Making Major Using Silhouette

[TwoShot]

This was my first experience loading major for anything other than a .45 acp. I thought I would share the results. I was pleased to see the velocity went up in a linear fashion. The 7.3 grain load showed some flattening of the primer, but I believe it is acceptable.

STI Trubor 9 mm

Powder - Ramshot Silhouette

Bullet Montana Gold 124 CMJ

RP once fired brass

Primer Winchester SR

Sized with a Lee "U" die

OAL - 1.15

Slight taper crimp with Lee FCD

Outside temp 50 degrees

Sample size 8 rounds each

Press - Hornady Projector

Powder wt. 6.5 Gr.

Hi-Lo, 1217-1230 fps

ES-13, Sd-5

Ave Velocity - 1222

PF - 151.5

Powder wt. 6.7 Gr.

Hi-Lo, 1245-1257 fps

ES-12, Sd-5

Ave Velocity - 1252

PF - 155.2

Powder wt. 6.9 Gr.

Hi-Lo, 1274-1288 fps

ES-14, Sd-5

Ave Velocity - 1280

PF - 158.7

Powder wt. 7.1 Gr.

Hi-Lo, 1301-1320 fps

ES-19, Sd-8

Ave Velocity - 1310

PF - 162.4

Powder wt. 7.3 Gr.

Hi-Lo, 1334-1349 fps

ES-15, Sd-6

Ave Velocity - 1342

PF - 166.4

[ipscbob]

Can you post a pic of the flattening on the primers for the 7.3 load? I would be wary of a load that is starting to flatten primers at 50F. What happens to the pressure in the summer?

[TwoShot]

Can you post a pic of the flattening on the primers for the 7.3 load? I would be wary of a load that is starting to flatten primers at 50F. What happens to the pressure in the summer?

I don't have a digital camera. The primers show less flattening than primers from CCI police ammo. That is what I was comparing to. I will have them checked out by a gunsmith who will be at the match in two weeks. Thanks for the concern, I will get advice from one more knowledgeable than me before moving on.

[HSMITH]

Sounds like the throat in the barrel is really short. I have been into the mid 190's power factor with Silhouette and didn't see any flattening on rifle primers.

This is also the reason I do load development with Federal small pistol primers, they show pressure and will be FLAT before a WSR primer gets anywhere close to flat. It just dials the sensitivity up a little when primers are about all we have to gauge pressure, primers are a very poor method of gauging pressure so I want all the sensitivity I can get.

Silhouette is a great 9mm major powder, by price it is my favorite and second choice if price is not a factor, good stuff for sure.

[ipscbob]

Sounds like the throat in the barrel is really short. I have been into the mid 190's power factor with Silhouette and didn't see any flattening on rifle primers.

Yup....Sounds similiar to my experience with 38super and silhouette. I load supercomp cases, silhouette, 124gr MG JHPS, and win primers to 175+pf and see NO pressure signs so this seemed to be a red flag to be checked out.

[TwoShot]

From my first post you can see I was making major at 7.3 grains of Silhouette. Those were the first rounds fired through a new gun. I bumped the powder to 7.4 and loaded 500 rounds. Somewhere around 450 rounds fired I chronographed again. To my surprise velocity was 1285 to 1295. I just loaded some more with 7.5, average velocity is 1305 to 1310. I have loaded for 20 years and for many guns, this major 9 stuff is frustrating. Any ideas on why these loads are slowing down. Nothing else was changed and I rechecked the powder charge by random samples.

[TMC]

I use 8.0 with Winchester small pistol primers with no pressure signs.

[dr2e]

i have been doing some load testing and i am using:

7.65 silhoutte

124gn montana gold cmj

fired winchester brass

wsr primers

1.166 - 1.170 oal

tested on 3 different cronos with consistent readings with a >10 sd on all(which surprised the heck out of me after checking some dillon thrown loads !)

no signs of flattening primers and an average 172 pf.

5" kkm barrel w/marvel comp

nice dot recovery too!

Edited May 15, 2008 by dr2e

[HoMiE]

Here is my load out of SV IMM 4.5" open gun, Speer once-fired, Fed SP, 1.175" OAL, MG 124 JHPs

Silhoutte 7.8gr

HI 1388.4 fps

LO 1361.7 fps

SD 11.1

ES 26.7

AVG 1369.6 fps

PF 169.8

[TMC]

I use 8.0 with Winchester small pistol primers with no pressure signs.

I should add my gun is a 4 port hybrid, hence the 8 grain load.

[lcs]

TwoShot,

According to your first post, your OAL is to short (1.150). If you are using mags with spacers for 9Major, then you can go to 1.174. If using SVI mags without spacers you can go to 1.185 easy, but not really need for 124gn bullets.

With a 124 CMJ the OAL of the bullet is longer and seats deeper in the case than a JHP for example.

I have thousands of 9 Major shot with silhouette and have used 115JHP, 121IFP, and currently use 125JHP Zeros loaded with 7.7, WIN brass w/WSR primers for 171PF and have not seen any signs of pressure.

