9 X 19 Loads?

[MBaneACP]

Hi all;

It's conceivable that I'm going to run out of the ultra-cheap Winchester white box 9mm 115-grainers, which means I may have to start loading 9mm again (it's been decades).

Any thoughts on some baseline loads? I'll use whatever jacketed bullets I can get the cheapest, which probably means 124/125 gr. Also, for reasons I'm not sure of, I seem to have a lot of VV-340 lying around. Any experience with using that in a 9? I know I fiddled around with it years back for some .40 loads under the old PF; I came up with a really soft-shooting load that showed pressure signs (flattened primers).

Inquiring minds want to know.

Michael B

[Steve Anderson]

Absolute Fave: 147 jhp under 310

MUCH safer and almost as good: Titegroup under a 147

I would try clays and titegroup under a 124 if you want to go that way.

SA

[Ron Ankeny]

I treid Clays in my CZ with lead bullets and the accuracy really went to hell in a handbasket. Accuracy is fair with Zero jacketed bullets in 115, 125, and 147. The loads are very soft. I have heard from a couple of sources that the 147 over the top of N310 is the softest shooting load around. I know Steve and Matt Burkett really like that load and I am going to try it next.

[2cats]

4.1 gr W231 for 124 gr West Coast RN

4.8 gr AA#5 for 147 gr West Coats RN

[Zak Smith]

I've never tried N340,

My standard load is 4.2gr Titegroup with a 124gr West Coast plated RN at about 1.135" nominal. At should be about 1060fps.

I've also tried a similar load with N320 but the TG is softer, cheaper and has less flash.

-z

[TRG65]

For minor loads,

Rainier RN 115 4.2 grs vv320--132-135 pf (glock 34)

Rainier FP 124 3.6 grs vv320--130-132 pf (glock 34)

WCG RN .357 147 3.2 grs vv 320--130-132 pf (glock 34)

WCG RN .357 147 3.0 grs vv 310--132-135 pf (glock 34)

Zero 147 JHP 3.0 grs vv 310--128 pf (springfield 9)

this last load-when I shoot it using the stock firing pin, I get serious cratering, to the point of metal being shaved off in by the firing pin hole. Using a replacement larger diameter firing pin, the cratering isn't as bad but is still noticable. In my G-34 the mitten indent is still there but it is shallower than when I use 320.

Comparing powders with the same bullet the 320 was more accurate than the 310, but the 310 is slightly softer. I needed to drop the spring weight in my wife's 34 when she shot up the last of the 310/WCG load after having shot the 320/WCG load.

Also, comparing the two 310 loads the Zero JHP was the more accurate than the WCG.

Also I get better accuracy with the 147's than either of the lighter bullets with my blasters.

I have some test loads of 3.0 grs of 320 with a 147 Zero JHP. Some combination of these components will most likely be my game load next year.

Caveat, the accuracy differences aren't signinficant enough to be noticable inside 20 yards. So for IDPA, for instance, really the only place any benefit is gained is at the 20 yard line in the Classifier, because most of the clubs I attend only shoot out to about 15 yard. But I'll take anything that might turn that -1 by 1/4" into a 0.

[D.Hayden]

I shoot TG @ 4.0, Zero's 124 RN, PF ~ 132.

Looking at Zaks, not sure why the difference, I would think they would be closer.

TG is nice because it is cheap too, with tax I think I pay ~ $46-48 for 4#, and it works in 38, 45, and 40

I am going to try some 147's that Steve recommends, just to see how it feels. If I hadn't seen his posts with that before, I'd be happy, now I'm wondering what I'm missing