Loaded and fired my first batch... some questions

[vwynn]

Hey all. Just an update to my last thread about me getting the Hornady LNL AP press..

so i loaded my first 2 batchs. heres the spec.. 20 each btw.

3.8 (Titegroup). 124gr Berry RNDS. Win SPP. 1.15" OAL
4.2 (Titegroup). 124gr Berry RNDS. Win SPP. 1.14" OAL

Overall impression, i was very excited and pleased that i actually shot what i made! but yea..

3.8 gr load felt really soft however it was nice and accurate...
4.2 gr load was obviously more recoil and was strangely not as accurate as the 3.8... was it due to the shorter OAL?

also some other questions..

i notice im getting some inconsistent OAL for my 9mm... are they due to the mix brass?

loaded 299 more n ready for testing . From 3.8, 4.0, 4.2 gr... Win and Tula primer and at 1.145" OAL and 35 of em at 1.125"

[joelogic]

Part of developing a load is finding what is more accurate.

Oal can affect pressure, affecting velocity but .01 is probably not going to make a difference.

Oal has nothing to do with the brass. A spread of .005 is nothing and .1 is something. What is your variance?

[XDRoX]

How much inconsistency in the OAL? Some is normal.

My guess is that the hotter rounds were less accurate because of the recoil. You may just not be use to it. (Not trying to insult you, just a guess as what's happening.)

If you liked 3.8gr and it was accurate, then why load any hotter?

A couple other observations.
Why would you load to 1.125"?
And why Titegroup?

If you're new to reloading you should be loading as long as functional. With 124gr Berry's RN, 1.140" is plenty short enough to function in just about any modern 9mm. I don't understand why you went so short

Titegroup has kaboomed more guns than all other powders combined. When you're loading toward the top especially with short OAL's, you're playing with fire. Slight set-back could cause you issues.

Hope this helps and stay safe.

[LGB Loader]

I too am a bit curious where the OP got his load data from.

4.2gr with a 1.125 OAL seems over maximum level charge to me.


LGB

[jwest]

Not to be Captain Obvious - but did you process your brass correctly?

[iareConfusE]

I load my 115gr 9mm to 4.5gr of Titegroup at 1.120" OAL. I believe this was just slightly longer than the OAL of Remington UMC. Loads as light as 3.6gr of TG will cycle my CZ, but I want to replicate the feel of commercial ammo as much as possible.

I like training with similar ammo that I am using for my defensive rounds, so that it feels the same when I might need to use them. I wouldn't want to be shooting very anemic loads for years, then suddenly be required to use my full powered defensive loads and not be able to make follow up shots properly because I didn't practice the way I was supposed to.

I also noticed that through my P-01, at lower velocities the point of impact is pretty high, even at just 7 yards. Another major reason why I load to a faster velocity. 4.5gr of TG is "max charge" according to my Lyman's manual, but it still seems to have a fairly high point of impact at 7 yards. But it isn't so high that it is unacceptable to me.

[LGB Loader]

I load my 115gr 9mm to 4.5gr of Titegroup at 1.120" OAL. 4.5gr of TG is "max charge" according to my Lyman's manual,

iareConfusE,
That makes sense since your loading 115gr, but the OP is using 124gr plated pro-jo's.
There lies the difference.
LGB

[stand125]

Not to be Captain Obvious - but did you process your brass correctly?

What do you consider processing your brass correctly?

[vwynn]

Part of developing a load is finding what is more accurate.

Oal can affect pressure, affecting velocity but .01 is probably not going to make a difference.

Oal has nothing to do with the brass. A spread of .005 is nothing and .1 is something. What is your variance?

The spread is is more like 1.145, 1.130, 1.155, etc. nothing to major. I did notice simular headstands yield a more consistent OAL.

How much inconsistency in the OAL? Some is normal.

My guess is that the hotter rounds were less accurate because of the recoil. You may just not be use to it. (Not trying to insult you, just a guess as what's happening.)

If you liked 3.8gr and it was accurate, then why load any hotter?

A couple other observations.
Why would you load to 1.125"?
And why Titegroup?

If you're new to reloading you should be loading as long as functional. With 124gr Berry's RN, 1.140" is plenty short enough to function in just about any modern 9mm. I don't understand why you went so short

Titegroup has kaboomed more guns than all other powders combined. When you're loading toward the top especially with short OAL's, you're playing with fire. Slight set-back could cause you issues.

Hope this helps and stay safe.

why titegroup? mainly cuz it doesnt take much powder to push a 9mm. very economical. ill note your advice!

I too am a bit curious where the OP got his load data from.

4.2gr with a 1.125 OAL seems over maximum level charge to me.


LGB

my load data was from Hodgens website.

it calls for 4.0 TG (start load) and 4.4 (MAX load.)
OAL: 1.090"
Bullet: 125 Gr FMJ. (forgot which brand.. )

[im using 124gr. btw]

Not to be Captain Obvious - but did you process your brass correctly?

I believe so lol. Pop em in the tumbler with walnut + nufinish + the dryer sheet.

[vwynn]

imma pick up the lyman 49th edition in a bit.

[Diabolus]

Are you seating your primers properly?

.025 is a big variance in OAL. On 100 rounds, my largest variance is .005, you're 5 times that.

[Rwnielsen]

You might want to check your seating die for crap inside (lead, lube, corncob etc.)
.025" is a pretty big variance. Something is changing the distance from your shell plate/holder to the top of your seating die. I'd look for it myself.

[vwynn]

aite loaded 200 more rounds...

i think i know why the OAL is not consistent.. i believe it is due to my table not being 100% solid to support the presses cycle. i set my OAL at 1.150"... ran 1 case through it it got 1.15 on the dot... did another one by itself n got 1.151".. now im thinking its all good.. so i ran all 5 stations... recorded the OAL n it yield 1.16" this time.. im thinking wtf?!?!?

Cleared out all 5 stations n ran the one case that read 1.16" and reseated it once more(same spec) and it went down to 1.15"...

DAMN YOU TABLE!

[bootcamp]

When you're calibrating your press for OAL, ALL your stations need to be filled to compensate for shellplate movement/flex/etc. When all the stations are full, you are emulating normal operating procedure. The other brass is being processed at the different stations and is putting pressure on the shellplate in a different way. Does what i'm saying make sense? That is where you are getting your variance in OAL.

Now when you settle that, .005 variance is pretty normal in mixed headstamp reloading. It has to do with brass. Different headstamps have different brass wall thicknesses. When you resize your case, your die will resize all your brass to the same OUTER diameter but the inner diameter may vary depending on brass wall thickness. So when you seat your bullet, the brass cases with smaller INNER diameters will have more resistance to being seated and have a slightly higher overall length and the brass cases with largers INNER diameters will have less resistance and have a slightly shorter overall length. Remember we're talking .005 variances here, that's the thick part of a woman's pubic hair....nothing huge except on the caliper.

If you don't believe me, sort 100 cases of R-P and 100 cases of Winchester and load them. Your variance should decrease between the same batches.

[vwynn]

i dont like pubic hair hahahaha

make sense! i shall dial with all stations full.. or at least compensate for the difference when dialing 1 shell at a time. so from if i were to get 1.150 doing 1 shell to 1.16 when all stations are on.... ill dial 1.14 with 1 brass so that in theory ill get 1.150 lol.. hopefully