[JThompson]

TwoShot,

According to your first post, your OAL is to short (1.150). If you are using mags with spacers for 9Major, then you can go to 1.174. If using SVI mags without spacers you can go to 1.185 easy, but not really need for 124gn bullets.

With a 124 CMJ the OAL of the bullet is longer and seats deeper in the case than a JHP for example.

I have thousands of 9 Major shot with silhouette and have used 115JHP, 121IFP, and currently use 125JHP Zeros loaded with 7.7, WIN brass w/WSR primers for 171PF and have not seen any signs of pressure.

2

I was at 8.3 with OAL at about 1.163-5 PF 172 Primers were just starting to show pressure, but nothing to bad.

EDIT 115gr bullet

Edited May 17, 2008 by JThompson

[stockton]

... your OAL is to short [...

+100!!! 1.500 is waaaaaaaay short for 9 major. Go to AT LEAST 1.175.

I am using a Schuemann Hybri-Comp 5.5 inch barrel and Bedell Ti comp with 3 tapered (.125 into bore, .1875 at top of barrel rib) poppleholes. 7.7grs. of Silouette pushing a 124gr MG JHP loaded to 1.175 OAL with WSR primers makes 167.4 PF in 75 degree weather with NO signs of pressure. Same load with WSP primers also shows no pressure signs and I have pulled primers to check and their walls still look nice with a bevel around the edge of the striking flat (that edge squares pretty early with pressure).

[matt2ace]

7.8 gr Silhouette

124gr CMJ (MGD)

1.162" OAL

WSP or WSPM primers (mostly WSPM)

STI (very) shorty

I get similar results as posted by other user's here.

~170PF and very low SD (4-8 with same headstamp, 5-10 with mixed headstamps).

No signs of pressure issues with either WSP or WSPM (magnum primers are supposed to have higher pressures)

[JimInFL]

Although I'm pretty new to this, I just happen to chrono mine a day or two ago, so I'll share.

7.7 gr Silhouette

125 gr Zero JHP

1.162 OAL

-and-

Same using True Blue.

Averages between 171.5 and 172.5 PF, with the TB the higher of the two. This is in a Jim Anglin full size gun. I kind of like the 'feel' of the TB a bit better, although, like I said, I'm still pretty green to this. No pressure signs that I can identify.

(edited to add - Winchester small rifle primers)

JimInFL

Edited June 2, 2008 by JimInFL

[Harmon]

i ran 30000 rounds of 9mm major with 3n37 loaded shorter than 1.150 without any pressure problems.

tried silhouette, it was ok, but not better than 7625 IMO

Harmon

[smokshwn]

+1 on 1.15 being on the short side for 9major.

I am running 1.17 ish WSP primers and my charge weight is right at 7.8 for 124 gr bullets with zero pressure signs

Although I'm pretty new to this, I just happen to chrono mine a day or two ago, so I'll share.

7.7 gr Silhouette

125 gr Zero JHP

1.162 OAL

-and-

Same using True Blue.

Averages between 171.5 and 172.5 PF, with the TB the higher of the two. This is in a Jim Anglin full size gun. I kind of like the 'feel' of the TB a bit better, although, like I said, I'm still pretty green to this. No pressure signs that I can identify.

(edited to add - Winchester small rifle primers)

JimInFL

Jim, just wanted to give you a heads up on the TB. My experience was that it was a very good feeling powder however I went from very slight primer flattening at 7.8 to tophatted smashed primers at 8.0 so I think there is a pressure spike right in that neighborhood. YMMV

[JimInFL]

+1 on 1.15 being on the short side for 9major.

I am running 1.17 ish WSP primers and my charge weight is right at 7.8 for 124 gr bullets with zero pressure signs

Although I'm pretty new to this, I just happen to chrono mine a day or two ago, so I'll share.

7.7 gr Silhouette

125 gr Zero JHP

1.162 OAL

-and-

Same using True Blue.

Averages between 171.5 and 172.5 PF, with the TB the higher of the two. This is in a Jim Anglin full size gun. I kind of like the 'feel' of the TB a bit better, although, like I said, I'm still pretty green to this. No pressure signs that I can identify.

(edited to add - Winchester small rifle primers)

JimInFL

Jim, just wanted to give you a heads up on the TB. My experience was that it was a very good feeling powder however I went from very slight primer flattening at 7.8 to tophatted smashed primers at 8.0 so I think there is a pressure spike right in that neighborhood. YMMV

Thanks smokshwn - did you need to go higher on the load for a reason, or were you experimenting ?

[Joe4d]

I say increase OAL and start over assuming your bore will take longer OAL, Second are you leaving the powder in the measure ? was the 7.3 load from a freshly opened powder jar and the 7.5 is from powder that's been open for awhile or left in a powder hopper gaining moisture ? dunno if that would account for .2 gs or not but just a thought.