Gearing up for starting to reload for 9 mm, so consolidating my thoughts, experiences, and questions. 

My goal is primarily for reliable functioning in my guns.  Preferably as close to 115 gr factory ammo since that is what I typically shoot for training, competition, etc.  But not a need.  I'm thinking that I will likely need to keep things a little lower at first, which is fine.  I have a chronograph that I think can be used for handguns, but I wasn't really planning on it.  How have you gone about trying to replicate a specific loading?  Not looking to get "poof poof" ammo.

Will be using a Dillon setup that one of my buddies who has been reloading handgun for years has.  His handgun reloading needs are similar to mine, so that will help.  I think he said he typically finds a load that functions and is a certain percentage (I don't remember how much lower) lower than the max published load data.  That sounds good to me, but I am down to do some testing to get closer to factory load. 

Gearing up for starting to reload for 9 mm, so consolidating my thoughts, experiences, and questions. 

My goal is primarily for reliable functioning in my guns.  Preferably as close to 115 gr factory ammo since that is what I typically shoot for training, competition, etc.  But not a need.  I'm thinking that I will likely need to keep things a little lower at first, which is fine.  I have a chronograph that I think can be used for handguns, but I wasn't really planning on it.  How have you gone about trying to replicate a specific loading?  Not looking to get "poof poof" ammo.

Will be using a Dillon setup that one of my buddies who has been reloading handgun for years has.  His handgun reloading needs are similar to mine, so that will help.  I think he said he typically finds a load that functions and is a certain percentage (I don't remember how much lower) lower than the max published load data.  That sounds good to me, but I am down to do some testing to get closer to factory load.

can't help you here
i own no ammo nor reloading components...

Gearing up for starting to reload for 9 mm, so consolidating my thoughts, experiences, and questions. 

My goal is primarily for reliable functioning in my guns.  Preferably as close to 115 gr factory ammo since that is what I typically shoot for training, competition, etc.  But not a need.  I'm thinking that I will likely need to keep things a little lower at first, which is fine.  I have a chronograph that I think can be used for handguns, but I wasn't really planning on it.  How have you gone about trying to replicate a specific loading?  Not looking to get "poof poof" ammo.

Will be using a Dillon setup that one of my buddies who has been reloading handgun for years has.  His handgun reloading needs are similar to mine, so that will help.  I think he said he typically finds a load that functions and is a certain percentage (I don't remember how much lower) lower than the max published load data.  That sounds good to me, but I am down to do some testing to get closer to factory load.

Since you are using someone else’s dies and equipment I won’t get into too much. If you get your own dies, make sure they are capable of resizing the case far enough down to get rid of the Glock bulge if you intend to buy once fired range brass and/or shoot your reloads through a Glock. I still have my RCBS 9mm dies from 40+ years ago and from about 10 years ago and I found out the hard way they don’t size the case low enough to get rid of the bulge. Also, I suggest you crimp, even if it is just a slight crimp. And check the first few hundred with your gauge. I still check 100% but that is just me.

As loads go I usually stick to the low end to the mid area of my reloading manuals. They usually work fine in my semi autos. I did try and go as low as I could once to see how low I could go before my semis would not operate. As my memory serves I think I was 0.2gr below the minimum in my Sierra book with Titegroup or Unique and my Glock would not function 100%. But my Sig still worked fine. After that I just stick to the low end to mid areas and I have not had any function issues. Point of aim is not always the same but that is a different issue.

Since you are using someone else’s dies and equipment I won’t get into too much. If you get your own dies, make sure they are capable of resizing the case far enough down to get rid of the Glock bulge if you intend to buy once fired range brass and/or shoot your reloads through a Glock. I still have my RCBS 9mm dies from 40+ years ago and from about 10 years ago and I found out the hard way they don’t size the case low enough to get rid of the bulge. Also, I suggest you crimp, even if it is just a slight crimp. And check the first few hundred with your gauge. I still check 100% but that is just me.

As loads go I usually stick to the low end to the mid area of my reloading manuals. They usually work fine in my semi autos. I did try and go as low as I could once to see how low I could go before my semis would not operate. As my memory serves I think I was 0.2gr below the minimum in my Sierra book with Titegroup or Unique and my Glock would not function 100%. But my Sig still worked fine. After that I just stick to the low end to mid areas and I have not had any function issues. Point of aim is not always the same but that is a different issue.

