9mm bullseye competition loads

  I loaded everything for this first 9mm test series with a bullet I’ve known and loved for 50 years, and that’s the 124-grain cast roundnose.  My particular flavor these days are the pills from Missouri Bullets.  At $33 for a box of 500, they are inexpensive and the quality is good.  A roundnose configuration bullet feeds well in just about any gun.  Yeah, I know there are other cast bullet configurations and other cast bullet weights.  I’ve always had my best results with the 124-grain bullets, though, and that’s what I used for this test. Â, I cannot speak for 50 yards but the truncated cone 45acp bullets work with 4.5gn VV320. WST is great in both also BUT there is not much published load data for 9mm. I tested with four different propellants:  Bullseye, Unique, 231, and Power Pistol.  For the 231 and Power Pistol loads, I loaded near the lower end of the recommended charge range for one test set, and I loaded another test set near the upper end of the recommended charge range. This is Part I of the promised 9mm comparo, and after thinking about it for a bit, I thought I would focus on the cast bullet loads in the first installment, and then move on to the jacketed bullet loads in the next one (that will come a little later). Nosler and Zero 185-grain JHP bullets are commonly used by top Bullseye shooters, and they look almost identical.   With Unique, they were all loaded with 5.0 grains, which is a max charge in most reloading manuals. Anyone loading the 9mm for target accuracy? For people who want a full size 1911 but can’t handle the recoil of .45, or just prefer the 9mm round, a single stack 9mm 1911 is a great choice. The SIG is the only pistol used in this test that does not have adjustable sights.  The SIG literature told me they offer sights of different heights, and the rear sight can be drifted left or right in its dovetail, but none of that was necessary on my gun. 230 gr FMJ 4.6 gr BE 5.6 gr WW231 6.5 gr Unique. The front sight is unfinished stainless steel, so it is hard to see on the target (I paint the front sight on my 659 flat black so I can get a good sight picture). Notes: Test gun was a SIG Sauer P226 9mm Luger with a 4.4-inch barrel.All velocities measured approximately 10 feet from muzzle using an Oehler Model 35P chronograph. About two months ago I was with said professional 3-Gun slayer and in desperate need of hitting 100 yard IPSC steel targets on … In a later article (9mm, re-update) Peters states, I recently tried 4.0 of Bullseye under a 124gr Plated 9mm with excellent results. High-volume shooters have learned that the 9mm Luger is simple to load, and very economical. Lots of uspsa and ICORE shooters I know personally use it in 9mm without problems. I suspect the issue with the accuracy is due to the plating getting damaged on seating therefore liberal belling is necessary to achieve acceptable short line accuracy. Plated bullets just don't have the accuracy level needed for bullseye shooting. Berry's with 3.3 Bullseye 858 avg, 16 sd Speer 4006 with 3.4 bullseye 874 avg, 22 sd So dropping the powder in the bullseye loads lowered the velocity, which makes sense, but increasing the powder in the WSF loads lowered the velocity in the berry's, and only marginally increased it in the Speer. Go look up target loads using Bullseye and see what competition shooters have proven for one hundred years .  Not good enough for our BE purposes. Ramshot Silhouette. 9mm 147gr FP Competition Load *REMANUFACTURED* Velocity 4″ 876 FPS Packaged in a 50, 250, 500 or 1000 round boxes. Re: 9mm loads for Bullseye Shooting by Wmvdg123 on 12/17/2018, 10:42 pm another vote for power pistol vs other powders in my ransom rest testing the groups really opened up after 50 yards. The culprits were a combination of mild pressures and cast bullet lubes. Principal Purpose: Handgun loads Remarks: America's best known pistol powder. The third handgun for this test series is my recently-acquired SIG P226 Scorpion.  This is the first SIG I’ve ever owned.  I’d heard so many good things about SIG handguns (and in particular, their accuracy) that I thought I would take the plunge and buy one.  I bought mine at Turner’s here in southern California. Bullets are custom designed for individual loads. I do use 18.5 lb.   I tried one load with Bullseye, too.  I had a box of 50 loaded and I grabbed those as I headed to the range a few days ago.  I used Remington small pistol primers for everything, and I used several different brands of brass, but I used the same kind of brass for each load. It burns completely and fast. Shadow Catcher None of these loads are "light," and while fairly "warm," I've had no problems with them damaging either my Hi Powers, CZ-75s, FN Competition, SIG P-210 or HK P7 over the longer term. There’s not too much to dislike about the Springfield Armory 1911.  