9mm Tcj Bullets

[Merlin Orr]

Rainier Ballistics 151 gr TCJ Bullets .356 diameter - any one have any thoughts as to how these might work for a Production Class loading for my 9mm LDA?

[Carlos]

A word on heavy 9mm bullets: they certainly shoot soft. Compare a Minor PF 147 grn load at 850FPS vs. a 115 grn load at minor (1087FPS) and most will agree that the 147 load "feels" or is perceived as "softer" (nevermind the actual physics here - we are talking about subjective perception, NOT a scientific measure of recoil). I currently shoot 147s over N310 and the load is certainly soft - particularly out of a steel framed gun like my CZ or your Para.

HOWEVER, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Say you load down to minor at 827 fps. It becomes slightly more difficult to hit swingers/drop turners and your other accuracy factors (trigger squeeze & followthrough) become more critical because the bullet is in the gun longer - this is why many shooters find it more difficult to shoot match air pistols when they 1st make the switch from say, a .22; the slower velocity is less forgiving of flaws in followthrough & squeeze.

I have been thinking of switching to 135s. However, if cutting-edge accuracy is not required for your typical match, you may have found a very, very soft shooting bullet.