to use for 9mm?

How much 3N38 can a 9mm case hold?

I just got a SV in 9mm. It eats everything and fires everything that don't have rock hard primers.

My Dillon QuickChange is in the mail, so I haven't started reloading for it yet...

Jostein.

9.2 of 3N38 in a STI 9mm shorty works for me

[jostein jensen]

is that a full case or the load that makes your gun go sweet?

[BrianATL]

is that a full case or the load that makes your gun go sweet?

That makes 170 PF a little room left.

[jostein jensen]

sweet. I'll update with my 3n38 load for the IMM with two and three hybrid holes. Got two barrels, and hopwfully the same load will work for both, but I doubt it.

It will be about a month until the range opens again though, due to moose hunting in the area...