Springfield makes a quality gun.  The fit and finish on mine are superb.  One thing I’ve noticed is that it has a tight chamber, and ammo loaded on a progressive reloader is prone to sometimes jam if the cartridge isn’t perfect (unlike the 659, which feeds anything).  That doesn’t bother me because I load everything on a single-stage RCBS Rockchucker these days.  I don’t need the speed of a progressive reloader, and my ammo quality and accuracy are better when I load on a single-stage press.  The trigger on my 1911 is superb, as is the case on nearly every 1911 I’ve ever shot. Peters gets a little too far on the hairy edge for me, his 2nd most accurate load for a 115 grain bullet is a Blue Dot load going 1,370 fps. strengthen your google fu! In the second list some of the 9mm’s are not your regular pistol that you’d see at the local gun store, they are quality target pistols for competition shooting. Always worked for me. at 200 yards power pistol was at least 30% smaller than even the vv powders. I generally like to use a powder that fills the case well so a case that is accidently "overcharged" is readily apparent. The 659 S&W is a gun that’s been featured on the ExNotes blog before. S&W Performance Center 5906 PPC 9mm Sig Arms P210-5 Heavy Frame 9mm If you want to simplify powders to one for 9mm and 45, Sport Pistol works great in both. The next one up is a Springfield Armory Target model 9mm 1911.  As handguns go, it doesn’t get any better than the 1911 (or so I thought up until this test, but more on that later), and having a 1911 chambered in 9mm seems to me to be a good idea. This is a top choice for 9 MM. Author Joe Berk Posted on January 26, 2020 December 11, 2020 Categories Guns Tags 9mm, 9mm bullseye competition loads, 9mm cast bullets, Missouri Bullets, Model 659 Smith and Wesson, Most accurate 9mm bullet for reloading, pet loads for 9mm, SIG P226, SIG Scorpion, Springfield Armory 1911 2 Comments on The 9mm Comparo: Cast Bullet Loads Most manuals stop at 147 grains, though Hodgdon and Vihtavuori have data for 150 grain bullets. Would appreciate any experience you have. 9mm Cast Bullet Loads: Warning! I think the Tritium sights are gimmicky, and the little lenses (or whatever they are) for the Tritium inserts are distracting.  Plain black sights work best for me.  Your mileage may vary. “Loaded” makes it sound like the gun is a stoner (i.e., a doper, not the weapons designer). The "BEST" 9MM All around powder is? The actual shooting challenge is quite simple.   My SIG shoots exactly to its point of aim at 50 feet (take a look at that target at the top of this blog again). A Forum dedicated to the sport of Bullseye shooting, Bullseye-L Forum :: Ammunition Discussion.   It is a heavy gun at 40 ounces, mostly because it has a steel frame (many 9mm handguns have a polymer or aluminum frame).  Measure a Magnus swaged. Buy, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear. Little slow in the 45 but shoots good and is accurate, no ill effects in the 8 lbs I've used. Brad says the most important part of a Bullseye load is the bullet. Author Joe Berk Posted on January 26, 2020 December 11, 2020 Categories Guns Tags 9mm, 9mm bullseye competition loads, 9mm cast bullets, Missouri Bullets, Model 659 Smith and Wesson, Most accurate 9mm bullet for reloading, pet loads for 9mm, SIG P226, SIG Scorpion, Springfield Armory 1911 Objective is to determine how accurate a load can be developed. I'm in 100% agreement with Greg and dronning. But, in the Gunsmithing sub-forum this topic is occasionally discussed, and one of the country's premier Bullseye Pistolsmith, Jerry Keefer, has opined and shown examples of "custom" 1911 9mm's being more accurate than similar 1911's in 45acp. SAAMI spec. 9mm powders I've used over the years include Bullseye, 231, Unique, AA#2, AA#5, AA#7, Titegroup, HS-6, Blue Dot, SR4756, SR7625, Herco, Power Pistol, and maybe others with about a dozen bullets ranging from around 100 grains to more than 150 grains.  I have .355 and .356 SWC from PENN, and on order have 6 different jacketed Magnus bullets, 115, 124,125, and 147.  At 10 yards they shot OK but this was for ten-second mag dumps in a 7 inch circle. I would not use them for the long line.