Yup, I'm aware of the bulge and have seen the havoc it can cause.  My buddy shoots Glocks too (basically the same guns I do), so hopefully that will not be an issue.  Will have to see if I start shooting my reloads in my CZ and Walther though. 

just started reloading 9mm
i have only done 124 grain fmj and 147 jhp


124 fmj, Everglades ammo plated bullets #2 (heavy plated)
Titegroup 4.1 grains
OAL:  1.15"

this is the top end of Hodgdon reloading data website.  i found at lower powder levels i had some malfunctions with FTE or FTF.  but with the top end 4.1 grains of titegroup function was flawless

just started reloading 9mm
i have only done 124 grain fmj and 147 jhp


124 fmj, Everglades ammo plated bullets #2 (heavy plated)
Titegroup 4.1 grains
OAL:  1.15"

this is the top end of Hodgdon reloading data website.  i found at lower powder levels i had some malfunctions with FTE or FTF.  but with the top end 4.1 grains of titegroup function was flawless

I have Everglades 115 gr and XTreme 115 gr boolits. 

What gun were you having FTE and FTF? 

I have two guns I'm mainly loading for.  My stock 17s and 34, and my Gucci Glocks that have "stronger" recoil springs.  So it's the Gucci Glocks that I'm wondering about seeing functioning issues with reloads.  No problems with factory 115 gr and 124 gr loads though. 

I have Everglades 115 gr and XTreme 115 gr boolits. 

What gun were you having FTE and FTF? 

I have two guns I'm mainly loading for.  My stock 17s and 34, and my Gucci Glocks that have "stronger" recoil springs.  So it's the Gucci Glocks that I'm wondering about seeing functioning issues with reloads.  No problems with factory 115 gr and 124 gr loads though.

gun was G19.  stock recoil spring, stock trigger
rounds did pass the plunk test

What powder you got available? Here are some projects I did a few years back.
I'm currently testing a nice polymer coated bullet with a truncated cone design.
================================
Alternative Propellants for 9mm
https://2ahawaii.com/index.php?topic=13595.msg130241#msg130241

My xtp project
https://2ahawaii.com/index.php?topic=7656.0

Gold dot part1
https://2ahawaii.com/index.php?topic=15665.msg146433#msg146433

Gold dot part 2
https://2ahawaii.com/index.php?topic=15673.msg153752#msg153752

.357 is another story
reloaded a butt load of them 
never had any FTF or FTE   

What powder you got available? Here are some projects I did a few years back.
I'm currently testing a nice polymer coated bullet with a truncated cone design.

SNIP

TiteGroup.  Maybe some Bullseye, but primarily sticking with TiteGroup to start and prob for a while. 

.357 is another story
reloaded a butt load of them 
never had any FTF or FTE   

You've got a VERY dirty gun if you start getting those.   

Ok, I'm trying to follow, getting hung up on acronyms. I had to look them up! Rookie here!

Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk

Ok, I'm trying to follow, getting hung up on acronyms. I had to look them up! Rookie here!

Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk

Ask here

Failure To Extract
Failure To Eject
Failure To Feed

No expert on reloading here, but all of those are symptoms of troubleshooting. 

Ask here

Failure To Extract
Failure To Eject
Failure To Feed

No expert on reloading here, but all of those are symptoms of troubleshooting.

Don't want to disrupt the flow!

Sent from my SM-A102U using Tapatalk

Generally I use a slower burning propellant in 9mm since the case is so tiny, it's like a high compression motor.
 My theory is that a fast powder is like a low octane gas. You don't put low octane gas in a 426 hemi.

Fast is ok with lightweight bullets like your 115s.
I gravitate towards heavier bullets thus my choice of slower powder.

Yup, I'm aware of the bulge and have seen the havoc it can cause.  My buddy shoots Glocks too (basically the same guns I do), so hopefully that will not be an issue.  Will have to see if I start shooting my reloads in my CZ and Walther though.

I am aware that most of the problems with Glocks and reloads are in the calibers larger than 9mm. Not saying that there are no problems with 9mm. I had an issue where a reload of mine got stuck in the chamber out of battery. It did not fire out of battery. But I couldn’t eject the round either. Fortunately there was a Glock Certified Armourer shooting right next to me. It took him 10 minutes to get the round out. When I got the round home is when I realized my dies did not size the bottom of the case. And at that time I was checking 1 in 5 or 10 with the gauge. I now check 100% all the time.

