Beginning to load for M&P 9mm

[Requiem]

Hey, guys. I've been reloading for .308 only for a little over a year and a half now and it's about time I started loading for my M&P full-size 9mm. From what I can see, pistol loading is a little bit different than rifle, so any tips off the bat?

I'm looking to use either 115 FMJ's or 124 FMJ's, and if I do use 124's then possibly trying to duplicate the m882 ball load. So where should I get started with powder for 9mm?

Also, does anyone know where one could get pulled 9mm nato surplus bullets to load?

Thanks in advance!

[JaeOne3345]

I just started loading 147 grain truncated round nose 9mm projectiles from Bear Creek. They are moly coated. I use 3.5 gr of w231. I love em so far. No leading.

I know it isn't what you asked for but hey what the heck.

For FMJ/JHP try precisiondelta or montana gold.

[Bill Steele]

The best prices on quality FMJ can be found at Precision Tactical and Montana Gold.

http://www.montanagoldbullet.com/pricelist.tpl

http://www.precisiondelta.com/index.php

I think MG are slightly better bullets, but PD includes shipping in their quotes and you only have to buy 1000 at a time which is nice.

I have bought a lot of once fired brass from Brassman.

http://store.brassmanbrass.com/servlet/StoreFront?sfs=e727600e

My favorite powder for hot loads (like NATO) is VV-3N37, but it is a little more expensive to buy than most others.

Another excellent powder is W231. It is not quite as clean as VV above but costs less and loads well to a wide range of speeds.

The reloading forums here have a great bunch of guys that have forgot more than many will ever learn on the subject. A good place to bookmark as you go along.

Good luck.

[iareConfusE]

Better question for the Ammo & Reloading forum, but whatever. I love Titegroup for 9mm. Burns clean and completely. I use 115gr plated bullets. I stopped buying jacketed bullets because plated ones were a bit cheaper.

[Requiem]

Thanks for the recommendation to PD, guys. Already heard of montana gold a bit ago as well

I guess I'll look into W231 and Titegroup for powders.

A friend of mine said he uses Alliant Bullseye for pistol loads. Anyone used this in their M&P 9mm with good results? He also mentioned "Rex" powder... anyone heard of this or used it?

[IPSICK]

I like 147gr FMJ/JHP w/ titegroup. Fairly soft shooting powder for 9mm. Decent amounts of muzzle flash though.

[zfields]

I don't like bullseye for 9mm, prefer win231

[21SF]

I use bullseye for 9 and 45.

[perpetual otter]

I only load for .45 ACP and 223 but never considered loading 9mm due to the lack of actual savings I calculated 2 years ago. Have things changed? I can still buy factory 9mm for plinking for about $200.

[GillaFunk]

Very Good point. 9mm is actually reatively cheap.

Considering your gonna be hella busy this summer working 2 jobs, you may just wanna spend that money shooting, and drinking Rootbeer & JackDaniels instead of reloading.

Just my $0.02 Semper

[iareConfusE]

I only load for .45 ACP and 223 but never considered loading 9mm due to the lack of actual savings I calculated 2 years ago. Have things changed? I can still buy factory 9mm for plinking for about $200.

Yep, reloading for 9mm doesn't save you very much, but I do it anyways because it helps to pass my excess free time. I think I save about $.02 per round reloading 9mm compared to commercial 9mm sold at a "Deal" price. Most people consider their time to be worth more, especially since I'm loading it on a single stage press. I also like the ability to make lighter loads for new shooters that I bring with me.

[Peter W Bush]

I load for 223, 9mm, 357 sig, 38spl/357 magnum, 30-30, .380, and some others. If i was only loading for 9mm, I wouldn't have started reloading lol. $100 here, $500, there, and soon you're talking about serious money for a reloading setup. Not worth it for just 9mm

[G60]

I can get 9mm at 10% off walmart price (about $180 per thousand). I calculated using factory bullets, I would save almost $3 per box of 50 rounds. Cast your own bullets, save even more.

[Bill Steele]

Thanks for the recommendation to PD, guys. Already heard of montana gold a bit ago as well

I guess I'll look into W231 and Titegroup for powders.

A friend of mine said he uses Alliant Bullseye for pistol loads. Anyone used this in their M&P 9mm with good results? He also mentioned "Rex" powder... anyone heard of this or used it?

I load Bullseye in my 9's occasionally. 4.9grs under a 115gr RN FMJ seated to 1.25" yeilds a pretty peppy round. No experience with Rex.

It costs me about $.14 a round to load 9mm with FMJ. I averaged about $10 a box of 50 when I was buying factory loads. That works out to $.20 round for factory. I shoot about 8000 rounds of 9mm a year, so I figure I am saving just under $500 a year in 9mm ammo expense. Guys that cast their own lead bullets save another $300 or so a year at that volume.

I also load .357 and .44 Magnuns, the savings in these calibers is really large. Before starting handgun loading I only shot my 9's, all the other guns just sat. Now I shoot them all, more fun.

[Voo]

You can really use almost any PISTOL powder out there so long as you work up your load properly.. Solo, Bullseye, Titegroup, Univ. Clays, W231, Vhit, etc etc..

You're better off asking this in the reloading forum, but if you really wanna save money, cast your own or shoot lead/moly. This is a HUGE savings over buying FMJ or JHP's. Plated is another route, but you can get funky results as sometimes the barrel or powder combination can cause the plating to strip and line your barrel.. I've shot Berry's plated in various weights and they all left crap behind in my barrel that I had a hard time cleaning out.. Not to fault them or the gun, it just wasn't for me is all..

I've had no issues with Montana Gold or ZERO FMJ/JHP's... In fact the most accurate load I've ever had is with W231 and ZERO 124 grain JHP's..

When I was reloading, I'd use Universal Clays and Bearcreek Moly bullets.. I had a good supplier for the Bearcreeks.. After powder, primer, brass, bullet pricing combined, it came out to less than half the cost of factory WWB per 1000.. I didn't save any money really as I still spent it on components- I just got to shoot twice as much :-)