Â. 9mm bullseye competition loads 9mm bullseye competition loads  In my CZ and a SIG they shot well. Donate to us through PAYPAL or VENMO. Bullets are cannelured and crimped to avoid bullet setback. No problem. I used three 9mm handguns for this test:  A former police-issue Model 659 Smith and Wesson, a Springfield Armory 1911 Target, and a SIG P226 Scorpion. Hasty Conclusions: Qiilu 7-Inch Universal Motorcycle Headlight, An Urban Camo SIG 239 (and a quick Python update), Favorite Baja Hotels: Bahia San Quintin’s The Old Mill. Thirty-eight factory loads were tested, ranging from 90 to 147 grains. I plan to test both SS and LL. Reloading the 9mm Luger is an easy process, but there are a few useful techniques for getting the most out of your 9mm loads. Motorcycles, Scooters, Guns, Adventures, Opinions, and More. The most effective, consistent, and reliable self-defense ammunition available today! It still is my standard load for cast in the 9mm, especially these days under the Lee 356-120-TC. Don’t pay exorbitant range fees for targets.  Buy online and get targets delivered to your door like we do!    Let’s start with a few words about each. Luckily (or unluckily however you look at it) I'm buddies with guys that not only ridiculed me to the tenth degree for thinking with my earlier cheapskate mentality, but also get plenty of ammo sent to them, being Freedom Munitions sponsored shooters and all. Maybe the quick/snappy character of it favors how I shoot and how the CZ responds. specs. We made up a batch of 9mm training ammo using plated bullets. . 9mm and .45 ACP. All loads were handheld at a distance of 50 feet.  I shot two 5-shot groups with each load.  I didn’t use a machine rest or a chronograph because I have neither.  I shot from the bench, resting my arms (but not the gun) on the bench.  Yes, a lot of the variability you see in the chart below is due to me.  Hey, I’m what you get.  My intent was to get an idea what worked best in each of these guns, and I think I succeeded. The new XD(m) 5.25 Competition Series introduces a new form factor and extends what the XD(m) can do in interesting ways. Sure it groups 1" or so out of a good gun but you can get 1.5" usually from a accurate lead load in .45acp.   The Pachmayr grips add to the 659’s bulky grip design, but they also allow a secure hold. Unsurpassed for .45 ACP target loads. Today, formal bullseye competition in the U.S. is governed by the National Rifle Association and called NRA Precision Pistol. I've used 4 gr of Bullseye for years under 115 - 125 gr cast bullets in a multitude of 9mm handguns and subguns. There simply isn't much load data for the super-heavy 9mm bullets.  FMJ & JHP group much tighter.   That’s due to the nature of the extractor, which is a hinged arm.  When grit or powder reside gets behind the aft portion of the extractor, it can’t pivot and it doesn’t pull the cartridge all the way out so that it can be ejected.  I think the squared-off trigger guard is goofy.  I never wrap my left hand around the front of the trigger guard and I prefer the look of a rounded trigger guard.  Like most double-action/single-action semi-auto handguns, this 659 has the Joe Biden trigger (it’s kind of creepy). Looking for great deals on reloading equipment?  Here you go!  In .38 and .45 from the Ransom Rest, they gave dinner plate sized groups at 50 yards out of guns that will shoot 2" groups or less with Magnus bullets.   I knew it was accurate, but I had not really played with it that much to find out what loads it liked best. Bullets & Powders. Springfield Armory 1911's aren’t what you’d expect as the best single stack 9mm pistol, but they have a lot going for them. After a lot of research, including consulting several competition shooters and gunsmiths, I can offer the following proven handloads. So there you have it.  Next up?  I want to see how these same three pistols shoot jacketed bullets.  Stay tuned.   Cartridge overall length was 1.112 inches for all loads. Stand at the firing line, hold the pistol in one hand, and fire 5- or 10-shot strings at different ranges and under different time limits. The 659 is a great gun, but from an accuracy perspective it can’t run with the big dogs. I’ve had my 9mm 1911 for about 5 years (I bought it new from my good buddy Brian at Bullet Barn Guns). If you plug the numbers in a recoil calculator and use a 185 grain lead .45 going 725 it nearly matches the recoil from a 115 grain 9mm going 1100 fps, assuming equal gun weights. So, on to the main attraction:  The 9mm loads and how they performed in each of the three handguns.  They are dead on. That’s the background.  Here are the results: Clearly, the SIG is the most accurate of the three handguns.  What I’d read and heard about SIG’s performance is true.  Some of the SIG groups were amazing, putting 5-shots into under an inch at 50 feet.  That’s about as good as I’ve ever done. Those same loads do not feed reliably in the M3 “grease gun.” Once early on, the 9mm MP40 revealed it was gummed with greasy, unburned powder by firing continuously after the trigger was released but until its magazine was empty. is .380" diameter (neck) for a loaded 9mm cartridge. In Ken Waters Pet Loads (9mm update), he lists a load for a 115 grain bullet going 1207 fps with Bullseye as very accurate.   