Since I moved and had to sell a lot of supplies and also a lot of my supplies went missing after the move I have had to improvise with the different bullets available at the time. Before the panic and for the last however many years I have been reloading in Hawaii I settled on and standardized on 124gr Montana Gold JHP using Titegroup for all of my ammo. MG JHP are not designed to expand. They are target bullets only. But if you buy them by the 60 pound case they worked out to 9.9 cents each. About the same price as plated bullets. The prices have since gone up and they are all but impossible to get right now.

Since I moved here I have used up all of my MG JHP bullets and I have purchased the following:

Speer 115gr CPRN - These were literal crap. The plating separated from the lead core and often made holes in my target if I was shooting 7 yards or less. They also occasionally keyholed. I tried all different velocities/loads and had the same problem. When shooting them in my revolver the bullets would creep out. I could not put a tight crimp on them as the lead core was so soft if I tried to put a tight crimp on them I just crushed the bullet.

DG 115gr Powder Coated - These worked rather well in my two semi autos but some powders that worked well in one gun did not work well in the other. I finally found that Green Dot worked well in both semi autos. Green Dot is an old favorite for light loads in rifle catridges. I usually never try it in pistol cartridges. BTW, they worked well in my Glock. They work well in my revolvers. I have the same mold to make them at home now. And I powder coat my own now. So I won’t buy powder coated any more.

Berry’s 124gr FP - These are plated bullets and the quality is quite good visually and they shoot quite well. I loaded 500 of them over Titegroup and took them to the grange with my family and we shot them all up in an hour. They worked flawlessly in several different semis and they work well in my revolvers.

XTreme Bullets - I have 1k 124gr plated and visually the quality looks excellent. As good as, if not better than Berry’s Bullets. I also have 3k 124gr FMJ’s which also visually look excellent. I have not loaded any of these as of yet.

I still have a ton of the Berry’s and DG’s loaded and sitting in 30 cal ammo boxes. It will take me a while to shoot them all up. I enjoyed my experimenting with the plated and powder coated bullets. When things get back to normal I will probably go back to buying FMJ or JHP from MG if the prices are close or the same as the plated bullets. But if they raise their prices significantly, I might switch back to plated from Berry’s and/or XTreme if their prices go back to less than MG significantly.

Things are different for 357 and I’ll write about them later.

I am aware that most of the problems with Glocks and reloads are in the calibers larger than 9mm. Not saying that there are no problems with 9mm. I had an issue where a reload of mine got stuck in the chamber out of battery. It did not fire out of battery. But I couldn’t eject the round either. Fortunately there was a Glock Certified Armourer shooting right next to me. It took him 10 minutes to get the round out. When I got the round home is when I realized my dies did not size the bottom of the case. And at that time I was checking 1 in 5 or 10 with the gauge. I now check 100% all the time.

Now that you mention that, I recall seeing problems with an M&P 40 and brass that was from a Glock 21 or 22.  Sucker would get majorly stuck from just chambering a round. 

Now that you mention that, I recall seeing problems with an M&P 40 and brass that was from a Glock 21 or 22.  Sucker would get majorly stuck from just chambering a round.

I didn’t want to mention KABOOM but it seems more prevalent in the larger calibers with Glock and reloads than it does in 9mm. I have a good friend that had a KABOOM with his Glock 45ACP and his reloads. Fortunately, it was not damaged badly and Glock fixed it for him. We don’t know if it was due to a double charge or if to a problem with the bulge.

I didn’t want to mention KABOOM but it seems more prevalent in the larger calibers with Glock and reloads than it does in 9mm. I have a good friend that had a KABOOM with his Glock 45ACP and his reloads. Fortunately, it was not damaged badly and Glock fixed it for him. We don’t know if it was due to a double charge or if to a problem with the bulge.

Interesting.  Now that I think about it, I have mostly heard about Kbooms with fotay cal.  One of my shooting buddies shoots and reloads mostly 40, but I believe he loads them middle of the range. 

Interesting.  Now that I think about it, I have mostly heard about Kbooms with fotay cal.  One of my shooting buddies shoots and reloads mostly 40, but I believe he loads them middle of the range.

It bothers me that a portion, however small, of the cartridge is unsupported when fully chambered. With brand new brass, it seems to not be a problem at all. But with brass that has been bulged out and resized it may be weaker. Especially if close to max charges are used. So I think your buddy is smart keeping things at the mid point.