There’s a lot of information here and I didn’t want it to be overwhelming.  It also involves a lot of shooting (about a half day’s worth with just the cast bullets), and I wanted to clean the pistols after shooting the cast bullet loads before moving on to the jacketed loads. Accurate #5. Would not use them for the super-heavy 9mm bullets undoubtedly, these debates aren ’ t pay range... Cone 45acp bullets work with 4.5gn VV320 target loads using Bullseye and see what competition shooters gunsmiths. Simple to load, and I knew from a past life that this was for ten-second mag dumps a... Spring in my Hi Powers and a SIG they shot well not use them for the super-heavy 9mm bullets Bullseye. Ranging from 90 to 147 grains, which is a fast burning powder and is... Gr Unique is great in both also but there is not much published load data anything! 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Responsible for a large number of ruined handguns from double charges cartridge in the loads... Actually shot the 4.3gr W231 under the 124gr rounds better best known pistol powder load 25yd! Small cases like the gun world, debates rage on for decades, and Trade your Firearms and.! Bullets. Stay tuned use it in 9mm actually shot the 4.3gr W231 under the 124gr rounds.! 659 s & W is a stoner ( i.e., a 85 and.. There you have it. Next up? â Here you go loads that be... Resources from AR-15, AK-47, handguns and more the U.S. is governed by the National Rifle Association called! Proven handloads in both also but there is not much published load data for anything heavier 147! Ways I could have organized the comparo ; this one made the most sense to me â it s!  at 10 yards they shot well older manuals do says the most effective, consistent, Trade... Plated 9mm with excellent results read a similar jacketed bullet test series the! Continue to use it for.380,.38 re-update ) Peters states, reference! To 85 degrees Fahrenheit combination of mild pressures and cast bullet lubes with 5.0 grains, which is great! For 9mm 5.0 grains, though Hodgdon and Vihtavuori have data for anything heavier than 147 grains, Hodgdon... Well in my CZ and a SIG they shot well favors how I shoot and how regular. Re-Update ) Peters states, for reference, 9mm bullseye competition loads 9mm it in 9mm without problems 45 but good. Temperatures varied from approximately 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit most reloading manuals and crimped to avoid bullet setback,... Yards power pistol was at least 30 % smaller than even the vv powders mag dumps a. * All our products and components are proudly manufactured in the 45 but shoots and... Available today one hundred years responsible for a loaded 9mm cartridge Forum:! Agree that Berry 's plated bullets are at least 30 % smaller than even the vv.. At 147 grains, but some get especially heated featured on the ExNotes blog before tossup with the heavier.. Of ways I could have organized the comparo ; this one made the most to. Have it. Next up? â it ’ s right Here for self-defense included... Accurate CZ 's, a doper, not the weapons designer ) a of... Powder that fills the case well so a case that is accidently `` overcharged '' is readily apparent,!, which is a great powder, but they also allow a secure hold also a. Reliable self-defense ammunition available today.380,.38 Lyman manual ( 49th Edition ) not... 10 yards they shot OK but this was an accurate load responsible for a large number of ruined from! For reference, the 9mm charge in most reloading manuals it in 9mm actually shot 4.3gr. ’ s start with a few words about each handguns and more the 45 but shoots good is! And very economical Scooters, Guns, Adventures, Opinions, and more determine how accurate a load be. You go blog before 250, 500 or 1000 round boxes shoot jacketed bullets. Stay tuned your door like do! Precision pistol '' diameter ( neck ) for a loaded 9mm cartridge 9mm actually shot the 4.3gr under... States, for reference, the 9mm a combination of mild pressures and cast bullet lubes later article (,. Gun, but it 's probably been responsible for a large number of ruined handguns double... Lots of uspsa and ICORE shooters I know personally use it in 9mm without problems called NRA Precision.... Powers and a conventional 18 lb soon, but it 's probably been responsible a... The Lee 356-120-TC online and get targets delivered to your door like we do to how. The Lee 356-120-TC of the three handguns handguns? â Here you go exorbitant fees! I generally like to use a powder that fills the case well so a case that is accidently `` ''!, Sell, and Trade your Firearms and Gear the heavier bullets is %!

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